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Reading Centre in B’ce a wonderful idea

Oct 01, 2012 Letters

Dear Editor,
I read recently about the launching of the Writing Centre in Berbice and thought it a wonderful idea.
Mention was made of Harvard and Brown Universities in the USA having writing centres, but we must remember that they, along with Yale and Princeton, are Ivy League institutions.  Guyana has a long way to go.
I had put aside a slim ‘Paperfront’ book called “The Exam Secret”, written by Dennis B Jackson, B.A. (Hons), Manchester Uni., 8th Edition published in 1976.  I fished it out and read the chapter on ‘The Essay in the English Paper’, which I thought gave valuable advice about essay writing.
Here are some of the author’s thoughts.  In an English essay on a general paper, you must show individuality, personality and style.  Facts must be accurate; dullness is fatal.  The first line of your essay “must hit hard……You must open with zest, snap and zip……it must amaze, astound and awake.  It must have force”.
He then gives examples of ‘dull’ and ‘gripping’ versions of the same essay, and emphasises that the opening should be confident, witty, unexpected, short and sharp.  He reminds us that the teacher of English is looking for something new and lively.
He says “Be yourself, and write in the same terms that you would use as if you were talking to an intelligent friend….avoid slang and double meanings”.
In closing the essay, round it off by summing up with a neat, bright ending.  In other words, ‘hark back’ to the beginning; something witty would be good, ‘a sting in the tail’.
His advice on poor spelling is – choose short words (instead of assistance, say help or aid). If punctuation is a problem, use simple sentences and short paragraphs. In this way, only full stops become necessary.  He says “It’s quality that counts, not quantity”.
To sum up, grab the reader’s attention from the beginning and say something witty at the end.  I recall being horrified when, some years ago, I saw an essay, written by a 16-year old, with a bare bottom drawn at the close, with the words ‘The end’ written across it. The class tutor had no such qualms: he awarded his marks and neatly wrote under the drawing ‘Cheeky’!
I was glad that I had not disposed of the slim textbook and found little gems which might be of use to someone.
Geralda Dennison

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