http://www.monash.edu.au/lls/llonline/writing/general/essay/essay-plan/index.xml

The essay plan

Many students, after having analysed an essay topic, are inclined to go straight to the library and read extensively on the subject. It is only after doing this research that they feel confident enough to start thinking and planning out their answer. Such an approach can be a mistake however, with some students producing a myriad of notes and then finding themselves at a loss about how these notes can be transformed into a coherent piece of writing.

Before you read too much (or if possible, before you read anything), it is a good idea to do as much thinking and planning around the topic as you can. The benefit of this approach is that right from the start you can begin to get a sense of the shape your essay will take. It also means you can be more strategic in your reading, allowing you to search for specific reading materials rather than collecting a mass of material that may ultimately have limited relevance to your work.

Taking notes from texts

Students use a variety of techniques to take notes when they are reading for an essay. Probably the least useful of these is the type done with a highlighting pen - where the student succeeds mainly in altering the colour of certain sections of text.

The better techniques are those where students attempt to record key ideas and information in their own words (full sentences or in note form). The main benefit of this approach is that it helps you to impose your own understanding on the texts you have read - something your lecturers will be looking for in your writing. Such an approach will also help you avoid the danger of plagiarism.

Drafting the essay

Students have very different approaches to drafting their essays. Some use a 'linear' approach, starting at the introduction and writing sequentially through to the conclusion. Others prefer a more 'recursive' approach where they work on one section for a time, move on to another part of the essay, and then return to the earlier section. We would not want to argue for any single approach. However there are several techniques worth employing.

One is to have a fairly clear notion of the structure of the essay before you do too much drafting. (Have a look to see how the early provisional plan has been developed into a final elaborated plan.) You will find that the flow of words will come more easily if you know in advance how the different parts of the essay are likely to hang together.

Another technique is to commit yourself to an introduction as early as possible. In the introduction, you should be looking to outline to the reader i) the structure of the essay and ii) your main argument. Your draft introduction will provide an initial anchor for the rest of the piece, even if later you find that you need to modify it.

Analysing citations

Citations (references to other people's work) are an integral part of academic writing. An essay with few or no citations will be a cause of concern for lecturers. They are likely to think straight away that the student has done insufficient reading for the essay; or, worse, that the student has plagiarised material, intentionally or not.

(Note that a citation is different from a quotation. When you quote someone else's work you use that writer's actual words, marking this with quotation marks or other special formatting. When you cite someone else's work, you simply refer it, normally by using the author's name.)

There are a number of citation systems used in academic writing. The two main systems used in the arts and social sciences are:

the Harvard - or author/date - system

eg. Foucault (1970:23) has argued that our present-day concept of "man" came into use less than two hundred years ago.

the Oxford - or footnote - system.

eg. Foucault 1 has argued that our present-day concept of "man" came into use less than two hundred years ago..

Note that different disciplines tend to prefer one system over the other. For example, History normally uses Oxford, whereas Sociology uses Harvard. Be sure that you find out which system is preferred in the discipline areas you are working in. This information should be available in your course outlines.

Writing in Information Technology

These resources are intended to help you develop skills to improve your writing in Information Technology subjects. Choose from modules on writing IT reports or IT case studies.

IT report

Starting the assignment

When you receive an assignment topic, it is important that you understand what you are required to do. Your assignment will be assessed in relation to how well it answers the question. Your first step should therefore be to analyse the question.

This analysis will assist you to:

- determine how you should approach the task- clarify your thoughts on the topic- provide a starting point for a preliminary plan- identify what information is appropriate and relevant to the topic- provide an answer which is relevant to the topic

You can work through the individual sections of this module in order by following the sequence in the navigation menu on the left, or you can jump around and focus on only those areas that you need to work on.

Interpreting the assignment topic

Before you begin working on an assignment, you need to understand what it is that the assignment is asking you to do. Your lecturer has written the assignment topic a certain way because he or she wants you to be able to demonstrate a certain type of understanding. Being able to interpret what the assignment is asking you to do is a vital skill.

One of the first steps in interpreting the assignment topic is to identify the direction words which tell you what to do. Some of these words will be clear to you, but others will be unknown, and you will have to make sense of them before you know what's required of you. After you've done this, you're ready to begin analysing the question itself. This is where you really work out what's expected of you so you can think about how to meet these expectations. Of course, it would be silly of you not to consider any additional notes on the assignment given to you by your lecturer or tutor.

IT case study

Introduction

When an assignment is based on a case study, it's usually necessary to read through a large amount of text related to the assignment topic. With this type of assignment, some students may have difficulty identifying the actual assignment task and the most important information for formulating a relevant response.

To understand the task fully, a top-down approach is recommended; that is, attend to the main ideas first before the more detailed information.

Instructions

This tutorial outlines a top-down approach to analysing an assignment topic. First, view the sample topic from the menu on the left. This will explain how to analyse your assignment topic. Next, view the annotated sample topic, which highlights how you can understand the topic better by identifying its key words and phrases.

Assignment instructions

3 Prewriting tip: list the characteristics of your audience - education, language, familiarity with computers, needs.

2Henry Foote and Co. Pty., Ltd. management system upgrade

You are a system support liaison officer for shoe manufacturers Henry Foote and Co. Pty. Ltd. (HFT). HFT is an international company with three factories: one in Australia, the US and China. One of your main jobs is to translate complex information about the company's computer systems to users. The users are not technical and have only limited experience using computers. Some have no experience whatsoever.

Your boss, Henry Foote, has often complimented you on your ability to explain the system to users in a friendly, clear and helpful manner. All users have attained year 10 or equivalent of high school education, but no more. Whatever they know about computers, they learnt on the job.

The company currently uses a computer management system called RUN250. It keeps an inventory of machine parts and materials used by workers and technicians on the factory floor. It also automatically ensures that flagging supplies are constantly replenished in each factory without delay. However, the system often crashes.

In response to demands for faster processing speed, added functional capabilities and greater reliability, managing director Henry Foote wants to install a new release of the RUN250 in all his factories. The upgrade includes new reports, screens and fields.

4(a)Mr Foote has asked you to write a memo to all users of RUN250 about the changes they can expect with the upgraded system. He tells you that the new system will be installed and fully operable worldwide in three weeks' time.

4(b)Your assignment

List all the questions the RUN250 users will ask about the upgrade to the system. (10 marks)

Write down any other information you think they might need but not ask. (5 marks)

Write the memo that Mr Foote has requested. (20 marks)

https://academic.cuesta.edu/acasupp/as/307.HTM

Organizational Patterns of ParagraphsThe basic unit of thoughtPerhaps one of the best ways to improve your reading ability is to learn to read paragraphs effectively. Many experts believe the paragraph, not the sentence, is the basic unit of thought of a selection. If one can quickly grasp the meaning of each of these though units while reading, then comprehension will be heightened.

It is important to identify with the author's perspective by discovering the way the message is being sent. Every writer has a purpose for writing and some plan of action for getting a message across. This plan of action is the order in which the material will be presented in the text. This order, often called a pattern of organization, should be present in acceptable writing from the smallest to the largest unit of writing: the paragraph, groups of paragraphs, sub-chapters, chapters, groups of chapters, whole books, and even series of books. Each of these, then, contains a certain pattern of organization.

Anticipating the order in which the material will be presented helps you put the facts into perspective and to see how the parts fit into the whole. For example, if the selection begins by indicating that there are four important components of management, you are alert to look for four key phrases to mark and remember. Likewise, if a comparison is suggested, you want to note the points that are similar in nature. For material that shows cause and effect, you need to anticipate the linkage and note the relationship.

The importance of these patterns is that they signal how the facts will be presented. They are blueprints for you to use.

In textbook reading the number of details can be overwhelming. The mind responds to logical patterns; relating the small parts to the whole simplifies complexities of the material and makes remembering easier.

Although key signal words help in identifying the particular type of pattern, a single paragraph can be a mixture of different patterns. Your aim is to anticipate the overall pattern and then place the facts into a broad perspective.

The following six examples are the patterns of organization that are most frequently found in textbooks.

Simple Listing

Items are randomly listed in a series of supporting facts or details. These supporting elements are of equal value, and the order in which they are presented is of no importance. Changing the order of the items does not change the meaning of the paragraph.

Signal words often used for simple listing are:

in addition another for example

also several a number of

Description

Description is like listing; the characters that make up a description are no more than a simple listing of details.

Definition

Frequently in textbook reading an entire paragraph is devoted to defining a complex term or idea. The concept is initially defined and then further expanded with examples and restatements.

Signal words often used for definition are:

is defined as means is described as

is called refers to term or concept

Chronological (Time) Order or Sequence

Items are listed in the order in which they occurred or in a specifically planned order in which they must develop. In this case, the order is important and changing it would change the meaning.

Signal words often used for chronological order or sequence are:

first, second, third before, after when later

until at last next

Comparison - Contrast

Items are related by the comparisons (similarities) that are made or by the contrasts (differences) that are presented. The author's purpose is to show similarities and differences.

Signal words often used for comparison-contrast are: similar, different on the other hand but however

bigger than, smaller than in the same way parallels

Cause and Effect

In this pattern, one item is showed as having produced another element. An event (effect) is said to have happened because of some situation or circumstance (cause). The cause (the action) stimulates the event, or effect (the outcome).

Signal words often used for cause and effect are: for this reason consequently on that acount

hence because made

https://academic.cuesta.edu/acasupp/as/308.HTM

Identifying Topics, Main Ideas, and Supporting DetailsUnderstanding the topic, the gist, or the larger conceptual framework of a textbook chapter, an article, a paragraph, a sentence or a passage is a sophisticated reading task. Being able to draw conclusions, evaluate, and critically interpret articles or chapters is important for overall comprehension in college reading. Textbook chapters, articles, paragraphs, sentences, or passages all have topics and main ideas. The topic is the broad, general theme or message. It is what some call the subject. The main idea is the "key concept" being expressed. Details, major and minor, support the main idea by telling how, what, when, where, why, how much, or how many. Locating the topic, main idea, and supporting details helps you understand the point(s) the writer is attempting to express. Identifying the relationship between these will increase your comprehension.

Applying StrategyThe successful communication of any author's topic is only as good as the organization the author uses to build and define his/her subject matter.

Grasping the Main Idea:A paragraph is a group of sentences related to a particular topic, or central theme. Every paragraph has a key concept or main idea. The main idea is the most important piece of information the author wants you to know about the concept of that paragraph.

When authors write they have an idea in mind that they are trying to get across. This is especially true as authors compose paragraphs. An author organizes each paragraph's main idea and supporting details in support of the topic or central theme, and each paragraph supports the paragraph preceding it.

A writer will state his/her main idea explicitly somewhere in the paragraph. That main idea may be stated at the beginning of the paragraph, in the middle, or at the end. The sentence in which the main idea is stated is the topic sentence of that paragraph.

The topic sentence announces the general theme ( or portion of the theme) to be dealt with in the paragraph. Although the topic sentence may appear anywhere in the paragraph, it is usually first - and for a very good reason. This sentence provides the focus for the writer while writing and for the reader while reading. When you find the topic sentence, be sure to underline it so that it will stand out not only now, but also later when you review.

Identifying the Topic:The first thing you must be able to do to get at the main idea of a paragraph is to identify the topic - the subject of the paragraph. Think of the paragraph as a wheel with the topic being the hub - the central core around which the whole wheel (or paragraph) spins. Your strategy for topic identification is simply to ask yourself the question, "What is this about?" Keep asking yourself that question as you read a paragraph, until the answer to your question becomes clear. Sometimes you can spot the topic by looking for a word or two that repeat. Usually you can state the topic in a few words.

Let us try this topic-finding strategy. Reread the first paragraph on this page - the first paragraph under the heading Grasping the Main Idea. Ask yourself the question, "What is this paragraph about?" To answer, say to yourself in your mind, "The author keeps talking about paragraphs and the way they are designed. This must be the topic - paragraph organization." Reread the second paragraph of the same section. Ask yourself "What is this paragraph about?" Did you say to yourself, "This paragraph is about different ways to organize a paragraph"? That is the topic. Next, reread the third paragraph and see if you can find the topic of the paragraph. How? Write the topic in the margin next to this paragraph. Remember, getting the main idea of a paragraph is crucial to reading.

The bulk of an expository paragraph is made up of supporting sentences (major and minor details), which help to explain or prove the main idea. These sentences present facts, reasons, examples, definitions, comparison, contrasts, and other pertinent details. They are most important because they sell the main idea.

The last sentence of a paragraph is likely to be a concluding sentence. It is used to sum up a discussion, to emphasize a point, or to restate all or part of the topic sentence so as to bring the paragraph to a close. The last sentence may also be a transitional sentence leading to the next paragraph.

Of course, the paragraphs you'll be reading will be part of some longer piece of writing - a textbook chapter, a section of a chapter, or a newspaper or magazine article. Besides expository paragraphs, in which new information is presented and discussed, these longer writings contain three types of paragraphs: introductory, transitional, and summarizing.

Introductory paragraphs tell you, in advance, such things as (1) the main ideas of the chapter or section; (2) the extent or limits of the coverage; (3) how the topic is developed; and (4) the writer's attitude toward the topic. Transitional paragraphs are usually short; their sole function is to tie together what you have read so far and what is to come - to set the stage for

succeeding ideas of the chapter or section. Summarizing paragraphs are used to restate briefly the main ideas of the chapter or section. The writer may also draw some conclusion from these ideas, or speculate on some conclusion based on the evidence he/she has presented.

All three types should alert you: the introductory paragraph of things to come; the transitional paragraph of a new topic; and the summarizing paragraph of main ideas that you should have gotten.

Exercise:Read the following paragraph and underline the stated main idea. Write down in your own words what you are able to conclude from the information.

The rules of conduct during an examination are clear. No books, calculators or papers are allowed in the test room. Proctors will not allow anyone with such items to take the test. Anyone caught cheating will be asked to leave the room. His or her test sheet will be taken. The incident will be reported to the proper authority. At the end of the test period, all materials will be returned to the proctor. Failure to abide by these rules will result in a failing grade for this test.

Answer:You should have underlined the first sentence in the paragraph - this is the stated main idea. What can be concluded from the information is: If you do not follow the rules, you will automatically fail the test. This concluding information is found in the last sentence.

You can't comprehend the subject matter if you haven't identifyied the topic, the main idea, and the supporting details.

https://academic.cuesta.edu/acasupp/as/309.HTM

Making Inferences and Drawing ConclusionsRead with purpose and meaning

Drawing conclusions refers to information that is implied or inferred. This means that the information is never clearly stated.

Writers often tell you more than they say directly. They give you hints or clues that help you "read between the lines." Using these clues to give you a deeper understanding of your reading is called inferring. When you infer, you go beyond the surface details to see other meanings that the details suggest or imply (not stated). When the meanings of words are not

stated clearly in the context of the text, they may be implied - that is, suggested or hinted at. When meanings are implied, you may infer them.

Inference is just a big word that means a conclusion or judgement. If you infer that something has happened, you do not see, hear, feel, smell, or taste the actual event. But from what you know, it makes sense to think that it has happened. You make inferences everyday. Most of the time you do so without thinking about it. Suppose you are sitting in your car stopped at a red signal light. You hear screeching tires, then a loud crash and breaking glass. You see nothing, but you infer that there has been a car accident. We all know the sounds of screeching tires and a crash. We know that these sounds almost always mean a car accident. But there could be some other reason, and therefore another explanation, for the sounds. Perhaps it was not an accident involving two moving vehicles. Maybe an angry driver rammed a parked car. Or maybe someone played the sound of a car crash from a recording. Making inferences means choosing the most likely explanation from the facts at hand.

There are several ways to help you draw conclusions from what an author may be implying. The following are descriptions of the various ways to aid you in reaching a conclusion.

General SenseThe meaning of a word may be implied by the general sense of its context, as the meaning of the word incarcerated is implied in the following sentence:

Murderers are usually incarcerated for longer periods of time than robbers.

You may infer the meaning of incarcerated by answering the question "What usually happens to those found guilty of murder or robbery?" Use the text box below to write down what you have inferred as the meaning of the word incarcerated.

If you answered that they are locked up in jail, prison, or a penitentiary, you correctly inferred the meaning of incarcerated.

ExamplesWhen the meaning of the word is not implied by the general sense of its context, it may be implied by examples. For instance,

Those who enjoy belonging to clubs, going to parties, and inviting friends often to their homes for dinner are gregarious.

You may infer the meaning of gregarious by answering the question "What word or words describe people who belong to clubs, go to parties a lot, and often invite friends over to their homes for dinner?" Use the lines below to write down what you have inferred as the meaning of the word gregarious.

If you wrote social or something like: "people who enjoy the company of others", you correctly inferred the meaning of gregarious.

Antonyms and ContrastsWhen the meaning of a word is not implied by the general sense of its context or by examples, it may be implied by an antonym or by a contrasting thought in a context. Antonyms are words that have opposite meanings, such as happy and sad. For instance,

Ben is fearless, but his brother is timorous.

You may infer the meaning of timorous by answering the question "If Ben is fearless and Jim is very different from Ben with regard to fear, then what word describes Jim?" Write your answer on the following line.

If you wrote a word such as timid, or afraid, or fearful, you inferred the meaning of timorous.

 A contrast in the following sentence implies the meaning of credence:

Dad gave credence to my story, but Mom's reaction was one of total disbelief.

You may infer the meaning of credence by answering the question "If Mom's reaction was disbelief and Dad's reaction was very different from Mom's, what was Dad's reaction?" Write your answer on the following lines.

If you wrote that Dad believed the story, you correctly inferred the meaning of credence; it means "belief."

Be Careful of the Meaning You Infer!When a sentence contains an unfamiliar word, it is sometimes possible to infer the general meaning of the sentence without inferring the exact meaning of the unknown word. For instance,

When we invite the Paulsons for dinner, they never invite us to their home for a meal; however, when we have the Browns to dinner, they always reciprocate.

In reading this sentence some students infer that the Browns are more desirable dinner guests than the Paulsons without inferring the exact meaning of reciprocate. Other students conclude that the Browns differ from the Paulsons in that they do something in return when they are invited for dinner; these students conclude correctly that reciprocate means "to do something in return."

In drawing conclusions (making inferences), you are really getting at the ultimate meaning of things - what is important, why it is important, how one event influences another, how one happening leads to another. Simply getting the facts in reading is not enough - you must think about what those facts mean to you.

Paragraph Structure

Paragraphs

The manner in which you present your material is vital. As you know, an essay (or any academic text) is built up around paragraphs. They help the reader understand the organization of your essay and grasp its main points. A paragraph is a series of sentences that are organized and coherent, and are all related to a single topic. The main rule is:

One paragraph= one new point in your argument

Furthermore, each paragraph typically contains a three-part structure:

1. Introduction: including a topic sentence and transition words2. Body: discussing the main thesis, using various forms of evidence3. Conclusion: commenting and drawing connections

Paragraphs principles

Each paragraph should contain one new point in your overall thesis

Each paragraph should be able to stand on its own and have its own internal structure Each paragraph should state its purpose early on, in the form of a topic sentence

Try extracting the first line from your essay paragraphs and see if you can follow your main line of argument. If you can’t, they your essay is not so easy to follow as you might want it to be. (Of course, not every argument has to be organized this way. But try to look up a few articles in some “serious” newspapers: you will find this structure widely used!)

The reason why paragraphs should be “headlined” with reference to the overall argument is to keep that argument in the reader’s mind, thereby making it easier for them to see the relevance of the rest of the paragraph. This way, the reader doesn’t lose track, and neither do you.

Let the thesis decide how your arguments should be organized, not chronology! (Neither with literary texts nor “real” history).

Paragraphs should be visually separated by either line shift or indents. Not both.

Connecting paragraphs

Ideally, paragraphs should be well connected to each other. Order your paragraphs so that each one follows logically on from the previous one. To make this logic more obvious, you can use transition words (or “connectors”), so that the paragraphs flow better and the reader is always kept on track. The easiest way of doing this is by using words like similarly, likewise, by the same token, yet, nevertheless, however, etc. Or, you may use longer phrases such as “It is ironic, therefore, that…….” or “Although less obvious, an equally important point here is the fact that…..”

Works consulted"Successful Writing Proficiency" by Virginia Evans"Academic Writing" by Macmillan Publishing

http://academicwriting.wikidot.com/common-essay-mistakes

Common Essay Mistakes

Using colloquial languageYou should not use:-short forms (e.g. I'm, It’s) except when these are part of a quotation-colloquial expressions, phrasal verbs, idioms(e.g. lots of, put up with, be over the moon about…)- simplistic vocabulary (e.g. Experts say they think this is bad….)- a series of short sentences (e.g. Many people think so. They are wrong.)- simple linking words (e.g. and, but, so) except for variety- use very emotional language (e.g. I absolutely detest people who…)- express personal opinions too strongly (e.g. I know…); instead, use milder expressions (e.g. It seems to me that…)- use over-generalisation (e.g. All politicians are…)- refer blindly to statistics without accurate reference to their source (e.g. "A recent study showed…" - which study?)- use cliches (e.g. Rome was not built in a day.)- use personal examples (e.g. In my school…)

Works consulted"Successful Writing Proficiency" by Virginia Evans

Essays Suggesting Solutions To Problems

Essays suggesting solutions to problems, in which the problem(s) associated with a particular issue or situation are analysed and possible solutions are put forward, together with any expected results/consequences. The writer's opinion may be mentioned, directly or indirectly, in the introduction and/or conclusion.

An essay discussing problems and suggesting solutions is a formal piece of writing. You should state the problem and its causes clearly, then present your suggestions and the expected results or consequences these might haveA successful essay of this type should consist of:a) an introductory paragraph in which you clearly state the problem, what has caused it, and the consequences.b) a main body in which you present several suggested solutions, each in a separate paragraph together with its consequences/results andc) a conclusion in which you summarise your opinion.Points to consider• Each paragraph should start with a topic sentence which summarises what the paragraph is about.• Appropriate linking words and phrases should be used to show the connection between paragraphs as well as to link sentences within a paragraph.• Use the techniques given in Beginning and ending discursive essays

Useful Language• To express cause: since/because, in view of/because of/owing to/ due to (the fact that)…, The reason that …/why …/for… is that…To express effect: thus/therefore/so/consequently, as a result/consequence, the result of … would be …, … would result in …To express purpose: so that…, so as/in order (not) to …, with the purpose of/intention of (+ing)To express possibility/probability: It can/could/may/might…, It is possible/probable/(un)likely/foreseeable/certain that…, … is (un) likely to/bound to/certain to/ possible/probable…, The likelihood/possibility/probability of (-ing/noun) is…

IntroductionParagraph 1state the problem and its cause(s)/consequence(s)Main BodyParagraph 2suggestion 1 & resultParagraph 3suggestion 2 & resultParagraph 4suggestion 3 & resultParagraph 5suggestion 4 & result*ConclusionFinal Paragraphsummarise your opinion

* You may include more suggestions, and thus more paragraphs in the main body

Go to Exercise 1

Works consultedTaken from "Successful Writing Proficiency" by Virginia Evans

Exercise 1

1 Read the model below and complete the paragraph plan below. Then identify which aspects of the Discussion Clock have been mentioned. Finally, underline the linking words/phrases and replace rhem with synonymous ones.

“What could be done to improve the lives of the elderly?”

For many elderly people the latter part of their life is not a time to relax and enjoy retirement, but rather a difficult and unhappy period, owing to financial worries, tailing health and loneliness. As life expectancy increases, the average person lives well beyond the age of retirement. As a result, the elderly makeup an ever-increasing percentage of society, which makes it more important than ever for a real effort to be made in improving the lives of senior citizens.One way to deal with the situation would be to ensure that the elderly have enough money on which to live. Obviously, when a person stops working, they still require a source of income

to cover their basic needs such as food, accommodation and heating. A clear solution to the problem is for the government to make sure that the state pension is adequate for these needs. Furthermore, free financial advice should be made available to retired people so that the stress of worrying about money could be reduced as far as possible.Steps should also be taken to overcome problems the elderly tace as a result of deteriorating health due to old age, and inadequate health-care provisions. Again, the responsibility should fall to the government to provide access to the best health care available, which may necessitate paying tor residential homes where the elderly can have round-the-clock nursing, or, at the very least, providing medication free of charge to all people over a certain age. As a result, old people would enjoy not only better health, but also peace of mind from the knowledge that they need not fear tailing ill and being unable to pay for treatment.The lives of old people could also be improved if attempts were made to address the problem of social isolation which so many of them face. If we organised trips for the elderly to community centres, visits from social workers or free bus passes to allow pensioners greater mobility, the effect would be to alleviate the problem of loneliness which marks the lives of so many old people living alone and far from their families.One final suggestion, which would help enormously, is to change the attitude ot the community towards its older members, who are all too often seen as a burden on society and dismissed as having little to do with modem lite. We need to be taught from an early age to respect the views of old people, and appreciate their broader experience of life. This would help society as a whole, and encourage appreciation of the role that old people can still play today.To sum up. there are several measures which could be taken to improve the lives of old people. If the government and individuals alike were to help, it would make retirement and old age a time to look forward to, rather than dread.

1. Introduction - state problem, reasons and concequences2. Main body -

……………………………………………………………….……………………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………….……………………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………….……………………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………….……………………………………………………………….

1. Conclusion -

……………………………………………………………….……………………………………………………………….

Works consultedTaken from "Successful Writing Proficiency" by Virginia Evans