Independent Learning Centre

Writing skills is an essential skill for all undergraduates. This brief but practical guide analyzes the challenges faced by many academic writers.

A key feature of this book is that it has a particular focus on rhetorical situations – it aims to help students learn to think rhetorically, and to make decisions on how to compose a tailor-made paper for a specific purpose in a specific discipline. It aims to inspire students to explore, to collaborate, to think, and to discuss with peers, rather than only focusing on learning the rules.

This book has adopted a professional approach in illustrating academic writing and publishing with examples.

Beginning with deciding titles (P.23-28), writing abstracts (P.31-36), choosing key words (P.37-40), the reference moves on to discuss writing introductions (P.41-44), presenting methodology (P.45-46), explaining research results (P.47-48), conducting discussions of results (P.49-52), and preparing references and footnotes (P.57-66). The appendices also provide useful guidelines for revising text after an initial draft is completed (P.183-186).

Good English reading skills are critical and basic for students’ academic success. Written in a modular format, this book aims at helping students to improve their reading efficiency (unit 1), writing skills (unit 3), and discussion skills (unit 5).

Unit 1 illustrates with very clear and concise examples on how to master reading by predicting the content, skimming, scanning, finding the structure, and doing critical reading.

Unit 3 demonstrates how to construct an effective argument, and make counter arguments to further strengthen own standpoints. It also shows students how to support arguments with evidence.

Unit 5 provides tips on making short oral presentations. Tasks are available for students to apply the recommended techniques and practise their oral skills.

This book offers a range of discussion and presentation suggestions to train students in (i) speaking in the academic setting, and (ii) speaking for work in the future.

Relevant techniques which include listening, evaluating, explaining, emphasizing, reporting, concluding, questioning, responding to questions, clarification, seeking more information, interrupting, giving opinion, agreeing, disagreeing, and making suggestions are covered.

Signposts and language signals for introducing topics, ordering points, starting new section, transition, contrasting, rephrasing, emphasizing, giving examples and concluding are included. This book also gives students good advice on handling complex questions and dealing with awkward questions in discussions and presentations.

本書所舉例子雖以商業簡報為主，但作者所提及的簡報設計要訣，亦適用於學術報告等場合。比如第四章（頁106 - 142）作者對簡報的字型、字體、標點符號要求，以至如何編排數字及英文資料等問題，都有詳細介紹。第六章（頁177 - 210）則談及色彩運用、圖像處理及版面編排等設計簡報時應注意的事項。

本書主要講論說話技巧，從邏輯的角度分析不同場合的說話宜忌，視角獨特，頗能啟發讀者。作者在第四章（頁154 - 183）介紹如何在談話中運用四項邏輯規律，並以例子佐證，俾便讀者學習清晰表達己見的方法。第六章（頁234 - 295）更列出四大常見邏輯謬誤，逐一細析，讀後當能避免表述不清之毛病。

本書為提高大學生基本寫作能力而編寫，其中第二篇第一至三章（頁57 - 123）談及仿寫、改寫及摘要的方法與原則，並附有實例說明，俾便讀者了解三種常用寫作方式的特點。同篇第四至八章（頁124 - 223），分別講述採訪、札記、旅遊小品、企劃書及求職自傳的寫作須知，讀者可以將相關技巧應用到文體，觸類旁通。

本書共計七篇，可分為兩部分：第一篇為導論（頁1 - 29），介紹常見的閱讀策略，以及文學欣賞的基本原理；第二至七篇（頁32 - 283）則分別講述飲食文學、旅行文學、報道文學、兒童文學、情志文學及應用文學的閱讀方式。書中所舉篇章包括文言作品及白話文章，更兼及外國名著之譯作，讀後當能全面提升讀者的閱讀與賞析能力。