 Introduction:
Japanese people are well-known for taking
off their shoes. Many people think it not
only keeps their houses cleaner, but also
feels more comfortable for their feet.
Some people in other countries also feel
that going 'barefoot' feels better than wearing
shoes. Even outdoors.
What do you think about wearing shoes?
Reading
Spend 15 to 20 minutes reading the website
of The Society for Barefoot Living.
The people in this group prefer to go without
shoes whenever possible.
Questions
- What was your initial reaction when you read
about this topic?
- Did you ask yourself any of the questions
listed in the group's FAQ?
- Did reading the group's website change your
mind about them in any way?
Writing
Part A: Email
Compose an email to one (or more) of the
members of the The Society for Barefoot Living.
1. Briefly introduce yourself and say where
you saw the person's email address.
2. Write a paragraph about your impressions
of walking barefoot. Mention any personal
experiences you have had with going barefoot.
3. Thank the person for their time and ask
them to reply.
4. Sign your name.
Part B: Essay
1. With a partner, make two lists.
One should
list the positive points about
going barefoot
and the other should list the
negative points.
2. Review your lists and decide
whether you
are for or against wearing shoes.
Write a
paragraph (or two) about your
opinion.
Make sure to include:
- a topic sentence to introduce your idea
- some supporting sentences that include specific
examples and concrete reasons
to back up
your opinion
- a concluding sentence that briefly restates
your ideas or gives your personal
feelings
about the topic
See the following links for more
explanations
on paragraph form
Quotations
If you had a particularly interesting email
response from one of the barefooters, you might want to include it
in your paragraph. Quotes can give your writing flavor and
authority. Be sure to remember the following points.
- use "quotation marks"
- name the person who said it
- in academic writing you should also
reference the paper or book where the quotes comes from. The
APA method does this by writing the author's name, year of
publication and page number in parenthesis after the
quote.
- For example, Although
researchers can not control all variables present, they
“must be satisfied with investigating the effects of
naturally occurring ‘treatments’ in real world settings”
(Chapelle, 1991: 54).
This is especially important when you are
quoting from academic texts. In this case, you are probably likely
to be quoting from a personal communication. In that case you can
just write the person's name, the year and "personal
communication".
Such as (Fernandez, 2003: personal
communication)
For more information on quoting and
paraphrasing, see
When you have finished writing your first
draft, have a partner check it over and give
you some advice. Finally, email it to Tim.
When your writing has been checked and you are satisfied with it,
upload it to our website by going to the Student Writing section. |
