Ding+Han

For the self-diagnosis, I went to review my previous essays to pick out areas in which I felt were unsatisfactory and needed improvement. I identified two main areas in which I should work on: · Introduction · Clear argumentation (setting out premises and conclusions in a logical flow) [] This site highlights the essential ingredients of a good introduction by firstly identifying that introductions offer clues to the subject of the essay and sets the tone for the discussion that follows. In other words, it defines and divides the arguments. Another important point is that a good introduction should arouse interest within the reader to read on. Hence, a good introduction should do three things: define and divide the argument, and arouse the reader’s interest. [] This is an excellent site on what shape your arguments have to take. The site firsts points out what arguments do ─ it should set out to prove to the reader that your point of view possesses more truth than other conflicting arguments. Through reasoning, inducting and analyzing, you need to prove the assertions in your arguments, or else your argument will simply become an unsubstantiated opinion. A good paragraph in an argumentative essay consists of a topic sentence, an elaboration of the logic of the argument, examples or data to back the logic up and finally, your own analysis of the aforementioned logic. As my paragraph will be an introductory one, I need to work to craft it well enough such that it is interesting for the reader, providing an invaluable incentive for him or her to read on. My introduction will also set a precedent for the arguments to follow. [] The writer points out that GM food can ensure an adequate food supply for the world’s population, have resistance to pests and herbicides and can eliminate malnutrition by introducing specific vitamins and minerals into the crop. However, the writer also argues that GM food can cause contamination through cross-pollination with other crops and result in the rapid build-up of genetically modified materials in the food chain. GM food are also a threat to biodiversity as they cannot be recalled from the food chain, thus having irreversible effects attached to them. [] This site provides extremely detailed examples of the negative effects of GM food. Even though I will only be writing an introduction, it is useful to extract nuggets of background information from the above sources to craft a thesis statement, thus giving the readers an idea of my following argument. I aim to provide an introduction that “involves” the reader, by pointing out how the GM food is not an abstract issue; rather, it concerns them and their everyday lives. Every time you chew on rice, munch on potatoes or nibble on corn, you would have been closer to science than you had thought. This is because, behind the production of these food is the revolutionary process of genetic engineering that results in the birth of a special breed of food ─ Genetically Modified (GM) food. The benefits of GM food have been widely documented, claiming to have resistances to pests and herbicide and promising to finally put a stopper to malnutrition and feed the world’s population. If this sounds too good to be true, it probably is, for there is always two sides to a coin. The issue of GM food is mired in controversy, with its opponents laying claims to its adverse effects and pointing to its probable risks as factors undermining the credibility of GM food. These arguments do actually hold water, as GM food are a bane that can cause contamination, disrupt the ecosystem and cause allergic reactions in humans.
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