SHORT ESSAY

La Thnh Trit, MEd.

lth.triet@huflit.edu.vn

Marking
Learning attitude 20%
Participation
Assignment

Mini tests [from week 3] 40%

From 3 to 5 mini tests
40m / test
8 topics

Midterm tests [week 13-14] 40%

80m / test
10 topics

phrases
sentences
paragraphs
essays
dissertation / thesis

Content

Descriptive essays
Narrative essays
Opinion essays
Comparison and contrast essays
Cause and effect essays

[1]

Studying abroad has two main benefits to

students who are in developing countries.[2] Firstly,

people who study abroad can get a better job when
they return to their home country.

[3]

This is

because their qualifications and experience in

developed countries are often highly evaluated.

[4]

Another advantage of studying abroad is the

independence students can gain.

[5]

For example,

students have to cope with the challenges of living

alone and meeting new people from different
cultures.[6] As a consequence, they will become

Paragraph components
Topic sentence [state the paragraph
topic]
Supporting sentences [explain the
controlling idea]
example / experience / result
fact / figure/ statistics
reason / explanation, etc.

Concluding sentence [restate the topic

sentence]

Write topic sentences

1. Students part-time job
2. Smartphones
3. Internet search engine
4. Students group learning
5. eBooks

What are supporting

sentences?
Effective use of smartphones benefits
college students.
Supporting
sentence 1
example / experience /
result
fact / figure/ statistics
reason / explanation,
etc.
example / experience /
result
fact / figure/ statistics
reason / explanation,
etc.

Supporting
sentence 2

Supporting
sentence 3

example / experience /
result
fact / figure/ statistics
example / experience /
reason / explanation,
result
etc. /
example / experience
fact / figure/ statistics result
reason / explanation,
example / experience /
fact / figure/ statistics
etc.
result
reason / explanation,
fact / figure/ statistics
etc.
reason / explanation,
etc.

Support these topic

sentences
1. Critical thinking plays an
important role in students
learning.
2. Students career choice should
be considered in various
aspects.

Write concluding
sentence
1. Critical thinking plays an
important role in students
learning.
2. Students career choice should
be considered in various
aspects.

Introduction
A career choice is always a
significant decision in our life. [2]
However, there are many people who
choose their jobs perfunctorily. [3] Some
chooses a job based on personal
capacity, while others only work for
their hobbies. [4] In my opinion, to be
successful, individuals should consider
various aspects before pursuing a
certain career.
[1]

Introduction structure
Introducing the topic [only 1
sentence]
Background [from 2 to 4 sentences]
Thesis statement [only 1 sentence]

Thesis statement vs. Topic

sentence

Introduction
A career choice is always a
significant decision in our life. [2]
However, there are many people who
choose their jobs perfunctorily. [3] Some
chooses a job based on personal
capacity, while others only work for
their hobbies. [4] In my opinion, to be
successful, individuals should consider
various aspects before pursuing a
certain career.
[1]

Topics
1. Do you agree or disagree with the
regulation which require college
students to wear uniform?
2. Should the voluntary activities be a
compulsory part in school curriculum?
3. Should students take a part-time job?
4. Students teamwork is not necessary.

How to start an
introduction?

Review

Styles of sentences
Commonly used tenses
If clauses
Unreal subject sentences
Conjunctions
Punctuations

Counter-argument & Refutation

Topics
1. Should students use smartphones?
2. Why should college students learn an
international language?
3. Should student attendance be compulsory?
4. What should we consider when choosing a job?
5. Many schools require students to wear uniforms
every school time. Do you agree or disagree?

1. Do you think that smartphones are

necessary to college students?
2. In your opinion, what are factors
determining a career choice?
3. To some extent, do you think that
wearing uniform should be compulsory
to college students?

Conclusion

Cause & Effect

1. Why do students absent from school?
2. Why are graduates unemployed?
3. What are the causes of pollution in cities?
4. What are the impacts of smartphones on
students?
5. What are the causes of cheating in
college?
6. Why do people move to city?
7. Why do people want to study abroad?

Some topics
A mistake that taught me an
important lesson in life
An ideal husband or wife
Compare two different celebrations
Copying Korean styles of Vietnamese
teenagers
Compare two places that you have
visited
The effects of cohabitations

Find out causes / effects?

Subjective vs. Objective

In aspects / sides

Arrange ideas?
The order of importance
The order of chronology (time)
The order of categories

Comparison and contrast

Compare online learning with
traditional learning
Compare eBooks and paper books.
Compare study at high school with
study in college