
Topics

The General Paper…what does it
like?
 Administered in MAY/June
 WRITTEN examination,
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in 2
HOURS (1 day of testing)
The exam paper is divided into three sections, with
five prompt options in each for a total of .
Candidates must choose two questions, each
from a
section.
Each essay is weighted at 50% of the final mark.
Each essay written carries up to 30 marks for
and up to 20 marks for Use of English/
.
 promote
the skills of rational thought,
persuasion, analysis, interpretation and
evaluation;
 encourage the broad exploration and appraisal of
social, cultural, economic, philosophical,
scientific and technological issues;
 promote maturity of thought and clarity of
expression;
 promote understanding and appreciation of
individual, societal and cultural diversity;
 encourage independent, critical reading.
 In the assessment, candidates should be able to demonstrate
the following skills in relation to what they’ve learned in GP:
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KNOWLEDGE
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UNDERSTANDING
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ANALYSIS
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APPLICATION
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COMMUNICATION
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EVALUATION
The topics for this course span the curriculum.
 The good news is…students will arrive with at least ONE area
of interest or expertise, which will naturally enhance the learning
environment.
 The downside is…there is still much to be covered in terms of
topics.
SECTION 1:
Historical, Social, Economic, Political and Philosophical
 the role of history and war; terrorism
 the role of the individual in society – the family, marriage, peer pressure,
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social class
cultural changes – youth and drug culture
education and welfare
sport, leisure, international competition
wealth; changes in work practice
the importance and impact of tourism on a country – implications for the
economy, employment
public transport, environmental concerns
aid provision
the State and its institutions; development of State, democracy postimperialism, nationalism
minority groups, pressure groups
freedom of speech, action, thought
Judiciary
matters of conscience, faith, tolerance, equality.
SECTION 2:
Science, Geography, Math
 medical dilemmas and issues of research and ethics; concept of
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progress in science
drug manufacture and provision
diet, health education
old and new industries
spin-offs from space industry; weaponry
information and communications technology; the Internet
environmental concerns; renewable energy resources; climate
change
migration; population dynamics
feeding the global population; farming techniques for the twentyfirst century
public transport and travel
the uses and applications of mathematics in everyday life.
SECTION 3:
Literature , Language, Arts and Crafts
 literature, biography, diary, science fiction
 language – heritage, tradition, dialect
 the global media – tv, radio, satellite; influence and
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controls; effects on lifestyle, culture and habits
cultural dilution and diversification; advertising; role
models
censorship; privacy; the right to know; freedom of the
press, etc. uses and abuses
traditional arts and crafts; creativity; national
heritage/preservation; effects of tourism
architecture; painting; fashion; photography;
sculpture; music; heritage, etc.
Cambridge
 CAMBRIDGE:
 The GP exam is “not primarily a test of general knowledge”
and “teachers [need not] cover all topic areas when teaching
the course, as candidates should be able to draw upon
knowledge and understanding gained when studying other
subjects.”
 Did you pick essay prompts from different sections?
 Did you notice the different essay styles contained on
the exam? Did this play a role in your selection of
prompts?
 What prompts did you avoid? Why?
 What prompts enticed you? Why?
 What support ideas did you come up with as you
brainstormed? Share them!
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EXPOSITORY
GOAL:
 to provide information; to objectively EXPLAIN, define, clarify
or interpret…
 UNIQUENESSES:
 doesn’t require an argument! Just tell it like it is!
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PERSUASIVE
GOAL:
 to take a specific stance on an issue in order to CONVINCE the
reader to adopt your way of thinking; to anticipate opposing
viewpoints and refute via counter-argument
 UNIQUENESSES:
 biased! Takes ONE side and defends that side ONLY!! Never
supports the opposition, not even for a minute.
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Essay Styles Con’t
 The third style of essay is, perhaps, brand new to
you…
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DISCURSIVE (most advanced…pros and cons, oh
my!)
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GOAL:
 asks you to consider BOTH sides of a single issue, objectively
analyzing each before arriving at any kind of value judgment.
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Basic Layout:
Begin with a neutral introduction, provide evidence for the case,
provide evidence against the case, conclude by either adopting
one side of the argument or maintaining a neutral (middle-of-theroad) standpoint.
 There are three basic types of essay tasks that the GP
assesses. Look at the
carefully consider
each prompt.
 Discussing your thoughts with a partner, determine
whether the prompt is:
• EXPOSITORY,
• PERSUASIVE, or
• DISCURSIVE
 Underline any key words that help you to arrive at your
answer.
 Write your answer in the left-hand margin of the test
next to the prompt.
KEY: Prompt Identification: Section 1
1. How far do you agree that an [sic] hereditary
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3.
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monarch as Head of State is preferable to an
elected president? (Discursive)
“History repeats itself.” To what extent do you
agree? (Discursive)
Should every country have the right to possess
weapons of war? (Persuasive)
“No man is an island.” Discuss. (Discursive)
Should women be more prominent in public life in
your country? (Persuasive)
KEY: Prompt Identification: Section 2
6. ‘Human beings should look forward to the next
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century with pessimism, not optimism.’ Discuss.
(Discursive)
Assess the ability of technology to ensure human
happiness in the present society. (Discursive)
Account for the ever-increasing popularity of
numbers and word puzzles. (Expository)
Consider the problem of noise in society and
ways to reduce it. (Expository)
Consider the case for and against stem cell
research. (Discursive)
KEY: Prompt Identification: Section 3
11. “A book has one purpose: to entertain.” Evaluate
this statement. (Discursive)
12. What music appeals to you and why?
(Expository)
13. Is it important to preserve old buildings or to
encourage new forms of architecture? (Persuasive)
14. Explain the popularity of designer labels.
(Expository)
15. Consider the artistic and social value of
cartoons and/or animated films. (Discursive)
PROMPT TASKS…a Guide to Success
 We will discuss much when it comes to decoding
prompts, but here are your GOLDEN RULES when
determining the style of your essay:
 GOLDEN RULE #1…
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Once a Discursive, always a Discursive.
 GOLDEN RULE #2…
 Persuasive is fine, but add to refine!
 GOLDEN RULE #3…
 It might be expository, but don’t get freaked if you feel
like the force is with you…(every time we put the pen
to paper we are arguing-ish!)
 We will learn to decode the style of the essay pretty
easily, but the hard part of prompt selection often
lies in interpreting what it wants you to talk about.
 Interpret the following prompt:
Prompt Interpretation
Discursive Style required
Political crime, social crime,
environmental crime, whitecollar crime, cyber-crime,
etc.
How successfully is crime
Handled, Halted, Minimized
tackled in your society?
“Your” involves YOU! You may discuss your
AMERICAN society, OR if you indicate that you
consider yourself a member of GLOBAL society or
MODERN society, for example, you can broaden
your coverage.
The Hand
 Place your hand on a blank piece of notebook paper.
 Trace your hand with a pen.
 Label each one of the fingers as shown below.
Politics/Gov’t
Environment
Science & Technology
Social/Cultural
Media/
Entertainment
The Hand
 We will use this “graphic organizer” to break down
and analyze future prompts.
 Remember
Crime
 Make a hand for crime
Term? Get Your
Dirty!
Politics/Gov’t
Science/Tech.
Environment
CRIME
Social/Cultural
Media,
Entertainment
Prompt Interpretation:
 Take a second look at the test…identify valuable
TRIGGER WORDS by indicating which words open
up or set limits on the prompt itself.
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WIDE-OPEN INTERPRETATION:
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Should teenagers be more actively involved in politics?
 Teens in America? China? Cuba? Canada?
 Politics regarding the elections? Human rights? Education? The
environment?
LIMITS SET:
Consider the case for and against stem cell research.
 Very specific…you may only talk about stem cell research, no other
kind of scientific innovation.
 Other words that tend to limit: always, only, alone, certain, most, etc.
 Adjectives that suggest/emphasize: powerful, meaningless
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Prompt Picking:
1.
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to Consider Closely
How far do you agree that an [sic] hereditary monarch as Head of State is preferable to an
elected president?
“History repeats itself.” To what extent do you agree?
Should every country have the right to possess weapons of war?
“No man is an island.” Discuss.
Should women be more prominent in public life in your country?
‘Human beings should look forward to the next century with pessimism, not
optimism.’ Discuss.
Assess the ability of technology to ensure human happiness in the present society.
Account for the ever-increasing popularity of numbers and word puzzles.
Consider the problem of noise in society and ways to reduce it.
Consider the case for and against stem cell research.
“A book has one purpose: to entertain.” Evaluate this statement.
What music appeals to you and why?
Is it important to preserve old buildings or to encourage new forms of architecture?
Explain the popularity of designer labels.
Consider the artistic and social value of cartoons and/or animated films.
Seeing Double: Prompt Recycling
 Want to know a TOP SECRET bit of information?
The AICE: GP Exam RECYCLES prompts!!
(How ‘green’ of them…!)
 What does that mean? Observe:
__________________________________________
 Technology is more of a curse than a blessing in the
workplace. Do you agree?
 Discuss the view that the Internet can be more harmful
than helpful.
 Are mobile phones more of a nuisance than a benefit?
How does this impact you?
STUDENTS can RECYCLE Content!!!!
SCORING
 The AICE: General Paper exam grades students on two
aspects of the final product essay:
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
CONTENT (30 points)
CONVENTIONS (20 points)……………………..2 ESSAYS = 100pts max
 BAND 1 = BEST
 BAND 5 = WORST
 View the RUBRICS for a quick understanding of the scoring
process.
Sample Lesson:
STUDENT SIMULATION
PREPARING TO WRITE A
DISCURSIVE ESSAY…
(+)
(-)
B
A
LOGICAL POINT / THEME
 primary example
* details
 secondary example
* details
LOGICAL POINT / THEME
 primary example
* details
 secondary example
* details
PROMPT
A
B
LOGICAL POINT / THEME
LOGICAL POINT / THEME
 primary example
* details
 secondary example
* details
 primary example
* details
 secondary example
* details
Assess society’s record
on human rights.
Discursive prompt
Good or bad…
Assess society’s record
on human rights.
• Civil rights/liberties
• Women’s rights
• Gay rights
• Equality: race/culture
• Labor rights
• Children’s rights
(-)
(+)
(+)
(-)
A
B
RIGHTS IN THE U.S.
 Women’s Rights
1920’s Suffragette Movement
 Habeus Corpus/Fair Trial Rights
“innocent until proven guilty”;
“protection against cruel and
unusual punishment”;
“Miranda Rights”
RIGHTS IN THE U.S.
 Gay Rights
“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Policy;
Proposition 8
 Religious Rights
Mosque-building in NYC
Assess society’s
record regarding
human rights.
A
B
RIGHTS ABROAD
 Labor Rights
Honda Factory Strike;
Child Labor policies
 Democratic Rights
Botswana—new dem. gov’t;
Afghanistan—efforts to instill
democratic values
RIGHTS ABROAD
 Women’s Rights
Iraq-wearing the abaya as trad’l garb;
China’s one-child policy
 Children’s Rights
Child soldiers in:
- Somalia
- Sierra Leone
Generating Ideas
 But how do I find ideas??
Think GP RELEVANCE…!!!
State,
national, international
Past history, current events
Consider all academic categories
 Use the Hand Approach to help you…
THUMB:
SCIENCE and
TECHNOLOGY
INDEX:
GOVERNMENT
and POLITICS
MIDDLE:
ENVIRONMENT
RING:
SOCIAL
RELATIONSHIPS
PROMPT
CREDITS:
Teaching the General Paper: Strategies That Work, By Teachers, For Teachers
National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University
Edited by Caroline Ho, Peter Teo, Tay May Yin (2006)
PINKY:
MEDIA, SPORTS
and
ENTERTAINMENT
“History repeats itself.” Discuss.
SCI/TECH:
Repeats—
nuclear threats
with USSR then
and Iran now are
similar
Doesn’t—
innovative
military
technology i.e.
drones of today
replace kamikazi
missions of old
GOV’T:
ENVIRON.:
Repeats—economic slump: the Great
Depression and the 2008 Recession.
Doesn’t—terrorist invasion ie. 9/11
heightened awareness and security
precautions
Repeats—effects
of oil spills on
ecosystem i.e.
Exxon Valdez and
Deepwater
Horizon
Doesn’t—
epidemics and
pandemics no
longer as drastic
i.e. Bubonic
Plague vs. Swine
Flu
SOCIAL:
Repeats—religious
unrest in ie. Irish
Catholics then
similar to Muslim
Americans now
Doesn’t—women’s
rights i.e.
suffragette
movement; political
leadership
“History repeats itself.”
Discuss.
ENTERTAINMENT:
Repeats—violence in sports
ie. Political riots during
Yugoslavic war then and
terrorist threats at recent
World Cup (Uganda) now
Doesn’t—reality t.v.
phenomenon in 21st century
Now You Try It:
 Writing the discursive essay requires one to think
BEYOND one’s own personal world. Look at the
prompt below:
“The truth should always be told, whatever the cost.”
Discuss.
 As an AICE writer, students must elevate their
discussion of this topic beyond the personal
realm…
 TASK: Bring “GP Relevance” to the essay by
applying the Hand Approach to this prompt.
THUMB: Science and Technology
Medical field
 TELL THE TRUTH…
 Hippocratic
Oath
 VS.
 WITHHOLD
 Placebo
THE TRUTH…
Effect
INDEX: Government and Politics
 TELL THE TRUTH…
 Obama’s
“open door” policy
 VS.
 WITHHOLD THE TRUTH…
 FDR,
who hid his polio to
avoid appearing “weak” to
the public eye
MIDDLE: Environment
 TELL THE TRUTH…
 Al
Gore’s,
An Inconvenient Truth
 VS.
 WITHHOLD THE TRUTH…
 Resource-rich areas that
reveal such truths/
discoveries may be taken
advantage of as a result
RING: Social Relationships
 TELL THE TRUTH…
 AIDS
patients
 VS.
 WITHHOLD THE TRUTH…
 “Don’t
Ask, Don’t Tell” Policy
 (note:
recently abolished…)
PINKY: Media, Sports and Entertainment
 TELL THE TRUTH…
 Libel/Slander
 VS.
 WITHHOLD THE TRUTH…
 Gambling
for sport and
the “poker face”
WHAT DID WE LEARN?
NOW WE KNOW WHAT THE QUESTION IS
ASKING US (BY BREAKING DOWN THE
PROMPT)
AND WE KNOW HOW TO GENERATE IDEAS
(THAT ARE “GP RELEVANT”)…
NEXT STEP?
WE WILL LEARN HOW TO ACTUALLY PUT
THIS DIRECTION AND THESE IDEAS INTO AN
ESSAY!!! GET READY TO ROCK, GP-STYLE!