a.
In a persuasive or argumentative essay, you can sometimes make a very brief statement that appears to disagree with one of your own supporting points, but only as a way to begin a rebuttal of an opposing viewpoint.
b.
When you are writing a persuasive or argumentative essay, your goal is to show or prove that your ideas are right. It’s often acceptable to briefly acknowledge other viewpoints, but you should always find a way to show that your position is right. Never disagree with your own thesis. Never say that other peoples’ viewpoints may also be right. Instead, always say that you understand that other people may disagree with your viewpoint or position, and say you respect their position, but then say your evidence for your position is clearly stronger and more persuasive (see Commandment 5, below)
a.
In our short, 5-paragraph essays, your introduction section is only one paragraph long. In that case, it is the first paragraph of your essay. In longer works such as a doctoral dissertation (
博士論文 ), however, the introduction section will be several pages long. b.
Your thesis statement should provide a clear statement of your opinion or reasoned position, and it should also preview the essay’s organizational structure by listing your supporting arguments.
Most paragraphs have at least three sentences.
Supporting paragraphs have more than three.
Copyright © 2012 Timothy M. Nall. All rights reserved.

a.
Always support your position with specific examples and clear evidence. b.
Everyone has opinions. However, no one believes your opinions unless you support them with evidence. Remember, “If you don’t give evidence, then you’re just spouting nonsense.”
a.
Rhetorical conventions differ from culture to culture. Moreover, there is almost always a pattern underlying any group of related facts. Papers are organized with two goals: they should reflect the rhetorical conventions of the culture of the readers, but also reflect the nature of the information itself. Grammar and spelling are important, but the content and organization of your writing are more important than grammar and spelling. b.
The sections in an academic paper are like the bases in a baseball game: each base is very clearly marked, and it is always in the same position. In baseball, you must run to each base, and you must do so in the correct order. You can’t hit a baseball and then run straight to third base; you have to run to first base, then second, and then third. Academic writing is similar – although there are a few different organizational styles, you must choose or design one clearly organized style and follow it carefully. c.
In a persuasive essay, the three sections are always in this order: introduction, supporting paragraphs, and conclusion. d.
In a research paper, the sections are usually (but not always) in this order: abstract, introduction (the introduction includes: establishing the importance of your topic or a gap in the relevant literature, reviewing the relevant academic literature, and stating your research problem), methodology, results, and discussion.
a.
Use all 4 types: simple sentences, compound sentences, complex sentences, and compound-complex sentences (although the last type is less commonly used).
b.
Try not to use the same sentence type many times in a row, unless you are doing it on purpose to catch the reader’s attention or emphasize a point in an interesting way.
c.
You must learn, know and remember the difference between a clause and a phrase.
d.
You must learn, know and remember the difference between an independent clause and a dependent clause.
Copyright © 2012 Timothy M. Nall. All rights reserved.

Shun them! Abhor them!
a.
“Because Jane and Sandy went to Taipei last week to go shopping in the 101
Tower” is not a sentence. “For example, air conditioners, refrigerators, microwave ovens and DVD players” is not a sentence. They are sentence fragments. See chapter 24 in your textbook.
b.
See chapter 25 in your textbook to learn about run-ons.
These errors are really distracting, and make your writing look very unprofessional. See chapters 27 and
29 in your textbook.
After you have read it, imagine yourself explaining it to someone else in English.
You are valuable. You are worthwhile. You are capable. You deserve to be loved, and you are worthy to be loved. But never forget: your coworkers only care about how your actions at work affect them.
(1) God loves you. Your parents love you. Your wife or husband will love you, your children will love you, and your dog, cat or fish loves you. If you are extremely lucky, then perhaps you will have a true friend (not a coworker) who cares about you. But your coworkers only care about how your actions at work affect them.
(2) Wherever you work, it will be competitive. Sometimes the work environment is very obviously competitive, but often the competitiveness is carefully hidden. Usually all of your coworkers act happy and friendly, because they want to keep the work environment free from stress. They will even help you a little, sometimes. But never forget: your coworkers may care about you a little, but they care about themselves much more. You must equip yourself against problems, because coworkers will not help you very much. To protect yourself from surprising problems, you must do four
Copyright © 2012 Timothy M. Nall. All rights reserved.

things: a.
Never share your true thoughts or your true feelings ABOUT WORK with your coworkers. Always act happy at work, and be friendly. Keep a good relationship with others. But never say anything that people can repeat. Your coworkers will unquestionably repeat what you have said. Probably they will repeat it many times. b.
Always do your job extremely well. c.
Always be VERY WELL EQUIPPED and VERY WELL TRAINED. Be aware and be prepared. d.
If you find out that someone is criticizing you, don’t be upset or angry.
Don’t feel attacked or persecuted. It is not strange. It is normal and natural. It is not fair and not right and not good, but it is normal and natural. Everyone gets criticized sometimes, because fairness and goodness are not normal. People are not holy. Life is not fair. Be calm.
Do your work well. Try to keep a good relationship with people. Don’t overreact. If the situation is too bad for you, then look for a new job with a better environment (but don’t tell anyone you are looking for a new job).
(3) Open your eyes: the time to start equipping and training yourself is NOW, starting in your first year in college. You may think your schoolwork is boring and useless, but the truth is that you are learning important and useful things. It’s true: you are training now to protect yourself against criticism at work in the future.
a.
You are learning two things: you are learning the content of the textbooks, and you are learning HOW TO WORK. The first of those two things is equipment, and the second is training b.
EVERYTHING YOU DO is part of the training. School is just practice for life. i.
Are you late to class? You are failing in your training, and one day in the future your coworkers will see your problems and criticize you. ii.
Do you procrastinate, and wait until the very last day to study for the test? You are failing in your training, and one day in the future your coworkers will criticize you.
Copyright © 2012 Timothy M. Nall. All rights reserved.

iii.
Do you pass the class, but with a poor grade? You are failing in your training, and one day in the future your coworkers will criticize you.
Act quickly, but think clearly. In a crisis, people who think clearly will be OK. People who panic will not do well.
Copyright © 2012 Timothy M. Nall. All rights reserved.

The Ten Plus Two
(Short version)
Never contradict your own thesis statement.
Never put a comma at the beginning of a line.
Always put your thesis statement in your introduction section.
Every paragraph has only one topic. Most paragraphs have at least three sentences. Supporting paragraphs have more than three.
If you don’t give evidence, then you’re just writing nonsense.
Every academic essay and research paper is organized into very clearly different sections (business writing usually is, too).
Vary your sentence types.
Sentence fragments and run-ons are evil.
Be careful to avoid number agreement errors in pronoun reference or between a subject and its verb.
Always read and study a challenging English text every day.
You are valuable. You are worthwhile. You are capable. You deserve to be loved, and you are worthy to be loved. But never forget: most people only care about how your actions affect them.
Don’t panic! Act quickly, but think clearly.
Copyright © 2012 Timothy M. Nall. All rights reserved.