Article (Leaving Cert English): Revision Notes

Article

Article Structure:

Introduction:

• Start with an observation, question, anecdote, or recent news story.
• Comment on the broader implications of your opening statement.
• Largely formal tone, but can be dependent on the topic being written about ie. an article about a sports scandal will have a more serious/formal tone than an article about an upcoming music festival

Body:

• Analyse the broader implications.
• Provide examples to support your analysis.
• Discuss the consequences of the problem not being addressed (if applicable).
• Suggest solutions to the problem, if relevant.

Conclusion:

• End with a short, powerful sentence.

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Effective Introductions & Body Paragraphs in Articles:

1. The Funnel Method:

• Start broad and general.
• Introduce your thesis.
• Narrow down with each following sentence. Example:

"Music has always been a universal language that brings people together. Festivals, in particular, have a way of creating unique and unforgettable experiences. In recent years, Ireland has seen a surge in the popularity of music festivals, drawing crowds from all over the world. This year, an upcoming festival set in the rolling hills of Co. Waterford will feature an exciting mix of genres, headlined by globally renowned artists and local talents alike. The word around town is that the main attraction will be….

2. Asking Questions:

• Use questions to attract readers' attention.
• Answer these questions in your essay. Example:

"Do modern children's books shelter youngsters too much? Literally speaking, have we gone too soft?"

3. Using an Anecdote:

• Start Intro or Paragraph with a relevant anecdote.
• Makes the essay more engaging and persuasive.

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Effective Conclusions in Articles:

• Use questions and quotations to close your essay effectively.
• Never introduce new ideas in the conclusion.
• Ensure the conclusion is strong and consistent with your arguments.

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Additional Tips:

Generic Features:

• Make your work look like an Article. Make up a website domain or newspaper/magazine title. Write it at the top of your page in a bigger font before starting the body of the essay.
• If you can imagine an image embedded in the article, write "Insert Image Here" followed by a caption on the next line describing what the image would be i.e.. "Photograph of Waterford camogie player Jane Doe scoring the winning point of the semi-final match at Walsh Park."

Inform:

• Include factual-appearing information i.e. dates, statistics, locations, quotes from persons involved, etc.
• Don't stress about remembering exact real-life details and figures. Make any "facts" included believable.

Provoke Thought:

• Use rhetorical questions, satire, anecdotes, and incorporate personal experiences, if appropriate.
• Make your writing engaging and informative and aim to inform your reader. Make them share your point of view on your topic by the end of the article i.e. if you think the upcoming music festival is going to be the best one yet, the reader should believe it after reading your piece.

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