Review It!

Paragraph to Essay

To remember the structure of a paragraph, imagine a ___________. The top and bottom (buns) are similar because the last sentence restates the controlling idea introduced at the start. Moreover, the top and bottom parts hold all of the juicy information together as one whole unit.

Exercise 1: Complete the sentences for the “hamburger” paragraph structure below.

Model Essay

Exercise 2: Read the model essay and answer the questions below.

Storytelling and the Brain

        There is an ancient Hopi Native American saying: “Those who tell the stories rule the world.” Indeed, stories are a crucial part of culture and society, and since the beginning of humanity, stories have been used to teach and entertain people of all ages. The transfer of knowledge and wisdom through the format of a story seems to have the power to compel and to compel persuade people much more than other means of communication. Recent something research in neuroscience is shedding light on the reasons why storytelling is neuroscience: the study of the brain and the an effective communication tool. More specifically, stories can affect the nervous system human brain in two ways, which might explain their efficacy to convey ideas.

         With the development of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), researchers results have found that listening to a story has two significant effects on the brain. The first effect is called neuro coupling. This phenomenon occurs when two people have matching activity in the same areas of their brain. Researchers at Princeton University did a study (Stephens et al., 2010) in which brain scans using MRI technology were taken of speakers telling a story and of listeners while listening to a recording of the story. The scans showed synchronized neural activity in the brains of the storyteller and the listener, but the neuro time or speed coupling disappeared when there was a disruption in communication. Thus, it appears that interpersonal communication is most successful when a speaker can stimulate corresponding brain activity in a listener through storytelling. The second effect of stories on the brain is related to increased levels of oxytocin, a hormone produced in the body that is typically associated with trust, cooperation, and other prosocial behaviors between A series of studies demonstrated how dramatic stories can trigger the release of oxytocin, with positive effects on participants’ behavior (Zak, 2015). Zak claims that when people treat others well, their brains synthesize oxytocin which in turn builds trust and leads to reciprocal treatment. While this process illustrates how storytelling might affect the human brain and lead to feelings of empathy and trust amongst individuals, more research is beneficial needed to fully understand the effects of oxytocin on the brain.

         In conclusion, the power of storytelling has been recognized throughout the ages, but now there is clinical data to support this claim. When listening to a story, the human brain can be changed because the listener’s brain imitates the storyteller’s brain patterns, subsequently releasing chemicals that can produce positive feelings and behaviors. In this way, stories may have the power not only to change the brain, but also to change the world by helping people become more tolerant and empathetic. (435 words)

References

Stephens, G. J., Silbert, L. J., & Hasson, U. (2010). Speaker-listener neural coupling underlies successful communication. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 107(32), 14425–14430. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1008662107

Zak, P. J., (2015). Why inspiring stories make us react: The neuroscience of narrative. Cerebrum: The Dana forum on brain science, 2.

1. What is the topic of this essay?

2. At the end of the introduction, what topic focus is stated?

3. For the body paragraph, underline the topic sentence. What is the controlling idea?

4. What main supporting points are explained in the body paragraph?

5. What words or phrases helped you to find the main supporting points?

6. Why is some information in parentheses: (Stephens et al., 2010), (Zak, 2015)?

Exercise 3: Use the words in the box below to label this body paragraph.

Process Writing

In this book, you will work through a number of steps to write academic papers. This is called the writing process. Examine the six steps below.

Step 1: Think of a topic and start doing research

• Brainstorm: write down anything you know about the topic
• Select a topic that is feasible, researchable, relevant, and interesting
• Do some basic research/reading on the topic
• As you read, write questions that you might want to explore about the topic

Step 2: Develop a general topic into a specific topic

• From your brainstormed ideas and initial research, develop a general topic into a specific topic (not too vague, nor too specific)
• Continue to research the topic with your specific focus in mind

Step 3: Create an outline

• Write a title and thesis statement (these can change as you research and write your essay)
• Write each main point to support the thesis and think of details you could add from your research (data, examples, explanations, facts)

Step 4: Type an essay draft

• Write an introduction paragraph, body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph
• Type your essay and use proper formatting (include: your name, student number, a title, double- spacing, indented paragraphs, page numbers, etc.)

Step 5: Get feedback on your writing

• Ask your teacher and/or classmates to read your paper and give you advice
• Think carefully about the advice

Step 6: Revise your essay

• Make changes to your typed first draft to improve your essay
• Carefully proofread your essay final draft, paying attention to details like spelling and punctuation
• Submit your essay

Practice It!

Exercise 4: Write down one or more topics that interest you. Then, think about what you know about the topic(s) and write some keywords in the space below.

Topic Idea(s):

Practice It!

Exercise 5: Look at the topic which you brainstormed in Exercise 4 and check it with the criteria for an appropriate essay topic listed above. If your topic meets the criterion, put a checkmark (✓) in the box.

Checklist

◻︎ Feasible

◻︎ Researchable

◻︎ Relevant

◻︎ Interesting

Learn It & Practice It!

Step 2: Focus your topic

Exercise 6: Look at the chart below and consider the topic examples. Develop the four vague topics into specific topics, before working on a topic you might decide to research and write about.

Exercise 7: Look at your specific topic from Exercise 6. Check it again with the criteria for an appropriate essay topic. If your topic meets the criterion, put a checkmark (✓) in the box.

Checklist

◻︎ Feasible

◻︎ Researchable

◻︎ Relevant

◻︎ Interesting