Collect 5 recent (within the last 6 months) newspaper articles relating to the same topic from a newspaper (hard copy or online newpaper), and tell us about them. The topic should be related to business or politics. Make sure your article comes from a newspaper. There are lots of sites that might look like newspapers, but they are different. (Yahoo news, for example, is not a newspaper.) If you choose some of the bigger names, such as New York Times and Washington Post and Japan Times, you will be fine. In each summary, use reported speech at least three times (underlined in the example above).
Summarize each article like the example given in the post above, and give your comment about the article at the end. Your comment should be detailed, informative, and interesting. State the source of each article in the reference list: Number the references according to the article order and number each article too. The reference list should state the article title, the publication in which it appeared, the date, and the source (either the URL or the page # of the newspaper).
The contents and the news reported in each article should be different and published on different days.
After you report on each article in turn, write a paragraph or two in which you comment on the collection of articles as a whole - how the topic developed and what you learned from the assignment.
Possible topics include:
iPhone 6
Alibaba
Sales tax issue in Japan
and many many more
In any case, you should choose your topic by Friday September 26 and email me to tell me what it is. Late emails will receive a penalty.
The assignment is due October 14 at the beginning of class. Articles less than 200 words are not permitted. Each article should go into some detail.
Monday, September 22, 2014
news article collection assignment: part 1 - sample
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/06/10/business/corporate-business/uniqlo-set-raise-prices-summer/#.VCAI_0urKDo
Example of reading and summarizing a newspaper article below. Read the original article first.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/06/10/business/corporate-business/uniqlo-set-raise-prices-summer/#.VCAI_0urKDo
Simple summary:
Example:
I read an article about Uniqlo reported in The Japan Times Newspaper. It was published on June 10, 2014. According to the article, Uniqlo will raise its prices by 5% this year. It also said that it was the first time that prices would be raised since the company started in 1984.
The president of Uniqlo said that prices would start to be raised from July. The article said that there were two reasons for raising prices: first, because of the rising cost of raw materials needed to make Uniqlo goods, and second, because the yen has been weakening.
I think because .
Reference
"Uniqlo set to raise prices this summer." The Japan Times, June 10, 2014. http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/06/10/business/corporate-business/uniqlo-set-raise-prices-summer/#.VCAI_0urKDo
Example of reading and summarizing a newspaper article below. Read the original article first.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/06/10/business/corporate-business/uniqlo-set-raise-prices-summer/#.VCAI_0urKDo
Simple summary:
Example:
I read an article about Uniqlo reported in The Japan Times Newspaper. It was published on June 10, 2014. According to the article, Uniqlo will raise its prices by 5% this year. It also said that it was the first time that prices would be raised since the company started in 1984.
The president of Uniqlo said that prices would start to be raised from July. The article said that there were two reasons for raising prices: first, because of the rising cost of raw materials needed to make Uniqlo goods, and second, because the yen has been weakening.
I think because .
Reference
"Uniqlo set to raise prices this summer." The Japan Times, June 10, 2014. http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/06/10/business/corporate-business/uniqlo-set-raise-prices-summer/#.VCAI_0urKDo
Friday, September 12, 2014
Presentation strategies
This post covers 5 presentation strategies for you to try and use.
1. Catch the Audience's Attention and Introduce Your Presentation
When you begin, it is important to greet your audience and get their attention.
Techniques:
*Ask a question to get the audience involved.
i.e. How many of you . . .?
After you ask your question, give the audience time to raise their hands, and briefly mention what you notice from their answers.
*Provide an interesting fact, definition, or quote.
i.e. Did you know that . . .?
* Tell an interesting story.
i.e., The other day . . . . .
Once you have gotten your audience's attention, it is important to introduce your topic and provide a plan, or outline, of the main points you will discuss. This will let your audience know what to expect and it will make it easier for your audience to follow your idea. Besides that, it will help you get and keep organized and on track.
Techniques:
* Today, I am going to talk about . . . .
* I'll begin with . . . . Next, . . . . After that, . . . . Finally, . . . .
Use a numbered list.
* First, second, third, fourth, last.
2. Signal a Transition
Transitions help the audience see a presenter's organization. A speaker can use transitions to remind listeners of the overall plan of the presentation. Transitions are especially important in longer presentations where listeners can become tired and lose focus. Some transitions show what is coming next. Others are short summaries of saying what you have discussed so far. Often, these two transition types are used together.
Example:
* Okay, we've talked about . . . Next, let's discuss . . . .
3. Use Effective Visuals
These can make your presentation more interesting and easier to understand. They can also help you organize your presentation. However, if your visuals are not designed or explained clearly, they can be distracting or confusing.
Techniques:
* Use a suitable number of visuals (slides or images) for the time you have.
* Limit text to about 6 lines per slide.
* Use text that is at least 24 point font and easy to read.
* Use a dark background with light text or the opposite.
* Put titles on visuals and label charts, graphs, or other diagrams.
* Make good use of the visual by explaining it clearly without looking at the screen.
TWO ADVANCED TECHNIQUES
4. Use Non-Verbal Signals
Your facial expressions, body movements, and hand gestures contribute to how your audience perceives and understands you. Learning to use effective non-verbal signals can establish a feeling of closeness with your audience, show confidence, symbolize important ideas, and improve the emphasis in your voice. As a result, you will look and sound more like a native speaker of English.
Techniques:
* Use facial expressions to show friendliness and confidence.
* Learn common gestures used to symbolize ideas or actions, such as listing or contrasting ideas.
* Gesture on key words to emphasize their importance.
5. Highlight Key Points and Deliver a Take-Home Message
The ending is as important to the success of the presentation as the beginning. A strong conclusion will make the key points more memorable and help the audience see the relevance of your ideas to their lives. An effective ending will do three things: 1. signal that you are about to end, 2. highlight the ideas, and 3. deliver a "take-home" message. That message could be a final thought, a recommendation, a prediction, a challenge or a questions. The take-home message encourages your audience to reflect on your ideas and connect them to their lives, and the world.
Examples of take-home idea phrases:
* I'd like to leave you with these thoughts . . . .
* So next time you . . . remember that….
* Please think about . . . .
1. Catch the Audience's Attention and Introduce Your Presentation
When you begin, it is important to greet your audience and get their attention.
Techniques:
*Ask a question to get the audience involved.
i.e. How many of you . . .?
After you ask your question, give the audience time to raise their hands, and briefly mention what you notice from their answers.
*Provide an interesting fact, definition, or quote.
i.e. Did you know that . . .?
* Tell an interesting story.
i.e., The other day . . . . .
Once you have gotten your audience's attention, it is important to introduce your topic and provide a plan, or outline, of the main points you will discuss. This will let your audience know what to expect and it will make it easier for your audience to follow your idea. Besides that, it will help you get and keep organized and on track.
Techniques:
* Today, I am going to talk about . . . .
* I'll begin with . . . . Next, . . . . After that, . . . . Finally, . . . .
Use a numbered list.
* First, second, third, fourth, last.
2. Signal a Transition
Transitions help the audience see a presenter's organization. A speaker can use transitions to remind listeners of the overall plan of the presentation. Transitions are especially important in longer presentations where listeners can become tired and lose focus. Some transitions show what is coming next. Others are short summaries of saying what you have discussed so far. Often, these two transition types are used together.
Example:
* Okay, we've talked about . . . Next, let's discuss . . . .
3. Use Effective Visuals
These can make your presentation more interesting and easier to understand. They can also help you organize your presentation. However, if your visuals are not designed or explained clearly, they can be distracting or confusing.
Techniques:
* Use a suitable number of visuals (slides or images) for the time you have.
* Limit text to about 6 lines per slide.
* Use text that is at least 24 point font and easy to read.
* Use a dark background with light text or the opposite.
* Put titles on visuals and label charts, graphs, or other diagrams.
* Make good use of the visual by explaining it clearly without looking at the screen.
TWO ADVANCED TECHNIQUES
4. Use Non-Verbal Signals
Your facial expressions, body movements, and hand gestures contribute to how your audience perceives and understands you. Learning to use effective non-verbal signals can establish a feeling of closeness with your audience, show confidence, symbolize important ideas, and improve the emphasis in your voice. As a result, you will look and sound more like a native speaker of English.
Techniques:
* Use facial expressions to show friendliness and confidence.
* Learn common gestures used to symbolize ideas or actions, such as listing or contrasting ideas.
* Gesture on key words to emphasize their importance.
5. Highlight Key Points and Deliver a Take-Home Message
The ending is as important to the success of the presentation as the beginning. A strong conclusion will make the key points more memorable and help the audience see the relevance of your ideas to their lives. An effective ending will do three things: 1. signal that you are about to end, 2. highlight the ideas, and 3. deliver a "take-home" message. That message could be a final thought, a recommendation, a prediction, a challenge or a questions. The take-home message encourages your audience to reflect on your ideas and connect them to their lives, and the world.
Examples of take-home idea phrases:
* I'd like to leave you with these thoughts . . . .
* So next time you . . . remember that….
* Please think about . . . .
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