How can you organize your ideas quickly and effectively when writing an independent essay under a time pressure? By using either deduction or induction. Let's start with deduction. Look at the following example.
TOEFL teachers are poor.
Aristotle, the famous Greek guy, calls this a syllogism (but you don't have to worry about that). All you need to remember is that you start your independent essay with a general statement, for example:
TOEFL teachers are poor = general statement
Next, support the general statement with an example. The example is a specific statement.
Joe is a TOEFL teacher = specific statement
Next, make a conclusion (deduction) based on the general statement and the specific statement.
Joe is poor = conclusion
From the general and specific, you have deduced (concluded) that Joe is poor.
Remember: When using deduction, the conclusion always follows from the general and the specific.
Next, let's structure an independent essay using deduction. An essay is, as you know, just a fancy name for an argument. Before we can structure an argument, however, we need a prompt. Let's use this one.
Prompt: TOEFL teachers are poor. Do you agree or disagree? Use examples and reasons to support your opinion.
Next, structure your ideas from general to specific. Add as many examples as you want, then make a conclusion.
I agree. TOEFL teachers are poor.
Joe is a TOEFL teacher. He is so poor he eats grass.
Mary is also a TOEFL teacher. She is so poor she wears rags.
Frank is a TOEFL teacher too. He is so poor he lives in a tree.
TOEFL teachers are poor.
You now have the basic structure of a five-paragraph independent essay. Now let's add a few transitions to make it look more like an independent essay.
Personally, I believe that TOEFL teachers are poor.
Joe is a TOEFL teacher. He is so poor he eats grass.
Mary is also a TOEFL teacher. She is so poor she wears rags.
Finally, we have Frank. He is a TOEFL teacher too. He is so poor he lives in a tree.
As you can see, TOEFL teachers are poor.
Mapped out, the structure of the argument looks like this.
general
specific
specific
specific
general
rhetorically it reads like this...
opinion
example #1
example #2
example #3
restated opinion
Easy, right? Right.
Remember: The writing raters (and speaking raters) are trained to look for this structure. It tells them you know how to organize your ideas when writing (and when speaking).
With induction, start with a series of specific statements or examples, like this.
Joe is a TOEFL teacher. He is so poor he eats grass.
Mary is also a TOEFL teacher. She is so poor she wears rags.
Frank is a TOEFL teacher too. He is so poor he lives in a tree.
What can you induce (conclude) when you add up the examples?
TOEFL teachers are poor.
All together it looks like this.
Joe is a TOEFL teacher. He is so poor he eats grass.
Mary is also a TOEFL teacher. She is so poor she wears rags.
Frank is a TOEFL teacher too. He is so poor he lives in a tree.
TOEFL teachers are poor.
Biologists and psychologists use induction all the time. They watch animals or people, make detailed notes about behavior, then make conclusions based on that behavior. Your doctor does the same thing.
Doctor: Betty, what's wrong?
Betty: I have a really bad headache.
Doctor: I see. What else?
Betty: A sore throat too.
Doctor: I see. What else?
Betty: My body hurts all over. Doctor TOEFL what's wrong?
Doctor: Let's see. Headache. Sore throat. Body aches. I believe you have a cold.
Albert Einstein, in contrast, is an example of a scientist who used deduction. Unlike most scientists, Einstein never did experiments. He just hung out at home and, using pen and paper, created all his theories in his head using deduction. Amazing.
You can use deduction and induction for the independent essay and for the integrated essay and for all six speaking tasks. That's right. Not only that but I can teach you a fast and easy way to rate your speaking and writing responses so you can maximize scoring on test day.
Want to know more? Just click on the book.
