English Unlimited HAK/HUM 4/5, Schulbuch mit Audio-CD und CD-ROM (mit Handelskorrespondenz)

186 Writing guide Article Definition An article is a written text published in print (in newspapers, magazines, journals, etc.) or in electronic form (e.g. in online newspapers). Purpose The main purpose of an article is to inform readers about a certain topic, often providing facts, figures, research results or the outcome of current debates. Additional purposes can be to persuade , explain or give advice . Before you start to write, make sure that you know what the purpose/s of your article is / are and collect ideas. Structure and layout For an article to be reader-friendly, a clear text structure is important ( introduction – body – conclusion ). In the main body of your text, structure your information by using topic sentences and making paragraphs . In your conclusion, briefly summarise your main points. Finally, think of a catchy title . Style and register Depending on the audience and the topic , the style of your article can range from informal to formal . If you’re writing an article about a personal or humorous topic, or something that is intended for people your age, the style you employ will be more informal. However, if your article deals with a more serious topic and is written for a general audience, the language has to be neutral or formal. Good articles try to present their topic from different angles . Try to show various perspectives and opinions on the issue in question. Include examples and direct speech in order to make your article more lively. Involve your audience by using rhetorical questions . Feel free to express your personal opinion. Useful expressions Are you one of those people / readers who … ?  Have you ever asked yourself … ? What would you think if … ?  Have you ever … ? To begin with, …  First of all, …  One thing to consider …  Secondly, …  Let’s suppose … Apart from that, …  In addition to this, …  Moreover, …  Keeping in mind that …  While … With regard to …  Although …  Arguably, …  As everyone can imagine, … To demonstrate …  … to illustrate …  Take, for example, …  Over the past few months, … Recently, …  Recent findings show …  Nowadays, …  It has been suggested by … As a result, …  In conclusion, …  To sum up, …  Altogether, it can be said that … Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv