GP Lesson

31 March 2013

AQ - Structure

Paragraph 1) Introduction + Thesis Statement• The thesis statement is the central argument which also answers the

question in the AQParagraph 2) • Argument 1 (of author) –

– This argument needs to be rephrased in your own words. The marker will not be too strict here but DO NOT lift the EXACT sentence from the passage (cite the lines from which you rephrased the argument (e.g. from lines ** to **)

– Elaboration and Evaluation of this argument – Example (“usually this is some Singapore specific e.g. in questions where

they ask if this issue is seen in your society”)– Link (also addressing whether argument 1 supports/does not support your

thesis statement

AQ - Structure• Paragraph 3)

– Argument 2 (same structure as above)• Paragraph 4)

– Argument 3 (same structure as above)• Paragraph 5)

– Argument 4* (same structure as above)– You would have to deal with an opposing argument against your central

thesis in this paragraph. Also, you will have to attempt to rebut it. • **Paragraph 6)

– Argument 5 (same structure as above)– Attempt to write a Paragraph 6 only if you have spare time on your hands

(ideally, but given exam conditions, unlikely )• Conclusion

AQ

• We live in an era where access to information is easy due to technological tools available– S’pore tech savvy population – World Economic Forum 2012 Global IT Report (Singapore is 2nd most

networked ready nation)– Fibre-optic network (Open-Net) and 4G services– Government Assistance Scheme (PC-Bundle scheme) – by Infocomm

Development Authority of Singapore which allows applicants with permanent disability or full time student with gross monthly household income per capita not exceeding $700 (normal) or $875 (disabled) to pay $146 (laptop) or $214 (desktop)

– SG Wireless Scheme– Ipad available for loan at NLB

• We lack critical thinking skills that are vital to address problems of information overload – to pick up useful information and discard irrelevant and/or inaccurate information– Some feel that while the Internet has given Singaporeans access

to huge amount of information, far less is done to help Singaporeans navigate and make sense of the information they access

– Road accident involving Ma Chi turned out into an anti-foreigner backlash when the issue was supposed to be about road safety

– Online rumour about LKY falling very ill but turned up at 2012 NDP

Ma Chi

• Below are some comments from Chinese netizens: – "Such young tycoons have done so much damage, and they

are still so full of themselves when overseas. It is a real disgrace to us Chinese."

– "China's tycoons, the world's nuisance." – "Singapore is a country which is really ruled by law. It is not

like ours, which is ruled by men." – "Singaporeans have been displeased with Chinese

immigrants snatching their rice bowls, raising prices of products... this car crash made the situation even more intolerable for the locals, and anti-Chinese emotions are escalating."

Ma Chi

LKY (NDP 2012)

• We are bombarded by expert opinion of all kinds of people, not all of whom are qualified to tell us what to think or do.– On various media platforms, one find many ‘gurus’

dispensing advice on a variety of subjects– Dangers of self-diagnosis – New Moon which sells chicken of essence used top

students from PSLE to endorse its products (Note that since 2012, MOE does not publish topscorers’ names)

New Moon Chicken Essence

New Moon Chicken Essence

• There are people who are out to manipulate us or cheat us by giving dubious information and we easily fall prey to them– Mobile phone lottery, Nigerian email scams– Advertising Standards Authority of Singapore saw an increase in

complaints about misleading claims in property, beauty and motorcar advertisements

– Kelvin Ong (ran private school called AristoCare claiming he could help children qualify for Gifted Programme and charged exorbitant fees)

– Dr Martin Huang (famous plastic surgeon who was fined $5K and censured by SMC for serious misconduct – he injected patients with sheep foetal cells despite this treatment not being medically proven

– Errant Private Schools

• Kelvin Ong– http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest+News/

Singapore/Story/A1Story20120729-362053.html• Dr Martin Huang– http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/

singaporelocalnews/view/1011211/1/.html• Errant Private Schools– http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/

singaporelocalnews/view/1136186/1/.html

• Teaching of critical thinking is not made compulsory in formal education as schools pay too much attention to job skills

• The task of teaching critical thinking can and must be carried out at the community level (bottom up, not top down approach) by citizens themselves using technology and every platform available – STOMP was an online news platform set up by ST for citizen journalism but

it has been a platform for mudslinging, ridiculous allegations and pictures taken out of context

– Hardwarezone forum (where forummers engage in lowbrow conversation, pass around unverified rumours and take pot shots at authority figures)

– Online Citizen (fairly credible socio political blog)– NGOs (Transient Workers Count Too, AWARE, Maruah, ACRES,are examples

of grassroots movements)– Top down approach like Singapore govt’s call for Internet for Code of

Conduct may be counter-productive which might hamper critical thinking

• Online Citizen– http://www.theonlinecitizen.com/

• Transient Workers Count Too– http://twc2.org.sg/

• AWARE– http://www.aware.org.sg/

• Maruah– http://maruah.org/

• ACRES– http://www.acres.org.sg/

• Believe it or not, looking at pictures of baby animals before working can actually increase your productivity. According to Ezra Klein at the Washington Post: "A team of researchers at Hiroshima University recently conducted a study where they showed university students pictures of baby animals before completing various tasks. What they found, in research published today, was that those who saw the baby animal pictures did more productive work after seeing those photographs - even more than those who saw a picture of an adult animal or a pleasant food." To help your productivity along, here are some pictures of baby animals to enjoy. - By Cecily Kellogg