Applying Writing Skills

OUTLINE EXAMPLE #2

Thesis: Active reading should be a primary method of learning because it supports strong

communication skills in the workplace, enhances EFL learner’s transition from the native

language to the adopted one, and promotes a tangible experience not found in social media

engagement.

I. Introduction

A. Research has revealed that reading regularly can incrementally enhance a

person’s ability to communicate.

B. The introduction of social media in the 21st century has reduced the numbers

of young people who regularly read.

C. Learners for whom English is a second or foreign language struggle with

English but could benefit from reading even beginner texts as a way to

enhance their language skills.

D. Those who are opposed argue that reading is not what creates communication

abilities but the active use of communication.

II. Body

A. Reading is beneficial.

1. It supports strong communication skills, which is necessary for anyone

seeking employment.

2. “If the broader base of learners would be redirected back to reading as a

primary communication lesson, more job seekers would find more viable

employment options” (Wilson, 2013, p. 247).

B. Reading can provide the necessary tools.

1. English language learners can learn how to transition to and effectively

use the English language.

2. “English language learners can benefit more from reading books in the

adopted language and by mimicking the sentence structure rather than to

follow conversations in English, which generally contains colloquialisms

and idioms that cannot be easily translated” (Abrams, 2018, p. 24)

C. Reading promotes a tangible experience.

1. This experience is not found in social media because it requires active

participation rather than a passive one of flipping through content.

2. Jackson (2018) argues that hands-on learning is best for all learners

regardless of learning style and should be adopted as a primary method for

instilling language skills no matter the age (p. 348).

D. Opponents believe that learners learn more readily in other ways.

1. Readers learn better when they are reading the type of material they most

connect with, such as comic books or graphic novels.

2. Weathersby (2016) believes that all learners are better suited to learn if

they are engaged by the method that most engages them, and it does not

matter if that engagement includes methods that are considered elementary

and non-sanctioned by established learning experts (p. 24).

E. Opponents also stipulate that requiring too much reading is a bad practice.

1. Required reading in elementary schools can actually reverse

communication skills in the long term.

2. “What results from over-extended reading requirements is a student who

no longer has the ability to enjoy the reading, to gain any appreciation for

the communication skills that can be gleaned from the practice, or the

long-term ability to critically analyze” (Baker, 2019, p. 529).

III. Conclusion

A. In conclusion, it is clear that active reading is better as a primary method of

learning.

B. The research has revealed that communication skills are important to

employers.

C. Communication skills through reading can be developed early on and

throughout one’s life to the extent that employment becomes easier to obtain.

D. Additionally, EFL learners will have an easier time of understanding the

various nuances of the English language if they are taught to use the strengths

of various literary publications as learning experiences.

E. Reading is a tangible experience that promotes engagement not found in

social media spheres, and it promotes the retaining of information more

readily because it becomes an active experience each time it is engaged.

F. Despite the argument established by opponents, the research has revealed that

more academic or literary reading can greatly enhance the reader’s

experience, increase the ability to critically analyze, and establish strong

reading and communication practices well into adulthood.

G. Reading can be an enjoyable experience that results in a clear and continual

method for expanding and enhancing communication skills.

***Note: The sources listed would have been previously identified in full in the proposal

component of the research process.