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08 August 2010
Dr Ong stressing a point on writing
punchy messages
Dr Ong and Dina sharing experience on
how to write with facts and conviction
A student asking how he could be politically
correct in his writing
Dr Ong pointing out the need to be innovative
and think out of the box when we write
"Don’t be in love with your own voice
all the time," advises Dina
A useful day to spend a Sunday afternoon
Kuala Lumpur, 08 August 2010
- An intellectual but passionate exchange took place
at MPH Bookstore at the Mid Valley Megamall last Sunday.
The topic was “Opinion Writing and Academic Research”
and featured UCSI University’s Faculty of Economics
and Policy Science Lecturer Dr. Ong Kian Ming and columnist
Dina Zaman, author of I am Muslim. Ms. Margaret
Soo, UCSI’s vice president of Group Corporate Affairs
and Ms. Shannen Choi, manager of the UCSI University
Foundation, also attended the event. The gathering was
aimed at helping university students write better essays
in conjunction with the Perdana Leadership Foundation’s
essay writing competition (www.perdana.org.my).
In the hour-long session, Dr. Ong discussed the “3P”
approach to good writing. The strategy said to:
Personalise your writing – bring personal
observations and experience to the essay.
Make your writing punchy – create attention-grabbing
titles, sub-titles and openings to get people to
read on.
Make your narrative persuasive – use
facts, statistics, case studies and other research
to support your arguments.
Dina, an experienced project editor at Malaysia Insider,
advised the audience to “read, research, write and rewrite”
to prepare essays. She said it is important to write
without fear of criticism and to keep an open mind to
published opinions different from one’s own. She also
warned against being “too in love with one’s own voice”
to create objective writing and to use facts and figures
that can be justified.
The UCSI University Foundation is encouraging UCSI University
students and alumni to take part in the essay-writing
competition. The competition entitled “Malaysia in a
Globalised World” is opened to Malaysian citizens between
the ages of 18 and 25 and may be written on one of three
topics offered (see website for more information). The
essay deadline is 30 September.
Those looking for more information and ideas should
attend a forum organized by the Faculty of Economics
and Policy Science entitled “Nurturing the Minds of
Future Leaders.” The event will take place from 5:30
to 7:15 p.m. Thursday in the Blue Ocean Strategy Hall
at the North Wing campus with a Ramadan buffet
to follow. The event is opened to all UCSI University
students, staff, faculty and the general public.
"Without
prejudice to the rights of UCSI the information herein
is correct at the time of printing and UCSI reserves
the right to make amendments without prior notice."
Last updated:
10 Aug 2010
Latest News: UCSI University Sponsors 1Malaysia Essay-Writing Contest
