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Synopsis :

In this talk, journalist and Berita Harian Editor Yatiman Yusof speaks about writing a good essay for the General Paper (GP) in the GCE A Level examination. He notes that in the past four years, there have been differences in the GP paper between the Malay and English streams. This does not mean that the Malay paper is of a lower standard than the English one. In some areas, the standard is actually higher. The General Paper covers a wide field. Students have to be aware of international and local affairs and be able to analyse them. They must be able to present their knowledge of the events or issues in an interesting manner. This requires developing good writing skills. Some students with very little knowledge of facts do well because of good presentation. Mr Yatiman then goes through the different sections of the General Paper. There are sections dealing with political, economic and social issues and others touching on subjects like geography, history, science and literature. There are also sections with questions on local issues like the problem of drug abuse, the challenges of forging a national identity and the effectiveness of national campaigns. On international affairs, the essay topics can revolve around the entry of China into the United Nations or the conflict between North and South Korea. There can be questions on the evolution of the United Nations and the functions of its various bodies. There are also abstract topics like the difference between democracy and socialism. Some topics call for descriptive answers while others call for discussion. Mr Yatiman feels that a good essay must have substance and students must understand the topic well in order to get good marks.