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French
Dissertation, thèse-antithèse-synthèse: The “dissertation” is a text form, a way to develop and link ideas using both a formal structure and formal conventions that are generally recognized:
- an introduction (present the subject to be treated and outline the main points)
- the development (“methodically constructed: divided in three parts, thesis-antithesis-synthesis, while respecting an overall unity)
- the conclusion (bring back the subject and at the same time create an opening towards other possible questions). (Dictionnaire encyclopédique de l’éducation et de la Formation)
The rules and conventions are equally well known: do not use “I”, divide the ideas clearly into paragraphs, develop them one at a time, create transitions between paragraphs, use a style that is neither too familiar nor too embellished.
The dissertation, object of many research studies, special journal issues, analyses, etc. takes its most typified form for the French end-of-secondary baccalaureat exam.
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English
Dissertation, Doctoral thesis. Academic essay, school essay, five-paragraph-essay: This is the conceptual equivalent of the French dissertation in the United States. It is a form of persuasive writing that is equally structured and canonic. The “academic” essay can be in response to texts read in class, texts that are explicitly or implicitly approved, texts and discussions from class, from the exterior world or the school institution, general conversations, and so on. Students are often expected to cite, paraphrase, summarize; in this case the essay might be called a “documented essay.”
For the “social constructivists” in particular, the academic essay is a key genre because it is the currency of the academic discourse community (without suggesting here that there are homogeneous definitions of this genre, in particular since it is seen quite differently by theorists vs. practitioners.
The “school essay” appears before university studies, but influences the structure of university essays. The particular form most often taught is the five-paragraph-essay, made up of:
- the introduction (presents the thesis, announces three supporting arguments)
- three supporting paragraphs, one per point
- the conclusion (recalls the main point and reminds us of the support)
Note that there is considerable tension between the expectations in secondary education (and the need to teach the five-paragraph-essay) and post-secondary education (with its tendency to reject the five-paragraph-essay).
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