Cohesion in essays from uni of Sydney

This little section of UofS's site has a nice, friendly account of theme-rheme structures and other features of cohesion, as well as useful guides about how to write and structure a general academic essay. I've linked to the section on cohesion, but look also at the tabs on grammar, and how to cite sources.

(Be aware that your writing for A Level may not follow exactly this style -- check the requirements of each module. But it's good general advice!)

2. Strategies for creating cohesion - Page 1

Michael Halliday - Language evolving: Some systemic functional reflections on the history of meaning

Halliday talks about language development, change and evolution. Long video, but the more you watch, the more you win.

http://youtu.be/nC-blhaIUCk

Appraisal and Systemic Functional Grammar

Alongside Alvin Leong's interesting and detailed set of systemic functional grammar pages, here is a useful-looking framework for analysing and assessing texts called 'appraisal'. The focus is on interpersonal meanings and speaker attitudes.

http://www.alvinleong.info/sfg/sfgappraisal.html

An Introduction to Functional Grammar on Vimeo

A series of videos — 15-30 mins each — talking through Halliday's systemic functional grammar. Really friendly and accessible with a nice Prezi presentation.

http://vimeo.com/46732234

Functional Grammar

Systemic Functional Grammar is a nicely coherent approach to linguistics which has occupied much of my summer. I'm going to be trialling it as an way of helping to structure the course this year.

This page, from an Australian website, has lots of materials to help you get a grip on SFL. Try the introductory booklet – most of the terms and ideas there will be familiar to A2s, but with some new ways of looking at things, and fitted into an overarching framework that might help make things click.

http://www.mourass.eq.edu.au/functional_grammar.htm