Mediation

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preaparation, important points, how to...

General Criteria

how to write an article summing up information from a German text

article

how to write an email summing up a German text

email

how to write a blog entry summing up information from a German text

blog entry

typical mistakes to avoid

and some tips

useful phrases

What is a mediation?

How to write a mediation

Writing an article summing up information from a German text

Writing the article's headline/title:

• Find a headline/title that captures your readers’ interest / focuses on the aspect(s) you are expected to cover.
• Do not use a translation of the headline/title of the German text at hand.

Introduction:

• Keep your introduction as short as possible.
• Explain why you are outlining the information from the German text. Refer to your target group and explain why you think that the information might be relevant to them.
• Clearly define your topic and name the aspect(s) you are focusing on.
• Give the source of the information you are summing up.
• Paraphrase the headline/title of the German text.

Main Part:

• Focus on summing up the aspect(s) you are expected to present.
• Leave out smaller/irrelevant details.
• Do not translate passages from the text at hand.
• Present the ideas in a logical order. You do not need to follow the structure of the German text.
• Give necessary explanations (e.g. typical German terms, concepts, public figures, etc.).
• Do not express your own opinion on the ideas you are outlining.
  

Conclusion:

• indicate that you are coming to a conclusion using phrases such as in short, as you can see, as presented above, overall, etc.
• When you are outlining information, it is enough if you write one final sentence with a brief summary of the overall idea.
• Make sure you do not repeat what you have said above word for word.

Preparation:

1. read the task carefully, think about which ideas mentioned in the original text you should contain in your text
2. find important keywords and German sentences
3. prepare some ideas of paraphrasing these words or sentences
4. think about terms you might have to explain for the context of the original text

Points to remember:

• contemplate the exact information you're asked for
• remember to paraphrase
• leave out irrelevant details
• make sure your text matches the genre you should write

Structure:

The structure of a mediation in English consists quite classically of an introduction, a main part and a conclusion.

1. Introduction:
   • In the introduction of your mediation in English, you list all the general information about the text. This usually includes the title, author, type of text, time and place of publication, and topic of the text.

     Finally, you name the addressee to whom your mediation is addressed. In the case of a mediation in the form of a letter or an e-mail, for example, you begin the introduction with a salutation.

2. Main Part:

   • In the main part of your mediation in English, it is best to stick to the results of your preliminary work. Follow the order of the original text and do not jump wildly between sections.

     Tip: Use the same tense as in the original text. If the text is written in the present tense, you should also use the present tense in your mediation in English.

     Finally, you name the addressee to whom your mediation is addressed.

3. Conclusion:

   • The conclusion of your mediation differs from the conclusion of many other types of texts. Because here you do not add your own statement, conclusion or outlook. Your mediation simply ends with the last paragraph that you transferred from the original text.
     There is a separate conclusion only if your task is to write a mediation in the form of a letter or an e-mail. In this case, you round off your text with a greeting and your signature.

4. Throughout the text:

   • Write clear sentences.
   • Use linking words, but be careful with lengthy sentences.
   • Follow a clear and logical structure and use paragraphs.
   • Write in a way which appeals to your target group.
   • Use vocabulary that is appropriate for your target group and purpose.

1. Mixing American English and British English
   • e.g.:
   • Rechtsanwälte arbeiten oft in Stadtzentren und mögen Eis mit Erdbeergeschmack.
   • Lawyers often work in citiy centers and like ice cream with strawberry flavor (AE)
   • Barristers often work in city centres and like ice cream with strawberry flavour (BE)
2. False Friends
   • persons instead of people (Mehrzahl von person)
   • when instead of if (falls)
   • bring instead of take (I’m going to take you to the cinema)
   • mean/meaning instead of think/opinion
   • rests instead of leftovers, remains
   • control instead of check, check up on (I’ll check if the machine in working correctly)
   • become instead of get (I’ll get a new car)
3. Run-On sentences
   • A run-on sentence is, quite simply, a sentence in which two independent clauses have been glued together without a proper connection. Most of the time, this is due to improper commas or missing conjunctions (but, because, and, so, ...) This usually sounds pretty awful...
   • e.g.:
   • wrong: I need a new car, mine got stolen
   • better: I need a new car. Mine got stolen.
   • sounds the best: I need a new car because mine got stolen
4. wrong prespositions
   • Wochentage – on – on Monday
   • Monate, Jahreszeiten, Jahreszahlen, Zeitangaben – in – in winter; in an hour; in 2017
   • Von einem bestimmten Zeitpunkt aus vs. über einen bestimmten Zeitraum – since 2016 vs. for 3 years
   • Spätestens bis; bis – by 7 o’clock; by 10 o’clock, I had already finished
   • an/bei anstelle von in/auf – in the kitchen; in the book at the station; at the table
5. Misplaced/dangling modifiers
   • A modifier is an optional clause (or just a word) that it modifies another clause. A very simple example: She is a clever woman. Here the adjective (which is a modifier in this case) modifies the noun.
   • A so-called dangling modifier is a grammatical construction in which the modifier is improperly separated from what it modifies (the target). This always causes confusion or is at least amusing.
   • e.g.:
   • problematic: After truly waking up, the morning felt more exciting. (sounds poetic but makes no sence, logically
   • better: After truly waking up, he felt the morning was more exciting.
     
     
   • problematic: On her way to the supermarket, Janet found a gold man’s watch.
   • better: On her way to the supermarket, Janet found a man’s gold watch.

Introduction

Main Part:

• Remain neutral and factual. Avoid slang (that′s so cool) and personal judgments (I don′t like it).
• Use participles (seeing that, having seen that) in English to shorten sentences.
• Break away from bumpy translations and paraphrase concepts and content in your own words. That way, it's not a problem if you forget a word now and then.
• Use generalizations instead of specific terms: streaming services instead of AmazonPrime, Netflix and DisneyPlus.
• Be especially careful with idioms, because they are rarely easy to translate. Again, it's better to use paraphrases.
• Don't forget to proofread your mediation! Check not only spelling and grammar, but also structure, style, and relevance to the task at hand.

Writing the headline/title:

• Find a headline/title that captures your readers’ interest / focuses on the aspect(s) you are covering.
• Do not use a translation of the headline/title of the German text at hand.

Introduction:

• Keep your introduction as short as possible.
• Explain why you are outlining the information from the German text. Refer to your target group and explain why you think that the information might be of relevance to them.
• Clearly define your topic and name the aspect(s) you are focusing on.
• Give the source of the information you are summing up.
• Paraphrase the headline/title of the German text.

Main Part:

• Focus on summing up the aspect(s) you are expected to present/deal with.
• Leave out smaller/irrelevant details.
• Do not translate passages from the text at hand.
• Present the ideas in a logical order. You do not need to follow the structure of the German text.
• Give necessary explanations (e.g. typical German terms, concepts, public figures, etc.).
• Do not express your own opinion on the ideas you are outlining.

Conclusion:

• indicate that you are coming to a conclusion using phrases such as in short, as you can see, as presented above, overall, etc.
• When you are outlining information from a German text, it is enough if you write one final sentence with a brief summary of the overall idea.
• Make sure you do not repeat what you have said above word for word.
• Additionally, you may call your readers to action or ask them to comment on your blog entry.

Writing the subject line:

• Write a subject line that fits the content of your email.
• Do not use a translation of the headline/title of the German text at hand. GREETING
• Choose a greeting that fits your addressee.

Introduction:

• Start with a capital letter, even though you have used a comma after the greeting.
• State your purpose for writing and explain why you are outlining the information from the German text. Refer to your addressee and what you expect him/her to be interested in.
• Clearly define your topic and name the aspect(s) you are focusing on.
• Give the source of the information you are summing up.
• Paraphrase the headline/title of the German text.

Main Part

• Focus on summing up the aspect(s) you are expected to present/deal with.
• Leave out smaller/irrelevant details.
• Do not translate passages from the text at hand.
• Present the ideas in a logical order. You do not need to follow the structure of the German text.
• Give necessary explanations (e.g. typical German terms, concepts, public figures, etc.).
• Do not express your own opinion on the ideas you are outlining.

Conclusion

• Indicate that you are coming to a conclusion by using phrases such as in short, as you can see, as presented above, overall, etc.
• When outlining information, it is enough if you write one final sentence summing up the overall idea. But do not repeat what you have said above word for word.
• Choose a goodbye that fits the person you are addressing.