Tutorial: APC model
These principles help you tailor your writing to effectively reach the target audience, fulfil the intended
purpose and adapt to the specific context. Understanding and applying APC principles can lead to more
persuasive, coherent and impactful essays.
Exercise: Try to analysis these two essays by using APC
Essay 1
Topic: Do gender-neutral toilets (GNTs) infringe upon women’s rights?
As society progresses towards inclusivity and equality, the issue of gender-neutral
bathrooms has become increasingly prominent. This growing prominence to a great extent can be
attributed to the potential ramifications this change may pose for women. Some argue that such
gender-neutral toilet (GNT) facilities infringe upon women’s rights (Greed, 2019), while others
claim that such views lack empirical support (Jones & Slater, 2020), and view these bathrooms
as a necessary step towards establishing gender-neutral spaces. This essay concurs with the
former view, and argues that gender-neutral bathrooms jeopardise women’s safety, privacy, as
well as reduce the available toilet space for women.
Firstly, gender-neutral bathrooms pose a threat to women’s safety. The lack of gender
segregation in these bathrooms means that women are forced to share a space with individuals
who may pose a risk to their well-being. Incidents of sexual assault, harassment and voyeurism
are already common in gender-segregated bathrooms (Greed, 2019), and the absence of gender-
specific facilities only exacerbates these issues. Similarly, a woman may feel uncomfortable
using a urinal or changing pads in front of a man and may opt not to use the bathroom at all,
which can lead to health issues such as urinary tract infections. Women should not have to
compromise their health or safety in order to accommodate the preferences of a minority group.
Other than safety, gender-neutral bathrooms also pose a threat to women’s privacy. Women
have a right to use the bathroom without fear of being seen or heard by members of the opposite
sex. Indeed, women-only toilets represent a safe space for women to gather in solidarity outside
of the typically male-centered public sphere (Jones & Slater, 2020). The removal of gender-
segregated facilities means that women are forced to share private spaces with individuals who
may not identify as the same gender. In the case of menstruation, for instance, having to share a
facility with members of the opposite sex can lead to feelings of discomfort and vulnerability,
and can even deter women from using public restrooms altogether. Indeed, Women’s Voices
Wales has voiced concern regarding the phenomenon of female secondary school students
avoiding going to school for fear of period-shaming in GNTs (Petter, 2019, as cited in Bovens &
Marcoci, 2020). Women should not have to sacrifice their privacy in order to cater to the needs
of a few individuals.
Some perhaps will contend, however, that the need for more GNTs does not necessarily
imply a zero-sum game by which women will have less available bathroom space. They may
point to the fact that while it is true that GNTs may require the construction of additional
facilities, this does not imply a reduction in available toilet space for women (Bovens &
Marcoci, 2020). After all, many GNTs are designed to be gender-neutral and can be used by
anyone, regardless of gender identity. This means that the additional facilities created for
transgender and non-binary individuals can also be used by women, which can actually increase
the available toilet space for women. This claim appears to be quite reasonable at a general level,
yet it fails to take into account the actual situation in terms of available toilet space for women.
In the UK, for example, women’s toilets are already vastly undersupplied, and simply adding
gender neutral toilets, which may or may not allow sufficient privacy for female users, does
nothing to address this pressing issue and only shifts the focus away from it (Greed, 2019). If the
focus remains solely on using GNTs as a means to inclusivity, consideration of the bathroom
needs of women will likely be indirectly excluded as a result. Additional GNT facilities should
thus only be added according to a corresponding increase in the transgender population, and
most certainly not at the expense of the already exploited female toilet users.
In conclusion, GNTs are a threat to women’s safety, privacy and the already limited
available bathroom space for women. Women should not have to sacrifice their well-being and
privacy in order to accommodate the preferences of a minority group. It is important for society
to find a balance between inclusivity and practicality, and gender-neutral bathrooms fail to strike
that balance. Women’s rights and well-being should not be compromised in the pursuit of
inclusivity.
Essay 2
Dear Sir/Madam,
Hello! Please find my resume attached in response to the Management Associate position posted
on your website. As you probably saw, I’m Brandon. Why did I sign up for this position? Well, I’m going
to cut to the chase here: I think I’m born to be a Management Associate after reading the requirements in
your advertisement.
To give you a snapshot of who I am: I’m relaxed, I’m friendly, and I’m SUPERB at working with
people! In fact, my friends often tell me I’m “a people person”! LOL. But there are a few things the
resume doesn’t show, and I think they are very important for you to know as well.
I have the drive to excel in this position and I put 110% effort into all that I do. I am skilled at
project management, marketing, and working under intense deadlines. I work great in a team and I am
comfortable working independently as well. My FYP supervisor had commended me on my research
skills too. I have outstanding organisational skills and am dynamically trained in Microsoft Office
programmes. My professionally-relevant hobbies include photography and web development. I have lived
in various countries and it gives me a unique perspective that I bring to my work. It also may be of
interest to you that I was the Hall King of XYZ Hall in 2019 — yup, I’m a looker!
In short, if you are looking to have a smart, creative, good-looking, and detail-oriented genius in
your team, I am your guy. I would love to share with you how my skills and ideas can benefit your
company in an interview with yourself or the director.
Thanks for your consideration; I look forward to hearing from you soon!
Sincerely,
Brandon
P.S. I only apply to companys that I’m highly interested in.
Questions
1) Who are the intended readers of these essays?
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2) Is the text intended to inform, persuade or entertain (or a combination of multiple purposes)?
What words reveal the purpose?
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3) What are the contexts for these essays, and are they appropriate according to their situation?
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