Web viewTemplate 15 GEAP Assessment Task Cover Sheet Individual student. 27 | Page. File name: Assessment Task Cover Sheet NSWTCOM306B Write Non-Routine texts Document Review

Template 15 GEAP Assessment Task Cover Sheet Individual student

Course number: 29602 Course Name: C3 in Pathways to Further StudyUnit/Module Number: NSWTEGL301

Unit/Module Name : Apply Language & Learning Skills

Date today: Student name:Due Date(s): Teacher Name:RPL Yes No Special Needs Yes No

Assessment Event Name: Portfolio

Comments (re RPL Special needs decision/adjustments)

Conditions of assessment and instructions to candidate If you have special needs with regards to this assessment, or would like recognition

of prior learning ( RPL),please see your teacher. If you require further feedback following this assessment, or would like a review of

this assessment please see your teacher. Unit is graded Refer to marking criteria Must submit a draft of all items before due date [refer Assessment Task Instructions]

and must submit all tasks before final submission date [refer Assessment Task Instructions].

Resources for this unit are located at http://begatafetpc.wikispaces.com/English Unit is delivered over a 1 semester period [18 weeks] and may be integrated with

NSWTCOM306B Write non- routine texts [same portfolio assessment tasks] Submitted tasks must be no more than 10% +/- of the set word limit

Critical Aspects of evidence, required skills and knowledge.

Element/Performance Criteria

Evidence x 2

MarkAC/NC

Lnr Mk

Performance comments

Refer Marking Guide following pages

1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5

5 pieces required

Refer Marking Guide next page

Other Comments: ___________________________________________________________________________ Teacher signature:______________________________ Date:_________

Student Declaration :I declare that this is my own work ______________________Date:_____

Student Feedback Yes No

Tick appropriate column below

I received clear instruction on what was required for the assessment task.

The assessment was a fair and reasonable test of my skills and knowledge.

The assessment was based on realistic activities that were relevant.

I was able to access suitable resources and support to do the assessment.

1 | P a g eFile name: Assessment Task Cover Sheet NSWTCOM306B Write Non-Routine texts Document Review date: ________Task Validation Date:__________ Owner: GEAP Illawarra Institutes Teachers please retain a copy of this document as evidence of assessment decision for each student. Attach copy of assessment tasks with marking guide and model answers. Please give a copy of this document students prior to the assessment so they are clear on the assessment and how marking will be done.

http://begatafetpc.wikispaces.com/English


I received appropriate and sufficient feedback on my assessment.

Assessment task instructions:

Over the next 18 weeks you need to produce at least 5 written tasks as part of your portfolio. These include:

Letter to the Editor (250 word maximum)

Summary (Should be 25-33%of original article)

Film Review (Minimum 500 words)

Feature Article(Between 500 – 1000 words)

Set of Instructions (Approx 500 words) or

Report of survey, fieldwork, experiment (Maximum 1200 words)

A draft of each item MUST be submitted for each task and submission of drafts is to be NO LATER than 2 weeks before the final text is due.

Drafts due no later than Week 15 of the 18 week program

Final Copy due no later than Week 17 of the program

Resources Required for Assessment Task

List resources the student will need to complete the Assessment task, eg texts, equipment

All texts available on www.begatafetpc.wikispaces.com/English

Instructions for Assessment Task- Letter to the Editor2 | P a g e

File name: Assessment Task Cover Sheet NSWTCOM306B Write Non-Routine texts Document Review date: ________Task Validation Date:__________ Owner: GEAP Illawarra Institutes Teachers please retain a copy of this document as evidence of assessment decision for each student. Attach copy of assessment tasks with marking guide and model answers. Please give a copy of this document students prior to the assessment so they are clear on the assessment and how marking will be done.

http://www.begatafetpc.wikispaces.com/English


250 word limit

Points on How to Write a Letter to the Editor

Plan the letter first, before you start writing. Aim for 250 words. A sample plan could have the following components:

1. Introduction: lead in to the issue

2. Body text: cover all relevant points/facts

3. Summary and/or conclusion: provide a solution and/or recommendation

Determine your key issue - write it down (eg: stop woodchipping). Make sure your letter addresses the key issue and does not side-track to unrelated issues.

Identify and aim to develop an 'angle' (or theme). For example, you can:

respond to a previous letter (either for or against) reference a recently published article refer to a personal experience; what you have seen locally and/or overseas comment on recently announced Government policy

While planning a letter, keep a scratch pad/sheet handy. Jot down any ideas or phrases that appeal to you onto a 'scratch sheet' before you forget them. This is similar to brainstorming.

Determine your target audience and write to their level. Some newspapers have 'educated' readers (you can use fancy words) while others are more tabloid oriented (keep your letter simpler).

Write a first draft of the letter, slotting in material from your scratch sheet. Make sure that you include text that covers all three sections (introduction/body text/summary).

Re-read your first draft and edit it:

Check for grammar, spelling and punctuation mistakes (a wordprocessor is handy for this) Eliminate redundant words Re-sequence sentences or paragraphs to improve continuity.

Count the number of words to ensure your letter is not too long (eg 250 or shorter for The Age). Re-edit and further prune and tidy the letter if necessary.



Include your name, address and contact telephone number, and sign the letter. You will probably be telephoned by the newspaper to check you did actually write the letter.

Some general points to keep in mind Bullet points can be useful in the 'body text' to cover all aspects of the issue. They can also

assist you to sequence your letter. Avoid 'motherhood statements' such as "woodchipping is bad" (we all know this, we want to

know why it is bad). Writing in the first person (noun/verb) is more direct. For example "the cat sat on the mat" is

preferable to "the mat was sat on by the cat" (compare number of words). Emphasize key words, phrases or sentences by using bold text. For example "The key issue

is that are forests are still being destroyed" can attract the reader's focus where you want it.

Use real-life examples or analogies to demonstrate your point(s). This can lend valuable support to your argument(s).

Briefly acknowledge the source and date any references. Eg: "Philip Branch's comments on gun control (Age Letters 2/5) are . . . "

Avoid statements that might get you sued for libel such as "the minister is a liar".

Submission of Assessment Task

You should submit your Assessment Task via email to [email protected]. Also final work needs to have first and final drafts and TPC cover sheet stapled together. All completed work to be kept in designated class folder.

Submit to Carol Holden__________


mailto:[email protected]


Instructions for Assessment Task - Write a Summary

Minimum 500 words. More info available on www.begatafetpc.wikispaces.com/English

How to Write a Summaryby eNotes

http://www.enotes.com/topics/how-write-summary

How to Write a Summary in 8 Easy Steps

Writing a good summary demonstrates that you clearly understand a text...and that you can communicate that understanding to your readers. A summary can be tricky to write at first because it’s tempting to include too much or too little information. But by following our easy 8-step method, you will be able to summarize texts quickly and successfully for any class or subject.

1) Divide…and conquer. First off, skim the text you are going to summarize and divide it into sections. Focus on any headings and subheadings. Also look at any bold-faced terms and make sure you understand them before you read.

2) Read. Now that you’ve prepared, go ahead and read the selection. Read straight through. At this point, you don’t need to stop to look up anything that gives you trouble—just get a feel for the author’s tone, style, and main idea.

3) Reread. Rereading should be active reading. Underline topic sentences and key facts. Label areas that you want to refer to as you write your summary. Also label areas that should be avoided because the details—though they may be interesting—are too specific. Identify areas that you do not understand and try to clarify those points.

4) One sentence at a time. You should now have a firm grasp on the text you will be summarizing. In steps 1–3, you divided the piece into sections and located the author’s main ideas and points. Now write down the main idea of each section in one well-developed sentence. Make sure that what you include in your sentences are key points, not minor details.

5) Write a thesis statement. This is the key to any well-written summary. Review the sentences you wrote in step 4. From them, you should be able to create a thesis statement that clearly communicates what the entire text was trying to achieve. If you find that you are not able to do this step, then you should go back and make sure your sentences actually addressed key points.

6) Ready to write. At this point, your first draft is virtually done. You can use the thesis statement as the introductory sentence of your summary, and your other sentences can make up the body.



Make sure that they are in order. Add some transition words (then, however, also, moreover) that help with the overall structure and flow of the summary. And once you are actually putting pen to paper (or fingers to keys!), remember these tips:

Write in the present tense.

Make sure to include proper citation: The summary begins by citing the title, author, source, and, in the case of a magazine or journal article, the date of publication and the text.

Be concise: a summary should not be equal in length to the original text. If you must use the words of the author, cite them. Don't put your own opinions, ideas, or interpretations into the summary. The purpose of

writing a summary is to accurately represent what the author wanted to say, not to provide a critique.

7) Check for accuracy. Reread your summary and make certain that you have accurately represented the author’s ideas and key points. Make sure that you have correctly cited anything directly quoted from the text. Also check to make sure that your text does not contain your own commentary on the piece.

8) Revise. Once you are certain that your summary is accurate, you should (as with any piece of writing) revise it for style, grammar, and punctuation. If you have time, give your summary to someone else to read. This person should be able to understand the main text based on your summary alone. If he or she does not, you may have focused too much on one area of the piece and not enough on the author’s main idea.

Bonus Info! What are book summaries? A summary by definition is something that is comprehensive yet brief. A book summary, therefore, consists of the most important elements of a work. It retells (in condensed wording) a book’s beginning, rising action, climax, falling action, and ending. Good book summaries also capture essential elements about the central characters and the setting or settings in which the action unfolds.

When you have read a well-written summary, you ought to be able to say in your own words what the book is generally about, who the main characters are, and where it takes place. Imagine going to a bookstore or a library. You might have forgotten the name of the book, but you can recall enough of the pertinent information to help the clerk or librarian find the book for you.

What are chapter summaries? A chapter summary is a condensed version of the major action in a book. A chapter summary will provide key points of action in the narrative, identify primary (and sometimes secondary) characters, and convey where the action takes place. Later chapter summaries may also briefly revisit events that transpired in earlier chapters.

Chapter summaries are useful because they can help you recall a key event or character that you need to include in an essay or a book report.



eNotes.com is a resource used daily by thousands of students, teachers, professors and researchers. We invite you to become a part of our community.

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© 2014 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Example of a summary(Taken directly from: http://www.mrshatzi.com/files/summary.pdf)

Original Article: Bats

In the distant past, many people thought bats had magical powers, but times have changed. Today, many people believe that bats are rodents, that they cannot see, and that they are more likely than other animals to carry rabies. All of these beliefs are mistaken. Bats are not rodents, are not blind, and are no more likely than dogs and cats to transmit rabies. Bats, in fact, are among the least understood and least appreciated of animals.Bats are not rodents with wings, contrary to popular belief. Like all rodents, bats are mammals, but they have a skeleton similar to the human skeleton. The bones in bat wings are much like those in arms and the human hand, with a thumb and four fingers. In bats, the bones of the arms and the four fingers of the hands are very long. This bone structure helps support the web of skin that stretches fromthe body to the ends of the fingers to form wings.

Although bats cannot see colors, they have good vision in both dim and bright light. Since most bats stay in darkness during the day and do their feeding at night, they do not use their vision to maneuver in the dark but use a process called echolocation. This process enables bats to emit sounds from their mouths that bounce off objects and allow them to avoid the objects when flying. They use this system to locate flying insects to feed on as well. Typically, insect-eating bats emerge at dusk and fly to streams or ponds where they feed. They catch the insects on their wingtip or tail membrane and fling them into their mouths while flying.

There are about 1,000 species of bat, ranging in size from the bumblebee bat, which is about an inch long, to the flying fox, which is sixteen inches long and has a wingspan of five feet. Each type of bat has a specialized diet. For seventy percent of bats, the diet is insects. Other types of bats feed on flowers, pollen, nectar, and fruit or on small animals such as birds, mice, lizards, and frogs.

One species of bat feeds on the blood of large mammals. This is the common vampire bat, which lives only in Latin America and is probably best known for feeding on the blood of cattle. Unfortunately, in an attempt to control vampire bat populations, farmers have


http://www.mrshatzi.com/files/summary.pdf


unintentionally killed thousands of beneficial fruit-and insect-eating bats as well.

Bats, in fact, perform a number of valuable functions. Their greatest economic value is in eliminating insect pests. Insect- eating bats can catch six hundred mosquitoes in an hour and eat half their body weight in insects every night. In many tropical rain forests, fruit-eating bats are the main means of spreading the seeds of tropical fruits. Nectar-feeding bats pollinate a number of tropical plants. If it were not for bats, we might not have peaches, bananas, mangoes, guavas, figs, or dates.

Today, the survival of many bat species is uncertain. Sixty percent of bats do not survive past infancy. Some are killed by predators such as owls, hawks, snakes and other meat-eating creatures, but most are victims of pesticides and other human intrusions. In Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico, where there were once eight million bats, there are now a quarter million. At Eagle Creek, Arizona, the bat population dropped from thirty million to thirty thousand in six years.

Bats often have been burdened with a bad reputation, perhaps because they are not the warm, cuddly sort of animal we love to love. However, their unusual physical features should not lead us to overestimate their harm or to underestimate their value.

Summary

IntroductionStart with a summary or overview of the article which includes the author’s name and the title of the article.

Finish with a thesis statement that states the main idea of the article.

Body ParagraphsThe number of paragraphs in yoursummary depends on the length of theoriginal article.

Your summary should be about one third the length of the original article.

Start each body paragraph with a topic sentence.

Each paragraph focuses on a separate main idea and just the most important details from the article.

Put the ideas from the essay into yourown words. Avoid copying phrases and

In the article “Bats,” by Debbie Dean, welearn that in contrast to some mistaken beliefs, bats are not blind rodents that usually have rabies. They have sight, are mammals, and are not especially likely to carry rabies. Bats are relatively misunderstood and unappreciated.

Bats have some interesting physical features. They have similar bone structure and skeletons to that of humans, so they are not wingedrodents. They are color blind, so they useecholocation if there is not sufficient light.Otherwise, their sight is enough.

Species of bats total about a thousand. The species come in a variety of sizes and have unique diets. Most eat insects, but some eat plant products and small animals. However, vampire bats drink blood, which can be harmful to livestock. Farmers have accidentally killed many innocent bats while trying to rid themselves of vampire bats.

Bats can actually be helpful to humans. 8 | P a g e

File name: Assessment Task Cover Sheet NSWTCOM306B Write Non-Routine texts Document Review date: ________Task Validation Date:__________ Owner: GEAP Illawarra Institutes Teachers please retain a copy of this document as evidence of assessment decision for each student. Attach copy of assessment tasks with marking guide and model answers. Please give a copy of this document students prior to the assessment so they are clear on the assessment and how marking will be done.


sentences from the article.

Use transitional words and phrases toconnect ideas.

Concluding ParagraphSummarize the main idea and theunderlying meaning of the article.Bats

An important trait of bats is their ability to destroy many unwanted bugs. They also spread fruit seeds and pollinate plants. However, the survival of bats is not known because many are killed by human disruptions and predators. Thebat population has dropped steadily and may continue to drop.

Hopefully, we will realize that although bats look different than our favorite animals, we can learn to accept and admire their value and uniqueness.


You should submit your Assessment Task via email to carol.holden @det.nsw.edu.au. Also final work needs to have first and final drafts and TPC cover sheet stapled together. All completed work to be kept in designated class folder.

Submit to __________Carol Holden______

Instructions for Assessment Task - Write a Film Review

Minimum 500 words. More info available on www.begatafetpc.wikispaces.com/English

How To Write A Movie Review For Aspiring Movie Critics - MovieFilmReview.com

You don’t need a degree in English to be a good movie reviewer, and that everyone is invited to rate & critique a movie here. However, as you step into reviewing movies professionally, there are certain quality and guidelines that your critiques should possess. You should not use generalized opinions such as “oh, it was a great movie” or “the acting was horrible”, but rather give specific reasons and the whys.

Be sure to read up on tips for the actual write-up of a review - Here is a good guide to read up on. While we don’t limit you to a certain style of writing, the number of words you must have in your review, and what you must (or must not) write about, we do provide the following guideline to help you get started in writing a review.




Title of the movie

Paragraph 1

You will need to include the following: name of the film, prominent stars of the film, basic setting ( time and place), and type of film ( comedy, adventure, drama, etc.)

Paragraph 2

You will need to write a plot summary for the movie. Do not reveal the ending. Discuss at least 5 events and be sure to cover the entire scope of the movie, except the very end.

Paragraph 3

Discuss one aspect of filmmaking. You may choose from acting, direction, editing, costume design, set design, photography, background music, or anything else you may think of. Be sure that you are specific and cite examples from the movie.

Paragraph 4

Discuss another aspect of filmmaking. You may choose from acting, direction, editing, costume design, set design, photography, background music, or anything else you may think of, but obviously choose something different from what you discussed in the previous paragraph. Be sure that you are specific and cite examples from the movie.

Paragraph 5

Give your overall reaction to the film as well as your opinion on the quality of the film. also include your recommendations for potential viewers.




You should submit your Assessment Task via email to carol.holden @det.nsw.edu.au. Also final work needs to have first and final drafts and TPC cover sheet stapled together. All completed work to be kept in designated class folder.

Submit to __________Carol Holden______




Instructions for Assessment Task- Writing feature articlesBetween 500 and 1000 words. More info available on

www.begatafetpc.wikispaces.com/English

Purpose

Like essays, feature articles present ideas and information and their particular purpose may include:

arguing a case

exploring a range of ideas and points of view about a subject

discussing the pros and cons of a situation or issue.

The feature article differs from the essay in that it is much more concerned with entertaining as well as informing the audience.

Audience

The audience for a feature article depends upon the magazine or newspaper it is written for, and this in turn depends to some extent, on subject matter. Newspapers and magazines have demographic targets or particular sections of the population that they aim towards.

Demographics are important because they determine the advertising newspapers and magazines can attract and carry. Women’s magazines attract advertising for products that are likely to be bought by women, whilst magazines aimed at young people attract advertising for products marketed towards today’s youth.

Advertising is the principal source of income for most magazines and newspapers. Therefore, a significant amount of time and money is spent on researching who is reading particular publications so that profiles of audiences in terms of age, gender, occupation, annual income, hobbies and interests can be created. Demographics assist magazines and newspapers to appeal to advertisers, whose product is aimed at particular segments of the population, thereby making them very sensitive to the needs and expectations of their audience.

Context

The context for a feature article is, of course the particular magazine, journal or newspaper in which the article will be published. Some magazines are defined by their content (eg New Scientist, Art in Australia, House and Garden). They attract an audience which is interested in particular content, and only publish articles relevant to their subject matter.

Others are more generic such as ‘glossies’ like Cosmopolitan, Cleo, Marie Claire and HQ. These have a predictable content, based on the editors’ understanding of what the target audience will be interested in and entertained by. These magazines and newspapers only publish articles which fall



within this scope.

Newspapers are also shaped by expectations of what their readership will be interested in. Features contained within the main pages of newspapers tend to be about topics in the news; however, most newspapers also have a range of supplements dealing with specific kinds of content, such as health issues, travel, education and the arts. These supplements publish features related to their particular focus.

Conventions

The conventions of feature articles relate to their magazine or newspaper context and also due to the fact that they are expected to be statements of opinion rather than fact.

Presentation of feature articles: headlines and by-lines are included

typically illustrated with photos or other pictorial content

captions accompany pictorial content to explain their relevance

they are often presented with sub-headings to break up blocks of print and excite the readers’ interest.

Content/approach

The headline should grab the readers’ attention and make them want to read more. It should also highlight the main idea of the article.

The most basic by-line simply identifies the writer (eg by Peter Pusher). Often, the by-line is contained in a ‘teaser’ which supports the headline:

“Today’s explorers are more likely to be found in cyberspace than outer space. Peter Pusher looks at how one such explorer is opening up new territories in your personal computer.”

The opening paragraph, which is often presented in larger font or in bold text, is vital in building reader interest that is captured by the headline and teaser. It often begins the article with an anecdote, or a controversial statement to engage the reader.

The body of the article expands and explores the article’s topic. It frequently makes use of anecdotes and case studies to support its points. Statistics and expert opinions are often used to provide a sense of authority to the article’s point of view. Direct quotes from interviews with experts and people are also often used.

The closing paragraph is designed to have impact and be memorable. It will remind the reader of the article’s main point and may also suggest what the reader should do, or at least encourage him or her to take a new perspective on the topic.

Language/Style Features are often written in a personal tone and colloquial style. The words ‘you’ and ‘your’ are

often used to involve the reader as in the example of a teaser in this document.

How personal and colloquial the writing is depends on the particular audience and context the article is written for.



Jargon is often used to establish the writer’s familiarity with the subject.

Vivid imagery is often used to involve the reader. So too are emotive language and rhetorical questions.

Facts and statistics are used to create a sense of the writer’s authority.

Constructing a feature article

A feature article, like an essay, comprises three main sections: an introduction

a body

and a conclusion.

Introduction

An introduction is vital because you need to gain audience interest from your headline and opening paragraph. Suggested methods to introduce the topic of your feature article and obtain the audience’s interest are:

controversial statements

thought-provoking questions

a brief story which leads into your topic

a moody description of scene or situation

a combination of the above.

Ensure your introduction impacts upon the audience by being thought provoking or emotionally involving.

Re-examine your notes on the feature articles read in class and re-read the feature article that was written as an assignment by a journalism student in 2005, ‘Painting for freedom’.

Consider how paragraph one begins with a description that introduces the subject and draws the reader into his world.

Paragraph two includes some confronting statements about the treatment of refugees, and links the topic of the article to what is occurring in the world and subsequently being reported in the news.

The third paragraph introduces the article as a whole by summarising the ideas it will develop. It also strongly suggests the writer’s point of view on the issue of detention.

Write a first draft of your opening section of two or three short paragraphs for your feature article.

Body



Write a first draft development of each of the ideas and materials in the table in Planning a feature article. Remember that most feature articles have very short paragraphs as this makes them easy to read. An essay will use one long paragraph to develop an idea; a feature article will use two, three or even four paragraphs to develop the same idea.

Conclusion

The key point to remember with concluding a feature article is to utilise the final paragraph to remind the reader of the topic or issue being explored. Use your conclusion to ‘wrap up’ the article. You do not need to repeat everything you have already said but you do need to finish with a strong punch line.

A common approach is ‘where to from here’. Look at the sample feature article as an example of this approach. The writer uses her last two paragraphs to conclude the article by indicating her subject’s future plans, and to reinforce our sense of him as a person who is committed to helping others.

Attempt to compile a paragraph or two which will conclude your article with a strong last sentence.

Headline

Develop an intriguing headline for your feature article. Attempt to summarise the subject and point of view in, at most, four or five words and ensure it is eye-catching. Do not be surprised if it takes a number of attempts before you can perfect your headline as headlining is regarded by some as a form of poetry.

By-line

The purpose of the by-line is to inform us who wrote the article. The most basic by-line simply identifies the writer, for example ‘by Peter Pusher’. Often, the by-line is contained in a ‘teaser’ which supports the headline and aims to draw in the reader. An example is below.

Today’s explorers are more likely to be found in cyberspace than outer space. Peter Pusher looks at how one such explorer is opening up new territories in your personal computer.

Create a by-line teaser for your article. When you have completed the draft, consider how you will present the feature article.

Presenting a feature article

Picture/sConvention states that features articles are accompanied by pictures which illustrate the story and provide visual appeal through the use of photographs, illustrations, diagrams and other visual material. Each picture or photo requires an accompanying caption or explanation, which is usually presented below the image.

LayoutThe exact format or layout of a feature article depends on the style of the magazine or newspaper in which it is published. Consider the sample feature articles read in class or browse through a few



magazines and papers to view other approaches and styles.

If using a computer to complete your final copy, you will be able to format your article in a similar way to a published article.

The following points may help you achieve the appropriate layout.

Format the body of your article into three columns.

Create your headline, by-line teaser and sub-headings in a separate document.

Print both documents.

Use blank paper, scissors, and glue to physically lay out your article according to the format you have decided to use.

Whatever method you use, ensure you incorporate the following conventions: headline

by-line

the article itself, which is also referred to as ‘copy’

photo/s with captions

sub-headings.

Planning a feature article

Content

You have already given some thought and planning to the topic of your article and what ideas you want to explore. The next aspect to decide upon is exactly what you want your feature article to say about the topic. A feature article requires a point of view.Write your topic and your point of view in the space below.

Try re-wording your thesis statement into journalistic language below to use either in the beginning or end of your article. Try to make your thesis statement punchy and vivid.



Does the above sentence suggest that you will fulfil the purpose below? Reflect on why you are writing the article. Tick one or more of the purposes below.

Inform your audience about the topic.

Provoke thought about the issues involved in your topic.

Persuade readers to share a point of view.

Profile a person or group of people.

Evaluate the validity of a point of view.

Stir up emotion about an issue/s.

Another purpose? Explain.For example, where a writer uses the profile of a person to provoke thought about an issue. Do you think the writer has any other purpose in mind as well?

Now consider the ideas, situations, arguments and information you are going to use to expand on, argue for and illustrate your point of view. Write into the middle column in the table below to plan the points you are going to make. Construct a larger version of the table below if you require additional space for your ideas.

Running order Ideas Method

Next, use the right-hand column in the above table to decide the methods you could use to make each point. Below is a list of some materials you might have available for this purpose: anecdotes

factual evidence

statistics

expert opinions



quotes

examples

descriptions of situations.

Even though the article is an expression of your point of view on the topic; it is suggested that you allow your materials, such as anecdotes, evidence and expert opinions to speak for you where possible. This is better than constantly stating your own opinion as it provides the article with more credibility, the article will appear less personal.

Approach

The next step is to organise the materials you plan to use. Place numbers into the ‘Running order’ column on the left hand side of the table to indicate the order in which you will use the ideas in the body of your article. Try to plan for a natural flow from one idea to another throughout the article.

Writing feature articles

Purpose

Like essays, feature articles present ideas and information and their particular purpose may include:

arguing a case

exploring a range of ideas and points of view about a subject

discussing the pros and cons of a situation or issue.

The feature article differs from the essay in that it is much more concerned with entertaining as well as informing the audience.

Audience

The audience for a feature article depends upon the magazine or newspaper it is written for, and this in turn depends to some extent, on subject matter. Newspapers and magazines have demographic targets or particular sections of the population that they aim towards.

Demographics are important because they determine the advertising newspapers and magazines can attract and carry. Women’s magazines attract advertising for products that are likely to be bought by women, whilst magazines aimed at young people attract advertising for products marketed towards today’s youth.

Advertising is the principal source of income for most magazines and newspapers. Therefore, a significant amount of time and money is spent on researching who is reading particular publications so that profiles of audiences in terms of age, gender, occupation, annual income, hobbies and interests can be created. Demographics assist magazines and newspapers to appeal to



advertisers, whose product is aimed at particular segments of the population, thereby making them very sensitive to the needs and expectations of their audience.

Context

The context for a feature article is, of course the particular magazine, journal or newspaper in which the article will be published. Some magazines are defined by their content (eg New Scientist, Art in Australia, House and Garden). They attract an audience which is interested in particular content, and only publish articles relevant to their subject matter.

Others are more generic such as ‘glossies’ like Cosmopolitan, Cleo, Marie Claire and HQ. These have a predictable content, based on the editors’ understanding of what the target audience will be interested in and entertained by. These magazines and newspapers only publish articles which fall within this scope.

Newspapers are also shaped by expectations of what their readership will be interested in. Features contained within the main pages of newspapers tend to be about topics in the news; however, most newspapers also have a range of supplements dealing with specific kinds of content, such as health issues, travel, education and the arts. These supplements publish features related to their particular focus.

Conventions

The conventions of feature articles relate to their magazine or newspaper context and also due to the fact that they are expected to be statements of opinion rather than fact.

Presentation of feature articles: headlines and by-lines are included

typically illustrated with photos or other pictorial content

captions accompany pictorial content to explain their relevance

they are often presented with sub-headings to break up blocks of print and excite the readers’ interest.

Content/approach

The headline should grab the readers’ attention and make them want to read more. It should also highlight the main idea of the article.

The most basic by-line simply identifies the writer (eg by Peter Pusher). Often, the by-line is contained in a ‘teaser’ which supports the headline:

“Today’s explorers are more likely to be found in cyberspace than outer space. Peter Pusher looks at how one such explorer is opening up new territories in your personal computer.”

The opening paragraph, which is often presented in larger font or in bold text, is vital in building reader interest that is captured by the headline and teaser. It often begins the article with an anecdote, or a controversial statement to engage the reader.

The body of the article expands and explores the article’s topic. It frequently makes use of anecdotes and case studies to support its points. Statistics and expert opinions are often used to provide a sense of authority to the article’s point of view. Direct quotes from interviews with



experts and people are also often used.

The closing paragraph is designed to have impact and be memorable. It will remind the reader of the article’s main point and may also suggest what the reader should do, or at least encourage him or her to take a new perspective on the topic.

Language/Style Features are often written in a personal tone and colloquial style. The words ‘you’ and ‘your’ are

often used to involve the reader as in the example of a teaser in this document.

How personal and colloquial the writing is depends on the particular audience and context the article is written for.

Jargon is often used to establish the writer’s familiarity with the subject.

Vivid imagery is often used to involve the reader. So too are emotive language and rhetorical questions.

Facts and statistics are used to create a sense of the writer’s authority.


You should submit your Assessment Task via email to [email protected]. Also final work needs to have first and final drafts and TPC cover sheet stapled together. All completed work to be kept in designated class folder.

Submit to Carol Holden




Instructions for Assessment TaskMinimum 500 words

How to Write InstructionsOne of the most common and one of the most important uses of technical writing is instructions—those step-by-step explanations of how to do things: assemble something, operate something, repair something, create something or do routine maintenance on something. But for something seemingly so easy and intuitive, instructions are some of the worst-written documents you can find.

Good instruction writing requires certain techniques and also:

Clear, simple writing

A thorough understanding of the procedure in all its technical detail

Your ability to put yourself in the place of the reader, the person trying to use your instructions

Your ability to visualize the procedure in great detail and to capture that awareness on paper

Finally, your willingness to go that extra distance and test your instructions on the kind of person you wrote them for.

Some PreliminariesAt the beginning of a project to write instructions, it's important to determine the structure or characteristics of the particular procedure you are going to write about.

Audience and situation. Early in the process, define the audience and situation of your instructions. Remember that defining an audience means defining its level of familiarity with the topic as well as other such details. Audiences must be analysed in terms of characteristics such as the following: Background-knowledge, experience, training needs and interests. And of course there are many other characteristics about your readers that might have an influence on how you should design and write your document—for example, age groups, type of residence, area of residence, sex, political preferences, and so on.

Add information readers need to understand your document and omit information your readers do not need. Add examples to help readers understand. Examples are one of the most powerful ways to



connect with audiences, particularly in instructions. Even in non-instructional text, for example, when you are trying to explain a technical concept, examples are a major help—analogies in particular. Write strong introductions—both for the whole document and for major sections. People seem to read with more confidence and understanding when they have the "big picture"—a view of what's coming, and how it relates to what they've just read. Therefore, make sure you have a strong introduction to the entire document—one that makes clear the topic, purpose, audience, and contents of that document.

Most importantly, you'll need to describe your audience on a separate sheet of paper and hand that in with your instructions. This will enable your instructor to assess your instructions in terms of their rightness for the intended audience.

Number of tasks. An important consideration is how many tasks there are in the procedure you are writing instructions for. Let's use the term procedure to refer to the whole set of activities your instructions are intended to discuss. A task is a semi-independent group of actions within the procedure: for example, setting the clock on a microwave oven is one task in the big overall procedure of operating a microwave oven.

A simple procedure like changing the oil in a car contains only one task; there are no semi-independent groupings of activities. A more complex procedure like using a microwave oven contains plenty of such semi-independent tasks: setting the clock; setting the power level; using the timer; cleaning and maintaining the microwave, among others.

Some instructions have only a single task, but have many steps within that single task.

Best approach to the step-by-step discussion. Another consideration, which maybe you can't determine early on, is how to focus your instructions. For most instructions, you can focus on tasks, or you can focus on tools (or features of tools).

In a task approach to instructions on using a phone-answering machine, you'd have sections on recording your greeting, playing back your messages, saving your messages, forwarding your messages, deleting your messages. These are tasks—the typical things we'd want to do with the machine.

On the other hand, in a tools approach to instructions on using a photocopier, there would be sections on the copy button, the cancel button, the enlarge/reduce button, the collate/staple button, the paper tray, the copy-size button, and so on. If you designed a set of instructions on this plan, you'd write steps for using each button or feature of the photocopier. Instructions using this tools approach are hard to make work. Sometimes, the name of the button doesn't quite match the task it is associated with; sometimes you have to use more than just the one button to accomplish the task. Still, there can be times when the tools/feature approach may be preferable.

Common Sections in Instructions



The following is a review of the sections you'll commonly (not always) find in instructions.

Introduction. Plan the introduction to your instructions carefully. Make sure it does any of the following things (but not necessarily in this order) that apply to your particular instructions:

Indicate the specific tasks or procedure to be explained as well as the scope of coverage (what won't be covered).

Indicate what the audience needs in terms of knowledge and background to understand the instructions.

Give a general idea of the procedure and what it accomplishes.

Indicate the conditions when these instructions should (or should not) be used.

Give an overview of the contents of the instructions.

You may not need all of these elements, and some of them could combine neatly into single sentences. The introduction ought to be brisk and to the point and not feel as though it is trudging laboriously through each of these elements.

General warning, caution, danger notices. Instructions often must alert readers to the possibility of ruining their equipment, screwing up the procedure, and hurting themselves. Also, instructions must often emphasize key points or exceptions. For these situations, you use special notices—note, warning, caution, and danger notices.

Technical background or theory. At the beginning of certain kinds of instructions (after the introduction, of course), you may need a discussion of background related to the procedure. For certain instructions, this background is critical—otherwise, the steps in the procedure make no sense. For example, for certain instructions using cameras, some theory might be needed as well.

Equipment and supplies. Notice that most instructions include a list of the things you need to gather before you start the procedure. This includes equipment, the tools you use in the procedure (such as mixing bowls, spoons, bread pans, hammers, drills, and saws) and supplies, the things that are consumed in the procedure (such as wood, paint, oil, flour, and nails). In instructions, these typically are listed either in a simple vertical list or in a two-column list. Use the two-column list if you need to add some specifications to some or all of the items—for example, brand names, sizes, amounts, types, model numbers, and so on.

Discussion of the steps. When you get to the actual writing of the steps, there are several things to keep in mind: (1) the structure and format of those steps, (2) supplementary information that might be needed, and (3) the point of view and general writing style.


http://www.io.com/~hcexres/textbook/notices.html


Structure and format. Normally, we imagine a set of instructions as being formatted as vertical numbered lists, and most are in fact. Normally, you format your actual step-by-step instructions this way. Fixed-order steps are steps that must be performed in the order presented. For example, if you are changing the oil in a car, draining the oil is a step that must come before putting the new oil. These are numbered lists (usually, vertical numbered lists).

Supplementary discussion. Often, it is not enough simply to tell readers to do this or to do that. They need additional explanatory information such as how the thing should look before and after the step; why they should care about doing this step; what mechanical principle is behind what they are doing; even more micro-level explanation of the step—discussion of the specific actions that make up the step.

The problem with supplementary discussion, however, is that it can hide the actual step. You want the actual step—the specific actions the reader is to take—to stand out. You don't want it all buried in a heap of words. There are at least techniques to avoid this problem: you can split the instruction from the supplement into separate paragraphs; or you can bold the instruction.

Writing style. The way you actually write instructions, sentence by sentence, may seem contradictory to what previous writing classes have taught you. However, notice how "real-world" instructions are written—they use a lot of imperative (command, or direct-address) kinds of writing; they use a lot of "you." That's entirely appropriate. You want to get in your reader's face, get her or his full attention. For that reason, instruction-style sentences sound like these: "Now, press the Pause button on the front panel to stop the display temporarily" and "You should be careful not to ..." .

Graphics in Instructions

Probably more so than in any other form of writing (except maybe for comic books), graphics are crucial to instructions. Sometimes, words simply cannot explain the step. Illustrations are often critical to readers' ability to visualize what they are supposed to do.

Format in Instructions

Headings. In your instructions, make good use of headings. Normally, you'd want headings for any background section you might have, the equipment and supplies section, a general heading for the actual instructions section, and subheadings for the individual tasks or phases within that section.

Lists. Similarly, instructions typically make heavy use of lists, particularly numbered vertical lists for the actual step-by-step explanations. Simple vertical lists or two-column lists are usually good for the equipment and supplies section. In-sentence lists are good whenever you give an overview of things to come.

Special notices. In instructions, you must alert readers to possibilities in which they may damage their equipment, waste supplies, cause the entire procedure to fail, injure themselves or others—even seriously or fatally. Companies have been sued for lack of these special notices, for poorly



written special notices, or for special notices that were out of place.

Number, abbreviations, and symbols. Instructions also use plenty of numbers, abbreviations, and symbols.

Revision Checklist for Instructions

As you reread and revise your instructions, watch out for problems such as the following:

Make sure you provide real instructions—explanations of how to build, operate, or repair something.

Write a good introduction—indicate the exact procedure to be explained and provide an overview of contents.

Use numbered vertical lists for sequential steps. Use headings to mark off all the main sections and subheadings for subsections. (Remember

that no heading "Introduction" is needed between the title and the first paragraph)

Use special notices as appropriate.

Use graphics to illustrate any key actions or objects.

Provide additional supplementary explanation of the steps as necessary.

Remember to create a section listing equipment and supplies, if necessary.

Information and programs provided by [email protected].


You should submit your Assessment Task via email to carol.holden @det.nsw.edu.au . Also final work needs to have first and final drafts and TPC cover sheet stapled together. All completed work to be kept in designated class folder.





Submit to Carol Holden. Please submit work via email and remember to put a footer on your work with details of your name, assessment title, email and tel contact details and page number.

Marking Guide

APPLY LANGUAGE & LEARNING SKILLS NSWTEGL301ASSESSMENT EVENT 1 – PORTFOLIO STUDENT NUMBER: ___ ____

NAME:___________________________________________

ITEM ___/5 TEXT TYPE____________________________ [letter to editor, summary, film review, feature article, set of instructions, report

Criteria for assessing the portfolio of written texts:

VeryHigh

5

High

4

Medium

3

Low

2

VeryLow

1

Notshown

0

Teacher comments

The extent to which the portfolio of written work provides evidence that the student:

1. Edits draft items.

2. Presents a portfolio of four written texts.

3. Uses appropriate distinguishing features of chosen texts.

4. Identify Audience, Purpose and Context

RESULT /20




Documents

Web viewTemplate 15 GEAP Assessment Task Cover Sheet Individual student. 27 | Page. File name: Assessment Task Cover Sheet NSWTCOM306B Write Non-Routine texts Document Review