Looking for help with formal writing?

Try Studyit.

Formal writing – Letters to the Editor

Often when someone feels strongly about a current issue and wants to have a say they will write a letter to the editor.  Writing a letter to the editor is a way that you can make your opinions heard.

A letter will often be about an issue that is topical and in the news – something that people are talking about. Obviously you can’t choose your topic for NCEA but you can make sure that you have informed and relevant things to say. Keep up with current issues, particularly those of relevance and interest to teenagers.

Check out the exemplars on the NZQA (see below) to give you some ideas about how to tackle the topics. The exemplars have been annotated so you can see what the markers are looking for.

Excellence exemplar – ‘Alcohol and youth’

Merit exemplar – ‘School uniforms’

Achieved exemplar – ‘Celebrities are not heroes’

How to get excellence

At the moment many of you in Year 11 are discussing (read moaning about!) the Formal Writing paper. You want to know how to raise your grades.

So what do you need to get an excellence?

I have added the key points below –

You ideas have to be convincing (that means relevant, credible, persuasive or innovative). Your writing style may show flair and originality that commands attention (in a good way!) You show a distinctive personal style: that could mean an inventive use of language, a wide range of diction, innovative syntax. Follow the links to revise what those terms mean. Your essay structure is clear and effective – more than just a beginning, middle and end. Your essay may be unconventional for effect – ask your teacher for examples. Accurate (suitable for publication with minor editing). So not too many errors!

Formal Writing made easy

OK, first the stuff you know –

• This is an external standard and therefore will  be sat under examination conditions.
• You will write one essay of at least 250 words – but really you will need to write more and you know it!
• There will be 10 different topics and you will choose one to write about. Think hard about possible topics and be prepared!
• Choose a topic you are confident writing about. Make sure it is one  that you can support your ideas with accurate examples that expand and elaborate on your statements. Remember SEXY! Question selection is so important!
• The topics may be in the form of a question, statement, photograph, or cartoon relating to an issue of interest.
• Use the space provided for planning before writing your essay in the answer booklet. This will help show evidence of structure and planning. The marker does look at your planning.
• You will have around 40 minutes to plan, write, and proofread your formal essay. You could plan your time like this:

• brainstorming 5–10 minutes
• writing 20–25 minutes
• proof-reading 10 minutes.

Some stuff you may not know or have forgotten –

• You should know this but in 2009 you will write a letter to the editor of at least 250 words in response to one of 10 topics. Two topics will have stimulus material (that probably means a picture). Assessment will not include letter layout so you will not need to know how to set out a letter. Your answer will start with ‘Dear Editor’ and that will be printed in the booklet for you.
• You must take the accuracy requirements seriously!  You need to show an acceptable command of spelling, punctuation and grammar. Please be careful and make sure that you spell words that are printed in the booklet correctly – there is no excuse for that one! No room for sloppiness!
• Write in a formal style – you can break register for effect and use some informal and colloquial expressions.
• You must structure your ideas in an ordered way – beginning, middle and end and yes, you do need paragraphs!
• Make sure you use key words and phrases from the question at the beginning and the end of your essay.
• Use the SEXY planner and outline about three relevant points linked to the topic. Have support for those points.
• Have an opinion on the topic – you must be able to state your point of view.

Formal Writing accuracy requirements

To achieve Level One Formal Writing you must be able to write without intrusive errors. This is difficult for many of you and it was a problem noted by your teachers after grading the mock exams.

To be able to write at the accuracy level required you must understand the expected writing conventions. Writing conventions are the rules used to create meaning from the words chosen such as: spelling, punctuation, grammar, syntax (order and choice of words), and paragraphing. A piece of formal writing without intrusive errors means that your writing does not have significant and/or repeated error patterns (in spelling, punctuation, grammar, syntax, and paragraphing).

To achieve with excellence your writing must be accurate. That means work has been closely and carefully proofread to a near-perfect standard with limited errors, so that only minor editing is required.

Key Tips for Formal Writing

I recommend the Studyit site all the time but I don’t know how many of you have checked it out. It has lots of useful material on it – for instance have a look at these key tips for Level One Formal Writing:

* Use examples of formal writing to model your work on.

* Understand the focus of the task and who you are writing for by underlining the keywords.

* Plan your time wisely – don’t spend all your time deciding on a topic. See Choosing a question

* Write about something you are familiar with and have an opinion about.

* Plan your writing carefully so it has a clear introduction, middle, and conclusion.

* Indicate a new paragraph by leaving a blank line or indenting the first line of the new paragraph.

* Have a series of 4–5 paragraphs discussing the main point. Use a clear structure for each paragraph of your essay.

* Include and incorporate reliable statistics, facts, examples, and opinions.

* Use formal language and tone throughout.

* Use a wide range of vocabulary and language features accurately and appropriately.

* Use rhetorical questions and/or minor sentences as a special feature rather than in every paragraph.

* Read your writing ‘aloud in your head’ at least once. Listen for any weak or inappropriate words, informal language, run-on sentences, or punctuation errors.

* You will not be allowed to use a dictionary in the examination so use words you know how to spell.

* Check that you have used the correct spelling of a word that may sound like another (there/their/they’re, here/hear/hare).

* Check each new sentence starts with a capital letter.

* Read from a range media such as newspapers, magazines, television, and radio to keep up to date with current issues and opinions to help your writing.

Year 11 Formal Writing

This post is for Year 11 students who are in 101 classes. I wanted to remind you that the Assessment Specifications for 1.2 Formal Writing 2008 state:

“Candidates will write a letter to the editor of at least 250 words in response to one of 10 topics.  Two topics will have stimulus material.  Assessment will not include letter layout.”

You will still have to write in a formal style as that is what the standard is assessing. What is the required formal style? That means regardless of the context, you have to be able to produce: “a piece of formal writing that expresses ideas, information and/or opinions, is organised using an appropriate format and structure, and uses acceptable spelling, punctuation and grammar.” Each year the exam will give a context  to provide all students something ‘authentic’ to respond to.