Article
The
term 'article' applies to a very wide range of styles and approaches. Clearly,
it carries the notion of a journalistic discourse, but the context – which
includes where it is to be published, and to whom it is to be addressed – will
have a powerful influence on how it is written (see NB, below).
Basic
Format
-
Headline / title
-
Sub-headline, summarising
-
Byline (author, date, location)
- Short
paragraphs (possibly)
-
Sub-headings (possibly)
Approach
>
'Duty to inform' ? A defining element of any 'article' is that it sets out to
inform – does the script actually tell people something?
>
Precise nature of task ? Is the main purpose to :
Inform
? In which case, is the flow of information methodical and clear?
Discuss
? In which case, is there a reasonably balanced coverage of different points of
view?
Give
opinion ? In which case, is a clear point of view presented? And is it coherent
/ consistent?
>
Opening & closing? Is the opening, in particular, attractive /
attention-catching ?
>
Address? Is there a sense of effective address to the public ?
NB A
basic problem of the 'article' as a task is that articles appear in many
contexts, and these contexts may define style and approach. Unless the question
specifies publishing context very carefully, one should beware of jumping to
conclusions – for instance, a 'school magazine' may be written in many
different ways, from jokey / colloquial to formal / serious. Usually, accept
any approach which is credible and consistent.
Blog/diary entry
A
distinction: both text types typically present personal experience and comment,
but a blog is more of a public statement, whereas a diary is more of a private
reflection. Beyond that, there is a problem: are there conventions for the
relatively new blog - or for the anarchically personal diary ?
Basic
Format
-
Heading : Blog - title (perhaps quirky, witty); Diary - date; or dates, if
multiple entries ('Dear Diary' is unbelievable!)
-
Conclusion : Blog - request for comment / responses from the readers ; Diary -
nothing conventional (possibly something along the lines of "more
tomorrow"?)
- Lucid
paragraphing
(While
one can think of real examples of both blogs and diaries which ignore basic
paragraphing, students writing an exam script should be expected to show that they
understand that sensible paragraphing aids clarity.)
Approach
>
address : blogs set out to have regular readers, so are likely to have touches
of direct address ("As you regular readers know ...") ... diaries
have no similar convention, but the best examples give a sense of the writer
conversing with himself / herself ("As usual, I'm thinking of...";
"Why do I always...")
>
register : informality enriched with sophistication - if both text types are
personal, some informality can be expected in register and rhetoric, but higher
marks will go to exam scripts which combine colloquialism with dashes of
complex phrasing and effects.
>
organisation - What should govern the effective organisation of these text
types?
- if a
blog is a 'public statement', ideas can be expected to be organised to show
some evident + consistent purpose
- even
if a diary is a (more) private reflection, an exam script can still be expected
to show a clear and organised flow of ideas. This may include :-
>
control of narration – the diary is usually set to address a narrative of some
sort, so effective explanation and control of the events is expected
>
narration plus comment – what distinguishes the diary from other forms of
narrative is that the diarist reflects on the events and draws personal
conclusions.
Introduction to debate, speech,
talk, presentation
This
text type involves the written form of a discourse to be presented orally. The
task may emphasise clear explanation (talk, presentation), or convincing
argument (introduction to debate, speech).
Basic
Format
-
'address' established : direct address to audience at the beginning
-
'address' maintained : use of the pronouns 'you' and 'we' to maintain direct
links with the audience ? … and/or, how consistently?
- clear
opening / introduction : statement of purpose
-
appropriate closing / conclusion : summary of case / point
Approach
>
'MAP' Does the student aid the audience's understanding by giving an early
summary, or 'map', of what is going to be said?
>
lucid development: How clearly does the script present ideas in order to
explain, and/or impress?
>
cohesive devices: How clear is the use of sequence markers to guide the
audience?
>
opening & closing: How forcefully does the script catch the audience's
attention at the beginning, and leave a clear impression at the end?
>
rhetoric: To what extent, and how effectively, are common rhetorical techniques
used? Such as – rhetorical question … references … metaphorical tropes … irony
… exaggeration (understatement?) ... etc etc
Written correspondence
This
group of text types involve writing directly to a specific reader – as opposed
to the other text types, which all involve writing for a generalised or
notional audience. The fundamental distinction between 'formal and 'informal'
is that in the formal type the purpose of the letter is more important than the
relationship with the reader, whereas in the informal type, the relationship
between writer and reader is at least as important as the purpose.
Formal
letter
Basic
Format
-
sender's address
- date
-
opening/closing salutations ('Dear Mr/Ms ...' / 'Yours sincerely...' etc)
>
register : nature of 'formal' tone - what address + attitude to the recipient
is expressed ?
-
recipient's address (very optional)
Approach
>
relevance: How consistently is the text focused on the set task / purpose?
>
development of explanation: How succinct + clear/forceful is the presentation
of the ideas?
Materials
& models
>
Basic formal letter ... includes writing frame + imaginative example
>
Senior citizen ... a somewhat ironic formal letter, involving a complaint -
provides a model of structure + examples of formal phrasing + practice in
understanding ironic phrasing
>
The IB Threat ... the third handout 'Beard reply' contains an actual 'letter to
the editor' responding to an attack against the teaching of the IB in the US
>
Dam Beavers ... pretty challenging and sophisticated, but plays humourously
with 'formal tone'
Informal
letter
Expectations
for Informal letters and for Emails are very similar – but it may be useful to
look at the small but significant differences between the two sets of
recommended features.
Basic
Format
- date
(or simply day: 'Saturday')
-
opening/closing salutations (personal + friendly - 'Dear Joe ...' / 'All the
best / A big kiss...' etc)
Approach
>
'address': To what extent is it clear that the email is addressed to a specific
person? (Contrast with Email , below - less sense of 'dialogue' is expected
since letters do not receive such rapid replies !)
>
relevance & organisation: Contrast with Email: is it fair to say that
written letters may be produced rather more slowly, and so with more
consideration? If so, would require more careful attention to structure?
>
focus on task: Since the question will always propose a task, does most of the
message deal with the task? And if so, how effectively?
>
control of digression: One key could be to assess whether the 'digressions' are
purposeful or accidental – for instance, chatty asides, jokes, personal
references (see concept of 'dialogue' under 'address', above) may actually
indicate good control of attention.
>
register: To what extent is there evidence that the candidate has command of a
range of register - informal combined with formal … colloquial with
sophisticated ? ('command' means 'moving deliberately from one register to
another')
Materials
& models
The
e-spot ... contrasts informal-letter-on-paper with the email ... when does
brevity (e.g. text messages) become a failure of communication? ..
Emails
The
email is a relatively new form of text, and no generally-agreed codes of formal
expectations have yet evolved – quite apart from the fact that there are vast
variations in how the type is used in practice. That said, for marking purposes
there are a few ground rules that can be advanced, based on a common-sense
approach to the communicative function of the type.
The
basis of the following suggested 'rules' is that any email produced in an
English B exam will be produced in response to a question, and that question
will always have a specific task – candidates will never be asked simply to
produce idle chat.
Basic
Format
-
standard heading of 'from / to / date ...etc'
-
informal opening and closing salutations (many and various)
Approach
>
'address': To what extent is it clear that the email is addressed to a specific
person? This may be extended to include a sense of 'dialogue' – direct
questions, comments which require an answer – since it is inherent in the email
form that replies can be received very rapidly.
>
focus on task – Since the question will always propose a task, does most of the
message deal with the task? And if so, how effectively?
>
control of digression - One key could be to assess whether the 'digressions'
are purposeful or accidental – for instance, chatty asides, jokes, personal
references (see concept of 'dialogue' under 'address', above) may actually
indicate good control of attention, if handled clearly and with discipline.
>
register: To what extent is there evidence that the candidate has command of a
range of register - informal combined with formal … colloquial with
sophisticated ? ('command' means 'moving deliberately from one register to
another')
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