Kinds Of Writing

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MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF WRITING

The following descriptions outline the main characteristics of five different kinds of writing. They are intended as a guide only; students would not be expected to include all aspects in their writing.

Personal writing:
• Creates a sense of person/personality for the writer in the reader’s mind.
• Establishes a relationship/intimacy/empathy between the writer and the reader.
• Usually employs first and/or second person; subjective; informal, familiar style/register; often
includes emotive language.
• Emphasises ideas, opinions, feelings and impressions, rather than factual, objective information.
• Uses, in reflective writing, the act of writing to help the author understand and unravel his/her
own feelings or ideas.
• May, in certain contexts, use contracted language, such as is used in speech.

Imaginative writing:
• Manipulates the reader’s response to the piece to create the desired impression or response; visual and/or emotional appeal.
• Usually creates a strong sense of context (physical surroundings and atmosphere) and situation.
• Normally includes description (person, place, emotion, atmosphere), so careful selection of language such as adjectives and adverbs (or their equivalents) are important.
• Uses techniques such as variation in sentence length, juxtaposition of different sentence lengths,
careful control of structure and sequencing, to add to the overall effect by creating the desire atmosphere or conveying the required emotion.
• May break normal sequencing for added impact, such as in a flashback or in a final disclosure which puts a different interpretation on preceding passages.

Persuasive writing:
• Manipulates the reader’s emotions and opinions in order to achieve a specific purpose, that is, to achieve a desired outcome or effect which is important to and selected by the writer.
• Persuasive techniques chosen are influenced by the nature of the target audience; that is, the language (vocabulary, sentence structures, style/register), structure and sequencing of the piece are framed with the particular audience and purpose in mind.
• Requires choice of the best word (with the precise shade of meaning and overtones of approval/disapproval, virtue/vice etc.), so range of vocabulary and dictionary technique are important.
• Aims in certain instances (for example, advertisements) to keep the target audience unaware of being manipulated and adopts an appearance of objectivity and rationality by using indirect, subtle, secretive techniques; confidential, intimate, collaborative style and register.
• Sometimes uses exaggeration, extravagant language, and humour to create a conspiratorial relationship between the writer and the reader.
• Often uses the second person for direct address and appeal.
• Sometimes employs direct speech and questions to intensify the relationship with the audience.
• May use techniques such as the use of technical or scientific language and superlatives or quantitative statements to lend authority to the content.


Informative writing:
• Aims to convey information from the writer to the reader as clearly, comprehensively and accurately as possible.
• Usually uses objective style and impersonal expressions, although the writer may use an informal style to establish a relationship of ‘friendly helper’ with the reader.
• Normally has no particular point of view to convey; if a point of view is involved, the writing becomes either persuasive (aiming to convert the reader to a particular point of view or attitude in order to convince him or her to act or respond in a certain way) or evaluative (aiming to weigh two or more items/ideas in order to convince the reader rationally and objectively that a particular point of view is correct).
• Generally uses facts, examples, explanations, analogies and sometimes statistical information, quotations and references as evidence.
• Chooses language, structure and sequence to make the message clear and unambiguous, so the sequencing of information is usually logical and predictable.
• Probably uses few adjectives, adverbs and images, except as examples or analogies in explanation.

Evaluative writing:
• Aims to reach a conclusion acceptable to an intelligent, unbiased reader through the logical presentation and discussion of facts and ideas.
• Presents two or more important aspects of an issue or sides of an argument and discusses these rationally and objectively; using evidence to support the contrasting sides or alternatives.
• Uses objective style; appeals to reason not emotion; creation of an impression of balance and impartiality is essential.
• Often includes expressions of cause, consequence, opposition and concession.











Unit 3
School-assessed Coursework
Teachers will provide to the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) a score for each outcome in a unit, which represents an assessment of the student’s achievement. The score must be based on the teacher’s assessment of the level of performance of each student on the outcomes for the unit specified in the study design. Teachers must select assessment tasks from the designated list for each outcome published in the study design.
Assessment tasks should be a part of the regular teaching and learning program and should not add unduly to student workload. Assessment tasks should be completed in class under supervision within a limited timeframe. The overall assessment program for the unit should include a variety of assessment task formats, include provision for authentication of student work and take into account the overall workload for students.
School-assessed Coursework for the outcomes in Unit 3 will contribute 25 per cent to the student’s Study Score for these languages.
It is expected that students will respond in the LOTE to all assessment tasks in Units 3 and 4.
Outcome 1
Express ideas through the production of original texts.
This outcome will contribute 20 marks out of 50 marks allocated to School-assessed Coursework for Unit 3.
Task
Description
A 250 word personal or imaginative written piece.
Designing the assessment task
Teachers should develop an assessment task that allows the student to:
create a personal or imaginative text focusing on an event or experience in the past, present or future
show knowledge of first- or third-person narrative perspectives
use language appropriate to audience, context, purpose and text type
organise and sequence ideas
use simple stylistic techniques such as repetition, questions or exclamations where appropriate
have the opportunity to demonstrate the highest level of performance as described in the performance descriptors.



This task may be completed in 80–100 minutes of class time. It may be presented as one task, or a choice of tasks of comparable scope and demand, and may include text or visual materials as stimulus for the students. Students may use dictionaries.
Performance descriptors
The following descriptors provide a guide to the standards expected when setting and marking assessment tasks. They describe the knowledge and skills typically demonstrated by students who have achieved scores within each range on the assessment task.



Outcome 1
Express ideas through the production of original texts.
MARK RANGE   DESCRIPTOR: typical performance in each range
17–20 marks   Highly effective, original, personal or imaginative text focusing on an event or experience in the past, present or future. Comprehensive understanding of the narrative perspective and kind of writing required for the task, including, for example, appropriate use of an introduction, body and conclusion. Relevant and comprehensive content showing some sophistication in the writing. A broad range of language (including accurate vocabulary, grammar, punctuation) is used appropriately for the audience, context, purpose and text type. Ideas are organised and effectively sequenced throughout, for example, within and between paragraphs and with cohesiveness in the writing as a whole. Simple stylistic techniques are successfully used for effect.
13–16 marks   Effective original personal or imaginative text focusing on an event or experience in the past, present or future. Clear understanding of the narrative perspective and kind of writing required for the task, including, for example, appropriate use of an introduction, body and conclusion. The content is relevant and covers a wide range of aspects within the topic. A range of language (including vocabulary, grammar, punctuation and where relevant, script) is used appropriately for the audience, context, purpose and text type. Ideas are well organised within and between paragraphs and follow a logical sequence throughout. Stylistic techniques are used.
9–12 marks   An original personal or imaginative text focusing on an event or experience in the past, present or future. Some understanding of the kind of writing and narrative perspective required for the task. The content is generally relevant and covers a range of aspects within the topic. Language (including vocabulary, grammar, punctuation and where relevant, script) is appropriate to the audience, context, purpose and text type. Ideas are organised, follow a logical sequence but may lack direction. Some stylistic techniques enhance the writing.
5–8 marks   A personal or imaginative text with original elements and some features of the kind of writing and narrative perspective required for the task. The content may be limited in scope and relevance. Language (including vocabulary, grammar, punctuation and where relevant, script) is sometimes appropriate to the audience, context, purpose and text type. Ideas may be disjointed with little attempt to organise or sequence them. Some simple stylistic techniques appropriate to the task may be attempted.
1–4 marks   Limited originality and awareness of the kind of writing, narrative perspective or content required for the task. Limited ability to use language (including vocabulary and grammar, and where relevant, script) appropriate to the audience, context, purpose and text type. Limited ability to convey meaning. Limited organisation and sequencing of ideas.

Assessment reports writing section
In this section students are to show their ability to write an original text of 200–300 words in French, and are assessed on the following criteria:

• relevance, breadth and depth  (how much you write, how well you develop your ideas AND WHETHER OR NOT YOU HAVE ANSWERED THE QUESTION)
• appropriateness of structure and sequence (follow text-type conventions)
• accuracy, range and appropriateness of vocabulary (the register, complexity and fluency of the language you use)