Unit 2: Writing for Different Topics, Audiences and Purposes

Unit 2: Writing for Different Topics, Audiences and Purposes

Let’s Review the 6 Writing Variables… • Topic – the subject you are writing about • Purpose – the reason you are writing • Audience – who will be reading your writing • Tone – the attitude or mood of your writing • Format – the visual layout of your writing • Point of View – the perspective of your writing (1st or 3rd person)

Practice with Purpose and Format To show your qualifications……………………… To break up with someone……………………….. To bequeath your assets to someone…………… To complain…………………………………………….. To critique a book……………………………………. To show the results of a science experiment…. To teach children a moral………………………….. To advise business partners of a meeting…….. To ask for help…………………………………………... To sell furniture…………………………………………. To persuade someone of your opinion………….

AUDIENCE Affects your level of language, tone, vocabulary and topic selections If you are writing for an audience of children, you will have to alter the way you write to serve that audience By keeping your audience in mind while you are writing, you have a better chance of receiving audience interest and praise

Levels of Language Formal • Very professional in tone • Does not include any contractions, abbreviations or short forms • Words are included in the dictionary • Usually used for business or academic purposes Informal • Conversational in tone • Includes the use of contractions (can’t, won’t, etc.) • Includes abbreviations and short forms • Words are usually included in the dictionary

Slang- Words that have been created throughout the years by a certain community - Words aren’t usually included in a dictionary, but might be added due to popularity- Slang is not offensive in nature, but can only be used in limited formatsProfanity- Shows disrespect for the audience- Words aren’t usually included in a dictionary- Profanity has become more common in everyday usage, but is still only acceptable in certain formats of writing

Creating a Writing Portfolio

Over the next three weeks, you will be creating a portfolio that includes the following… • Turning Point Essay • Memo to Colleagues • Letter of Complaint • Letter of Praise • Advice Column • Short Informational Piece • Opinion Piece • Cover Letter • Poem • Comic

Evaluation • Each of the produced pieces will be evaluated and included in the overall unit mark. • More details will follow about the overall presentation and design of your portfolio. • The aim of this unit is to have you practice different forms of writing you will come into contact with in the future, while improving your writing skills as a whole. • Attendance is important as I will not slow the unit down. • Please refer to rubrics that will be handed out with each task.

Turning Point Essay • See task details handed out in class

Writing a Memo • Memos bring attention to problems, and often suggest solutions to a problem. • Memos accomplish their goals by informing the audience about new information like policy changes, price increases, upcoming meetings or changes within the organization. • The audience of a memo should be company members. It is an internal form of communication that is not meant to be shared with outside parties.

Memo Components Header • Includes To, From, Date and Subject Opening Segment • Contains the purpose of the memo, the context and the problem Context Segment • The event, background or circumstance of the problem you are solving Task Segment • Describe what should be done to solve the problem.

Memo Components (cont’d) Summary Segment • Brief statement about your recommendations Discussion Segment • Includes details that support your ideas/ recommendations Closing Segment • Close with a courteous ending that states what action you want the reader to take

MEMO TO: Kelly Anderson, Marketing Executive FROM: Jonathon Fitzgerald, Market Research Assistant DATE: June 14, 2007 SUBJECT: Fall Clothes Line Promotion Market research and analysis show that the proposed advertising media for the new fall lines need to be reprioritized and changed. Findings from focus groups and surveys have made it apparent that we need to update our advertising efforts to align them with the styles and trends of young adults today. Also, it is has become increasingly important to use the internet as a tool to communicate with our target audience to show our dominance in the clothing industry. Internet Advertising XYZ Company needs to focus advertising on internet sites that appeal to young people. According to surveys, 72% of our target market uses the internet for five hours or more per week. The following list shows in order of popularity the most frequented sites: - Google - Facebook - Twitter Shifting our efforts from our other media sources such as radio and magazine to these popular internet sites will more effectively promote our product sales. As the trend for cultural icons to go digital, so must our marketing plans. Proposed Changes By refocusing our advertising efforts of our new line of clothing we will be able to maximize the exposure of our product to our target market and therefore increase our sales. Tapping into the trends of young adults will help us gain market share and sales through effective advertising.

Memo Writing Task Topic: The loss of revenue due to stolen merchandise. Purpose: To explain the loss of revenue and propose solutions to eliminate this loss. Audience: The president of the retail company you work for. Tone: Formal, informational, serious Point of View: 1st person Format: Memorandum Length: ¾ of a page

Letter of Complaint • Usually sent to a business or company when a customer is not satisfied with a product purchased. • The aim of a complaint letter is to receive some sort of compensation for your dissatisfaction (refund, discount, coupon, free merchandise). • Keep the letter brief and to the point. Be firm but polite.

June 30, 2004 Customer ServiceCool Sports, LLC8423 Green Terrace RoadAsterville, WA 65435 Dear Sir or Madam: I have recently ordered a new pair of soccer cleats (item #6542951) from your website on June 21. I received the order on June 26. Unfortunately, when I opened it, I saw that the cleats were used. The cleats had dirt all over it and there was a small tear in front of the part where the left toe would go. My order number is AF26168156. To resolve the problem, I would like you to credit my account for the amount charged for my cleats; I have already went out and bought a new pair of cleats at my local sporting goods store so sending another would result in me having two pairs of the same cleats. Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I have been a satisfied customer of your company for many years and this is the first time I have encountered a problem. If you need to contact me, you can reach me at (555) 555-5555. Sincerely, Ken Thomas

Letter of Praise • Usually sent to someone who has shown you a personal kindness or assistance in the recent past. • Letters of praise are commonly found in thank you cards for gifts, volunteering time or when you helped someone in need. • Alternatively, thousands of people write letters of praise to the men and women serving the armed forces around the world.

DateNameTitleCompany.Address City, Province, Zip Code Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name: I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you personally for all the time you spent with me when I visited your office. I have thought quite a bit about the possibility of joining your team and believe that, in addition to the contributions I could offer, I would learn a lot from you and benefit greatly from your talent, wisdom, and experience. I am very interested in working for ABCD company and look forward to hearing about this position soon. If there is any other information I can provide to help expedite the decision making, please let me know. Again, I appreciate the time you took to talk with me. Sincerely, Your Signature Your Typed Name

Advice Column • In an advice column, you will be attempting to help another solve a problem in their life. • You must ensure that you are giving the best advice for the situation, and you must not advise the advice seeker to do anything dangerous to themselves or anyone else. • Your letter should start by showing your understanding of the problem, and your purpose for writing. • Then transition into offering the solutions you have brainstormed. Try to keep a positive tone.

I'm a 15-year-old boy in ninth grade. I have depression, and I don't know what to do. I always feel like I'm not good enough for anything, even though I have had a 4.0 GPA since seventh grade. I have repeatedly cut myself, but I wear a bracelet so no one can see it. I don't want my family to find out because I'm afraid they will treat me like a poor little kid who is too easily offended. I don't know what to do or who I can go to for help. Thank you for any help you can give me. -- DROWNING IN DESPAIR

I have been in a relationship for two years. We gave each other our phone passwords as soon as we made it official to avoid keeping things from each other. One night I had a sudden urge to go through his phone. I had never done it before, and when I looked at his Facebook messages, I saw he had been exchanging inappropriate pictures with someone. I was shocked and angry, and it almost ended our relationship. He deleted and blocked this person, and I forgave him. We don't talk about it anymore. I haven't noticed any other red flags, but now, when he's asleep or goes somewhere and leaves his phone at home, just looking at it upsets me. I'll put a pillow or a blanket over it so I can "forget" it's there. I don't know if I should take another peek to make sure he's staying on the straight and narrow, or if ignorance is bliss. What do you think? -- UNSURE GIRL IN TEXAS

My daughter, who recently turned 21, sent me a two-word text message, "I'm pregnant." She has been dating a marijuana-smoking young man for less than a year, and I'm disappointed by this outcome. Her sister, who is a year older, already has two children by two men. No, they weren't raised by a harlot. I adopted them when they were early elementary-aged children. It's not my fault. I'm disgusted by their choices. I haven't talked with her yet. I won't try to lecture her or tell her how she should live her life. The time for that is over. I feel it would be best to say nothing if I can't be positive. Suggestions?

Due to various anti-drug lectures he was exposed to at school, my 13-year-old son believes that marijuana is not only illegal, but also is very bad for you. He said it is poison. My state has recently legalized marijuana and I am at a loss about how to explain to him that pot is no longer "that bad," as people partake of it in a responsible manner going forward. Any suggestions? -- COLORADO MOM

Dear Recipient, Your last letter really makes it sound that you are having a bad time at work. I can understand why this would be, the lack of a pay raise this year is certainly not something to inspire a good worker. I know that you have always worked hard and performed better than many of your colleagues, so monetary recognition would of course be nice. You have indicated that you could move firms for more money. I know that it may be wrenching to move from colleagues but moving firms doesn't have to be the end of friendships formed at work. You will have no problem staying in touch with old friends, and will find new ones at a new firm. My personal opinion would be to go for this new position, you will have better professional development opportunities and more money as well. We must get together soon and you can let me know what you finally decide upon. Sincerely, Name of Sender

Writing an Information Piece • The first sentence of your paragraph is your topic sentence. It should clearly outline the main idea you intend to present in your paragraph. • The next 20-25 sentences should provide the supporting details, facts, or information to expand on the main idea. • Your final sentence is your conclusion and should restate the main idea. It should NOT provide new information about the topic. • Re-read your information paragraph and make minor changes to ensure that your ideas flow easily from one to the next.

Headed to the moon, the Apollo 11 launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on July 16. 1969. The crew consisted of Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin. They landed on the moon in the Sea of Tranquility on July 20, 1969. The moonwalk took place the day after the landing on July 21, 1969. At 10:56 EDT Neil Armstrong took the first step onto the moon’s surface and famously said, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” This moment is considered by many to be one of the most famous and glorious moments in all of history.

Writing an Opinion Piece • An opinion piece is a formal piece of writing that states an opinion and supports that point of view. • The purpose of the piece is to convince your reader to agree with you.

The First Sentence • This sentence (effectively your thesis statement) states your point of view. • Do not use “I think” or “I believe”, simply state your opinion. • Example: Rather than writing “In my opinion, gun control is a good idea”, state “Gun control is necessary for Canada’s future.” Body of the Piece • The next sections give facts or evidence to support your opinion. • These supporting sentences should explain how the facts support your opinion. The Final Sentence • The final sentence must restate your topic sentence. • DO NOT INTRODUCE A NEW IDEA OR OPINION AT THE END

Some possible topics for opinion paragraphs: • Should marijuana be legalized? • Are today’s video games too violent? • Are men and women equal in today’s society? • Should same-sex marriage be legalized? • Do shows like Jersey Shore and 16 and Pregnant glamourize drinking and having premarital sex? • Should students take a year off before going on to post-secondary education? • Should the production and sale of cigarettes be illegal? • Should student athletes have different attendance expectations than students who are not on a sports team? • Any other appropriate topic you’d like to write about.

What is a cover letter? • A cover letter is a formal letter that accompanies your resume. • It is used to introduce yourself to potential employers, and it is used to convince them that you’re the right person for the position.

Main Objectives The three main objectives of your cover letter are to: • Introduce yourself, identify the position you are applying form and explain how you found out about the position. • Explain how you are qualified for the position and why you would be a great fit for the job. • Request an interview and thank the employer.

Your Task: Create a cover letter for a posted job that is connected to the field of work you are interested in pursuing once you finish high school. Refer to the sample and template given out in class to help you complete this task.

Poems “When Ure Hero Falls” – Tupac when your hero falls from graceall fairy tales r uncoveredmyths exposed and pain magnifiedthe greatest pain discoveredu taught me 2 be strongbut im confused 2 c u so weaku said never 2 give upand it hurts 2 c u welcome defeatwhen ure hero falls so do the starsand so does the perception of tomorrowwithout my hero there is onlyme alone 2 deal with my sorrowyour heart ceases 2 workand your soul is not happy at allwhat r u expected 2 dowhen ure only hero falls

Comics • Guidelines • Has to have an element of humour • Has to be 6 frames long • Has to be about an aspect of school • HAVE FUN!

Unit 2: Writing for Different Topics, Audiences and Purposes