Formal+Writing+-+Letter+to+the+Editor

=Formal Writing= For this Achievement Standard you will need to write a Letter to the editor on ONE of ten topics. You are given more time for this standard, in the exam because there are FOUR marking criteria; ideas, writing style, structure and writing conventions. Allow **at least 5 - 10 minutes** to proof read your essay.
 * Read aloud 'in your head' i.e. without vocalising - to hear where the pauses are. These separate the units of meaning - sentences and parts of sentences - BIG pauses indicate a full stop. Smaller pauses could require a comma instead. This process helps your sentence structure (syntax) and punctuation.
 * Scan for spelling errors - how does the word sound? Spelling is sound to letter translation - selecting a combination of letters that may make that sound is the trick. Some sounds have several letter combinations to choose from. You can spell by analogy as well - spell the word like other words connected with it eg. **//repe//**tition is associated with **//repe//**at, **//prejud//**ice is associated with **//prejud//**ging.

Here are the criteria: For old exams and topics go to the Studyit website link on the Home Page of this wiki.
 * ** Achievement Criteria ** ||
 * ** Achievement ** || ** Achievement with Merit ** || ** Achievement with Excellence ** ||
 * Express idea(s) with supporting detail in a piece of formal writing. || Develop idea(s) with supporting detail and explanation in a piece of formal writing. || Develop idea(s) convincingly with supporting detail and explanation in a piece of formal writing. ||
 * Use a writing style appropriate to audience, purpose and text type. || Use a controlled writing style appropriate to audience, purpose and text type. || Use a controlled writing style appropriate to audience, purpose and text type, and which commands attention. ||
 * Structure material in a way that is appropriate to audience, purpose and text type. || Structure material clearly in a way that is appropriate to audience, purpose and text type. || Structure material clearly and effectively in a way that is appropriate to audience, purpose and text type. ||
 * Use writing conventions without intrusive errors. || Use writing conventions without intrusive errors. || Use writing conventions accurately. ||
 * ** Overall Level of Performance (all criteria within a column are met) ** ||

=How to write 'Formally'.= Here is a Merit Exemplar from a previous external examination. [|Merit exemplar.doc]
 * **PLAN, PLAN, PLAN, and follow your plan.** Keep to the order of your plan in the introduction, body and conclusion. Refer back to it as you complete each paragraph. (This applies to all essays: film, novel, short story)
 * Do not write 'I think... or 'for my first point..' etc.
 * Use **Formal Language**, rather than colloquial or conversational language. teenagers, not 'kids', friends, not 'mates', texts not 'txts'.
 * **Avoid using 'I'** except if you are sharing a personal anecdote or story.
 * **Expand all contractions**. Use 'cannot' instead of can't.
 * **Avoid all abbreviations.** Write 'New Zealand', not N.Z. Never use etc or etcetera.
 * For numbers less than 100, write the words .eg. 'thirteen' instead of 13
 * **Avoid addressing the reader as 'you'** especially if you are dealing with a teen issue. You are addressing readers of a newspaper, who are probably adults and therefore it is not appropriate to write, for example, 'When you ask your parents if you can go to a party...' It is highly unlikely that a forty year old will need his/her parent's permission to go to a party. Instead write, 'When a teenager asks his parents if he can go to a party...' Use... a person, an adult, a child instead of 'you'.

Notice how formal and also how varied the language is. This student has made careful word choices to ensure that he maintains the interest of the reader. Notice also, how well the student has structured his essay and explained his points, giving specific examples.
 * NEW EXEMPLAR:** [[image:http://www.wikispaces.com/i/mime/32/application/msword.png width="32" height="32" link="http://level1english-rlhs.wikispaces.com/file/view/Alcohol+and+youth+are+a+dangerous+mix+%28E%29.doc"]] [|Alcohol and youth are a dangerous mix (E).doc]

=Choosing a topic= You can expect to find topics related to the following areas: education, sport, teen health or health issues related to technology and exercise, technology, science (e.g. cloning), the environment, parents and families and a range of teen issues. Always choose a topic which you know something about or have some interest in. You can choose to agree or disagree with the topic. e.g Technology is making us lazy. You can argue that technology is not making us lazy. or.. The best education happens outside the classroom, you could argue that the best education does not happen outside the classroom.

Here **are questions from the 2005 exam** to give you an idea of the type of topics you may get. [|2005 Formal Writing topics.doc] [|90053-exm-08.pdf] Note that, as with literature essays, you should use the same order of points in the body of the essay, as in the introduction. Also, each body paragraph should have a clear 'statement sentence' which succinctly states the point you are making to support your point of view on the topic. Follow: **SEEL** Statement, Explanation (explain what you mean by your statement) E (Give a specific example to prove your point) and, if you can, Link (link your point back to the topic if of the essay), remembering that with the LINK you are linking the topic of your paragraph to the topic of the essay.