Although states have
different names for language purposes or standards, the list that
follows is a common one. In the list you'll also see the other names
for these types of writing. Each purpose includes reading, writing,
speaking, and listening, but MY Access! will focus on writing for these
purposes.
Writing for Information and
Understanding. Informational writing can include:
Expositions (explaining a
process) in science, technology, or social studies;
Descriptions (telling what
something looks like) in technology or the arts;
Finding, interpreting,
using, and sending out information.
Writing for Literary Response
and Expression. Literary writing can include:
Poetry (sonnets, free
verse, haiku, or the poems you write);
Songs (ballads, recent
lyrics, or the songs you write);
Drama (plays, dialogues,
monologues, or the scenes you write);
Myths, fables, or legends;
Fictional narrative (short
stories, novels);
Nonfiction (literary
essays, sketches);
Personal responses to any
of these, almost exclusively in language class - The Outsiders.
As
a writer, you might be:
Relating texts and
performances (movies, plays, etc.) to your own life;
Understanding other times
and places that produced literary works;
Creating your own
imaginative and self-expressive works.
Note:
Although most of
this reading and writing will be done in English class, other classes
such as social studies, art, and languages other than English often
refer to famous and important literary works of a culture, time period,
or social or artistic movement.
Writing for Critical Analysis
and Evaluation. Critical writing can include:
Analysis of scientific,
mathematical, or technical subjects;
Interpretation of literary
works, social trends;
Persuasion of school,
government, or other officials or groups;
Editorials on issues of
local to international concern;
Reviews and critiques of
works and performances;
Position papers on
everything from school rules to international efforts;
Proofs of various types
for math, science, law;
Analysis of issues, ideas,
substances;
Persuasive essays with
recommendations;
Evaluation of plans or
solution strategies.
As a writer, you might be:
Analyzing or interpreting
experiences, literary works, ideas, or arguments;
Evaluating or judging with
given criteria (measures);
Arguing positions and
making a case for your ideas.
Writing for Personal or Social Interaction. Social
writing can include:
Notes;
Friendly letters;
Memos;
Journal entries;
Email;
Messages of greeting,
thank-you, acknowledgement, sympathy, or anything else you can find on
a commercial greeting card.
As a writer, you might be:
expressing your personal
views;
developing understanding
of yourself;
developing understanding
of other people and groups;
building a relationship
with another person or group.
Purposes Overlap
These categories are not easy to
separate. Remember the two scenes at the beginning of the section?
Conversations and other kinds of communication flow naturally from one
purpose to another, and often involve two or more purposes at the same
time. When you are thinking about your language purpose for a given
writing, try to identify your main or most important purpose. We'll
take a closer look at language purposes when we get to analyzing tasks,
prompts, and other assignments.
Why are we spending this time on language use at
the beginning of a Writer's Guide? We don't stop to consult a textbook
each time we pick up the phone. However, we usually know why we're
talking to someone.
The purpose is often so obvious we don't even stop to think about it.
Let's compare speaking and writing in four situations.
Comparison
of Written and Spoken Language
Language Purpose:
Spoken Form:
Written Form
Informational
You ask your friend
what time it is.
You write a report for
health class trends
in eating habits and
their effects.
Literary
You make up new
words to a song and
sing it at lunch.
For English class you
write a different
ending for a novel to
show what you want
to happen.
Critical
You tell another
student that her math
solution is incorrect.
For Government
class you evaluate
the effectiveness of
peace-keeping
missions involving
U.S. troops.
Social
You congratulate a
player for having a
great game.
For Spanish class
you write to your
pen-pal in Mexico to
introduce yourself.
Did you notice the big
difference between the spoken and written communications? In every
spoken communication, you set the purpose and speak
accordingly.
In every written communication, someone else set the
purpose and you have to write to accomplish it! That's why we're
spending this time on language purpose --because we often don't stop to
think about it when we are writing! However, when you are writing a
paper or taking a test, you need to stop to think about the purpose and
the other elements of the task.
You need to think:
What is my role or
identity as a writer?
Who is my audience?
What is my exact topic?
What is my purpose in
writing?
And when you've answered
these questions, you need to ask some more:
What is a good way to
organize the whole writing?
How much detail do I need?
What kinds of detail?
What style will be right
for this assignment?
Below are four
writing tasks or prompts. For each, identify the language purpose you
think it represents. Some prompts represent more than one language
purpose.
1.
Family and friendship
are very important. We do many enjoyable things with our friends and
family. Think about one enjoyable or interesting time you have had with
a close friend or member of your family. Write a letter to the other
person reminding him or her of the interesting time you had. Describe
in detail what you did that was enjoyable or interesting.
Answer Below
2.
We find acts of
courage in life and in literature. From a work of literature you have
read (in or out of school), select a character who is courageous. In a
well-developed essay, identify that character and explain your reaction
to the character's acts of courage.
Answer Below
3.
You are a travel
writer. Choose a favorite travel or vacation place and tell what there
is to see and do there.
Answer Below
4.
Read the passage by Sarah Orne Jewett.
Why would a young girl climb such a huge tree? Why was the climb so
difficult? Write a well-organized essay in which you answer these
questions. In your essay, be sure to include:
how the girl felt at the beginning of the
climb;
examples of the difficulties she faced
along the way;
