Writing sample reflection

ENG3UI Awake and Aware Sept. 2005

Ms Rice Grade 10 Writing Sample Reflection

“A piece of writing is never finished. It is delivered to a deadline, torn out of the typewriter on demand,

sent off with a sense of accomplishment and shame and pride and frustration.” —Donald Murray

Frame your reflection by choosing two of the questions below. Try not to simply answer the questions part-by-part, but instead to form a unified response that addresses the most important parts of the questions.

Use this page to plan using scratch notes (you can use the back too), and submit it with your response.

You should write no more than ONE page, 1.5-spaced Times 12 font. Be concise and edit carefully to ensure that you do not exceed this length!

1. There are different kinds, or modes, of writing, including the modes we most frequently do for school:

• • analytical (examines the qualities of something outside itself, like a book or a poem)

  • creative (develops original concepts and images, usually according to the criteria of a particular literary genre)

  • expository (explains, describes, argues, or narrates something)

Into which category does the writing you chose to represent yourself mostly fall?

Explain why you chose this as opposed to another piece in another mode.

2. What does this piece of writing say about the person you were when you wrote it (your attitudes, ideas, values, interests, etc.)?

What does your reaction to it now, after some time has passed, say about the person you are at this moment?

3. What does this piece of writing say about what kind of a writer you are (ability, style, voice, etc.)?

What are your writing strengths and weaknesses, as demonstrated in this piece?

4. Choose something from this piece that represents an aspect of your writing that you would like to improve. Give some suggestions for improvement to the You of several months ago (don’t you wish you had a time machine sometimes?).

Now choose a line that you find particularly vivid. What makes it so effective? Be specific about the words/imagery/voice being used! Offer words of encouragement to the You of several months ago, based on this selection.

ALTERNATIVE ASSIGNMENT: If you have not previously submitted a writing sample, use these alternative questions below as choices. You still need to frame your response around TWO choices. Use the same criteria as above.

1. There are different kinds, or modes, of writing, including the modes we most frequently do for school:

• • analytical (examines the qualities of something outside itself, like a book or a poem)

  • creative (develops original concepts and images, usually according to the criteria of a particular literary genre)

  • expository (explains, describes, argues, or narrates something)

Into which category does most of the writing you have done fall?

What kind of writing do you feel you have had the least exposure to? Why? What kind of impact do you think expanding your writing into this mode might have on your writing overall?

2. How much of yourself, your values, and your opinions do you feel enter your writing for school? You might want to describe briefly an example of a piece that you feel really did or did not reflect something about yourself.

3. What are your writing strengths? What are weaknesses as a writer that you feel you would like to improve most?