Practical Writing Assignments

Write a Letter to the Editor

Read the article linked HERE and write a 250-word letter to the editor.

First, answer these questions in your journal or in the Googledoc where you plan to write your letter. Call the document EDITOR

1. A letter to the editor is a written way of talking to a _________, ___________, or other regularly_______________.

2. You can also keep an issue going by preventing it from disappearing from the ________________.

3. List two reasons someone might write a letter to the editor.

4. Virtually every publisher wants to get letters via _____________________

5. Throughout the letter, remember the rule:

6. Refer back to this article as you write your letter to the editor. Look in this link for ideas:

Prompts for Argument Writing (for your editorial)

Directions:

Writing a letter of complaint

After you click on the above link, read the short article and answer the following questions in your journal:

1. It puts your complaint on _______with the company, helps preserve any __________ you may have in the situation, and lets the company know you’re _____ about pursuing the complaint.

2. Why should you avoid sounding angry when you write a letter of complaint?

3. Finish this sentence: State exactly _________________.

4. List two types of documents you should include with your letter.

5. The article advises to include your name, your contact information, and one other thing if it's available. What is it?

Assignment: Write a letter of complaint. See the ideas for this listed below.

Your letter should

1. State the problem clearly and concisely.

2. Describe the item you are complaining about.

3. State precisely what you want the company to do about it.

4. Give your contact info.

5. Use the format in the sample letter.

Your letter should be at least 100 words long.

Put Complaint in the Untitled box and your initials.

Proofread and Share with Anderson

Ideas you can write letters about:

You bumped the side of a curb and your brand new tire that cost you $150 went flat.
Your mail order from a company arrived late, much later than you expected it to and past the deadline when you needed it.
You were shaking a bottle of salad dressing with the instructions to "shake well" and the lid cracked and fell off so that your clothes got doused in dressing. (substitute some other messy substance you might shake for salad dressing if you want).
Your
Or make up your own plausible complaint issue to write about.

Sample letter of complaint

Dawn Anderson

179 S. 2nd East

Rexburg, Idaho 83440

January 14, 2018

Joe Sausagemaker

Night Manager Papa Murphy’s Pizza

127 South 2nd East

Rexburg, ID 83440

Dear Mr. Sausagemaker,

I ordered pizza from you last night. For the third time in a row, my pizza arrived cold. I realize this happens sometimes in transit, but your company guarantees "fresh, hot pizza" on delivery. So for this to happen three consecutive times is disappointing. You should be able to come up with a way to keep delivered pizzas warm when they arrive, particularly if this is part of your advertising claim. I expect to be compensated for the last two cold pizza deliveries. Either a refund or store credit would be fine. Please let me know how you plan to address this concern.

Sincerely,

Dawn Anderson

208-359-2337

andersond@msd321.com

Writing A Resume

Journal Assignment:

Click on this link; scroll down and read through the short article on resumes. As you read, answer the following questions in your

journal under the heading RESUME.

link: How To Write the Perfect Resume

20 points

1. What is a resume?

2. In many cases, your resume is the first document a _________________ will look at when

reviewing your application, and therefore is a true “___________________.”

3. Think of a resume as “___________________” that sums up your experience on one page.

4. Briefly explain the difference between a resume and a cover letter. See Differences Between a Resume and a Cover Letter

5. Write three things that should be included on a resume.

6. Write two things that should NOT be included on a resume.

Now you are ready to start a resume. You can also look at examples of what a finished resume should like by clicking on Free Resume Samples. Then in Googledocs or Word, find a resume template. In Googledocs it's in the document bank when you go to open a new document at the top. In Word, it will appear under Suggested Searches when you open a blank document. Choose a simple template that appeals to you.

Writing a College Application Essay

Visit this link and READ THE WHOLE PAGE to answer the following questions.

Writing An Effective College Application Essay

15 points

1. After reading the webpage above, write one Do and one Don't for three of the following tips (six sentences total).

Choose three of the following tips and record answers in your journal under

the heading: App Essay

Choose a Topic that Will Highlight you

do:

don't:

Keep your focus narrow and personal.

do:

don't:

Show; Don't tell

do:

don't:

Use your own voice

do:

don't:

Ask a teacher or parent or friend to proofread

do:

don't:

2. Choose one of the following prompts and write a 300-Word essay answering the prompt. Save it in a Google doc. Be sure to follow the steps above for writing an effective application essay. Make sure you actually write to the prompt and PROOFREAD!

Choose one:

2018-2019 Essay Prompts

1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

4. Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma - anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.

5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Source: Commonapp.org

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