Sample Language for a Writer’s Self-Assessment of the Writing Process and Product¹
Writing Your Notes and Drafts | Writing Your Final Paper | |
---|---|---|
Audience | Is yourself as you take notes, outline, and learn about your topic and the assignment² | Is a reader whom you show that you have control over the material and the elements of writing |
Purpose | Is to inform yourself about the material and assignment; to begin to persuade or inform a reader | Is to inform your reader about your knowledge of the material or argue/persuade a point convincingly |
Thesis | Is a “working thesis” that will start generally and get more specific as you read, draft, and revise | Is a statement or statements of your main point or argument and your method to support your point |
Voice | Is casual, tentative, speculative | Is authoritative |
Tone | Is informal; may be written in your first language if you are multilingual | Is formal; factual for informative papers; varies for the argument; is written in Standard English |
Stance | Is close to the writer as reader | Is professional, distant from reader for informative; varies for argument |
Organization | Follows the order of the assignment question or directions | Follows clear introduction’ body paragraphs have topic sentences and transitions; conclusion is clear |
Development | Follows the specific language of the assignment, e.g. compare, contrast, define, give examples | Each paragraph develops with evidence and relates to the thesis and assignment |
Style | Is informal | Sentences are clear; for information transactional; for argument sentence length and rhythm vary to create a clear effect |
Diction | Is informal | Shows mastery of the language of the subject and formal writing |
Editing | All choices about paragraph organization and development and sentence construction relate to the assignment and to the audience, purpose, and “working thesis” | Every element of organization, development, style, diction, editing and conventions relates to audience, purpose, thesis, and the assignment |
Conventions | Adequate enough to draft | APA or other required format |
¹ Jernquist, K. Developed in 1985. Revised in 1994, 2003, 2004, 2011; Used by permission.
² The concept of audience is from J. Britton, Language and Learning. England: Penguin
Books, 1972.