English Language (9670) | Directed writing

English Language (9670) Study Notes: Directed Writing

Welcome! Directed Writing might sound intimidating, but it is one of the most exciting parts of the course. Why? Because it transforms you from a student who simply analyzes language into a skilled linguistic architect who can create it perfectly for any situation. You take the analysis skills you learned in Section A and apply them practically in Section B.

The core skill here is transformation: taking information from one set of texts and presenting it in a completely different format, style, and context.

1. The Essence of Directed Writing: Contextual Control

Directed Writing requires you to show your mastery of the contextual factors that shape language. You must successfully transform the linguistic features of the source text(s) (from Section A) to match the requirements of the new writing task (Section B).

Key Contextual Factors (The APGM Framework)

To succeed, you must precisely match your writing to the new brief by considering these four elements:

1. Audience: Who are you writing for?

• Example Shift: If the source was aimed at academics (specialist audience), but your task is to write a brochure for teenagers, you must radically simplify the vocabulary and tone.
• Consider: Age, background, existing knowledge, and relationship to the writer.

2. Purpose: Why are you writing?

• Example Shift: Changing from an informative scientific report (to inform) to a persuasive speech (to convince and motivate).
• Remember: Most texts are multi-purpose, but identify the primary goal (e.g., inform, persuade, entertain, advise).

3. Genre: What kind of text are you creating?

• The genre determines the structure and typical features.
• Examples: A *formal letter* needs a specific salutation and sign-off; a *blog post* uses subheadings, rhetorical questions, and first-person address (graphology and discourse).

4. Mode: How is the message being communicated?

• Is it a written text (formal essay), a spoken text (speech transcript), or a hybrid (a digital forum post, which combines spoken spontaneity with written permanence)?
• The mode influences sentence structure and formality.

Quick Tip (The Chameleon Analogy):
Think of yourself as a linguistic chameleon. The target brief is the new background you must blend into. If you write a speech but use the long, complex sentences of an academic essay, you haven't changed your colors!

2. Directed Writing in Unit 1: Language and Context (Transformation Task)

This task is about creativity and control. You are asked to write a new text (like an article, speech, or pamphlet) using material from the Section A texts, but often for a radically different context.

Step-by-Step Guide: The Transformation Process

Step 1: Deconstruct the Brief

Read the task carefully and highlight the four crucial elements:

• A: Who is reading?
• P: What must the text achieve?
• G: What is the format? (E.g., a transcript of a radio interview)
• M: Is it written, spoken, or hybrid?

Step 2: Filter the Source Material

Review the texts from Section A. You usually don't need all the content. Select only the facts, arguments, or examples that are relevant to your new purpose and audience.

• Common Mistake: Including complex statistics or obscure details that would bore or confuse the new, general audience.

Step 3: Adjust the Language Levels (The Style Shift)

This is where you earn the highest marks. You must demonstrate that you can switch registers and tones convincingly.

• Lexis/Semantics: Change formal lexis (e.g., 'commence', 'disseminate') to informal or colloquial terms (e.g., 'start', 'spread the word'). Use jargon if the audience is specialist, or avoid it if the audience is non-specialist.
• Grammar: If writing informally, use shorter sentences, contractions (don't, can't), and perhaps sentence fragments. For a formal speech, use complex sentence structures and varied subordination.
• Discourse: Adjust how the text flows. For an opinion piece, use linking phrases like 'However, conversely'. For a friendly blog, use more cohesive devices that build rapport (e.g., direct address: 'I know what you're thinking...').
• Graphology: If appropriate to the genre (e.g., a flyer or digital text), use visual layout cues like bold text, bullet points, subheadings, or appropriate formatting (like a headline).

Step 4: Sustain the Style (Consistency Check)

Ensure that the style you establish in the first paragraph is maintained throughout the entire piece. Don't start with formal language and then suddenly descend into slang. Consistency is crucial.

Memory Aid: T.R.A.N.S.F.O.R.M.

• Target the Genre and Mode.
• Register must be appropriate.
• Audience profile defined.
• Need (Purpose) met.
• Source material selected.
• Formal or informal tone checked.
• Organization (Discourse structure) planned.
• Review all linguistic levels.
• Maintain consistency.

3. Directed Writing in Unit 2: Language and Society (Academic Argument)

Section B in Unit 2 shifts focus completely. It is a compulsory academic argument essay. While still supported by the texts analyzed in Section A, your task is not transformation but discussion and evaluation.

This task focuses on language and social groups, requiring you to discuss a theoretical aspect of language use (e.g., identity, power, status, group membership) that links to the data you analyzed.

Maintaining an Academic Style

The style requirements here are 180 degrees different from the Unit 1 transformation task. You must adopt a formal, objective, and reasoned academic register.

1. Structure and Discourse

• Introduction: Define the key terms, outline your argument (thesis statement), and clearly state which texts from Section A you will use to support your points.
• Body Paragraphs: Each paragraph must focus on one specific linguistic or social concept (e.g., the expression of identity, assertion of power).
• Conclusion: Summarize your findings, reiterate your thesis (using different phrasing), and offer a final evaluative judgment.

2. Lexis and Jargon

Use precise academic terminology correctly. You are expected to integrate terms related to the social dimensions of language:

• Social Identity: Group membership, shared perspectives, rapport, convergence/divergence.
• Power: Status, assertion, dominance, hierarchical structure.
• Relationship: Solidarity, intimacy, social distance.

3. Using the Data as Evidence

Your analysis of the texts in Section A is your evidence bank. Do not just summarize the texts; use specific linguistic features (quotes, structural elements, lexical choices) as concrete proof for your abstract claims.

• Instead of saying: "Text A showed the speaker was powerful."
• Say: "The speaker's assertion of status is linguistically evidenced in Text A through their consistent use of modal auxiliary verbs ('must', 'will not') and the discourse feature of conversational turn-taking dominance, effectively restricting the contributions of the subordinate."

Accessibility Tip: Keeping it Objective
A common challenge in academic writing is maintaining objectivity. Avoid highly emotive language ('It is absolutely shocking that...') and first-person opinions ('I think this is true because...'). Instead, use careful phrasing: 'It can be argued that...', 'The evidence strongly suggests...', 'This analysis implies...'

4. Final Checklist and Avoiding Common Pitfalls

A Quick Review of Directed Writing Tasks

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Register Slip: Mixing the formal tone of the source text with the informal tone required by the target brief (or vice versa). E.g., using slang in an official report.
2. Ignoring Graphology: Forgetting that the layout and visual aspects (subheadings, bullet points, spacing) are part of the genre features, especially in digital or journalistic transformation tasks.
3. Failure to Sustain Style: Starting strongly but allowing the required style to drift halfway through the text.
4. Summary, Not Argument (Unit 2): Simply summarizing what the texts say about social groups instead of building a structured academic argument *about* the language used.

Final Encouragement:
Remember, directed writing is your chance to show off your control. You’ve analyzed how language works; now, go prove you can make it work for you. Always pause and ask: "If I were the target audience, would this sound right?" If the answer is yes, you are on the path to success!