Core.Com Helpnotes: Writing: Writing in a formal style – answers
Core Skill Communication: Writing in a formal style
Answers.
Inappropriate expressions or statements are indicated below in italics.
Some of the italicised words or phrases are much more out of place than
others.
Improving the report is complicated. It’s easier to say what’s wrong than it is
to put it right. In some places, the report can be improved simply by cutting
sentences completely. One suggestion for an improved version is included on
page 2.
Diagnostic1 Method in Communication
1.
Introduction.
As agreed at the Department Meeting on 25 January 2000, I have compiled a
brief description of the recently introduced diagnostic methods, together with
some preliminary evaluative comments. Please don’t jump to any conclusions
until you’ve read the whole report.
2.
2.1.
The diagnostic methods
Background
Diagnostic methods were first used in the college in 1990. They
consisted largely of spelling and punctuation tests. Later, after staff had
chin-wagged at length, a new diagnostic format appeared: it invited
new communication students to complete simple forms, before doing
their best with a few paragraphs or so of extended writing. The latter
test is still used.
2.2.
New ideas
Many of the teaching staff have felt for some time that we need a new
style of diagnostic. Communication classes attract students at a hotchpotch of different levels. In one class you can find students who
haven’t a prayer of achieving Intermediate 1, while others may be
already working at Higher +. This is, to put it mildly, a bit of a facer. A
recent meeting resulted in loads of new ideas being put forward, some
of which have now been piloted. Comments on these pilot schemes
follow below.
3.
3.1.
New methods: results of pilot studies
The Do-What-You-Like Diagnostic
This appropriately-named entry test was devised after a similar
exercise in Stirling College proved successful. You gave the student an
empty sheet and invited her/him to write a brief report on his/her
experience of college so far. This gave some interesting results. For
example, the resulting writing clearly indicated whether the student
A ‘diagnostic’ is a method of determining how good someone is at doing something, in order to place
them at the correct level of difficulty.
1
Glenrothes College: Core Skill Communication 2004—2005
page 1 of 3
Core.Com Helpnotes: Writing: Writing in a formal style – answers
already possessed an appropriate sense of structure and formal
register, both of which are a must at Intermediate 2 and Higher levels.
On the other hand, in some cases students who could write
appropriately chose not to do so – lord knows why! An additional
disadvantage lay in the difficulty of marking such a wide and
unpredictable variety of responses.
3.2.
Language and Style Diagnostic (LSIII)
In this assessment exercise, students were presented with a business
letter. The said letter had got lots of obvious errors in syntax and
punctuation, as well as masses of glaringly inappropriate stylistic
features. Most students weren’t very sure how to approach this task.
However, the confident ones did not bad at all. The diagnostic,
therefore, proved a useful indicator of confidence, but not necessarily
of ability.
3.3.
Self-Assessment Diagnostic (SA1)
Students were asked to assess their own communication ability by
employing a rating scale of 1 (low) to 5 (high) applied to such skills as
spelling, self-expression, formal writing etc. Generally, the older
students under-estimated their actual performance, while the young
fogies were staggeringly over-confident.
- end of extract -
Corrected Version
Diagnostic2 Method in Communication
1. Introduction.
As agreed at the Department Meeting on 25 January 2000, a brief description
of the recently introduced diagnostic methods has been compiled, together
with some preliminary evaluative comments.
2. The diagnostic methods
2.1. Background
Diagnostic methods were first used in the college in 1990. They
consisted largely of spelling and punctuation tests. Later, after lengthy
discussion, a new diagnostic format appeared: it invited new
communication students to complete simple forms, before attempting a
few paragraphs of extended writing. The latter test is still used.
A ‘diagnostic’ is a method of determining how good someone is at doing something, in order to place
them at the correct level of difficulty.
2
Glenrothes College: Core Skill Communication 2004—2005
page 2 of 3
Core.Com Helpnotes: Writing: Writing in a formal style – answers
2.2.
New ideas
Many of the teaching staff have felt for some time that a new style of
diagnostic is needed. Communication classes attract students at a
variety of different levels. In one class there may be students who
have small chance of achieving Intermediate 1, while others may be
already working at Higher +. A recent meeting resulted in a
considerable number of new ideas being put forward, some of which
have now been piloted. Comments on these follow below.
3. New methods: results of pilot studies
3.1. The Do-What-You-Like Diagnostic
This appropriately-named entry test was devised after a similar
exercise in Stirling College proved successful. The student was given
an empty sheet and was then invited to write a brief report on his/her
experience of college so far. This gave some interesting results. For
example, the resulting writing clearly indicated whether the student
already possessed an appropriate sense of structure and formal
register, both of which are essential at Intermediate 2 and Higher
levels. On the other hand, in some cases students who could write
appropriately chose not to do so. An additional disadvantage lay in the
difficulty of marking such a wide and unpredictable variety of
responses.
3.2.
Language and Style Diagnostic (LSIII)
In this assessment exercise, students were presented with a business
letter. The letter had many obvious errors in syntax and punctuation,
as well as clearly inappropriate stylistic features. Most students were
far from sure how to approach this task. However, the confident ones
did fairly well. The diagnostic, therefore, proved a useful indicator of
confidence, but not necessarily of ability.
3.3.
Self-Assessment Diagnostic (SA1)
Students were asked to assess their own communication ability by
employing a rating scale of 1 (low) to 5 (high), applied to such skills as
spelling, self-expression, formal writing etc. Generally, the older
students under-estimated their actual performance, while the younger
candidates were significantly over-confident.
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Glenrothes College: Core Skill Communication 2004—2005
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