Special Writing Applications
© 2003 Prentice Hall
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QUESTIONS FOR AN INTERPRETATION PAPER
• What is the theme of the work?
• How are the parts of the work related to the
theme?
• If patterns exist in various elements of the work,
what do they mean?
• What message does the author covey through
the setting, characters, narrator, etc?
• What symbols are used and what do they
mean?
• Why is the ending what it is?
© 2003 Prentice Hall
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STRATEGIES FOR TAKING ESSAY TESTS
• Do NOT start writing immediately.
• If the test has more than one question, read them all at
the start. You will know what to expect and how to
budget your time. If you have a choice, select questions
about which you know the most and can work with the
best.
• Reread each question, then underline the cue and key
words to determine exactly what the question asks for.
• Use the writing process as much as possible within the
time constraints. For a one-hour test, take 10 minutes to
jot down preliminary ideas before you write and save at
least 10 minutes at the end to revise and edit.
• Organize and develop your answer to provide what the
questions cue and key words ask for.
© 2003 Prentice Hall
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SAMPLE FORMAT: THE MEMO
Routing information:
Date
26 February, 2003
“To” line
To: Daniel Mason,
Sales Representative
Sender
From: Patricia Young
District Manager
Subject line
Subject: Sales Meeting,
March 3, 2003
© 2003 Prentice Hall
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SAMPLE FORMAT: THE MEMO (con’t)
Message:
I’m calling a special sales
meeting for 10 am Monday,
March 3, in the orange
conference room.
Please be prepared to speak
to the following concerns:
• advertising budget for 2004
• incentives for retailers
• flagging sales of YZ toys
If there are any other issues,
please notify me by Friday.
© 2003 Prentice Hall
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SAMPLE FORMAT: THE MEMO (con’t)
Distribution:
Dist:
Accounting
Advertising
NOTE: Titles and departments can be omitted
from routing information when writer and
recipient know each other and correspond
frequently.
© 2003 Prentice Hall
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SAMPLE FORMAT: EMAIL MESSAGE
Header information:
To:
emilyjackson@mail.net
From:
Arnold Peale <apeale@mail.net>
Subject:
Sales Meeting, March 3, 2003
Cc:
jasonc@mail.net;betho@mail.net
Bcc:
X-Attachments:
NOTE: Attachments line will list file names of any
electronic documents sent with the message.
© 2003 Prentice Hall
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SAMPLE FORMAT: EMAIL MESSAGE (con’t)
Body / Message information:
Salutation
Ms. Jackson,
Message
I’m calling a special sales meeting
for 10 am Monday, March 3, in the
orange conference room.
Please be prepared to speak to
the following concerns:
•advertising budget for 2004
•incentives for retailers
•flagging sales of YZ toys
© 2003 Prentice Hall
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SAMPLE FORMAT: EMAIL MESSAGE (con’t)
Closing and signature information:
Signature
Arnold Peale
Sales Director
ABC Company
(555) 233-1234
NOTE: The closing and signature will depend on
the formality of the message. For professional
messages, include your title and organization.
© 2003 Prentice Hall
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EMAIL MESSAGE PROTOCOL
• Use short block paragraphs; long paragraphs
are difficult to read on screen. Double-space
between paragraphs but don’t indent.
• Avoid “Reply All” when responding to messages
received. Respond to everyone on an email list
only when you think all will be interested in your
comments.
• Make sure attached files are in a format your
audience can view and that you have scanned
them for viruses.
• Use asterisks, dashes, and capital letters to
emphasize text.
© 2003 Prentice Hall
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CUT THE LINE BY THOMAS HART BENTON
© 2003 Prentice Hall
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SPRINGBOARD FOR WRITING
Thomas Hart Benton (1889-1975) was one of
many American artists to survive the Great
Depression with support from various federal
programs such as the Federal Art Project of the
Works Project Administration (WPA: 1935-39),
which provided work for thousands of artists.
Fiercely patriotic, Benton rejected urban life,
international politics and modernism in painting
and celebrated the raw energy and limitless
potential of the American people in his work.
© 2003 Prentice Hall
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YOUR MISSION
You are the president of a public relations firm and
you have been approached by an officer ( N.
Shuvvel) in the US Navy. He wants to create a
public relations campaign to improve the image
of the Navy and increase enlistment. He asks if
you can incorporate this scene from Benton’s
mural into your campaign.
© 2003 Prentice Hall
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PLANNING AND SHAPING
• Examine the scene carefully. List as may
details from the picture as you can. What
do you notice about colors, lines, the
relationships among the objects
portrayed?
• What do these details suggest about the
American Navy? State this impression in a
single sentence.
© 2003 Prentice Hall
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DRAFTING
Draft a letter to Mr. Shuvvel responding to his
suggestion. Can you use the painting? Do you
like his idea? Be sure to include an analysis of
Benton’s painting to support your claims. If you
like the idea you might go on briefly to suggest
how this painting might fit into a larger
campaign. If you don’t like it, explain why
(tactfully) and suggest alternatives.
© 2003 Prentice Hall
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REVISING
• Will your letter meet Mr. Shuvvel’s needs? Have
you stated what the letter is about in the first
paragraph?
• What guided your decisions about the sequence
of the remainder of the letter?
• Is your style clear, direct and concise? Can you
cut any words without losing important detail?
• Have you used standard business letter format?
© 2003 Prentice Hall
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EDITING
• Review your letter for accuracy and for
correctness of sentence structure,
grammar, spelling and punctuation.
• Make any necessary changes.
© 2003 Prentice Hall
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