UPM-FBMK/JANUARY 2012/BBI2421/A2
Assignment 2
Task
 Select a newspaper/magazine report or article of your interest.
 Brainstorm. Read and identify all issue(s) related to the report or article.
 Identify a focus.
*You may write on any issue or aspect related to the news report/article/ editorial.
 Write a letter to the editor of a local newspaper/magazine.
 Your letter should be between 180 to 250 words typed using Arial 11 or Times New
Roman 12 with 1.5 spacing.
 Use the letter format shown in the sample.
Assignment Content
1. The newspaper/magazine article/editorial. State the source and date of
publication.
2. Paragraph outline
3. Draft 1
4. Peer Feedback Form
5. Draft 2
6. Self-editing Worksheet
*Your draft should show proof of editing done. A CLEAN draft (without any
comments or editing done either by you or your friend) shows that you HAVE NOT
DONE the editing process. Your mark may be deducted.
7. Final draft
*This is the one that will be graded by the instructors. Please make sure it is clean
and well presented.
Marks will be deducted if the content is incomplete or submitted after the deadline.
UPM-FBMK/JANUARY 2012/BBI2421/A2
I.
Pre-writing Activity
To help you decide what to include in your letter, ask yourself these questions:
a. Is the news report or article that you have selected interesting? Do you think
the readers would be interested to read your letter?
*If your answers are ‘yes’, you may proceed. If ‘No’, perhaps you may want to find
another news report or article.
b. What is the source of the article/report?
The star 14 August 2011
c. What is the main topic of the news report or article?
It is about organ donation. More specifically about the problem faced by the
hospital in getting organ donation. As stated, the hospitals only manage to
harvest organs from only 307 people after their death as the families did not
know that these people have agreed to donate their organ or because the
families did not wish to fulfill the wish.
d. Are there any other issues related to the news report or article?
I can also talk about on how to increase the awareness on organ donation in
general, or why it is important, and etc.
UPM-FBMK/JANUARY 2012/BBI2421/A2
e. Which aspect of the news report or article do you intend to focus on?
I want to focus on how to create a better awareness among the public.
f.
What details/explanations/reasons/descriptions can you offer to
interest/convince the readers?
I have three ideas on how to create a better awareness. I will list them down
in my outline.
g. What action do you want the readers to take after reading your letter?
I want the readers / government / hospitals to use my suggestions.I will state
this in my conclusion.
Prepare your Outline (This page must be submitted)
What is the main topic of the news report or article?
Problems in organ donations
Then decide your what do you want to focus on.
How to solve the problems
Write your topic sentence. Ensure to include a controlling idea
I believe these steps can create a better awareness among the public on the
importance of organ donation.
Prepare your outline
-
Point 1
Supporting details
Point 2
Supporting details
Point 3
Supporting details
Concluding sentence
OR you can use the other format as used in your textbook,
UPM-FBMK/JANUARY 2012/BBI2421/A2
Topic sentence: ___________________________________________________
Point 1: __________________________________________________________
Supporting details:
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Point 2: __________________________________________________________
Supporting details:
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Point 3: __________________________________________________________
Supporting details:
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
*It is not necessary to have 3 points. If your wish to provide more explanation
for the first 2 points, you may not need point 3.
Sample Letter
Dear Editor,
State your source
I refer to your report / article …… (state the title) as published in
…… (state the source and date) regarding (state the specific issue
or aspect of the news report or article that you wish to react to).
Write your paragraph
State your topic sentence. Then state all your points. Ensure to
provide adequate supporting details for your points. (explanations/
examples, statistics, personal opinion, logical reasoning, and etc.)
End your letter appropriately
*This is your conclusion. You may give a recommendation or simply
make a call for action.
Sincerely,
Sign your letter
State your name, address and contact numbe
This is just
the opening
of the letter.
Be brief.
This is your
paragraph.
Refer to
class lecture.
This is the
closing. You
can state your
hope. Be brief.
UPM-FBMK/JANUARY 2012/BBI2421/A2
II.
Drafting and Editing
a. Write the first draft
Use the outline to help you draft your letter.
Connect your ideas with appropriate transitional words to form a coherent
paragraph (sentences that flow smoothly or make sense).
Expand your ideas by including specific details.
Ask your peer to read and write his/her comment using the Peer-Editing
Form.
Make sure your friend fill up the Peer Editing Form and write comments on
your Draft1. A clean draft simply means it has not been edited. Your mark
may be deducted.
b. Based on the comments you receive, write the second draft of your
paragraph
Then edit your own work using the Self-Editing Form 1.
Ensure you write your comments or corrections on your Draft 2. A clean draft
simply means it has not been edited. Your mark may be deducted.
c. Lastly, write the final draft of your work.
This is your final draft. Ensure it is clean as this is the one that will be graded.
Submit your final draft together with all required items listed earlier.
UPM-FBMK/JANUARY 2012/BBI2421/A2
ASSIGNMENT 1 PEER-EDITING FORM
Peer-editor:
Writer’s name:
Date:
Group:
Number of words in the letter:
FORMAT
1. Put a tick (√) if the draft follows the format.
 Date
 Salutation
 Heading
 Signature
 Address
INTRODUCTION
2. Does the writer make a reference to the article that he/she is responding to?
YES
NO
TOPIC SENTENCE
3. Is there a topic sentence? Write the sentence number. ______
YES
NO
4. Is the topic sentence well-focused and makes clear the writer’s stand on the
topic?
5. Make a prediction about what you expect to read in the rest of the letter based on the topic
sentence.
SUPPORTING SENTENCES
6. Has the author provided adequate and specific support throughout the letter?
YES
NO
YES
NO
7. Has the writer related the supporting details to the topic sentence?
8. Does the information follow a logical order?
9. Are there any supporting details that require more explanation to relate it to
the topic sentence?
CONCLUDING SENTENCE
10. Is there a concluding sentence?
11. The concluding sentence
a) summarises/paraphrases the writer’s stand.
b) calls for action.
UPM-FBMK/JANUARY 2012/BBI2421/A2
COHERENCE AND UNITY
12. Do all the supporting points discuss the topic?
YES
NO
YES
NO
13. Is there any irrelevant sentence? Sentence No. __________
14. Are the ideas ordered in a way that is logical, clear, and easy to follow?
15. Does the writer use consistent nouns and pronouns throughout the letter?
16. Does the writer use adequate transition signals?
LANGUAGE AND SENTENCE STRUCTURES
17. Is there a variety of sentence structures?
Identify at least one of the following.
a) Simple
b) Compound
Sentence No. ____
Sentence No.___
18. Is there any spelling error?
Circle on the draft if any.
19. Is there any error in subject-verb-agreement?
On the draft, underline and write SVA above it.
20. Identify any wrong usage of tenses.
Underline on the draft if any.
21. Are the sentences punctuated correctly?
22. Does the writer use correct capitalization?
c) Complex
Sentence No. ____
UPM-FBMK/JANUARY 2012/BBI2421/A2
ASSIGNMENT 1 SELF-EDITING FORM
Writer’s name:
Group:
Date:
Number of words in the letter:
YES
1. My letter has an opening sentence that refers to an article I
have read.
2. My letter has a topic sentence that states an important point
related to the article I have read.
3. My topic sentence contains only one main idea.
4. My topic sentence states a stand/offers a perspective that is
of public importance.
5. I have supported my topic sentence with relevant supporting
details.
6. I have made sure all my supporting sentences relate clearly to
my topic sentence.
7. I have written an appropriate concluding sentence calling for
an action or a change.
8. I have used the format for writing letters to the editor.
9. I have used correct punctuation.
10. I have checked for correct capitalization.
11. I have checked my spelling.
12. I have checked my sentences for subject-verb agreement.
Put a tick (√) in the boxes provided.
13. I have checked my letter for
a) fragments
b) run-ons
c) comma splices
d) parallel structures
14. I have made changes to my letter (revised my writing) after
receiving feedback from my peer editor.
15. The 3 most important changes I have made to my letter are:
a)
b)
c)
NO
UPM-FBMK/JANUARY 2012/BBI2421/A2