Feedback for Teachers on Entries to the BBC Young Writers Award 2007
If your students participated in the BBC Young Writers Award, but did not make it to the National Final, the following tips may be useful. They are based on the criteria that were applied when assessing the essays. The assessment criteria themselves can be found under the heading "Writing Tips" elsewhere on this site.
In General
Students were asked to submit an opinion piece. Definitions and
guidelines relevant to this genre were offered as "Writing
Tips" on the Young Writers Website. The judges' marking sheet
was also available on-line. The most successful entries were those
that showed an awareness of the writing tips offered and observed
the requirements imposed by the genre. Along the same lines, the
relevance of the essays to one of the specified topics should have
been apparent, especially since the topics themselves left plenty
of space for original interpretation. The most successful pieces
combined informed opinion and factual knowledge with a personal
touch.
Title
Make up an appropriate title yourself: do not simply copy the essay
topic as your title. A good title lures the reader into the essay
and indicates its direction. It should not be overly long, preferably
no more than 8 words, it is not a full sentence and does not end
in a full stop. All major words should be capitalised. If the essay
topic is in question form, do not begin your piece by referring
to it directly (as in "that is a good question") but reformulate
the topic in your scene setting.
Structure
A clear structure is a major asset in an opinion piece, as it helps
the reader recognise and appreciate the argument. A division into
paragraphs is essential. Paragraphs can be indicated either by indenting
or by skipping a line. Subparagraphs should be avoided. The introduction
begins with a scene setting and outlines the argument, stating the
key ideas, while each body paragraph addresses one of these ideas
in the order indicated in the introduction. To further facilitate
comprehension, body paragraphs should include, and preferably start
with, a so-called topic sentence, which states the central idea
of the relevant paragraph. Links between paragraphs and ideas can
be strengthened by using markers such as furthermore or on the other
hand.
Originality
The highest scoring texts were the ones that avoided clichés,
yet were able to create rapport with the reader. They also took
a side on the subject instead of just listing the obvious pros and
cons. Original thoughts and insights were favoured over more traditional
ideas and the popular wisdom of proverbs. The latter also tend to
imply sweeping generalisations that distance the reader. Personal
but recognisable details, on the other hand, encourage the reader
to share the writer's views and feelings. Needless to say that plagiarism,
in whatever form, would disqualify any entry.
Style
In keeping with the above, original imagery and metaphors work well.
Try to phrase your ideas in concise sentences, mixing questions
and statements and varying the syntax - the length and structure
of your sentences. Use active, rather than passive sentences and
be consistent in your choice of register. Although the assignment
did not ask for a formal register, bear in mind that there is a
difference between spoken and written language, the latter being
more formal. Avoid frequent self-reference. Expressions such as
in my opinion or I think are superfluous, as the entire piece should
voice your opinion. Since you do not want to offend any of your
readers, you should use politically correct language, steering clear
of gender, religious, political or ethnic bias.
Language
Writing correct English sentences means checking your grammar, vocabulary
and spelling. So, for example, review if-would constructions, and
use the past tense when referring to a past action. Use the right
word in the right place and insert correct punctuation marks. Make
up your mind as to whether you want to use British or American English
and be consistent.
Although spelling checkers can prevent quite a few unnecessary mistakes, the importance of proofreading cannot be overstated. There are a number of common errors that the checker will not spot such as its / it's or adapt / adopt. The same applies to punctuation: a misplaced comma can alter the meaning of a sentence.
It might sound self-evident, but the language employed should be English. This means that it is important not to resort to using Dutch words even if there does not seem to be a straightforward English equivalent. Exercise caution with metaphors and other figures of speech: always look up the English equivalent.
If your students take these suggestions to heart, they will improve their opinion pieces and their chances in essay competitions. Additional tips can be found on the "Writing in English Web Pages" of the James Boswell Instituut - Utrecht University
We wish you and your pupils good luck with your entries for next year's BBC Young Writers Award.
Dr. Roselinde Supheert |
Drs. Kukka Ahti University College Utrecht 12 April 2007 |
