Donna Vincent On Demand Tailoring to Proficiency

Donna Vincent Situation—the event that causes you to need to create

Donna Vincent Purpose—The reason you’re creating (persuade, inform, narrate)

Donna Vincent Audience—the person or group you are creating for

Donna Vincent Mode—What you will create (article, letter, editorial, speech)

Donna Vincent Prompt SITUATION: You school is collecting cereal boxtops for the purpose of receiving free computers and is trying to involve the community in this project. WRITING TASK: Write a letter to people in your community. Inform them of this boxtop collection and persuade them to take part.

Donna Vincent What’s your point? You must have a point to make. With on demand, you’re writing to inform or persuade your audience regarding this opinion you have—this point you have to make.

Donna Vincent My point-- People in the community should help our school collect boxtops so we can receive free computers.

Donna Vincent Your Paper will be Scored On… CONTENT: Focusing on your purpose (Know what your point is and make your point.) Meeting the needs of your reader (Remember the ABC’s of your audience.) Elaborating on your ideas (Include whys, hows, stories, examples, proof.)

Donna Vincent ME! (MISSION EXPERTISE)

Donna Vincent Know The abc’s of ME! My attitudes—why I feel the way I do about this topic My beliefs—how I feel My concerns—what I want (or don’t want)

Donna Vincent Who IS your audience? Imagine their names, ages, locations…

Donna Vincent Know the abc’s of the Reader Their attitudes—why they feel the way they do about the topic Their beliefs—how they feel about the topic Their concerns—what they want (or don’t want)

Donna Vincent Questions the reader would ask: What cereal company are we talking about? Where do we bring our boxtops? What’s the deadline? How will the computers benefit the schools?

Donna Vincent What’s your proof?

Donna Vincent Elaborate—Support each point with examples, stories and answers to the reader’s questions.

Donna Vincent WRM—What Really Matters

Donna Vincent Your paper will be scored on... STRUCTURE: Organizing the details (Create chunks of information and arrange those chunks purposefully.) Transitioning (Move the reader through your writing with words and phrases that signal, “This way!”.) Varying the sentences (Make some sentences long. Some short. Don’t begin all sentences with I or The. Use a question occasionally. Use introductory clauses and phrases.)

Donna Vincent Joe’s lead Dear Neighbors, Our school needs computers. We don’t have enough. They cost a lot of money. If you collect box tops, you can help us get some free computers.

Donna Vincent Questions the Reader Would Ask Which school? Which kind of box top? Why don’t they have enough? How many box tops do they need?

Donna Vincent Mary Ann’s lead Dear Members of the Community, Have you noticed how computers are everywhere these days? Your doctor’s office… the library… the auto repair shop… Why, even when you get your oil changed, someone has to operate a computer. One place where more computers are needed is at my school, Paradise Elementary. Even though our classrooms have 4 computers in each and there’s a technology lab at the end of the hall, most are slow and dated. And with the use they get, scheduling is a nightmare. We need new ones and guess what! You can help us get them just by eating more Post cereal. Here’s how!

Donna Vincent Designing your plan

Organization of the Details

Your paper will be scored on… CONVENTIONS: Correcting the mistakes (Watch your CUPS: Capitalization, Usage, Punctuation, and Spelling.) Choosing the right words (Use specific nouns and vivid verbs. Sound like the expert you are.)