1

Intellectual
Writing

By. Ma. Teresa Walang

Preface
 2

One of the co-curricular activities

that Pines international Academy

integrates to its writing course

syllabus is the introduction of the

basic concepts of campus journalism

and its application. The main goal of

the course is to come up with a “class

newsletter” similar to that of a

school. An end camp issue is found to

be more productive in terms of

students’ mastery of micro-language

skills although it entails more time

and effort. One doesn’t need to be

 3

very ambitious in coming up with a

class newsletter.

The class is also a way to assess

the students’ improvement in writing

and to let them know that they did.

Week 1: NARRATIVE WRITING

DAY 1

Topic: Introduction to Narrative Writing

Objective: To be able to;

1. refresh the students what is a narrative writing, its features

and the points they need to consider when writing one.

2. orient them, what are the contents of a narrative writing?

3. make them understand the structure of narratives.
Detailed Content

There are many types of narrative writing. They can be imaginary, factual or a

combination of both. They may include fairy stories, mysteries, science fiction,

romances, horror stories, adventure stories, fables, myths and legends, historical

narratives, life story, and personal experience.

To help students plan for writing

narratives, here are few considerations
they need to look into:
 4

1. Plot: What is going to happen?

2. Setting: Where will the story take place? When will the story take place?
3. Characterization: Who are the main characters? What do they look like?
4. Structure: How will the story begin? What will be the problem? How is
the problem going to be resolved?

5. Theme: What is the theme / message the writer is attempting to write?

The use of Language is also important take note of the following:

1. Action verbs: Action verbs provide interest to the writing.

2. Written in the first person (I, we) or the third person (he, she, and they).
3. Usually past tense.
4. Connectives, linking words to do with time.

5. Specific nouns and verbs: Strong nouns and verbs have more specific meanings.
6. Active nouns: Make nouns actually do something, eg. It was raining.(could
become) Rain splashed down.
7. Careful use of adjectives and adverbs: Writing needs careful use of adjectives
and adverbs to bring it alive, qualify the action and provide description and

information for the reader.

8. Use of the senses: Where appropriate, the senses can be used to describe and
develop the experiences, setting and character:

What does it smell like?

What can be heard?
What can be seen - details?
What does it taste like?
What does it feel like?
 5

Variety in sentence beginnings, there are a several ways to do this.

Example by using:

1. Participles: "Jumping with joy I ran home to tell mum

my good news."

2. Adverbs: "Silently the cat crept toward the bird"

3. Adjectives: "Brilliant sunlight shone through the

window"

4. Nouns: "Thunder claps filled the air"

5. Adverbial Phrases: "Along the street walked the girl as

if she had not a care in the world."

6. Conversations/Dialogue: these may be used as an

opener. This may be done through a series of short or

one-word sentences or as one long complex sentence.

 6

DAY 2

Topic: Writing Fairy Tales

Objective: To be able to develop a story using the elements in writing a fairy tale
story.

Detailed Content

In the land of make believe anything can happen. Fairy Tales do make us believe just

that. It also makes children use their imagination. Fairy Tales take us to many

places that we wouldn't be able to visit just for fun. Kids love magical-mystical

happenings.

The Elements of a Fairy Tale

There are several elements present in a fairy tale. Here are few that can guide a

writerSpecial beginning
in developing his/herand/or ending
fairy tale story.words – “Once upon a
time...and they lived

Happily ever after.”

Good character

Evil character

Royalty and/or a castle are usually present

Magic happens
 7

Example

Princess and the Pea

Once upon a time

there was a prince who
wanted to marry a
princess; but she would
have to be a real
princess. He travelled all
over the world to find
one, but nowhere
could he get what he
wanted. There were
princesses enough, but
it was difficult to
find out whether
they were real ones.
There was always
something about them
 8

that was not as it should be. So he came home again and was sad, for he would have
liked very much to have a real princess.

One evening a terrible storm came on; there was thunder and lightning, and
the rain poured down in torrents. Suddenly a knocking was heard at the city gate,
and the old king went to open it.

It was a princess standing out there in front of the gate. But, good gracious!
what a sight the rain and the wind had made her look. The water ran down from her
hair and clothes; it ran down into the toes of her shoes and out again at the heels.
And yet she said that she was a real princess.

"Well, we'll soon find that out," thought the old queen. But she said nothing,
went into the bed-room, took all the bedding off the bedstead, and laid a pea on the
bottom; then she took twenty mattresses and laid them on the pea, and then twenty
eider-down beds on top of the mattresses.

On this the princess had to lie all night. In the morning she was asked how
she had slept.
"Oh, very badly!" said she. "I have scarcely closed my eyes all night. Heaven
only knows what was in the bed, but I was lying on something hard, so that I am
black and blue all over my body. It's horrible!"

Now they knew that

she was a real princess
because she had felt the
pea right through the
twenty mattresses and the
twenty eider-down beds.
Nobody but a real
princess could be as
sensitive as that.

So the prince took

her for his wife, for now he
 9

knew that he had a real princess; and the pea was put in the museum, where it may
still be seen, if no one has stolen it.

DAY 3

Topic: Writing Mystery Stories

Objective: To be able to develop a mystery story with the help of the given

guidelines maintaining a mysterious genre.

Detailed Content

What is a Mystery Story?

Mystery stories are a special type of writing. Fast paced and complex, they are a

problem solving. Good mysteries keep a reader wondering while solving the crime.

Here are few considerations in developing a mystery story.

 In mystery writing, plot is everything.

Because readers are playing a kind of game when they read a detective story, plot

has to come first, above everything else. Make sure each plot point is believable, and

keep the action moving.

 Introduce both the detective and the culprit early on.

As the main character, your detective must obviously appear early. As for the

culprit, your reader will feel cheated if the antagonist, or villain, enters too late in

the story to be a possible suspect in their minds.

 Introduce the crime within the introduction of your story.

The crime and the resulting questions are what catch your reader.

 The crime should be sufficiently violent -- preferably a murder.

 10

However, also note that some types of violence are still forbidden.

 The crime should be believable.

While the details of the murder -- how, where, and why it's done, as well as how the

crime is discovered -- are your main opportunities to introduce variety, make sure

the crime is believable. Your reader will feel cheated if the crime is not something

that could really happen.

 The detective should solve the case using only rational and scientific
methods.

 The culprit must be capable of committing the crime.

Your reader must believe your villain's motivation and the villain must be capable of

the crime, both physically and emotionally.

 In mystery writing, don't try to fool your reader.

The detective should not commit the crime. All clues should be revealed to the

reader as the detective finds them.

Example:

Nancy Drew

Nancy Drew moves to Los Angeles and in typical Drew fashion, immediately

stumbles upon a mystery concerning a dead movie star and her inheritance.

Nancy soon discovers that the rude needling from her new classmates is the

least of her worries as she's almost run over by a car and nearly blown up

diffusing a bomb. Nancy's luck runs out when the bad guys get the drop on her

and put Chloroform over mouth! Nancy is taken by complete surprise and barely

has time to fight before the anesthetic hits her nostrils and turns out her

lights! They drug Nancy in broad daylight and make her go nightly night! The

attack is so effective, so precise, people walk right past the vehicle with no

idea there's a young girl inside, fully anesthetized, chloroformed out of her

mind! Nancy has no idea what hit her as her abductors drive her to their
 11

hideout. Nancy comes to drugged but quickly escapes her attackers. Nancy

feels foolish for having had her nose and mouth shoved into a rag that knocked

her out. But the resilient sleuth marches forward, solves the case, then

watches the men who drugged her go down.

DAY 4

Topic: Writing Science Fiction Stories

Objective: To be able to develop a story with the help of the given elements of a

science fiction story.

Detailed Content

ELEMENTS OF SCIENCE FICTION

1. EVIDENCE OF ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY

The story should have a high and advance evidence of technology the characters

may be alien or domestic who are capable of many things and with high intellect.

2. FUTURE TIME SETTING

The time setting may be alternate time of the past and present, but it would be best

if the time setting is in the future where everything is advance.

3. ALTERNATE LOCATION SETTING

The location would exactly give the picture of the story it may be on another planet,

may be under the oceans or may be in another dimension of existence.

4. ALIENS

One particular feature of a science fiction story is the existence of aliens that may

be on earth or other place, or humans that may have changed or mutated, or humans

may be on an alien planet

5. STRANGE POWERS
 12

Often aliens have strong mysterious powers; sometimes humans now have new

powers or senses ex. ESP

6. SCIENCE IS IMPORTANT IN THE STORY SOMEHOW

It may refer to technology or understanding of the world

7. PROTAGONIST (HERO)

8. ANTAGONIST (VILLAIN)

It may be a being or beings or may be a force, sometimes it is a societies rules.

Or sometimes human sometimes not

9. PROBLEM

The problem must be overcome.

10. RESOLUTION

Usually the protagonist solves the problem.

Example:

Star Wars (summary)

Luke Skywalker stays with his foster aunt and

uncle on a farm on Tatooine. He is desperate to

get off this planet and get to the Academy like

his friends, but his uncle needs him for the next

harvest. Meanwhile, an evil emperor has taken

over the galaxy, and has constructed a

formidable "Death Star" capable of destroying

whole planets. Princess Leia, a leader in the

 13

resistance movement, acquires plans of the

Death Star, places them in R2D2, a droid, and

sends him off to find Obi-Wan Kenobi. Before he

finds him, R2D2 ends up on Skywalkers' farm

with his friend C3PO. R2 then wanders into the

desert, and when Luke follows, they eventually

come across Obi-Wan.

DAY 5

Topic: Writing Romance Stories

Objective: To be able to write a story centered to a love story with an emotional

satisfying “happy ending”

Detailed Content

When planning on writing a love story or romance, you will need to create the

perfect characters, setting, and plot for your story. Here are some of the things to

keep in mind while you are writing.

 14

The Hero

The hero in your story should be strong, exciting and bold. He knows what he wants,

and does what is necessary to get it. He has a purpose in life. He does not have to be

rich, brilliant, political, or economically powerful. But he can be any of those, if you

wish.

Heroine

The heroine in your story can be strong-willed or shy. She can have imperfections as

long as they are not great. She can look anyway you want, as long as she is attractive

to the hero. But one thing she must be is someone the hero is willing to do whatever

it takes to have.

Villain

The antagonist is the best character to write. He can be as bad as you want, as evil

as you need. He/She should be flexible and motivated. He knows what he wants and

is willing to do ANYTHING to get it. But he has to have some good qualities. Every

human on the planet, even the most evil, has something about them that is not evil.

Secondary Characters

The story is about your hero and heroine. Your secondary characters should never

be more vivid then your main characters. They can be used to move the story

forward, give information to the main characters, and provide support to them, but

they should never take control of the story. Every part should have at least one of

the main characters in it.

Setting

Where you set your story is very important. Your setting does not have to be out of

the ordinary as long as you are able to convey it to your reader in such a way that

they can become part of the setting.

Story Basics

The main characters should meet as soon as possible and find themselves in conflict
 15

with each other right away. Their first meeting should be emotionally. It should

make them be attracted, and hate, each other from the beginning.

Example:

Enchanted (summary)
In an animated fairy tale world, a young girl meets and falls in love with

the handsome prince of her dreams. News of this romance upsets the

prince's mother, the evil queen, who uses her black magic to send the

girl hurtling out of the animated world into the one place in the universe

where there is no true love: modern day Manhattan. The now-real girl

has to survive in New York City and find her way home again to her true

love.

DAY 6

Topic: Writing Historical Stories

Objective: To be able to present the scene and characters, should be described in

detail, and provided with sufficient historical evidence exists to back up the

description.

Detailed Content:

I- Requirements in Writing a Historical Story

Historical writing requires a combination of attention to structural (The use of verb

tenses and the subject and verb agreement) considerations along with the finding
 16

and assessing of facts. Therefore, it is not sufficient to write well grammatically

and stylistically. The writer must also address the background of the event, and

significant dates.

II- Three Basic Processes

In order to produce an historical work, the writer must master three basic

processes: gathering data; criticism of that data; and the presentation of his or her

facts, interpretations, and conclusions, based upon the data, in an accurate and

readable form. Before beginning the writing process, the writer should have an

understanding of: the data that has been gathered.

Example:

Robin Hood (summary)

After escaping from a Dungeon after being captured

by the Turks during the crusades, Robin, son of Lord

Locksley and a warrior Moor named Azeem return to

England only to

find Robin's

father has been

murdered by the
 17

corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham and has taken over his

Father's lands. Unable to be helped by Maid Marian

Dubois, sister of Robin's friend Peter who died trying

to help Robin and Azeem escaped. Robin vows to

avenge his father and flees to the Forest of Sherwood,

home to a band of outlaws who have been banished

from their villages by the Sheriff of Notingham.

Combining the forces of the outlaws, Robin and his

merry men set out on a crusade against the Sheriff of

Nottingham and defeat the Sheriff of Nottingham and

his henchmen who bids to take over the throne of

England's rightful ruler King Richard and put a end to

the corruption that has infested the English

countryside.

DAY 7

Topic: Writing Adventure Stories

 18

Objective: To be able to compose a story encompassing characters in pursuit of a

mission.

Detailed Content:

In an adventure story, one or more people set out on a quest. The path they take is

seldom smooth and various parts tell us the characters travels. It has more

structure, excitement is the key ingredient. Adventures can happen to ordinary

people going about their daily chores.

Adventure stories can encompass other story types, including escape, rescue,

thriller, romance and more. Perhaps more than any other genre, though, the

adventure embraces traditional plot elements, such as a journey, gaining symbolic

artifacts and defeating a villain.

Example:

Indiana Jones (summary)

Three years after he recovered The Ark of the Covenant. Jones recovered an

artifact that he found as a kid, the Cross of Francisco De Coronado from

treasure hunters. Now, Jones discovers the history of another biblical

artifact called "The Holy Grail". He was also informed that his father, Henry

Jones is missing. Jones has to find his father who is looking for the Grail.

However, Jones will become involved in the search of the Holy Grail along with

his father, as well as fighting the Nazis to reach it.

DAY 8

Topic: Writing Fables Stories

 19

Objective: To be able to convey a good moral, teaching the readers ethics of life
through writing a fable story.

Detailed Content:

Pre-writing: Planning

I- Choose a moral

All fables have a moral. What is the lesson that you want to teach? You can use a

well known saying or come up with your own.

II- Invent characters

Who will be in your fable? Many fables have animal characters. Your characters can

be animals, people, objects, or anything you like. If you choose animals or objects,

you should use good personification (when you make a thing, idea, or an animal

do something only humans can do.) to make your characters more believable.

III- Find a setting

A fable can take place anywhere or anytime. It can be a in a real place or an

imaginary one.

IV- Create a plot

All stories need a plot. What will happen to your characters? What will be the

conflict? How will they learn their lesson?

Writing Proper: Getting it down on

paper
1) Introduce the characters and setting
 20

Describe your characters so that the reader can imagine them. Describe

appearance, actions, and thoughts. Describe the setting so that the reader can see

it and know where the fable will be taking place.

2) Explain the plot

This is the part where you write the actual story. What happens to the characters?

How do they respond?

3) End the fable

This is when your characters learn their lesson. You should end your fable with the

moral.

Example:

The Hare and the Tortoise

Hare one day ridiculed the short feet and slow pace of the Tortoise, who

replied, laughing: "Though you are swift as the wind, I will beat you in a

race." The Hare, believing his assertion to be simply impossible, assented to

the proposal; and they agreed that the Fox should choose the course and fix

the goal. On the day appointed for the race the two started together. The

Tortoise never for a moment stopped, but went on with a slow but steady pace

straight to the end of the course. The Hare, lying down by the wayside, fell

fast asleep. At last waking up, and moving as fast as he could, he saw the

Tortoise had reached the goal, and was comfortably dozing after his fatigue.

DAY 9

Topic: Writing Myth Stories

 21

Objective: To write an original creation of myth making sure to include all the

elements of a myth:

Detailed Content:

Myth explains how things came into being. It composes of the elements like;

1) characters 2) setting, 3) conflict, 4) plot, and 5) resolution.

During the pre-writing

Choose something you've wondered about, something that interests you, or

something that you think

It would be enjoyable to write about to use as the basis for your own creation myth.

For example, you might want to write about:

• how cats got their tails

• how the sun came into being

• why the moon disappears once a month

• why giraffes have long necks

• why there is dew on the grass in the summer

• why dogs bark instead of chirp

• why wheels are round

• why penguins can't fly

• why trees grow vertically instead of horizontally

• why people have language and animals do not

Create a setting, choose characters, and identify the problem. Remember the way in

which the problem in your story is resolved should somehow influence the creation

idea you are describing.

Plan your myth using a story map

 22

Drafting

Using the information you wrote in your story map write the draft of your myth.

Example:

Creation of the world (summary)

 23

In the begining there was Chaos. From Chaos the first gods

were born -- Uranus and Gaea, the sky and the earth. They

had plenty of children, but Uranos shut them all in Tartarus

because he couldn't stand their ugliness. Desperate Gaia told

one of her sons into revenge. Cronus cut his father's secret

parts off with a sword. And Cronus' reign began and the king

of gods married his sister, Rhea. Afraid of his father's

prophecy, which said that he will be killed by his son, the god

ate all his children just after they were born. Rhea couldn't

stand it any longer and when she gave birth to Zeus, she

gave her husband a stone in diapers. Cronus swallowed him,

suspecting nothing. The baby was raised on Crete by

mountain nymphs and the goat Amalthea. When Zeus has

grown up, he killed his father and gave freedom to his

brothers and sisters who were living bowels. The powered

was distributed between gods, who have moved to Mount

Olympus and lived their lives joyfully, arguing and loving

each other and watching people. Zeus also had many

children, not only with his wife Hera but also with other

goddesses and even women.

 24

DAY 10

Topic: Writing Life /Personal Stories

Objective: To be able to write down personal life experiences following the given
suggestions in writing a personal essay.

Detailed Content:

Some Suggestions for Writing a Personal Experience Essay

1. When you see the topic, quickly choose one experience from your life that
relates to the topic.

2. Write down some quick notes about the experience on a separate piece of

paper.

3. Don't waste time on a formal introduction; jump right into the experience

or story. Save general statements for the conclusion.

4. For most personal experience essays, use simple past or past continuous
tense. If something happened previous to the personal experience, use past

perfect.

5. Include details to make your essay interesting (but don't get off the topic.)

6.
 25

Remember: see, hear, smell, feel, taste.

Also: emotions, thought, actions.

(What were you thinking, feeling and doing?)

Conclude by telling what you learned from the experience.

7. Don't worry about grammar. Take five minutes at the end to proofread your

essay. (Reading aloud helps you catch your mistakes.)

8. Remember: Specific is Terrific! To do this take a look at your transitions

Example:

Helen Keller’s Biography (summary)

Helen Keller was born June 27, 1880 in Tuscumbia, Alabama. An

unidentified illness took her hearing and sight when she was only 19 months old.

After losing both, she became wild and uncontrollable due to her inability to

communicate and learn.

Almost as well known as Helen Keller is the work of Anne Sullivan, who

became her teacher in 1887, working in a role that today is known as an

intervener. Helen finally learned that things have names when Sullivan had the

famous "water" breakthrough, finger spelling "water" into Helen's hand and

pumping water for Helen to feel.

After that breakthrough, there was no stopping Helen Keller. She went

on to attend a school for the blind and other schools, learned how to talk,

learned how to lip read with her fingers, and graduated from Radcliffe College.
 26

Helen Keller never lived independently (unlike today where many deaf

blind people live independently). She always lived with either Anne Sullivan (and

for a few years, Anne Sullivan's husband too), or Polly Thompson who joined the

household in the 1930s and stayed on after Sullivan passed away in 1936.

Among the many things that Helen Keller was famous for saying was her

statement that deafness was a "greater affliction" than blindness. Helen Keller

passed away on June 1, 1968.

Helen has been the subject of several books, particularly children's

books. The image of a little girl discovering language through the spelling of the

word "w-a-t-e-r" into her hand is fascinating for children.

Week 2: NEWS WRITING

DAY 11-12

Topic: Hard News Writing

Objective: To produce and polish a hard news item thru writing following the set

rules in journalism.

Detailed Content

 Tell What, Why, When, How, Where and Who.

As a general rule, every news story must answer the questions, “What, Why, When,

How, Where, and Who.” Don’t assume (guess) that your reader is already familiar

with the context (background) of the story or basic background information. Be

brief (short), but be sure to include all essential (important,

relevant) information.
 27

Use the active voice

Active voice: Subject of sentence does the action.

Passive voice: Subject receives the action.

Active voice Passive voice

The Principal believes that teachers It is believed by the Principal that

must place more effort on less active more effort must be placed on less
students. active students.

Researchers earlier showed that high It was earlier demonstrated dropping

stress can cause children to give up students can be caused by high stress.
their studies.

The teacher hit the student. The student was hit by the teacher.

Hard News and Soft News

A news story can be hard, recording as concisely (in few words) as possible who,

what, where, when, why and how of an event. Or it can be soft, standing back to

examine the people, places and things that shape the world, nation or community.

Feature stories are often written on these soft news events.

There is no firm line between a news story and a feature

 28

DAY 13-15

Topic: Writing Features

Objective: To write something on which the students interest him or her the most.

Detailed Content

Features are not meant to deliver the news firsthand. They do contain elements of

news, but their main function is to humanize, to add color, to educate, to entertain,

to illuminate. They often recap major news that was reported in a previous news

cycle.

Features often:
1. Profile people who make the news

2. Explain events that move or shape the news

3. Analyze what is happening in the world, nation or community

4. Teach an audience how to do something

 29

5. Suggest better ways to live

6. Examine trends

7. Entertain

Personality profiles:

A personality profile is written to bring an audience closer to a person in or out

of the news. Interviews and observations, as well as creative writing, are used

to paint a vivid picture of the person

Human interest stories:

A human interest story is written to show a subject’s peculiarity (uniqueness) or

its practical, emotional, or entertainment value.

Trend stories:

A trend story examines people, things or organizations that are having an

impact on society. Trend stories are popular because people are excited to read

or hear about the latest fads.

In-depth stories:

Through extensive research and interviews, in-depth stories provide a detailed

account well beyond a basic news story or feature.

Backgrounders:
 30

A backgrounder--also called an analysis piece--adds meaning to current issues in

the news by explaining them further. These articles bring an audience up-to-

date, explaining how this country, this organization, this person happens to be

where it is now.

Writing and Organizing Feature Stories

Feature writers seldom use the inverted-pyramid form. Instead, they may write a

chronology that builds to a climax at the end, a narrative, a first-person article

about one of their own experiences or a combination of these.

Steps in Feature Writing:

1. Choose the theme. The paper provides unity and coherence to the piece.
It should not be too broad or too narrow.

2. Write a lead that invites an readers into the story. A summary may not
be the best lead for a feature.

3. The body provides vital information while it educates, entertains, and

emotionally ties a reader to the subject.

4. Write clear, concise sentences. Sprinkle direct quotations, observations

and additional background throughout the story. Paragraphs can be

written chronologically or in order of importance.

5. Use transition. Connect paragraphs with transitional words, paraphrases,

and direct quotations.

6. Use dialogue when possible. Feature writers, like fiction writers, often

use dialogue to keep a story moving. Of course, feature writers cannot

make up dialogue; they listen for it during the reporting process. Good

dialogue is like good observation in a story; it gives readers strong

mental images and keeps them attached to the writing and to the story’s

key players.
 31

7. Establish a voice. Another key element that holds a feature together is

voice, the "signature" or personal style of each writer. Voice is the

personality of the writer and can be used to inject color.

8. Conclude with a quotation or another part of the line. A feature can trail

off like a news story or it can be concluded with a climax.

DAY 15

Topic: Writing Editorial

Objective: To make stand on given issues. In this students are asked to criticize the

issue and, give suggestions for a change.

Detailed Content

An editorial is an article that presents the newspaper's opinion on an issue. Editorial

writers build on an argument and try to persuade readers to think the same way

they do. Editorials are meant to influence public opinion, promote critical thinking,

and sometimes cause people to take action on an issue. In essence, an editorial is an

opinionated news story.

Editorials have the following:

1. Introduction, body and conclusion like other news stories

2. An objective explanation of the issue, especially complex issues

3. A timely news angle

4. Opinions from the opposing view

5. The opinions of the writer delivered in a professional manner. Good

editorials engage issues, not personalities and refrain from name-calling

 32

or other insignificant strategy of persuasion.

6. Alternative solutions to the problem or issue being criticized. A good

editorial should take a pro-active approach to making the situation

better by using constructive criticism and giving solutions.

7. A solid and concise conclusion that powerfully summarizes the writer's

opinion.

1. Explain or interpret: Editors often use these editorials to explain the way

the newspaper covered a sensitive or controversial subject. School newspapers

may explain new school rules or a particular student-body effort like a food

drive.

2. Criticize: These editorials constructively criticize actions, decisions or

situations while providing solutions to the problem identified. Immediate purpose

is to get readers to see the problem, not the solution.

3. Persuade: Editorials of persuasion aim to immediately see the solution, not

the problem. From the first paragraph, readers will be encouraged to take a

specific, positive action. Political endorsements are good examples of editorials

of persuasion.

4. Praise: These editorials commend people and organizations for something

done well. They are not as common as the other three.

 33

DAY 16

Topic: Writing Campus Celebrities

Objective: To appropriate a profile for a certain campus celebrity.

Detailed Content

How to write about your favorite celebrity?

Step 1

Gain access to an interview with the celebrity you want to write about. Personal

interviews are a key factor in securing factual information about a person you want

to write about.

Step 2

Research biographical information about your celebrity personality’s life,

information obtained from authorized biographies is more likely to be accurate than

that from unauthorized.

Step 3

Determine what angle you are going to use for your article. Like feature articles,

celebrity pieces need to have a narrow focus.

Step 4
 34

Use the notes you have gathered to form an outline for your article. Outlining a

large task helps make it seem smaller and easier to handle.

Step 5

Write out a rough draft of your article, knowing that you can edit it later. Concern

yourself with getting the facts down on paper.

DAY 17

Topic: Writing Columns

Objective: To express a certain view to inform, to entertain, and to educate the

readers on some events concerning the academy.

Detailed Content

What is a column? A column is not a news article, but it is news. It generally answers

why and how. It often is personal, using the first and second person (I and you). A

column often states an opinion. It is said to be like writing an open letter. A column

also has a standard head, called a title, and a by-line (name) at the top. These

identify you and your column for the reader (Debrah Jefferson)

Column suggestions

When writing a column, do

 Give the reader timely, helpful information.

 Develop a structure and keep it.

 Write simple and short sentences and paragraphs.

 In personal columns, use local names and places.

 Learn the difference between a column and a news story.

 35

When writing a column, don't

 Use technical or complex words.

 Talk in slang or unfamiliar terms.

 Talk about one topic constantly.

 Include too much detail or material. You should be stimulating interest, not

exhausting a subject.

 Refer to yourself as a third person (this author, your reporter) or quote yourself
(Jimmy Jones said). Instead use mine.

DAY 18

Topic: Writing a Report (based on an interview)

Objective: To write a report based on an interview to the source of information.

Detailed Content:

Selecting and Contacting your Interviewee

Your interviewee can be involved in any aspect of professional writing. Select

someone who works in your area(s) of interest.

Ideally, you should arrange to conduct the interview in person. Face-to-face,

real-time interaction will help to build rapport and give you the opportunity to ask

follow-up questions as your interviewee responds. The best method for initiating
 36

contact is to call your interviewee.

1. introduce yourself and explain the purpose of the interview.

2. give a clear sense of the time frame in which you need to schedule an appointment.
3. forecast the amount of time you will need (45 minutes-1 hour) for the interview

itself.
4. if you want to tape the interview, ask for permission in advance.
5. give him or her an effective way to get in touch with you if they have any

questions or concerns.

If your potential interviewee is not in when you call, be certain to leave a

detailed message explaining who you are and why you are contacting him or her.

Invite him or her to call you back, but also leave yourself an opening. State a

particular day and time when you will call back.

Consider the following as you draft your interview questions.

As you plan your interview, think about not only the individual questions but also the

shape of the interview as a whole. Order the questions so that they flow logically and

productively build on each other.

Have at least 6 well-developed questions, but don't let these questions stifle the

natural flow of conversation.

Listen carefully to the responses and ask follow-up questions based upon the

interviewee's interests and concerns.

Avoid questions that can be answered with a simple yes or no.
Avoid asking questions that are too broad or too narrow.
Avoid asking leading questions that assume particular answers and discourage the
 37

interviewee from voicing alternative interests/concerns.

DAY 19

Topic: Science and Technology

Objective: To report an update regarding Science and technology thru writing.

Detailed Content

Writing strategies in science and technology classes improve students' ability to

summarize information and make connections between new information and

experiences.

1. Summary Exercises

Writing a summarize information provides concluding thoughts. Paragraphs or essays

can be assigned to evaluate a scientific article.

2. Exploratory Exercises

Though not as precise as summative exercises, exploratory writing has an important

place in science and technology writing exercises are less formal and encourage

students to make connections between known concepts or explore a new idea by

using what they already know.

PREPARING FOR SCIENCE WRITING

How can one prepare for freelance science writing?

1. Learn about recent developments and new inventions.

 38

2. Identify experts who are cited on particular subjects.

3. Discover concepts for illustrations for articles.

4. Identify print and electronic sources of additional information for the topic.
5. Discern developing areas of interest.

DAY 20

Topic: Preparing the Dummy Sheet

Objective: Students will learn about newspaper design and the steps to making a

well-designed page using a dummy sheet. They will be able to recreate already

printed newspaper pages, and also create their own designs for newspaper pages.

Detailed Content

The dummy page is just a smaller, mock-up version of the actual printed newspaper

page a sheet with a grid on it and is used to draw publication layouts.

1.
Draw a Plan- Draw a detailed plan of two facing pages following the desired

design of the school. The design should be full size, with margins, measure all

sides where you wish to drop your article. The

more detailed it is the better and easier it will

take to do the design.

2. Number the Proofs- Place a number where you

wish to drop the article, the numbering must

 39

follow a certain order so it would also serve as the guide to where do you

want an article be.

3. Arrange the Proofs of Illustrations- Arrange the illustrations in order they

will appear. Cut sheets of pictures or plain paper just to create an exact

picture of the real Layout soon after.

4. Trim the Dummy- Trim the boxes where you’ll place the article le. Use
adhesive tape to stick your articles to their respective area of content.

5. Continue the Process- Continue placing all the articles until you finish placing

all the articles from the front page to the last. Adjust if necessary; use a

ruler to measure all adjustments. Facing units should be balanced.

6. Revise-Revise the dummy to fit in all things nearly. A form is usually a

multiple of eight or sixteen pages.