Monday, March 23, 2009

Reflection: Evaluating Essays and Common Mistakes

We have examined how evaluation of an essay is done. We have identified that an essay is evaluated in terms of Characterisation, Plot, Literary Devices and Language. The following are what examiners try to look out for, regard to each cateogry:

Characterisation:
•Physical descriptions
•Emotional and personality descriptions (what are they thinking about? how are they feeling?)
•Sense of relationship between characters; interaction between the characters

Plot:
•5 stages of narrative development
•Integration of main plot and sub-plot
•Relevance to topic
•Impact and interest to reader (interest value; use of twist; use of moral lesson)

Literary techniques:
•Use of flashback
•Use of time lapse
•Description of environment (setting)
•Use of dialogue

Language:
•Accuracy of tenses
•Accuracy of plurals
•Accuracy of vocabulary (spelling and usage)
•Accurate punctuation and paragraphing
•Relevance of content to the topic


We have also examined some of the common mistakes that were made in this round of narrative writing. We have learnt that we must exercise the following:
  1. Do not start your sentences with "but", "so", or "because".
  2. Avoid using words in parentheses (E.g. I decided to "punish" him just a little) just because you are unable to find a suitable word. Consider using a phrase instead.
  3. Commas should not be used to join separate thoughts or ideas. Instead, use connectors like "and", "in addition", "also", "furthermore", etc.
  4. When using new vocabulary, make sure you know the proper definition and use the word accurately.
  5. Tenses must be consistent in a paragraph or incident/account. If you are writing about a past event, you have to use past tense. If you used past tense in a paragraph or an incident/account, make sure past tense is used throughout the paragraph.
  6. When writing your essay, BE FOCUSSED on the topic. Do not spend too much time on other areas/subplots of your essay.

Reflection:

After going through all this, how do you think such information will be useful to you in your future writing assignments? Is there anything you will try to take better note of? Which aspects of essay writing do you personally feel you are weak in?

Comment individually on this post.

Posted by at

39 comments:

  1. dodgerblueeeMarch 23, 2009 at 8:53 PM

    :):) Happy (:(:

    ReplyDelete
  2. qreenteaqurlMarch 23, 2009 at 8:54 PM

    I think that I sholud use more of vocab in order to score well.I also think that after going through this lesson,I think everyone got more clear of the components of marking a essays.I think that I am quite weak in Vocab so i will brush up!:P

    ReplyDelete
  3. solitaryMarch 23, 2009 at 8:56 PM

    I would try to improve on my use of vocabulary and i will also improve on the characterisation and plot.

    ReplyDelete
  4. VivianMarch 23, 2009 at 8:58 PM

    I think that I should take note of grammatical mistakes and use better words instead of simple words which we use in primary school. I would find such information useful when I write for my upcoming essays. (:

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousMarch 23, 2009 at 8:58 PM

    I think such information would benefit me in my future writing assignments as it will help me correct my mistakes. I will try to take better note of the meaning of the title, so as to not stray from the topic. I personally feel that i am weak in using literary devices,, as I seldom used to use them in my essays, especially twists, therefore, I think that I am weak in that particular aspect.

    ReplyDelete
  6. MinHuiMarch 23, 2009 at 8:59 PM

    When i am taught such information, i can remember them and not make those mistakes again. i would try to take note of being focussed on the topic.

    ReplyDelete
  7. UnknownMarch 23, 2009 at 8:59 PM

    i am weak in in mostly everything accept literary devices and i hope to do brtter in me compo.the information will help me to improve and i hope that this will help me in my next assognment

    ReplyDelete
  8. ::Hatred vs Luv::March 23, 2009 at 8:59 PM

    I will bear all the information in mind and remember not to commit the same mistakes again when doing compositions. These information will help me to take more notice of what I am writing. I will try to take more notice of Characterisation, Plot, Literary Techniques and Language. I feel that I am weak in Plot and Characterisation

    ReplyDelete
  9. GOMDORI★TEDDYBEARMACARONSMarch 23, 2009 at 8:59 PM

    I think after this,i would take note of what i write in my essay using this information.I would also minimising mistakes by double checking what i have written using these points! I think i am weak in describing more vividly so i would brush up on that ._.
    [c] CHELSEA! JIAYI (:

    ReplyDelete
  10. muddleheadMarch 23, 2009 at 9:00 PM

    Yes, I think that these information are useful as the examiners normally look out for these four main points: the characters, plot, literacy techniques and languages. i think i had to take note of languages the most as i like to put my story into present tense and also need to increase on my vocab to descibe my story more vividly.
    Mei Fang

    ReplyDelete
  11. dodgerblueeeMarch 23, 2009 at 9:01 PM

    I think it will be very useful, we could write better composition with less error. We also could higher marks for our composition next time. I could try to take note of my gramatical errors. I am weak at almost everything. :( I am partically weak at writing the starting of the story.

    ReplyDelete
  12. *BiTtEr sWiT*March 23, 2009 at 9:02 PM

    I think that such information is very useful because I now know how to write a better composition.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Imposter - Ate **** YTD.March 23, 2009 at 9:03 PM

    It is very useful because we can make use of the information to better improve our essays, thus obtaining more marks for our essays.



    - Winner. **** = ?

    ReplyDelete
  14. dodgerblueeeMarch 23, 2009 at 9:03 PM

    Hi every1. I love Benny Wee!!! <--- Water Bottle.

    Pls go to our blog for media literacy. Making advertisement here:)

    www.bestofbest-medialiteracy.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  15. DynamicMarch 23, 2009 at 9:03 PM

    My reflection

    i think that such information will be useful to me in my future writting assignments.i think i will take extra notice of my vocab and grammer.i am quite weak in my vocab.even though i add the words that i think is useful to my essay, i do not use them which i think make my vocab weak.my grammer is okay okay.i thought that the use of dialouges are limited.

    shermin

    ReplyDelete
  16. Siew wenMarch 23, 2009 at 9:04 PM

    I think that i should make my story more interesting by using more vocab and acjectives.I should also make lesser gramatical mistakes to score better.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Zenneth LimMarch 23, 2009 at 9:04 PM

    i think this can help us in our revision and we can possibly improve in our essay and in our exams also.

    ReplyDelete
  18. ShaoyangMarch 23, 2009 at 9:04 PM

    Firstly, before i knew this information, I had just blindly write or just squeeze out a composition during examinations. Not I mean that I anyhow write, but meaning that I did not know about the four aspects markers expected in our compositions. So my marks at that time were very low. Now, I seemed to improve, but I think that I still need to work harder on my Grammar and my Vocabulary. I have to watch on my tenses also.
    Shaoyang(39)

    ReplyDelete
  19. Chun YeeMarch 23, 2009 at 9:04 PM

    I think that the information will make me write a better essay next time and get good marks. I will continue to take note of my tenses so my language will get better marks. I feel that I am weak in literary devices and charecterisation. I seldom use time lapse, dialouges and describe the person appearances and his/her emotions/feelings.

    ReplyDelete
  20. MabelMarch 23, 2009 at 9:06 PM

    I think that such information would allow me to use a better technique to write my essay and also correct my mistakes. I will brush up on my vocbulary as i think that I am quite weak in the use of vocabulary.

    ReplyDelete
  21. joykorlogyMarch 23, 2009 at 9:07 PM

    The information Mr Leong posted was very useful for me and many others as well.I will take note of the common mistakes that i make, such as tenses and wrong usage of vocabulary. I will add in more vocabulary but I will not add in a vocabulary word/phrase just because it sounds bombastic, i will find out the real meaning of it before using it in my composition.

    Charmiane Khor (3)

    ReplyDelete
  22. ♠♥♣ĢÜðyĺ ©®March 23, 2009 at 9:07 PM

    I think that thisn information is quite useful to me when i am doing my compositions and essays.
    I will take note of how to use various literary techniques,good vocabulary and how to describe the characters of the story to make the story more interesting.I will also take not of how the compostions and essays are marked so i would not lose marks to careless mistakes.
    I personally think i am weak in Language and Characterisation

    :]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]

    ReplyDelete
  23. DynamicMarch 23, 2009 at 9:08 PM

    i think such information will allow me to write a better compo. i will take note in my grammar mistakes. i feel that i am quite weak in my vocab and describing characters.

    claudia.c

    ReplyDelete
  24. dodgerblueeeMarch 23, 2009 at 9:08 PM

    Hi Eloise too! :) Happy :) Eloise you veri pretty hor

    ReplyDelete
  25. UnknownMarch 23, 2009 at 9:09 PM

    I think this information will be useful to my future essays as these would be able to help me be more cautious of my mistakes, use more literary devices to make my story more interesting and less predictable. When these mistakes are pointed out, I will try not o repeat these mistakes again so as to write better essays, which is what I want to do and improve on. The mistake that I will take note of the most is tenses and plot. I feel that I am weak in the plot development and tenses.

    ReplyDelete
  26. -Nurul Ain-March 23, 2009 at 9:10 PM

    I think that i will have to take note on my relevance of content to the topic.i will also try to improve on the use of vocab and also my characterisation.

    ReplyDelete
  27. CIAOLU :]March 23, 2009 at 9:10 PM

    I think these information will help me in my future essays. I will try to improve in the plotting of my essays. I am quite weak in using new vocabulary so I will try harder :D

    ReplyDelete
  28. ShaoyangMarch 23, 2009 at 9:11 PM

    Firstly, before i knew this information, I had just blindly write or just squeeze out a composition during examinations. Not I mean that I anyhow write, but meaning that I did not know about the four aspects markers expected in our compositions. So my marks at that time were very low. Now, I seemed to improve, but I think that I still need to work harder on my Grammar and my Vocabulary. I have to watch on my tenses also.
    Shaoyang(39)

    ReplyDelete
  29. octberryMarch 23, 2009 at 9:11 PM

    The information and advises that Mr Leong provided us with is very useful. I will remember the mistakes I made and take great precaution not to repeat them. I will also learn from my mistake and see where I have gone wrong and bear it in my mind. I will also make the advises Mr Leong gave us useful and include it inside my essay. I will not try to replace a word by finding a more difficult word in the thesauras, meaning i will not choose a word to include in my essay just because it sounds or seems profound, i will find out the real meaning before hand in case i use the wrong word.i will bear in mind what Mr Leong taught us.
    Sylvia Gwee Xiao Wei(17)

    ReplyDelete
  30. AnonymousMarch 23, 2009 at 9:12 PM

    It will be very useful when I write compos in future. I would try to not to make mistakes and will pay attention to all the errors mentioned. I will take better notice of the the tenses used and avoid spelling errors and use literary techniques to write compos. I will also try to use more vocabulary words and phrases and include more dialog to make compo more interesting and engaging. i feel that the number of vocabulary words and phrases I noe is limited and I do not really know how to make the compo interesting.


    ^^ =D =) :) :D =P !.! >.< +.+ T.T o.0 '.' =.=||

    ReplyDelete
  31. BriantMarch 23, 2009 at 9:12 PM

    I find the information is good as this boost the content of my essay. It is especially useful at the literal techniques using ironies and flashbacks are also very useful.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Siew wenMarch 23, 2009 at 9:12 PM

    I think we should take note of the grammer and tense mistakes that were made. We can use more better and more constructive words and phrases to improve on our essay. I think I always use simple vocaburlary and should improve on it.

    JT

    ReplyDelete
  33. moronMarch 23, 2009 at 9:13 PM

    i think that i have to improveon my handwriting so that teahers will not misunderstand what i wrote

    Liew Yi Hang

    ReplyDelete
  34. HuiYeeMarch 23, 2009 at 9:15 PM

    I think that using good vocab will help improve my essays and it will impress the examiners as they will look out for good vocab.I think that my usage of tenses and vocab is not so good.I think that i can improve on my vocab so I will work hard to improve it.

    ReplyDelete
  35. ZackMarch 23, 2009 at 9:19 PM

    I think that such information will allow me to write better essays as the information is telling us more about the skills used to improve the essays and words that we should not place in our essays every time.

    ReplyDelete
  36. lieonrawrMarch 23, 2009 at 11:32 PM

    i think that it will help us by commiting lesser grammer and vocab error. this two error are those who people tend to overlook

    ReplyDelete
  37. UnknownMarch 24, 2009 at 7:02 PM

    i think that it help us to improve in our english as we are trying to learn things that we often make mistakes in

    ReplyDelete
  38. 1+1=∞March 25, 2009 at 3:45 AM

    I think that we should use more vocabulary , but at the same time , not just look at the thesaurus.We must also check their meaning as well. I also think i am the worst in character development and their descriptions

    ReplyDelete
  39. SisterXuanMay 2, 2009 at 7:37 AM

    I think using more good vocab and phrases will help me improve on my composition skills. I don't really have much words for character development and discriptions but I will try to get some. I will also take note and be more careful of my grammar and tenses.

    Koh Jing Xuan(7)

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)