Reading & Creating Texts - Unit 1
Writing the Written Explanation, or Reflective Statement Reflective writing is a personal response to something—in this case, your own writing. A reflective statement is written in the first person and is less formal than other pieces of writing you will submit for assessment—with the possible exception of creative pieces—because it is purely about you and your writing process.
A REFLECTIVE STATEMENT The VCE English Study Design asks you to be able to 'explain and justify decisions made in the writing process'. The purpose is to acknowledge and articulate what insights you have gained into the original text. You should be able to explore your own writing in juxtaposition with that of the author of the original text. You must use appropriate language to describe what you wrote in your creative response to text and how you wrote it You should explain your process, and describe your intended audience. Rationally assess your piece to see whether you met your aims, explaining your thought processes about your own work. You should also be able to explain cogently and clearly what it was in the original text that inspired you, what elements of the original text you used and which ones you rejected—and why.
COMMENT CATEGORIES The categories to consider as you reflect on your writing are: purpose, links to the original text, organisation and structure, mechanics of style and writing, and developmental process (as outlined in Tables 2.5.1a-e). These questions will assist you in writing your reflective statement. • • • • • • • • •
PURPOSE Why did I choose to write in this way? Why did I select this aspect of the text? Which audience did I write for? Why did I choose this audience? What assumptions have I made about this readership? Would this piece appeal to the selected audience? Where might this piece be published? What was my aim in writing this piece? Did I achieve it? What did I want my audience to think, do or feel as a result of reading this piece?
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LINKS TO THE ORIGINAL TEXT How am I making the connections to the original text apparent? What elements of the original text did I choose to use? How did I alter/add to the original text? How does my piece connect with the original text? Is this a stand-alone piece or does it fit into the original text? If so, where and why? What were the parts of the original text I wanted to keep?
VCE ENGLISH UNIT 1&2
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