LIBRARY AND LEARNING COMMONS

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 Learning Skills Advisors Subject Librarians
Charmaine Botha Sibusisiwe Mgquba
Focus: Focus
Health Sciences, Social Sciences, Health Sciences, Social Sciences,
PGD & HDR PGD & HDR
Tel: 011 950 4455 Tel. 011 950 4150
charmaine.botha@monash.edu Sibusisiwe.mgquba@monash.edu
John Small Linda Mbonambi
Focus Focus
Bus Eco, IT, HDR, PGD & FP Bus Eco, IT, HDR, PGD & FP
Tel: 011 950 4248 Tel: 011 950 4032
John.small@monash.edu Linda.mbonambi@monash.edu

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 What do we want to achieve with
an academic assignment?

RSD facets of research

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 Assignment 1
Letter to the Editor
Due date: Wednesday 16 March (before 17h00) on Moodle AND Turnitin
In this assessment you are tasked with writing a 400-word letter to the editor of a fictional
newspaper about a politically related event going on currently (the event must be real and it
must be politically related, i.e. do not write a letter complaining about why you love/hate the
Kardashian family!) The purpose of writing a letter to the editor of a newspaper is because
you might be angry about something going on in society and you want others to know it or
you think that an issue is so important that you have to speak out; or you want to influence
public opinion in some way or even policymakers and government officials.
Use the following link for the guidelines on how to write a letter to the editor:
http://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/advocacy/direct-action/letters-to-editor/main as well as
suggestions for other helpful online resources.

Assessment:
See the Rubric on Moodle for how you will be assessed.

Layout instructions:
The assessment should consist of 3 pages: a cover page followed by the actual letter and then the
reference page. The cover page should include the following information:
Name and Surname
Student number and due date
Name of the fictional newspaper to which you are submitting the letter
The title/heading of your letter, i.e. Letter to the Editor:

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 Additional Instructions
NB!!!!: The text should be in 12pt font (Arial or Times New Roman), justified and in 1.5 spacing.
Please also include a word count.
Use at least TWO sources in defence of your position (Harvard Referencing method).
Although typical letters are around 300 words, for the purpose of this assessment the letter has
to be 400 words (no more than 400 or less than 350 otherwise a penalty may incur).

NOTE: -5% per calendar day late! See: http://artsonline.monash.edu.au/policy-

bank/extension-and-late-assessment-submission-procedures/#submission

PLEASE NOTE: Completed assignments MUST BE SUBMITTED ON MOODLE AND VIA TURNITIN
(which can be found at www.turnitin.com) before 5pm on the due date. Students will be
registered on Turnitin by their lecturer and receive an e-mail with login details. REMEMBER that
the turnaround time for resubmission of essays on turnitin is 24 hours so manage your time
properly when you are preparing your work so that you do not miss the deadline. ALSO
ensure that you keep an electronic copy of your letter somewhere safe e.g. in a cloud like
google drive (see Moodle for other examples).

PLAGIARISM WARNING:
If the similarity index (SI) is above 25%, 0% will be given immediately. If the SI is under 25%, then
1% will be deducted per line of plagiarised text. Please take a moment to familiarise yourself with
the plagiarism policy at: http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-
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Rubric: Letter to the Editor
Poor
Compliance with criteria in
document: HOW DO YOU
Letter does not adhere to the
WRITE A LETTER TO THE majority of criteria listed.
EDITOR (on Moodle) 25%
Layout requirements (cover
Does not meet stipulated
page, 12 font, word count requirements.
etc) 10%
Accurate
Incorrect facts or arguments do
content/evidence/ not support the main point or do
completeness of argument not exist. Almost complete lack of
valid evidence and examples.
(AECs) 20%
No clear point of view indicated or
Point of view apparent but not fully
Impact 10% point of view is not politically
politically-related.
related.
Concluding statement makes no
Conclusion 5% reference to personal opinion.
Sentences and paragraphs difficult
to read and understand due to Needs improvement; contains numerous
Mechanics 20% poor grammar or mechanics grammatical or mechanical errors that Average grammar and mechanics.
and/or jargon used. obscure the strength of ideas.
Lacks citations and/or lacks a
Referencing 10% reference page.
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Developing
Letter adheres to a few of criteria.
Meets a few of the stipulated
requirements.
Some of the AECs are OK,
but many are flawed or Poor
AECs result in writing that
is not persuasive or superficial
information provided.
Concluding statement is a weak summary Summarizes personal opinion in a
of personal opinion.
Poorly documented. Format is incorrect
for all sources and/or
Sources are not accurately
documented in the bibliography -
incorrect format is used.
What is a marking rubric?
Average
Letter addresses most of the criteria
Meets most of the stipulated
requirements.
For the most part the letter mentions
some relevant AECs, but leaves some
out, or presents them somewhat
inaccurately.
Point of view of a politically-related
event or issue evident.
concluding statement.
Accurately
documented in-text,
may contain a few minor errors in
format and/or All sources are
accurately
documented in the bibliography, but
many are not in the correct format.
Good
Letter adheres to all of the
criteria
Meets all of the stipulated
requirements.
Most of the AECs are good,
resulting in an overall strong
piece of writing, but some
are flawed.
A clear and focused point of
view of a politically-related
event or issue is expressed.
Summarizes personal
opinion in a strong concluding
statement
Adequate: contains minimal
grammatical or mechanical
errors and is generally well
written with some creativity
evident.
Integrated into the text,
using the correct format
and/or All sources are
accurately documented in the
bibliography, but a few are not
in the correct format.
Excellent
Letter adheres to all of the criteria
in a manner that shows extra
attention and care.
Meets all of the stipulated
requirements in a manner that
shows extra attention and care.
Excellent use of AECs.
Arguments are based on
sound logic. Evidence and
examples directly support
the arguments and are
verifiable.
Letter is persuasive
and articulate in
expressing students
reaction to a politically-related
event or issue.
Summarizes personal
opinion in a strong and persuasive
concluding statement.
Clear and concise - no grammatical
or mechanical errors. Letter is very
well-written and creative. Full
development of ideas with a strong
and persuasive style.
Smoothly and logically integrated
into the text, and clearly explain the
ideas. Accurate format and/or All
sources are accurately documented
in the bibliography and correctly
formatted.
 Analysing your question

Begin by identifying the key concepts e.g.

the topic/content areas
Identify the directive words e.g. analyse,
discuss, etc.
Note any limitations e.g. scope, time
period, field of study, area
Format of the assignment (essay, report,
review, poster, annotated bib etc)

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 Unpacking the assignment brief

Write a 400-word letter to the editor of a fictional

newspaper

about a politically related event going on currently (the

event must be real and it must be politically related,
i.e. do not write a letter complaining about why you love/hate the Kardashian family!)
(You thus need to word your own topic: e.g. Tax on Tyres )

The purpose of writing a letter to the editor of a

newspaper is because
you might be angry about something going on in society and you want
others to know it or
you think that an issue is so important that you have to speak out; or
you want to influence public opinion in some way or even policymakers
and government officials.
Key concepts
Limitations
Directive words
Format

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 Letter to the Editor TIPS
Be polite. The dittoheads are known for being mean, hateful name-callers. Don't sink to their level. Respect the people
you're talking about, even if you disagree with their political position. Comment on actions more than personalities.
Bad Example: "Death merchant Bush puts people to death who might be innocent, can we trust him to lead?"
Good Example: "George Bush's position on the death penalty lags behind the judgment of other Republican governors.
He is a follower, not a leader."
Be specific. If you're commenting on an article in the paper, mention the day and page number of the article. If you're
commenting on a specific political position or speech, restate it briefly. Don't assume the reader knows what you're
talking about: Tell them.
Example: "I disagree with Senator Gram's position on confirming judges, as reported in Sunday's Minnepolis Star
Tribune (pA12, 9/30/00)."
Stick to one topic. Deal with one issue, article or speech in one letter.
Use facts and figures to back up your arguments. Quote/ Refer to other experts who commented on the same
subject, especially if the news article did not mention them.
State your qualifications, if useful to the letter.
Example: "I've been a teacher for 15 years, and Betty McCollum's plan to invest in childhood education excellence is
good because in my experience..."
When possible, compare and contrast. State why your candidate is better and why the other candidate is poor on an
issue.
Be concise. Short letters are more likely to be printed than lengthy screeds.
Be original. Don't sound like everyone else. Use your own voice.
When appropriate, use humor. (irony)
Example: "George Bush says that the US shouldn't be the world's policeman, yet Dick Cheney wants to increase
military spending. Why do they want to build an army we're not going to use?" Aside: I sure called this one. Bush
caught in another lie.
Be grammatically correct. The paper will correct any minor spelling errors, but they won't edit letters where the
sentences make no sense.
Be positive when appropriate. Don't hesitate to send a complimentary letter to the newspaper for a good editorial or
story. Congratulate politicians you agree with.
Read your letter out loud. Does it sound good? Does it make sense?
Include all the necessary information about yourself that the newspaper asks for. When sending e-mail, this
means your city and telephone number. When sending a letter by mail, make sure it's typed (or legible) with your full
return address as well as phone number and signature. This is for your protection, so others can't sign your name to
their letter.
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 MORE tips
OPEN THE LETTER WITH A SIMPLE SALUTATION.
Don't worry if you don't know the editor's name. A simple "To the Editor of the Daily Sun," or just To the Editor:
is sufficient. If you have the editor's name, however, you should use it to increase the possibilities of your letter
being read.
GRAB THE READER'S ATTENTION.
Your opening sentence is very important. It should tell readers what youre writing about, and make them want to
read more.
EXPLAIN WHAT THE LETTER IS ABOUT AT THE START.
Throughout your letter, remember the rule:
Be quick,
Be concise, and then
Be quiet.
Don't make the editor or the general public wait to find out what you want to say. Tell them your key point at the
beginning.
EXPLAIN WHY THE ISSUE IS IMPORTANT.
If you are motivated enough to write a letter to a newspaper or magazine, the importance of your topic may
seem clear to you. Remember, though, that the general public probably doesn't share your background or the
interest. Explain the issue and its importance simply. Use plain language that most people will understand
GIVE EVIDENCE FOR ANY PRAISE OR CRITICISM.
If you are writing a letter discussing a past or pending action, be clear in showing why this will have good or bad
results.
STATE YOUR OPINION ABOUT WHAT SHOULD BE DONE.
You can write a letter just to ''vent," or to support or criticize a certain action or policy, but you may also have
suggestions about what could be done to improve the situation. If so, be sure to add these as well. Be specific.
And the more good reasons you can give to back up your suggestions, the better.
KEEP IT BRIEF.
Generally, shorter letters have a better chance of being published. So go back over your letter and see if
anything can be cut or condensed. If you have a lot to say and it can't be easily made short, you may want to
check with the editor to see if you could write a longer opinion feature or guest column.

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 The essay/letter structure
Can be seen as a diamond with the introduction and conclusion at the top and bottom and the
body paragraphs fitting into the middle of the diamond in a series of smaller diamond shapes.

Connect to
next paragraph
and main idea

Your
own
voice

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 Body paragraphs
Paragraph element Purpose

1. Topic This sentence starts by referring to the thesis/your argument. It

Sentence continues to include the main point of this paragraph (your voice)

2. Additional This explains further the point made in the topic sentence. (your voice)
Information

3. Evidence These are essential to justify your point. Your evidence comes from
sentences your research and may include examples, data, quotes, statistics,
graphics and illustrations. All supporting evidence must be from
authoritative sources and cited in your essay. (quote or paraphrase
reference /witness voice)

4. Concluding Again, this sentence links the main thesis of the essay with the main
sentence point of the paragraph. (your voice) and links to the next paragraph

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2
 Acknowledging your resources:
Citing and referencing
NB NB NB : if you cite and reference correctly, you will not plagiarize
Ways to cite and reference:
1. MANUALLY (DO the library on-line tutorial 15minutes):
http://monash.edu/library/skills/resources/tutorials/citing/
http://resources.lib.monash.edu.au/learning-objects/test/apa-quick-
guide/
2. Using MICRO-SOFT WORD REFERENCING (but you still need to
have the manual referencing background knowledge)
3. Using ENDNOTE (but you still need to have the manual referencing
background knowledge)

Referencing resources:
Monash Library Website, Moodle and Libguides
https://www.monash.edu/library/skills/resources/tutorials
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 Additional resources on Referencing

Monash Share Drive

- Library > Charmaine Learning skills >

Referencing

Lib Guides
Moodle

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 ASK for HELP
For
assistance
with learning, writing or communicating
your findings,
contact
a learning skills advisor
in
the library

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