Senior High School

Reading and Writing Skills

Purposeful Writing in the Disciplines
and for Professions
 Reading and Writing Skills
Purposeful Writing in the Disciplines

Learning Competency: Identify the unique features and requirements in

composing texts that are useful across disciplines EN11/12RWS-IVdg-12
a) Book Review or Article Critique EN11/12RWS-IVdg-12.1
b) Literature Review EN11/12RWS-IVdg-12.2
c) Research Report EN11/12RWS-IVdg-12.3
d) Project Proposal EN11/12RWS-IVdg-12.4
e) Position Paper EN11/12RWS-IVdg-12.5

3
 Lesson Purposeful Writing in the
Disciplines: Writing a Book Review
8.1 or Article Critique

What’s New
What is a Book Review or Article Critique?
A book review or article critique is a specialized
form of academic writing in which a reviewer
evaluates the contribution to knowledge of
scholarly works such as academic books and
journal article. A book review or article critique,
which is usually ranges from 250 to 750 words, is
not simply a summary. It is a critical assessment,
analysis, or evaluation of a work. However, take
https://www.freepik.com/search?dates=any&format=search&page
=2&query=book+review&sort=popular care not to equate the word “critique” to cynicism
and pessimism. As an advance form of writing, it involves your skills in critical thinking
and recognizing arguments. A book review or article critique is different in movie
review that you see in a newspaper. Although movie review involves the analysis of
one’s work, they are written for a general audience and primarily aim to offer a
persuasive opinion. An academic book review or article critique, on the other hand,
addresses a more specific audience and usually offers a critical response to a
published scholarly work. Moreover, book review must not be mistaken for book
reports. Book reports focus on describing the plot, characters, or idea of a certain
work.
Book and article reviewers do not just share mere opinion; rather, they use both
proofs and logical reasoning to substantiate their opinions. They process ideas and
theories, revisit and extend ideas in a specific field of study, and present analytical
responses.
Structure of a Book Review or Article Critique
Introduction (around 5% of the paper)
 Title of the book/article
 Writer’s name
 Writer’s thesis statement
Summary (around 10% of the paper)
 Writer’s objective or purpose
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  Methods used (if applicable)
 Major findings or claims

Review/Critique (in no particular order) (Around 75% of the paper)

 Appropriateness of methodology to support the arguments
 Theoretical soundness
 Soundness of explanation in relation to other available information and experts
 Sufficiency of explanation
 Other perspectives in explaining the concepts and ideas
 Coherence of ideas

Conclusion (around 10% of the paper)

 Overall impression of the work
 Scholarly value of the reviewed article/book
 Benefits to the intended audience
 Suggestion for future directions

When writing a book review or article critique, make

sure to ask the following:
1. What is the topic of the book or article?
2. What is its purpose?
3. Who are its intended readers?
4. Does the writer explicitly state his/her thesis
statement?
5. What theoretical assumptions (i.e., a
https://www.freepik.com/search?dates=any&for
mat=search&query=book%20review%20writing& scientific/logical explanation without evidence)
selection=1&sort=popular&type=vector%2Cpsd%
2Cicon are mentioned in the book or article? Are they
explicitly discussed?
6. What are the contributions of the book or article to the field (e.g., language,
psychology) it is situated in?
7. What problems and issues are discussed in the book or article?
8. What kind of information (e.g., observation, survey, statistics, and historical
accounts) are presented in the book or article? How they are used to support the
arguments or thesis?
9. Are there other ways of supporting the arguments or thesis aside from the
information used in the book or article? Is the author silent about these alternative
ways of explanation?
10. What is your overall reaction to the work?

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Guidelines in Writing a Book Review or Article Critique
1. Read the article or book to be reviewed carefully to get its main concept.
2. Reread it to get the arguments being presented.
3. Relate the content of the article or book to what you already know about the
topic. This will make you more engaged with the article or book.
4. Focus on discussing how the book treats the topic and not a topic itself. Start
your sentences with phrases such as “this book presents…’ and “The author
argues…”
5. Situate your review. This means that your analysis should be anchored on the
theories presented by the book or article writer.
6. Examine whether the findings are adequately supported or not.
7. Analyze the type of analysis the writer use (e.g., quantitative, qualitative, case
study) and how it supports the arguments and claims.
8. Suggest some ways on how the writer can improve his/her reasoning or
explanation.
9. Discuss how the same topic is explained from other perspective. Compare the
writer’s explanation of the topic to another expert from the same field of study.
10. Point out other conclusion or interpretations that the writer missed out.
Present other ideas that need to be examined.
11. Examine the connections between ideas and how they affect the
conclusions and findings.
12. Show your reactions to the writer’s idea and present an explanation. You
can either agree or disagree with the ideas, as long as you can sufficiently
support your stand.
13. Suggest some alternative methods and processes of reasoning that would
result in a more conclusive interpretation.
Completing a book review or article critique means that you can pinpoint the
strengths and weaknesses of an article or book and that you can identify different
perspectives. This task also equips you with more skills to engage in discussions
with an expert and makes you a part of a community of scholars.

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7
 What Is It?

Directions: Read the following text very carefully. Then, write a book review by
following the writing process in the succeeding pages.
This paper purports to assess the linguistic complexity of students’ narratives
and reading texts. However, the authors never stated the purpose behind the study.
The authors provide no motivations and goals for the study, no research questions,
no strong methodological practices, and very few findings that can be easily
interpreted. While reading the study, every new sentence is a surprise. There are no
details and the entire paper is completely under referenced.
Below I will discuss some of the major problems with the paper. First, the
authors never provide a rationale for their study. They never give a reason as to why
they are studying reading and writing together and they fail to link the two skills. The
authors assume that the reader knows the narrative and made no attempt to assist
them in developing the narrative of the paper. Another major problem with the paper
is the naiveté that is apparent in the literature review, the methods, and the analysis.
The literature review is perhaps two pages long and boost up on their knowledge of
L2 writing and reading theory before they submit a paper to a professional journal.
It is interesting that the language background of the participants is never made
explicit (participants are at the mid beginners to high beginners level in using English
as a second language). The extent to which any results found in the study would be
widely generalizable to what is typically conceived as an EFL/ESL learner is not clear.
Moreover, the authors continually draw on literature meant for an L1 acquisition
audience and therefore of dubious extension to L2 contexts.
The methods section contains no details at all. Ten participants per grade level,
in a stratified random sample, hardly seemed enough to get much stable data. Since,
there are only ten participants per grade level on both accredited and non-accredited
schools due to logistical constraints; the paper is more on exploratory study. In other
words, it seems a stretch to ask most journal readers to generalize from such a limited
sample from such a specific population. The authors state that “pupils were not given
limits as to time and number of words, for them to be relaxed in their narrative
production” (p.5). However, later the authors explain that those written data also form
the basis of the corpus used for analysis. How does this differential production affect
the results of the analysis? Surely, a participant who produces 1,000 words will have
different results from one who produce 500. It is not clear how the authors can assert
8
any sort of pattern from linguistic ‘snapshot’ from just 10 students per school,
producing such heterogeneous data samples. Again, from such a modest sample
size.
In general, the paper is hard to read. This likely goes back to the lack of research
problems. There are few transitions and, organizationally, the paper does not set up
any expectations for the reader. The first paragraph is a great example because it
contains a single sentence and at least five different clauses. The final paragraph in
the introduction (right before the methods sections) is another example. I have read
that paragraph four times and am not sure how to process it.
There are major problems with this paper, but I do not have a time or the energy
to discuss them all. The authors really need to rethink the purpose of the collected
data and educate themselves in the field of L2 reading and writing. I would highly
suggest that the authors reread issues of the journal of Second Language Writing and
Reading in a Foreign Language.
Source:http://www.uwlux.edu/uploadedFiles/Academics/Deparments/Political_Science_and_Public_Admin/journal_article_critique_
example.pdf

Directions: Write a book review (in paragraph form) by following the writing process
outlined below. You may assume the persona of a university professor writing a
review for a particular book or article in your chosen field. (This will be checked by
your teacher.) Please see Answer Sheet.

A. Read the book or article to be reviewed. Complete the following details.

Article/ Book Title:
Article/Book Author:
Topic:
B. Complete the given information to come up with a writing situation for your
book review or article critique.

General purpose:
Specific Purpose:
Target Output:
Audience:
Writer’s Persona:
Tone/Formality:

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 What I Have Learned

In writing a review/critique you must:

1. Provide a summary of the contents of the piece of writing under review;

2. Provide a general evaluation of the text;
3. Discuss each point you want to make about the text; and
4. Conclude by telling the readers if the text is worth reading or not. In addition you must
polish your writing by considering the properties of a well written text.

Lesson Purposeful Writing in the

Disciplines: Writing a Literature
8.2 Review

What’s New

What is Literature Review?

A literature review is a type of academic writing that provides an overview of
a specific topic. It surveys scholarly work such as academic books (but not textbooks),
computerize databases, conference proceedings, dissertation’s/theses, empirical
studies government reports, historical records, journal article, monographs, and
statistical handbooks.
As an advance form of academic writing, a literature review critically analyzes
the relationship among the scholarly works and the current work. It can be written as
a stand-alone paper or as part of a research paper explaining a theoretical framework
and related studies. Unlike an annotated bibliography which presents a summary and
synthesis (i.e., linking different sources).
Below are the differences among the sources.

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Below are the differences among the sources.

Annotated Book Review Literature Review

Bibliography
Summarizes the Evaluates a book Review Reviews a significant
references and explain number of scholarly work in
how important they are in order to identify what is
addressing the research known and not known about
questions a topic

Doing a literature review will test your ability to seek literature efficiently and
identify useful scholarly work. It will also test your ability to evaluate studies for their
validity and reliability. Hence, writing a literature review involves research, critical
appraisal, and writing. Everything else included, a student may take 40 hours to finish
a well- written literature review.

Functions of a Literature Review

This type of a review has the following roles.
 Justifies a research questions, method or theoretical and conceptual framework
 Establishes the relevant of the topic
 Provides necessary information to better understand a specific topic or study
 Shows reviewers familiarity and mastery of the topic
 Establishes a niche of the study
 Resolves conflict among contradictory studies
Structure of a Literature Review
Introduction
 Purpose for writing literature review and the importance of the topic being
reviewed
 Scope of the review
 Criteria used for selecting the literature
 Organizational pattern of the review
Body
 Historical background
 Relevant theories
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  Relationship between and among the studies, and how each study advanced a
theory
 Strengths and weaknesses of each paper
 Various viewpoints on the topic
Conclusion
 Restatement of the main argument or thesis
 Main agreements and disagreements in the literature
 If stand-alone paper: conclusions; implications; and direction for future studies
 If part of a thesis or research paper: linking of the literature review to the
research questions
 Overall perspective on the topic.

Guidelines in Writing a Literature Review

Writing a literature review is composed of three distinct parts ---literature search,
evaluation and analysis of articles and writing the literature review –all of which are
discussed below.
Literature Search
1. Review the documentation style (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago) that you will adopt
and be familiar with its format in relation to writing a literature review.
2. Choose and focus on a topic that you will explain.
3. Determine the kind and number of sources you will be using. Will your literature
review be exclusive to articles or will it include other documents? Will you focus
on experimental studies or will you also include theoretical papers that explain
a theory?
4. Survey the available online databases relevant to your topic. These include
Proquest, Science Direct, JSTOR, or Google Scholar. As much as possible,
include only the references published by top journals and publishers.
5. Use relevant keywords when searching for scholarly documents or article. For
example, if you topic is about the impact of Facebook-based e-portfolios on the
writing skills of ESL learners, your possible keywords are Facebook, ESL
writing, e-portfolio, portfolio assessment, Facebook-based e-portfolio, and
social networking site.
6. Always include landmark studies or papers (i.e., studies which had remarkably
changed the field) related to your topic.
7. Always evaluate the sources for coverage and currency. Include only those
article directly related to your topic.

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Evaluation and Analysis of Articles
Once you have identified and obtained the articles for your review, analyze them
before writing the actual literature review. To do this, you may apply the following
steps.
1. Skim the articles and read their abstracts.
2. Group the articles and other documents according to their categories.
3. Take down notes. Focus on the research questions, methodology used, major
findings and their explanation, and conclusion.
4. Summarize the details using a concept map. In this way, you will see the
relationship, similarities and differences among the articles.
5. Write a synthesis of the references you have read before writing the actual
literature review.
6. Create an outline. You may look for other literature reviews to serve as models
for writing the outline.
Writing the Literature Review
Once all the materials are ready and you have clear outline of the ideas you
want to express, you may now start the actual writing process.
1. State clearly your thesis or main argument and be guided by it accordingly.

2. Below is an example of a thesis statement for a literature review.

Because of Facebook’s popularity, many educators have explored its

educational use in the tertiary level.

3. If you say that no studies have been conducted on one aspect of your topic, justify it.
4. Direct the readers to other related literature reviews that cover items which you do not intend
to cover. You may use the citation format “(see Author, year)” or follow the format prescribed
by your chosen documentation style.
5. Never treat a literature review as a series of annotated bibliography.
6. Use headings and subheadings to classify the parts of your topic. For each topic heading,
analyze the differences among studies and look for gaps.
7. Note that each paragraph should focus on one aspect of the topic.
8. Use effective transitions to make your review easier to read and understand.
9. The body of the literature review can be organized thematically, methodologically or
chronologically.
10. Use direct quotations sparingly.
11. Classify important definitions.

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 What Is It?

Directions: Read and analyze the following literature review very carefully. Then, select two
(2) authorities cited. The first one is done for you. (Write in your own words. One phrase is
enough for your chosen authorities. (This will be checked by your guardian. Please see
Answer Sheet.)
Kram (1985) has proposed that mentoring relationships develop and mature over time,
providing different levels of mentoring functions as they progress through a sequence of four
distinct phases: initiation, cultivation, separation, and redefinition. During the initiation phase,
the mentor and the protégé begin initial interactions that involve learning the other’s personal
style and work habits. He described the first six to 12 months of a relationship as
characterized by musings that protégés and mentors providing coaching, challenging work
and visibility, the mentor embodies as fantasized role model with whom the protégé begins
to identify and develops positive expectations about career development. If the relationship
matures past the initiation phase, it then progresses to the cultivation phase, in which career
development, role modeling and psychosocial mentoring functions are proposed to be at
their highest. Kram (1985) further proposed that the emotional bond between the mentor
and protégé deepens and intimacy increases during this phase. This phase may last from
two to five years as the protégé learns from the mentor and the mentor promotes and
protects the protégé. Protégés gain knowledge from the mentor, and the mentor gains loyalty
and support of the protégé and feelings that his or her values, ideas and work habits may
be passed on to the protégé during the cultivation phase. The third phase, separation,
involves a structural and psychological disconnection between the mentor and the protégé
when functions provided by the mentor decrease, and the protégé becomes independent. In
the redefinition phase, the mentor and protégé frequently develop a relationship that is more
peer-like, characterized by mutual support and informal contact. While career and
psychosocial functions are less evident, sponsorship from a distance, occasional counseling
and coaching and ongoing friendship continue. Hay (1995) believes that mentoring process
is underpinned by the following principles: recognizing that people are okay, realizing that
people can change and want to grow, understanding how people learn, recognizing
individual differences, empowering through personal and professional development,
developing competence, encouraging collaboration not competition, encouraging
scholarship and a sense of inquiry, searching for new ideas, theories and knowledge and
reflecting on past experiences as key to understanding.
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 According to Mackimm, et al (2003) mentoring relationship is a special relationship
where two people make real connection. It is a protected relationship in which learning and
experimentation occur through analysis, examination, reexamination and reflection on
practice, situations, problems, mistakes and successes (of both the mentors and the
mentees) to identify learning opportunities and gaps. According to Yang (2006), mentoring
relationships range from loosely defined, informal collegial associations in which a mentee
learns by observation and example to structured formal agreements between expert and
novice co-mentors where each develops professionally through the two-way transfer of
experience and perspective. Whether the relationship is formal or informal, the goal of
mentoring is to provide career advice as well as both professional and personal enrichment.
It is important that the mentor and the mentee have a clear grasp of the mentoring process
for maximum benefits of this special relationship. For mentoring to be effective, the mentee
together with the mentor needs to reflect on the experiences in school and attempts to
understand the experience through analysis and conceptualization. The individual makes
choices based on analyzing the implications. She/he identifies options, decides on what to
do next and undergoes another experience.
Mentoring relationship is classified as formal or informal, and short term or long term
(Goodyear, 2006). Formal mentoring is usually mandatory and institutionalized by the school
or agency. The meetings are determined, monitored and evaluated based on clearly
articulated goals and milestones. Informal mentoring relationship is more spontaneous and
springs from the mentee’s intrinsic desire to become better. The choice of the mentor is
based on trust and confidence. Another type of mentoring is the duration of the relationship
which can be short term and long term. A short term mentoring usually addresses a set of
specific needs. Long term mentoring is based on the broad based goals incorporated in the
professional development career of the institution or agency. Whether the mentoring
relationship is formal or informal, short term or long term, literature proves that mentoring
has improved the teacher’s personal artistry and professional skill in the workplace.
Source: (taken from the research article of Dayagbil, et al.)
Research Topic: Mentoring
Authorities cited in the literature review What is the idea implied
Kram (1985) exposed the levels of mentoring
Hay (1995)
Mackimm (2003)
Yang (2006)
Goodyear (2006)

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 What I Have Learned
A literature review is a synthesis of whatever professionals or researchers in the field are
saying about a particular topic in the area. It can be written separately from a research paper. It
must be updated, and it must supply new interpretations of the issue or subject matter based on the
information presented.

Lesson Purposeful Writing in the

Disciplines: Writing a Research
8.3 Report

What is a Research Report?

A research report is an expanded paper that presents interpretations and analyses
of a phenomenon based on experiments and previous information so that the readers can
better understand it. It is a laborious work produced through formal investigation and
scientific inquiry.

Parts of a Research Report

1. Title Page – contains an informative title that describes the content of the paper, the name
of author/s, addresses or affiliations, and date of submission. Examples of an informative title
are the following:
a. Effects of Facebook on the Academic Achievement of first Year Students
b. Development and Validation of a Software for Detecting Plagiarism

2. Abstract – contains the summary of the research findings and conclusions. It briefly presents
the context of the study, research questions or objectives, methodology, major findings,
conclusions, and sometimes implications. An abstract does not contain any citation or a great
deal of statistical results. Its length ranges from 100 to 250 words.

3. Introduction – explains the current state of the field and identifies research gaps. It is also
the part where the research focus is presented by addressing the identified gaps in the topic.
It puts the research topic in context. It is usually three to five paragraphs long.
4. Literature Review – contains the summary and synthesis of all available sources directly
related to the study. In a research report, the literature review is divided into two sections:
related concepts and related studies.

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 Related concepts present some of the fundamental concepts needed by the readers to
better understand the study. Concepts and theories are defined, explained, and described.
Unlike related concepts, related studies are based on previously conducted studies directly
related to the paper. Both the related concepts and studies will help the writer explain the
phenomena that may arise in the study.

This section ends with a paragraph that synthesizes all of the studies presented and puts
the study in context. Hence, the last paragraph may include the topic and specific research
problems. The length may range from two to three pages. Note that some cases, the literature
review is integrated in the introduction section.

5. Methodology – describes how the experiments or tests in the research were

conducted. It presents the context within which the study was conducted, the
participants, the instruments used, data gathering procedure, and the data analysis.
In discussing the context of the study and the participants, the number and the
demographic profiles of the participants are explained as well as the place where the
study was conducted.

The discussion of the instrument used presents the tools in gathering data. These
tools may be in the form of a questionnaire, interview, focus group discussion, survey,
and tests, among others. All of the instruments used should be described in detail,
along with the explanation of how they were validated. The data gathering sections
present the details on how the data were collected while the data analysis section
presents how the data were analyzed, either qualitatively (coding scheme) or
quantitatively (statistical tools). The past tense is used in writing the methodology.

6. Results – factually describes the data gathered and the tables and graphs that
summarize the collected data. Along with the tables and graphs are their respective
interpretations. The flow of the results section should follow the flow of the research
questions/problems/objectives. It is expected that for each research problem or
objective, corresponding results are presented.

7. Discussion – provides an explanation of all the results in relation to the previous

studies presented in the literature review.
In this section, the research problems or objectives, as well as the major findings,
are restated in the first paragraph. The succeeding paragraphs should explain whether
the study supports or rejects the previous findings and explain the reasons for this.
New findings uncovered in the research should also be stated. Similar to the flow of
the results, the discussion part follows the flow of the research problems or objectives.

8. Conclusion – contains the restatement of the major findings, the limitations of the
study, the recommendations, and the implications. Note that in some cases, the
conclusion is integrated into the discussion.

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 9. References – contain the different sources used in the study. These may be academic
books, journals, and other online sources. Its format depends on the school, teacher,
or field of study.

Steps in Writing a Research Report

Writing a research report may seem like a daunting task,

but if you break down the process into small steps, you will be
able to accomplish it effectively. The stages of writing a research
https://www.freepik.com/search?dates
report also follow the basic writing process, with the few additions =any&format=search&query=steps%20li
terature%20review&selection=1&sort=
to accommodate and address the different parts of the report.
1. Select and narrow down the topic. Use any of your preferred prewriting activities to generate
ideas.
2. Conduct a preliminary research by gathering the initial references.
3. Formulate the thesis statement and research questions. A good thesis statement effectively
guides and controls the flow of your paper.
4. Prepare a preliminary outline.
5. Gather additional references. Use the preliminary outline as a guide for this stage.
6. Prepare the pre final outline.
7. Prepare your instruments, such as your questionnaire. Below are some guidelines in
preparing a survey instrument.

Preparing a Survey Instrument

A survey instrument is a document that lists planned questions used to measure attitudes,
perceptions, and opinions of the respondents. It contains responses directly related to each specific
research questions. It can either be in the form of an interview guide or a questionnaire.

A survey instrument usually has four parts:

 Personal information section for participants/respondents (this is usually optional since, except
for disclosing the gender and age and other general demographic information, most participants
wish to remain anonymous)
 Basic questions that establish the eligibility of the participants/respondents
 Main questions that are directly linked to the research questions.
 Open-ended questions (optional)
When preparing a survey instrument, follow these steps:

a. Do a preliminary research. You may visit your library or use online sources for this.
b. Talk to a person who is knowledgeable in preparing survey instruments.
c. Master the guidelines in preparing a questionnaire or interview guide.
d. Clarify your research questions. Be sure that the items indicated in your survey
instruments are directly related to each specific research questions.
e. Write the instrument using the appropriate format. Get model instruments if needed.
f. Edit your instrument and match it with your research questions.
g. Revise when necessary.
h. Pilot your survey instrument to further improve its quality. This means that you have to
get some respondents (colleagues or a small sample of the target respondents) to try to
answer the instrument and give you feedback. Then, revise the instrument accordingly.
19
8. Implement the instrument and gather the data.

9. Analyze the collected data and interpret it through tables and graphs.
10. Write the methodology and result sections.
11. Write the introduction and literature review.
12. Write the discussion. Be sure to link the literature review to the discussion section.
13. Write the conclusion.
14. Prepare the reference list. Be sure to list all the items citied in the body of your paper. It
is useful to keep a separate word document or physical notebook where you can list your
reference as you come across them to make sure you do not leave anything out when you
have to prepare the reference list
15. Edit and format your paper. Observe the proper mechanics.
Guidelines in Writing a Research Report
Now that you are aware of the steps in writing a research report, follow the writing
guidelines below to ensure that your report is well-written.
1. Fifty to seventy-five percent of the paper should be devoted to results and discussion.
2. Be sure to cite all your sources whether they are paraphrased or directly quoted.
3. As with the previous types of written works, use direct quotations sparingly;
paraphrase as much as possible.
4. Strictly follow the required documentation style.
5. Topics should be relevant, interesting, current, and manageable in terms of resources,
skills needed, and time. They should not be too sensitive and too controversial.
6. Research questions should directly address the given topic or thesis statement.

Example:
Title: Effect of Facebook on the Academic Performance of Senior High School
Students
Thesis statement: Facebook has an effect on the academic performance of senior
high school students

Research questions:
(1) Does exposure to Facebook affect students’ performance during examination?
(2) Does exposure to Facebook affect students’ attention span during class activities?
(3) Does exposure to Facebook affect students’ participation in curricular activities?

20
21
 What I Have Learned

In writing a research report, you must

1. choose a topic that is interesting and relevant to your audience;
2. use the accepted format;
3. accomplish the purpose of each part of the report;
4. acknowledge the sources of the information you used in your report; and
5. be consistent with the citation style that you use. You must also keep in
mind the properties of a well-written text to make your writing appear more
academic.

Lesson Purposeful Writing in the Disciplines:

Writing a Project Proposal
8.4
What’s New
WRITING A PROJECT PROPOSAL
A project proposal is a highly persuasive and informative documents that aims to address a
particular problem or issue. It is a bid or offer to initiate a project for an individual or a group. It
usually ranges from 1,000 to 2,500 words depending on the complexity of the project being
proposed.
A good project proposal specifies the following:

 Goals and objectives that the project wants to accomplish;

 Project plan that details how the set goals and objectives will be
accomplished;
 Financial, human (e.g., experts, consultants), and technical (e.g.,
equipment and facilities) resources useful in implementing the
project; and
 Budget that specifies how much money is needed and for what
purpose it will be spent. https://www.freepik.com/free-
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Types of Project Proposal
There are four types of project proposals which vary depending on the context of
the problem and the receiver and sender of proposals.
1. Solicited internal
 It is used when the target reader is within the organization.
 It responds to a specific request within the organization.
 The problem has been identified within the organization and the decision to
solve it has been made.
2. Unsolicited internal
 It is used when the target reader is within the organization.
 It is a self-initiated proposal that no one asked for.
 The target reader has not yet identified that a problem exists within the
organization; hence, no decision has been made to solve the problem.
3. Solicited external
 It is used when the target reader is not within the organization.
 It responds to a specific request from someone who is not within the
company.
 The problem has been identified and the decision to solve it has been made.
4. Unsolicited external
 It is used when the target reader is not within the organization.
 It is self-initiated proposals that no one ask for.
 The target reader has not yet identified that a problem exists; hence, no
decision has been made to solve the problem.
Parts of a Project Proposal
1. Cover letter
 Introduces the proposals to the reader
 States the project proposal title, date the proposal was requested (if solicited),
general purpose and scope of the proposal, and acknowledgement of people
who have contributed to the completion of the proposals
 Includes the highlights of the proposal and directs the readers to this highlights
2. Title Page
 Includes the project title that is concise and informative
 Includes the lead organization, place and date of project, client’s or donor’s
name, proponent’s name and the department or organization he/she
represents, and date of submissions

24
3. Abstract of Executive Summary
 Includes the objectives, implementing organization, major project activities and
total project cost
 Usually composed of 200 to250 words and highlights only the major points;
some abstract may be longer depending on the culture of the funding agency
 Uses a paragraph format
4. Context of the Proposal
 Describes the socio-economic, cultural, and political background in which the
proposal is situated.
 Presents data collected from other sources that are relevant to the planning
stage

5. Project Justification
 Provides a rationale for the project
 Includes the problem statement that specifies the problem addressed by the
project
 Points out why the problem is an issue that requires immediate attention
 Specifies the target group’s needs that arise from the adverse effect of the
described problem
 Presents the approach or strategy that will be used to address the problem
 Describes the capability of the implementing organization or group by stating its
track record
Note: When writing this section, justify why your organization or group is the
best group to implement the project.
6. Personnel Involved

 List the people involved in the project, their corresponding roles, and their
summary of qualifications
7. Project implementation
 Is divided into an activity plan which specifies the schedule of activities and a
resource plan which specifies the items needed to implement the project
 Describes the activities and resource allocation in detail, as well as the person
in charge of executing the activities
 Indicates the time and place of activities
8. Budget
 Presents the expected income and expenses over a specified time period

25
  Itemizes the budget
9. Monitoring and Evaluation
 Specifies when and how the team will monitor the progress of the project
 Specifies the method for monitoring and evaluation
 Specifies the personnel in charge of monitoring and evaluation
10. Reporting Scheme

 Specifies the schedule for reporting the finances and progress of the project

11. Conclusion

 Briefly describes the project, the problem it addresses, and its benefits to all stakeholders
through a summary
 Directs the readers back to the good features of the project
 Urges the readers to contact the proponent to work out the details of the project proposals
12. References

 Lists all the references used in drafting the project proposal using the format required the
funding agency

Guidelines in Preparing for a Project Proposal

1. Decide what the problem is and prepare a rough idea on how this problem can be
addressed.

2. Develop or select a framework that will help you organize your ideas
systematically.

3. Identify the organization that will probably fund your project. These can be government
agencies, non-governmental organizations, private companies, and foundations, and
international funding agencies.
4. Build your project proposal team and appoint a project leader who is responsible for
coordinating activities and communicating with the funding agency.
5. Identify the organization that will probably fund your project. These can be government
agencies, non-governmental organizations, private companies and foundations, and
international funding agencies.
6. Hold an initial meeting with your team to discuss the plans in preparing the project
proposal.
7. Allot sufficient time for planning.
8. Involve all the team members by assigning specific responsibilities to them.
9. Be realistic with your project proposal. Make sure that your objectives and activities
are within the given time and resources.
10. Contact the funding agency if some items and requirements are not clear to you.
11. Always put yourself in the shoes of the receiver of the project proposal.

26
Guidelines in Writing a Project Proposal
1. The title page must be unnumbered but it is considered page I; the back page of the
title page is unnumbered as well; but it is considered page ii. The abstract, which follows after
the title page, is considered page 1 and must already be numbered.
2. Do not use abbreviations on the title page.
3. Attach the curriculum vitae of the personnel who are part of them.
4. In the project implementation section, use a Gantt chart for presenting the timeframe.
5. Write the abstract after you have completed the report.
6. Study the successful proposals that are similar to yours.
7. Be factual but use technical terms sparingly.
8. Choose a reader-friendly format
9. Use section words to make your proposal more dynamic.

27
Here is a sample project proposal you can refer to:
I. Project Title:

“Bote Queen”

II. Project Proponents:

This project is headed only by the Supreme Student Government.

III. Project rationale:

In line with vision-mission of the school, this project will help Promote cleanliness and
awareness of the students about the 3Rs; Reduce, Recycle.

IV. Project objectives:

 To expose students in different environmental activities

 To raise fund and support the Supreme Student Government (SSG) projects
 To promote the awareness of the students
V. Project description:

This project will be accomplished through the help of our officers, faculty and staff, and the
support of the students. Each sections will have a representative queen and they are required
to bring bottles for the first and last counting. From their bottles and other recyclable materials,
they will make a presentable costume to be showcased by their representative and the pageant
will begin.
VI. Project Duration:

 Each section will start collecting bottles on march 1,2019 (Friday)

 The first counting will be on March 5,2019 (Tuesday)
 The last counting will be on March 11,2019 (Tuesday)
 The pageant will begin on March 15, 2019 (Friday)

VII. Target Beneficiaries:

The five section will start collecting bottles will receive an incentive from the Supreme
Student Government (SSG) on their Christmas Party. The collected money will be used for the
LPCA battle that is proposed to be held in October.
VIII. Propose Budget

The only expenses will be prize (trophy, sash, certificates) for the winning sections and
also the reigned Bote Queen. The budget for this is estimated at Php 500-Php1500.
IX. Monitoring and Evaluation

This project will be overall managed by the Supreme Student Government (SSG) and
each adviser of the sections will assist their students for the activities.
Source: http://www.slideshare.com
What is it?
28
Directions: Interview (through phone call, text, or chat) the people in the community including the
barangay chairman, counselors, the elderly, mothers, fathers, and the youth regarding the needs
and problems of the community. After the interview, write a project proposal.

Complete the given outline to come up with a project proposal.

I. Project Title:

II. Project Proponents:

III. Project Rationale:

IV. Project Objective:

V. Project Description:

VI. Project Duration:

VII. Target Beneficiaries:

VIII. Propose Budget:

IX. Monitoring and Evaluation:

Project Proposal Writing Rubric

Excellent Proficient Basic Below Basic
5 pts. 4 pts. 3 pts. 2 pt.

Student shows a Student shows an Student shows Student shows

deep understanding of some very little
understanding of the subject matter understanding of understanding of
the subject matter and it is evident in the subject the subject
Subject and its greater the execution of matter but matter and
Matter implications. the proposal or confusion is thoroughly
Proposal or plan plan. evident in some misinterprets the
shows integration aspects of the requirements for
of some advanced proposal or plan. the class.
or researched
concepts.

The project The project The project The project

proposed is very proposed is proposed is proposed is not
original, creative original, creative somewhat creative, original
Creativity/ and ambitious. The and somewhat creative, original or ambitious, the
Ambition student is highly ambitious. The or ambitious the student is
motivated, and the student is student is not uninspired,
project has a good motivated about very excited but project has a low
potential for the project, and not bored, potential for
success. the project has a project has some success.

29
 good potential for potential for
success success.

Shows excellent Shows good effort, Shows some Shows little or no

effort, care and care and effort, care and effort, care or
creativity. creativity. creativity. creativity.

Final product is Proposal or plan is Proposal or plan Project proposal

Final Product complete and well- finished and is finished and is sloppy,
presented. Shows turned in on time. turned in, but is illegible,
excellent research, Shows good rushed and is crumpled,
careful planning, research, some poorly unfinished or
and excellent planning, vision, presented. incomplete.
execution. and good
execution.

Proposal or plan is Proposal or plan is Proposal or plan Proposal or plan

clear, concise, and well organized, makes general is vague,
has a logical and has a sensible sense but disjointed, and
structure and flow. flow and structure. requires some shows no sense
Structure and work to organize of structure, or
Flow Work shows deep Minor elements and structure in flow.
consideration of the may need a logical and
execution of the clarification but sensible manner. Confusing to
project after the otherwise well- read, difficult to
proposal's made and ready understand.
approval. for execution.

https://www.rcampus.com/rubricshowc.cfm?code=YX62W64&sp=yes&

What I Have Learned

A project proposal is basically a problem-solution text that aims to persuade its

reader to grant funding on the project or the accomplishment of the solution to the
problem. It has five basic parts, namely, title page, project summary, qualification
budget justification, and project narrative. It includes visual such as Gantt charts, for
timetable, and tables for budget justification and avoids confusing terms such as
jargons, acronyms, and abbreviations specific to a field of study.

Great job!
You are done with Lesson 4, have a break! You deserve one.
Then let’s take off to Lesson 5!
So, read on!30
 Lesson Purposeful Writing in the
Disciplines: Writing a Position
8.5 Paper

What’s New

What is a Position Paper?

A position paper is a type of academic writing that presents one’s stand or
viewpoint on a particular issue. The main objective of writing a position paper is to
take part in a larger debate by stating your arguments and proposed course of action.

Parts of a Position Paper

1. Introduction
 Write the specific issue, together with its importance and effect to the society.
 Use a lead that grabs the attention of readers.
 Define the issue and provide a thorough background.
 Provide a general statement of your position through a thesis statement.
 End the introductory paragraph with a position statement or a stand on the issue.
Keep in mind that one could take only one side of the argument.

2. Body
 The part may have several paragraphs. It may begin with short background
information or a discussion of arguments on both sides of the issue. In each
paragraph, an explanation or observation to clarify the portion of the position
statement must be written and then followed by the supporting evidence.
 State your main arguments and provide sufficient evidence.
 The evidences that can be used are the primary source- quotation, interviews
with field experts, recommendation from scholarly articles and position papers,
historical dates or events, and statistical data.
 Provide counterarguments against possible weaknesses of your arguments.

31
3. Conclusion
 On the last part of writing the paper, summarize and reinforce the concepts and
facts presented without repeating the introduction and its content. It is also
optional to include the procedure used to deal with the issue and your suggested
possible solution or recommendation.
 Explain why your position is better than any other position.
 End with a powerful closing statement (e.g., a quotation, a challenge, or a
question).

Choosing an Issue
1. The issue should be debatable. You cannot take any position if the topic is not
debatable.
2. The issue should be current and relevant.
3. The issue should be written in a question form and answerable by yes or no.
4. The issue should be specific and manageable

Guidelines in Writing a Position Paper

1. Begin the writing process with an in-depth research about the issue at hand.
2. Be aware of the various positions about the issue and explain and analyze them
objectively.
3. Reflect on your position and identify its weaknesses.
4. Establish your credibility by citing reliable sources.
5. Present a unique way of approaching the issue.
6. Limit your position paper to two pages.
7. Analyze your target readers and align your arguments to their beliefs, needs, interest, and
motivations.
8. Summarize the other side’s counterarguments and refute them with evidence.
9. Define unfamiliar terms at first mention.
10. Use an active voice as much possible. This will make your tone dynamic and firm.
11. Arrange your evidence logically using an inductive or deductive approach.
12. Check your paper for fallacies and revise accordingly.
13. Use ethical, logical, and emotional appeals. Ethical appeals relate to your credibility and
competence as writer; logical appeal refers to the rational approach in developing and
argument; emotional appeals pertain to feelings evoked during arguments. Make sure to
check your appeals to ensure that they are not fallacious.

32
33
 What Is It?

Sample position paper.

Committee: General Assembly

Topic: Global Warming
Country: The Kingdom of Sweden
Delegates: *****************
Global warming’s effects and influence on the global
climate is visible all around us now. As time has passed in the past
century, Arctic ice has begun to gradually melt and sea levels have
started to rise. If this situation continues, then low-lying island
nations such as Vanuatu and Maldives will sink into the sea and
will simply disappear.
Also, climate is changing in many parts of the world
because of global warming. For example, acid rain damaging soils
and forests, particularly in our country, serious droughts in
Australia, and abnormal weather patterns all over the world. These
things are not naturally occurring phenomena – they were caused
by human actions. Our nation is addressing global warming on a
domestic level. For example, we are separating household waste
and recycling as much as we can, and are imposing taxes on CO2
emissions. Our carbon dioxide emissions are 0.4% of the global
total.
We are raising public awareness of the environmental
problems they will face in the future, and we hope that our people
will address this issue. But individual nations cannot succeed – the
only way to secure our future is if we can get a consensus of nations
to take action to reduce these effects. Humans caused this problem
and ultimately they must address and deal with it.
We must, as global citizens, address this problem
actively. Thank you.

34
 What I Have Learned

In writing a position paper, you should

1. describe the issue and your position;
2. present both sides of the issue;
3. refute counterclaims; and (4) use some figurative language and analogies to explain a point.
You should keep in mind the properties of a well-written text to make your writing easy to read.

35

Congratulations!
You have completed your journey in this module.
You did a great job!
It’s now time to go on the next adventure.
Good luck!
 Senior High School

Reading and Writing Skills

Purposeful Writing for Professions

Learning Competency: Identify the unique features of and requirements in

composing professional correspondence. EN11/12RWS-IVhj-13
a) Resume EN11/12RWS-IVhj-13.1
b) Application for College Admission EN11/12RWS-IVhj-13.2
c) Application for Employment EN11/12RWS-IVhj-13.3
d) Various Forms of Office Correspondence
EN11/12RWS-IVhj-13.4

38
 Lesson Purposeful Writing for Professions:
Writing a Resume
9.1
What’s New

What comes to your mind when you hear the word résumé? Do you think it is important for
you to learn how to write a résumé? Why?

Résumé Formats
When you apply for a job or for any work, hiring administrators like the managers usually require
applicants to submit a résumé. To give them an overview of yourself, you need to know the different
formats in making a résumé so that it fits their standard. Below are the three types of résumé format
for you to follow.

1) Chronological Format

The chronological format is used to emphasize the applicant’s work experiences

progress. It starts with the complete work experiences, followed by the educational background.
It is best used if the applicant is applying for a job related to his previous experiences, and has
ten to fifteen years work experiences.

Heading

--------------------------------------------------

Objective:

Work Experience:

Educational Background:

Skills/Expertise:

Voluntary Activities/Involvement:

39
2) Functional Format

Functional format, on the other hand, focuses on the skills, not on the work history. It is
best used if the applicant changed career or if re-entering the industry after a long absence. It is
also used by the high school or college students entering the industry.

Heading

----------------------------------------------

Objective:

Professional Summary:

Work Experience:

Educational Background:

Skills and Expertise:

3) Combination or Hybrid Format

Combination or Hybrid combines the chronological and functional format. It
works best if the applicant is aiming for a career change or wants to present both skills and
accomplishment.

Heading

--------------------------------------------------

Objective:

Professional Summary:

Expertise and Achievements:

Work Experience:

Educational Background:

40
Writing your Resume
Below are the important features of a resume.

1) Heading
The resume heading includes the applicant’s complete name, current
address and contact details such as cell phone number or e-mail address. The heading can be
written in the centre or on the left-side. Make sure that the formatting style, especially the font type,
looks professional.

 Example:
Ronan T. Kina-adman
Los-libertadores St. Comon, Mambajao, Camiguin
Phone: (088) 387-000
Mobile: (+63) 967 570 1927
e-mail: ronankinaadman@yahoo.com

 Explanation:
The heading contains basic information about the applicant.

2) Objectives
An objective also referred to as job objective or career objective, reflects the applicant’s
career goals and intention for applying for the job. Remember to write a direct and specific
objective that contains what you want to achieve in your career and what the employer could expect
from you.

 Example:
To land a job as hotel chamberlain, making every room a home of their own.

 Explanation:
The objective given as an example includes the position and its detailed description.

3) Professional Summary
Professional summary, also referred to as ‘career summary’ or ‘career profile’, showcases
your knowledge and abilities. It includes short recent job summary, together with your soft skills
(e.g. problem-solving capability, adaptability to change, etc.).

 Example:
Good cleaner, a flexible and hardworking. Hotelier with one year experience in providing
customer service, preparing beds and maintaining cleanliness of the hotel rooms.

 Explanation:
This highlights the most valuable and recent job experience of the applicant.

41
4) Expertise and Achievement
This also refers to the ‘professional skills’ and ‘qualification’ of the applicant. It
includes personal and technical skills including the certifications and recognition received.

 Example:
Order Taking Skills

Received recognition as best housekeeper dated October 2004

excellent in finishing room make up on time

 Explanation:
This is the part where the applicant, with or without experience, can write a detailed
description of his abilities and skills.

5) Work Experience
This is also called "employment history," "relevant experience", or "work history." Work
experience is a part of a résumé where the applicant states all previous employment. If you have
no work experience yet, write first the educational background, and include the optional part Training
and Seminar Attended.

 Example:
Housekeeper
Camiguin Highland Resort
(August 2002- October 2005)

 Explanation:
The example shows the applicant’s job title, the employer and the length of service.

6) Educational Background
The educational background section can also be labelled as Academic, Academic
Qualification or Education and Certifications. Write the degree together with your major, minor or
concentration (if there is any), school and year attended.

 Example:
TESDA
Camiguin School of Arts and Trades
2001-2002

 Explanation:
The inclusion of educational background from preschool to junior high school is not required
in this part. Mentioning only the details on where and when the applicant got his senior high
school and college degree would be enough.

42
 Tips

 Pass the resume with a cover letter. A cover letter gives the employer an
overview why they are receiving the resume, job posting the applicant is
applying for and the matching skills related to the position.
 A resume is used to apply for a job that contains a summary of an applicant’s
personal information, educational background, skills and work experiences
while a Curriculum Vitae (CV) is used to apply for an academic training or grant
that contains a detailed description of a person’s educational background,
academic credential, and achievement.
 It is optional to include the following sections on the resume: Training and
Seminars Attended, Activities and Honors and References.

43
Directions: Write your resume. It must include your education, work experience,
achievements, volunteer experience, interest/activities, and computer skills.)
Here’s a sample resume you can refer to:
Sample Resume – Middle School- Minimal Work Experience

Ima J. Gaudia
Andalucia Street, Opol, Misamis Oriental
home: 904.555.5555
cell: 566.486.2222
email: studentiam@fakemail.com
Education
Currently enrolled in My Town Middle School
My Town, Florida
Work Experience
Pet Sitter
2005 – Present
• Provide pet sitting services including dog walking, feeding, and yard care.
Child Care
2005 – Present
• Provide child care for several families after school, weekends and during school vacations.
Achievements
• National Honor Society: 2005, 2006, 2007
• Academic Honor Roll: 2005-2007
Volunteer Experience
• Big Brother / Big Sisters
• Food Drives
• Run for Life
Interests / Activities
• Member of My Town Tennis Team
• Girl Scout
• Piano
Computer Skills
• Proficient with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

What I Have Learned

Resume is a summary of your educational qualification details. It highlights your skills and
experience relevant to the field. It highlights your objective and accomplishments. Its
purpose is to get you an Interview call. A resume should reflect more than just work
experience. It has three types of resume format: chronological format, functional format
and combination or hybrid format.

Great job!
You are done with Lesson 1, have a4break!
4 You deserve one.
Then let’s take off to Lesson 2!
So, read on!
 Lesson Purposeful Writing for Professions:
Writing an Application for
9.2 Employment

What’s New

What is an employment application letter?

Employment Application Letter is a one-page letter, also referred to as the "job application
letter" or "cover letter” attached to the resume when applying for jobs. The purpose of writing the
employment application letter is to highlight the applicant’s experiences and personal
qualities for him to be considered for an interview schedule, as well as with the available job
position.

Different Letter Formats

The format, including the content and tone of the employment application letter, depends on
the applicant’s preference. Employment application letter or cover letter has three different
formats: full block, modified block and semi-block format. The content in a cover letter are all
the same and will vary on the format or on the placement of each part.

1) Full Block Format

This is the most common layout used Applicant’s Address

in writing cover letter. In this format, all Date
parts are justified to the left.
Hiring Person’s Name and Company Address
Salutation

Body

Complimentary Close

Signature

45
 Applicant’s Address
2. Modified Block Format
Date
Another common format used is the modified
Hiring Person’s Name and Company block format. Modified block is a type of format
Address where applicant’s address, complementary close,
Salutation signature and sender’s identification is shifted to the
right side. Note that the first sentence in the body or
Body
in each paragraph is not indented.

Complimentary Close

Signature

3. Semi-Block Format Applicant’s Address

The least used format is the semi-block. It Date
is almost the same as the modified block format;
Hiring Person’s Name and Company
however, the difference is that the first sentence Address
in each paragraph is indented. Salutation

Body (First line is indented)

Complimentary Close
Signature

If there is no required format, it is recommended to write it in full-block with one-inch margin

on all sides, single spaced and preferably using Times New Roman font and twelve point font size.

Components of a Letter

1) Heading, Date and Inside Address

The heading includes the applicant’s address to make it easier for the employer to easily
contact the applicant. The date written below the heading indicates the date when the letter was
written. The inside address refers to where and to whom the letter is addressed. Ensure that there
is a line in between heading, date and inside address.

46
 Example:
Jerome C. Villa
Andalucia St. Lumbia
Cagayan de Oro CIty

April 03, 2002

Mr. Chris S. Lopez

Human Resource Manager
Springhills Mountain Resort
Gitago, Cagayan de Oro City

 Explanation:
Written on the first two lines of the heading is the address of the applicant. This includes
the street number, city, state and zip code. The format in writing the date is month-day-year.
The inside address includes the name of the employer or the human resource manager, his
job title, name of the company and address.

2) Greeting or Salutation
Greeting or salutation is written to indicate for whom the letter is. It should start with the
word "Dear" followed by the last name of the receiver. End the salutation with a colon (:). If the
name has not been obtained, address it as “Ma’am/Sir.”

 Example:
Dear Mr. Rozales:
or
Dear Ma’am/Sir:

 Explanation:
The greeting or salutation addresses the person concerned with the hiring process.

3) The Body
The most important and critical part in writing the employment application letter is its body.
It includes information on the job the applicant is applying for, where the job posting was
seen, and the skills and experiences the applicant possesses. You can also highlight the
reason for a career change, if there is any. Finalize the letter in two to three sentences by
including the reason why the applicant is perfect for the job and the statement of the applicant’s
desire to meet the employer or human resource person.
47
  Example:
I am writing to express my interest in the Managerial Position posted at Jobstreet.com last
February 12, 2016. As per the qualification posted in your advertisement, I consider myself
as one of the qualified applicant for the said position.

Aside from being a graduate of University of the Philippines, I also have five-year industry
experience in managing a local fast-food chain. I am applying in your good office because I
am seeking for a career growth which I believe your company can provide.

My skills and experiences are included in the resume attached on this letter. Thank you for
taking time in processing my job application papers and I look forward to meet you at your
earliest convenience.

 Explanation:
The body of the letter contains information not seen in the applicant’s resume. In this
example, the applicant clearly indicates the desired position, source of information,
qualification and experiences and reason of career shift.

4) Complimentary Close
Complimentary Close is done to politely finish the letter. Note that the complementary
close ends with comma (,).

 Example:
Sincerely,
or
Yours truly,

 Explanation:
Writing the complimentary close shows that the letter has already ended.

5) Signature and Sender’s Identification

This is considered as the last part of the letter. Write your name on the first line and your
title (if applicable) on the second line. Then sign directly above the first line.

 Example:
(Signature)
Shiela J. Perez

 Explanation:
It shows the name of the job applicant

Tips
 Make sure the letter is free of errors and does not contain any slang or informal language.
This should be written in a professional manner so it would be considered as a good
employment application letter.

48
 Limit the letter up to one page only. The employer or human resource person will not have
time to read letter longer than this.
 It is advisable to computerize the letter so that it can be read easily and print it in a good
quality paper.
 The cover letter must not repeat elaborated details written in the resume.
 The applicant must not assume that he is hired after submitting the cover letter.
 The employment application letter is attached to the resume and not the curriculum vitae.
Curriculum Vitae are submitted for academic purpose and not for job application purpose.

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 What I Have Learned

Employment Application Letter is a one-page letter, also referred to as the "job application
letter" or "cover letter” attached to the resume when applying for jobs. The purpose of writing the
employment application letter is to highlight the applicant’s experiences and personal
qualities for him to be considered for an interview schedule, as well as with the available job
position. It has different letter formats: full block format, modified block format and semi-block format.

Great job!
You are done with Lesson9. 2, have a break! You deserve one.
Then let’s take off to Lesson 9.3!
So, read on!

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 Lesson Purposeful Writing for Professions:
Writing an Application for College
9.3 Admission

What’s New

College Admission Letter and Essay

College Admission Letter also referred to as the "letter of intent," is a one-page letter
required for college and university admission. The sender writes a letter to briefly discuss his
intention for attending the college program. College Admission Essay, or known as "statement
of purpose" or "personal statement," is an essay written by the student applicant to answer the
essay topics given by the admission office.

Pre-writing
Before you write a college admission letter and essay, you must first determine the program
you want to take, followed by a thorough research on program structure. Then reflect on your
purpose in enrolling the course, your achievements, and future goals. Decide the format to
use in writing a letter. If there is no required format, write the letter in a full-block style, meaning
all parts are aligned to the left, with the format of one-inch margin, twelve-point font size, and single-
spaced paragraph.

Writing your College Admission Letter

1) Heading, Date and Inside Address
Write on the top left the heading that includes your complete address and zip code. It is the
address of the sender. The date should be fully spelled out. The inside address contains the name
of the college or university admission head, his job title (if applicable) and the address of the
university. It is the address of the receiver. Skip a line between the heading, date, and inside
address.

 Example:
a) Heading:

B15 L21 Amarillo St.

Brgy. Rizal, Makati 1218

b) Date:

February 16, 2016

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c) Inside Address:

Ms. Katarina Katigbak

Officer-in-Charge, Admission Section
Office of the Registrar
University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines
Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City

 Explanation:
The heading is a receiver’s quick reference to the sender’s address and can be used if
the letter has to return. The date indicates when the letter is written, and the inside address
refers to whom and where the letter is addressed.

2) Greeting or Salutation
It starts mostly with the word "Dear" followed by the last name of the receiver. End the
salutation with a colon (:). If the name has not been obtained, address it as “Ma’am/Sir”.

 Example:
Dear Ms. Katigbak:
or
Dear Ma’am/Sir:

 Explanation:
The greeting or salutation addresses the person concerned with the admission process.

3) The Body
The body is the main part of the letter which includes the course you are interested in,
reason for choosing the university, description of academic interest, the basis for them to
consider your application, and plans, if any. Last part will be your request to consider your
application for admission and information on how to contact you.

 Example:
I am writing to inform you of my interest in applying for Bachelor of Science in Biology at your
prestigious school – University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines.

I am enthusiastic to conduct researches in science. As shown in my scholastic achievements

and the documents attached, I am part of the team that ranked second in the recent National
Science Investigatory Project. The university offers the best tertiary education in the country
and is at its prime in research and publication. Because of this, studying at the university
would help me improve my research skills as I deepen my knowledge of biological science.

I plan to allot most of my time, during and after my studies, in conducting biological research.
I envision myself doing research for the benefit of my countrymen.

52
 I hope for your kind consideration. For any questions or concern, contact me at this number
09675701927

 Explanation:
The body of the letter entails the course chosen and the reason for choosing the college
as part of his academic career. The academic achievements related to the course, future goal
and a contact detail of the applicant are also included.

4) Complimentary Close
Complimentary Close is a polite way of finishing the letter. Remember that it always
ends with comma (,).

 Example:
Sincerely,
or
Yours Truly,

 Explanation:
Writing the complimentary close shows that the letter has already ended.

5) Signature and Sender’s Identification

This is the last part of the letter. Write your name on the first line and your title (if
applicable) on the second line. Then sign directly above the first line.

 Example:
(Signature)
Shiela A. Canillas

 Explanation:
It shows the name of the college applicant.

Writing a College Admission Essay

Most admission essays have a limit of two hundred to five hundred words and usually
answers assigned topic. The challenge here is to showcase you - as the right candidate - for their
university in a limited number of words. Remember that the purpose of this essay is to know
more of your personality without repeating what is written in the profile or registration form.
It should answer the question or topic clearly.

Introduction
The introduction should catch the attention of the reader. It should contain the main concept
for your essay. You can also restate the question without repeating the exact words.

53
  Example:
Topic: Explain why you would like to pursue a program in our college.

My goal is not just to finish a degree. It should be finishing a degree in this college.

 Explanation:
This shows the main idea of the essay. It is short, but it captures the attention of the
reader.

Content
This is the part where you should answer the topic or question with clarity. Provide
justification based on the experience you have undergone. You can also incorporate the factors that
drive you into finishing your studies.

 Example:
To be enriched holistically to serve the country cannot be possible if without the help of
the college. It is because the college has the best professors in the country – professors that
are not only into teaching but also in moulding the students.

 Explanation:
In this example, the applicant states the personal reason for pursuing a degree. It answers
the question or topic clearly.

Conclusion
To end the essay, write your plans after you graduate from their college. You could also
include the reinforcing statement stating that you are one of the best applicants to their college.

 Example:
After finishing my degree, I am looking forward to working with a research laboratory to
be of aid to our country in adding more scientific knowledge of the world around us. All of this
would be possible with the help of the college.

 Explanation:
The conclusion in this example depicts the long term goal of the college applicant.

Tips

 In writing a college admission letter, use a full-block style or the format prescribed by the
college.
 In writing a college admission essay, answer the questions directly and state specific
experiences and or achievements to support your answer.
 Make sure that it is written in a positive tone, well-written and free of errors.

54
Sample College Application Letter Writing Tips:

 As it is a formal letter, words and phrases should be chosen carefully.

 The language should be simple and easy to understand.
 The content should be short and straightforward.

Source: http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/30847_steps.pdf

Rubric College Admission Letter Writing

Needs
Excellent Very Good Satisfactory
Improvement
4 pts. 3 pts. 2 pts.
1 pt.

Format is One of the Two of the Three of the

correct, following parts is following parts following parts
including your incorrectly are incorrectly are incorrectly
address, date, formatted: your formatted: your formatted: your
Format
inside address, address, date, address, date, address, date,
salutation, body, inside address, inside address, inside address,
closing, and salutation, body, salutation, body, salutation, body,
signature. closing, and closing, and closing, and
signature. signature. signature.

Body includes Missing one Missing two Missing three or

at least three component from components from more
complete the following: at the following: at components from
paragraphs. A least three least three the following: at
Body
clear purpose is complete complete least three
(Content)
clearly stated paragraphs, paragraphs, complete
and conveyed clearly stated clearly stated paragraphs,
to the reader. purpose purpose clearly stated
purpose

Grammar Grammar and Grammar and/or Several errors in Many errors in

and spelling are spelling errors grammar and/or grammar and/or
Spelling correct. are minimal (<2 spelling (>2 spelling (>4
errors). errors). errors).

Language/ The language is One word is not Two words are More than three
Audience appropriate for appropriate for not appropriate words are not
Language is the audience. the audience. for the audience. appropriate for
formal and the audience.
appropriate.

The letter is free The letter The letter The letter

of redundant contains no more contains more contains so much
and/or than two cases of than two cases of redundant and/or
superfluous redundant and/or redundant and/or superfluous
Conciseness wording. superfluous superfluous information that
wording. wording, but they the message is
do not distract weakened.
from the
message.
56
 What I Have Learned

College Admission Letter also referred to as the "letter of intent," is a one-page letter required
for college and university admission. The sender writes a letter to briefly discuss his intention for
attending the college program. College Admission Essay, or known as "statement of purpose" or
"personal statement," is an essay written by the student applicant to answer the essay topics given
by the admission office.

Lesson Purposeful Writing for Professions:

Writing an Office Correspondence
9.4
What’s New

Office correspondence, also known as the ‘business correspondence’, is a written exchange

of internal and external communication to support all business processes. It has three major forms
including the business letter, business memo and business e-mail that may be used for internal or
external communication. Internal correspondence means that there is a communication or
agreement between departments or branches of the same company, while external correspondence
means that the communication is between the company and another organization or firm. The
purpose of the correspondence is to communicate the information in a clear and professional way.

1) Business Letter

Business letter is the traditional way of communicating information from one company to
another or used in external correspondence. The format can either be full block, modified block
and semi-block. The format used in writing a business letter depends on the requirements set by
the company. Different types of letters are sales letter, order letter, complaint letter, inquiry
letter, adjustment letter, acknowledgement letter, follow-up letter, acknowledgement letter,
cover letter, letter of recommendation and letter of resignation.

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Example of an Inquiry Letter

Andalucia St., Lumbia

Cagayan de Oro City

April 26, 2019

Mr. Dehren Jun L. Perez

Human Resource Manager
Springhills Mountain Resort
Cagayan de Oro CIty

Dear Mr. Perez:

I am writing to ask if you have found a person to fill up the position of Operations
Manager as posted on your website. We currently have two qualified applicants that
fit the position.

Attached herewith are the resumes of the applicants, for your perusal. We look
forward to work with you again and hope to hear feedback from you.

Thank you and more power!

Sincerely,
(signature)
Flynt Verlie L. Perez

Human Resource Manager

Welcome Travel Agency

Explanation:
The letter of inquiry as an example includes the heading, date, inside address, salutation,
body, complimentary close, signature and sender’s information. This letter is an external
correspondence between two difference companies.

2) Business Memo

Business memo is a written communication strictly between the company’s offices to

another, or used in internal correspondence. The difference between a memo and a letter is that
the memo has its title line and series number. The employees tend to read the if the title line is
related to their job description. It is also used to implement internal guidelines or procedures that the

58
employees must follow. Some types of memos are operational memo, financial memo, request
for action, directives, trip report, field report and dress code memo among others.

Example of Announcement Memo

Happy Learning Center

Analucia St. Lumbia, Cagayan de Oro City
Series No. 17 - 261

To: All School Teachers

From: The Head Teacher

Date: February 26, 2019

Subject: School Party

In line with the approved budget for the year 2018 - 2019 is the pursuance of the
proposed company outing this coming March 21 to 22 at the San Gregorio Farms
and Leisure. We advise everyone to prepare your sports outfit and toiletries. We
look forward to see you enjoy in our two day company outing.

Thank you for your continuous support.

(signature)
Flynt Verlie L. Perez

Explanation:
The announcement memo includes information about the company outing of the employees.
The company also uses their own letterhead.

3) Business e-mail
Business e-mail is an office correspondence that can either be internal or external. There
is no required format in writing e-mail correspondence but it is expected that the writer maintain a
professional tone. Note that the header of the letter is written on the blank fields including the ‘from’
and ‘to’ fields. ‘From’ contains e-mail from the sender while the field ‘to’ contains the email of the
recipient.

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Example of a Business e-mail

From: Flnt Verlie P.

To: Jessa H. jessa@hr.heping.com
Subject: Re: Vacant Position for supervisorship

Dear Ma’am Jessa:

Good day!

In behalf of Areflor Funeral Homes, we extend our deepest gratitude for helping us
scout qualified applicants in the industry. We hope to work again with you.

Cheers!

Best regards,
Flynt Verlie L. Perez
Human Resource Personnel
Flora Homes Caven
Cagayan de Oro City
Tel. No. (088) 123-234-345

Explanation:
In the above example, the e-mail correspondence is informal and external. It expresses
gratitude towards the effort made by the manpower agency.

Tips

 Make sure the office correspondence is concise and easy to understand. It is

recommended for a correspondence to have brief sentences and paragraphs for the
employees tend to read it quickly.
 Controlling the tone of writing is important in any office correspondence. It should not sound
too formal or too informal.

60
 What I Have Learned

Office correspondence is a written exchange of internal and external communication

to
support all business processes. It is also known as the business correspondence.

A business letter is a traditional way of communicating information from one company

to
another or used in external correspondence.

A business memo is a written communication strictly between the company’s offices

to
another.

A business e-mail is an office correspondence that can either be internal or external.

There
is no required format in writing e-mail correspondence but it is expected that the writer maintains
a professional tone.

63