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Work Sample & Commentary:  Using the Library Reference Computers
The task
Students were asked to write a set of instructions for a familiar procedure. They were encouraged to find situations beyond the classroom where a set of instructions was needed. The students were asked to pay particular attention to the audience and purpose of their work. The final version of the following work sample that came from this assignment is being used currently in a library to guide students in their research.

Circumstances of performance
This sample of student work was produced under the following conditions:
alone in a group
in class as homework
with teacher feedback with peer feedback
timed opportunity for revision

What the work shows
d Writing: Produce a narrative procedure that:
• engages the reader by establishing a context, creating a persona, and otherwise developing reader interest;
• provides a guide to action for a relatively complicated procedure in order to anticipate a reader’s needs; creates expectations through predictable structures, e.g., headings; and provides smooth transitions between steps;
• makes use of appropriate writing strategies such as creating a visual hierarchy and using white space and graphics as appropriate;
• includes relevant information;
• excludes extraneous information;
• anticipates problems, mistakes, and misunderstandings that might arise for the reader;
• provides a sense of closure to the writing.
This work sample illustrates a standard-setting performance for the following parts of the standards:
d Writing: Produce a narrative procedure.
a Conventions: Demonstrate an understanding of the rules of the English language.
b Conventions: Analyze and subsequently revise written work.

The guide engages the reader by establishing a simple context in the title, i.e., how to use reference computers to conduct research for school tasks.

The creation of the persona of a helpful, non-critical guide who has personal knowledge of the procedure being described lends credibility to the instructions.

The guide anticipates the reader’s needs by describing what is on the computer screen and by explaining where to find the arrows that move the cursor, what the cursor looks like, and how to select a folder.
White space and headings are incorporated as guides to the procedure. In addition, single words are used to provide transitions.

The guide includes information relevant to a particular type of computer in a specific library.
Problems that the reader might encounter are anticipated in the section on “Helpful Tips.”

a Conventions, Grammar, and Usage of the English Language: The student demonstrates an understanding of the rules of the English language in written and oral work, and selects the structures and features of language appropriate to the purpose, audience, and context of the written or oral work. The student demonstrates control of:
• grammar;
• paragraph structure;
• punctuation;
• sentence construction;
• spelling;
• usage.
In almost error free writing, the students demonstrated an understanding of the rules of the English language.

The students incorporated several writing strategies to help keep the guide user-friendly. For example, the information is organized into paragraphs and separated by headings and white space. The students used bullet points to delineate the separate items under the “Helpful Tips” section and they also included concrete examples with each set of directions.

b Conventions, Grammar, and Usage of the English Language: The student analyzes and subsequently revises work to clarify it or make it more effective in communicating the intended message or thought. The student’s revisions should be made in light of the purposes, audiences, and contexts that apply to the work. Strategies for revising include:
• adding or deleting details;
• adding or deleting explanations;
• clarifying difficult passages;
• rearranging words, sentences, and paragraphs to improve or clarify meaning;
• sharpening the focus;
• reconsidering the organizational structure.

The students added information in the writing process, e.g., the early draft has one helpful tip while the final draft includes three tips.
The students deleted selected passages, e.g., the section titled “How to use the Reference Computers” in the early draft was compressed into the section titled “Working in Your Chosen Folder.”
The students clarified a number of passages, e.g., “The following directions will help you find your book” became “The following directions will help you find books after you have chosen a folder.”
The students sharpened the focus, e.g., the change of title from “Getting Started” to “Using the Library Reference Computers To Find Books For Your Research” makes the piece specific rather than general.