This document discusses establishing purpose and organization in writing. It explains that purpose influences word choice and tone to guide the writer. Organization refers to systematically structuring a text like a bell curve with stages like orientation, problem, climax, resolution and coda. Understanding purpose and organization is important to ensure writing is directed and complete. The document provides examples of writing prompts and uses a sample story planned around the bell curve structure to illustrate how to effectively plan a composition.

1. Writing 101
Effective Essays -
Establishing Purpose and
Understanding Organisation

2. Learning Objectives

To understand the importance of establishing
purpose in writing

To understand the importance of forming a
systematic structure as the backbone in writing.

3. Introduction – Purpose

John was careful about his movements. He didn't
want his tracks to be discovered. At least, not yet.
Ever carefully, slowly but surely, he makes his
move and closes in for the kill.

The shark is the most fearsome predator in the
ocean. Evolving from million of years in
evolution, it ranks at the top of the food chain in
the deep blue sea.
What is the purpose of each text? Do they serve
the same audience (reader) and objective?

4. Purpose

There is a purpose behind each piece of writing.
This purpose influences the writer in the choice
of his words, how he organised his thoughts
and the tone they are expressed in.

In other words, having a purpose in the mind
guides the writer in writing. It is the reason a
piece of writing is attempted.

5. Purpose

Without purpose, your writing will be
directionless.

Like a rudderless ship in the ocean, you will be
drifting this way and that, your story ending up
in a way that’s very different than what you
expected it to be in the beginning.

From the start, it is important, therefore, to
determine the purpose that your essay has to
fulfill.

6. Purpose - Situational Writing

In Situational Writing, you are tasked with a
certain job.

Be it to write an email or a letter to a relative or
best friend, the most common purpose is to
inform.

You would be having certain information that
the recipient of your email or letter does not
have.

Some of the past-year questions are given in the
next flashcard.

7. PSLE Situational Writing Questions

Write an email to the Manager of the Bedok Public
Library to inform him of the librarian's good deed.

Write a letter to the residents of your neighbourhood
asking them to return your rabbit if they see it.

Write an email to your best friend, Tom, telling him of
the busy week you have had and your plans for the
weekend.

Write a letter to the manager of Kico CD shop to ask
for an exchange for the CD which was broken.
What do you see is the main purpose of each writing?

8. Purpose - Continuous Writing

In Continuous Writing, you are given two choices
– a picture-based question and a descriptive one.
They share a common purpose – to entertain.

As these stories are created from your
imagination, they fall into the category of
Narratives or fictional stories.

This is one genre that you are probably
most familiar with. Harry Porter, Percy
Jackson and Ben 10 are some characters
based on fictional stories.

9. PSLE Continuous Writing Questions

You were waiting for your mother outside a
shopping mall when you heard a strange noise.

You were travelling in an MRT train when it
came to a sudden stop. The next minute, you
found yourself in total darkness.

You were queuing to pay for your groceries
with your father when you heard the fire alarm
go off.
What is the main purpose of writing in each
question?

10. Introduction - organising your stories

Purpose talks about the 'why' – the intention in
which a text is crafted.

Organisation talks about the 'how' – the form or
structure which a text takes.

As you will see, your story's organisation
follows a systematic structure that captures all
the main ideas that must be present for a
complete story.

11. Organisation

The organisation of a story follows the shape of a
Bell, to reflect its rising tempo or excitement.

Hence, the overall structure of how your story
follows a Bell Curve.
Climax
Escalation
Resolution
Problem
Orientation Coda

12. Organisation – like the human body

Following a standard structure like this doesn't
mean that your story is going to be rigid and
plain vanilla.

On the contrary, like the skeletal system in the
human body – skull, spine, diaphragm – it
provides the story's basic structure while your
imagination fleshes out the details just like each
and everyone of us looks, talks and thinks
differently while retaining the same, basic
human form!

13. Bell Curve – as a planning guide

Having a correct organisation for your stories
will ensure that your story feels correct!

More importantly, it provides you with a guide
on how to plan for your story in the planning
stage.

Planning your story will then be faster, easier
and better.

14. Bell Curve – as a planning guide
• As a planning guide, using the Bell Curve
helps you to think about the main ideas - the
turning points in your story as shown in the
Bell Curve.
• You would then call on your language skills to
flesh out the details in between, bearing in
mind principles and techniques of good
writing.
• The following illustrates this example.

16. Bell Curve – as a planning guide
• Orientation – good day, in the park, a girl, old
man and a marathon runner in a competition.
• Problem – a collision, the girl fell and the old
man witnessed the entire accident.
Fleshing out the details:
It was a beautiful day to be out. The sun hid its
warmth and peeked behind the clouds; little
gusts of wind blew, but not too strongly.
Little did Ann know that she would have an
unforgettable encounter that would be a
blessing in disguise. (Continued...)

17. Bell Curve – as a planning guide
• Ann was pounding hard on the road, focused
on delivering the prized package of sundry
items she had in her hands that she had little
concern for anything else. Usually, she would
take in the park’s sights and sounds as she ran
errands for her mother; this time round, she
had to hurry like what her mother had
ordered.
• Little did she see what came next as she was
rudely jolted by a shock collision. She felt
herself falling and tried as she would...

18. Bell Curve – as a guide post
• In each stage, the writer is guided by the
stages of the Bell Curve that must be
described in the story.
• With little doubt, the Bell Curve shows you
what to expect in each stage of your story’s
development.
• This is to ensure that you never go out of
point.

19. Learning Activity
• With the picture composition below, practice
quick writing with the bell curve.

20. Learning Activity Suggested Answers
O – subway, busker, rush hour, returning home
P – up to mischief, bet, wink, terms
E – stretched out, scanning, serenading
C – shouted, caught red-handed
R – sheepish-looking, picking up coins only
C – silly bet, wiser in the future
Together, these form the key points of a picture
composition.

21. Discussion
• What does purpose in our writing describe?
• What does organisation in our writing
describe?
• What is the benefit for knowing the purpose
and organisation in writing?

22. In summary
• Purpose determines the objective of
attempting a piece of writing. It talks about
the ‘why’ of your composition.
• Organisation describes the ‘how’ and shows
you the important stages you must have for a
story to be considered complete.
• Together, they guide your writing and ensure
that you never go out of point.