Year 12 Academic

Writing Program

Y12 Academic Writing

Term Paper

Write a reflective essay of 800-1000 words on your choice of ONE of the following prompts:

1. Students find contentment, satisfaction, and meaning in daily interactions and major
discoveries. Whether big or small, mundane or spectacular, tell us about three things
that bring you meaning or joy.

2. Does school enable you to be your full self? Why/why not? Discuss three separate
issues/areas in your response.

3. What do you wish your teachers knew about you, your life, and the world at large that
you don’t think they know right now? Discuss these three distinct areas in your
response.

4. If you could change three things about your school’s culture what would they be, and
how would you implement change?

5. What do outsiders, including the news media, get wrong about what it’s like to be a
high school student right now? Discuss three separate issues/areas in your response.

Your work will be assessed for language accuracy, communicative effectiveness and structure,
with particular reference to your reflexive skills.
 Year 12 Academic
Writing Program

Chosen topic:

Introduction
(including a
clear topic
statement)
Paragraph 1: Examples/
Aspect 1 Illustrations:

Paragraph 2: Examples/
Aspect 2 Illustrations:

Paragraph 3: Examples/
Aspect 1 Illustrations:

Reflective
summary
(reinforces the
main overall
point)
 Year 12 Academic
Writing Program

Rita’s chosen If you could change three things about your school’s culture what would they be, and how would you implement change?
topic:
Introduction Of the many things that need to be fixed in school, the overuse of plastic items is one of the most prominent. With the threat
(including a of climate change on every side, it is really important that schools set an example by addressing this important issue,
clear topic alongside providing transport to and from the building and offering more eco-friendly food options in the canteen.
statement)
Paragraph 1: The dangers of single use plastic. Examples/ All the plastic cups in the water dispensers
Aspect 1 Illustrations: around the building.

Paragraph 2: The need for the school to provide transport for students, Examples/ All the big, fuel-guzzling cars in the parking
Aspect 2 rather that us using cars. Illustrations: lot every morning.

Paragraph 3: More eco-friendly food. Examples/ My best friend Rachel, a vegan, struggles to
Aspect 1 Illustrations: find things to eat at school during lunch
hour.

Reflective Overall, as has been clearly demonstrated, the school needs to implement a lot of changes to bring it into the
summary environmentally-friendly 21st century.
(reinforces the
main overall
point)
 Year 12 Academic
Writing Program

Rita’s Term Paper (thus far…)

Of the many things that need to be fixed in school, the overuse of plastic items is one of the

most prominent. With the threat of climate change on every side, it is really important that

schools set an example by addressing this important issue, alongside providing transport to

and from the building and offering more eco-friendly food options in the canteen.

Single use plastic is everywhere in our building from the coffee stirrers in the café to the biro

pens that are freely available in the school shop. This must stop! We can’t allow this terrible

pollution of our immediate environment and the world at large to continue. It’s really really

bad – think about what would happen if our children and grandchildren still use plastic this

way. One particularly bad example is found all around the building in the plastic cups that we

drink from in break times and during the lunch. Why can’t we change these for glass ones?

They’re much more environmentally friendly because they could be reused again.

Another thing that needs to be addressed very soon is the big issue of pollution caused by all

the cars that our familys use every day getting us to and from school. Do we really need

these? Couldnt the school just organise a bus network for us, to pick us up from a few

important meeting points around the city? That would save everyone time money, and the

emission of poisonous gases like carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide.

 Year 12 Academic
Writing Program

Lewis’s chosen What do you wish your teachers knew about you, your life, and the world at large that you don’t think they know right now?
topic: Discuss these three distinct areas in your response.
Introduction Learning is a process that we all experience, teachers as well as students. We are all, surely, learning all the time: life is a
(including a learning opportunity from start to finish. One of the things I’ve learned about myself is that I’m an introvert. This doesn’t
clear topic mean I don’t like people, just that solitude is what refreshes me most: being able to be alone with my thoughts and think
statement) about things. To give a window on this to my teachers, who I often avoid talking to, I’d like to set out what they should learn
about me personally, my life and the introverted world in which I live.
Paragraph 1: I’m an introvert. Examples/ Presenting before a group and the stress of
Aspect 1 Illustrations: public speaking – class presentations. Maybe
give one or two definitions of what being
introverted is/means.

Paragraph 2: Being introverted and experiencing social anxiety. Examples/ Why I avoid parties and what I do to
Aspect 2 Illustrations: recharge my battery after exposure to too
many people.

Paragraph 3: How being introverted is a power that shapes the world in a Examples/ Famous people: Bill Gates, Barak Obama, J.
Aspect 1 positive way, and something I’m learning to harness. Illustrations: K. Rowling. List sources like interviews, and
give specific examples of where they all talk
about this.
Reflective Overall, my experiences have taught me to use being an introvert as a superpower, just like Susan Cain said in her TED Talk.
summary I’ve learned how to do this, and now I hope my teachers will be able to do the same.
(reinforces the
main overall
point)
 Year 12 Academic
Writing Program

Lewis’s Term Paper (thus far…)

Learning is a process that we all experience, teachers as well as students. We are all, surely,

learning all the time: life is a learning opportunity from start to finish. One of the things I’ve

learned about myself is that I’m an introvert. This doesn’t mean I don’t like people, just that

solitude is what refreshes me most: being able to be alone with my thoughts and think about

things. To give a window on this to my teachers, who I often avoid talking to, I’d like to set out

what they should learn about me personally, my life and the introverted world in which I live.

When I was 14, I had a kinda of eureka moment when I read an article about Einstein. This article

cited specific moments in Einstein’s life that demonstrated his personality was introverted. I found

it very inspiring, because i could see that i had things in common with Einstein. Suddenly this

thing that so often got in the way felt more like something that could empower me.

Sometimes, because I’m an introvert, I feel anxious around people. I deliberately avoid going too

shopping centres or places where I know there will be crowds, like football matches. My family

have learned to avoid popular holiday destinations and instead go to places that are more of the

beaten track, otherwise I’d be stressing out all the time.

I wish my teachers knew what all this feels like. Overall, my experiences have taught me to use

being an introvert as a superpower, just like Susan Cain said in her TED Talk. I’ve learned how to

do this, and now I hope my teacher’s will be able to do the same.