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Value: 10% of course grade
Due Date: Thursday, November 15
Your Role
For this assignment, you are yourself: a UVic student and resident of your city or municipality, British Columbia, and Canada.
Your Task
Write a letter to an appropriate government official (municipal, provincial, or federal) about an issue that you feel needs attention.
- If the issue concerns your city or municipality, write to the mayor or municipal council.
- If the issue is a provincial responsibility, write to the appropriate provincial cabinet minister.
- If the issue is a federal responsibility, write to the appropriate federal cabinet minister.
- If you are not sure who might have responsibility for the issue, ask me.
You are free to choose any situation you feel is unfair, poorly managed, a threat to your future, or in need of attention for whatever reason. As you consider topics, remember to think about what you want from the person you are writing to. Do you want information, an explanation, action? Be specific about what you think should be done and what kind of response you are expecting.
Format and Style
Follow the advice on format and style in section 10 of The Canadian Style. Note that it does not include advice on how to format the return address for private correspondence. You'll find advice on that at this page.
A few things to keep in mind when you are writing a letter:
- A letter has three parts:
- an introduction that establishes the purpose
- a middle that fully develops the message (as appropriate to the purpose)
- a courteous, graceful closing that makes clear what you expect to happen
- Plan and outline what you are going to say before you start writing.
- Always be brief, clear, specific and respectful.
- Focus your message so that it achieves your purpose.
- Keep your paragraphs to one idea each.
- Develop your ideas logically and carefully.
- If you wouldn’t say it, don’t write it.
- Be direct.
- Be definite.
- Make sure your work is letter perfect.
Read Letter Writing Tips for more suggestions.
Peer Scholar Editing: November 15
Please have a draft of your letter ready before class on Thursday, November 15, for a short Peer Scholar session. If you don't participate in this session, you will lose 30% of your grade for the assignment.
Submitting Your Assignment
Name your file: yourlastnameletter1.doc (e.g., doyleletter1.doc) and send it to me as an e-mail attachment by 11:59 p.m. on November 15.
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