A Guide for Students Writing Diploma Exams

The Personal Response to Texts Assignment

The Personal Response to Texts Assignment requires you to explore a given thematic topic in response to texts provided in the examination booklet.

Texts will include visual text(s) and any combination of poetry, fiction, and/or nonfiction. A brief comment relating the texts to the thematic topic will be provided. The assignment will allow you to write about what these texts suggest to you about the topic presented.

Select a prose form that is appropriate to the ideas you want to express and that will enable you to communicate effectively to the reader. Do not use a poetic form.

Support and develop your response with reference to one or more of the texts and to your previous knowledge and/or experience. You may respond from a personal, creative, and/or analytical perspective. Make a careful and purposeful choice when selecting a prose form and a perspective because your choices determine the set of expectations markers will have as they assess the success of your presentation.

The time suggested to complete the Personal Response to Texts Assignment is approximately 45 to 60 minutes. Be sure to give yourself an appropriate amount of time for planning and revision.

The Personal Response to Texts Assignment is worth 20% of the total examination mark (Parts A and B combined) and is assessed according to two scoring categories: Ideas and Impressions, and Presentation, each worth 10% of the total examination mark. This assignment also introduces you to the thematic topic of the Critical / Analytical Response to Literary Texts Assignment.