714 1.5p

Unit4Assignment5.docx

UNIT 4: PUBLIC WRITING

Instructions:

This unit will consist of two components. The first is a public writing project, and the second is a strategy essay that will accompany and explain your project.

Public Writing Project:

1) Continuing with the same topic from Units 2 and 3, choose a public writing genre and a specific audience. Some examples are listed below. You are also welcome to do another genre or medium – just discuss it with me first.

· Press release

· Popular magazine article

· Public service advertisement

· Museum/exhibit notes

· Public lecture/TED Talk

· Pamphlet

· Radio/podcast presentation

· Television presentation

· Children’s book

2) Once you’ve chosen a genre, look at some examples. How do these examples approach the genre? What is their purpose? Who is their audience? How do they appeal to that audience? What rhetorical strategies do they use and to what effect?

3) Compose your public writing project, which may consist of text, images, sound, video, or a combination. Carefully consider your rhetorical choices as they relate to your audience and goals.

Strategy Essay

1) As you’re working on your public writing project, carefully consider the rhetorical choices you make. What is your purpose? How does your project appeal to its audience? What strategies are you using and why?

2) Compose a short essay (750-1000 words) in which you identify your audience, purpose, genre, and means of distribution. The essay must articulate and discuss the rhetorical strategies you have used in your project. Why did you make these choices? How do they appeal to your audience? How do they accomplish your purpose? You won’t be able to cover every strategy you’ve used, so choose a few on which to focus. This essay will be similar to your rhetorical analysis essay in Unit 1.

Audience:

You need to identify your target audience for the public writing project. The audience for the strategy essay is your classmates and me.

Purpose:

Now that you’ve written for a scholarly audience and a professional audience, we’re moving on to another important audience. Educating the public is a difficult but necessary part of many fields. This project is an opportunity to learn how to explain complex material to a broad audience – an audience that may lack knowledge of or even interest in the topic.

Evaluation:

Sample Analysis, Plan, and Drafts will be graded on timeliness and completion. The final drafts of both the public writing project and the strategy statement will be evaluated according to the rubric below.

Requirements:

Strategy Statement must be 750-1000 words

Citations (MLA, APA or other style common to your field)

Resources: I encourage you to come to my office hours (or make an appointment). You may also visit the Writing Center at any point in the process.

ASSIGNMENTS AND DATES

Sample Analysis: 4/16

Find and read 3 examples of the genre/medium you’ve selected. They do not need to be on the same topic you’re studying.

1) For each example:

- Identify the rhetor, audience, and goals.

- List at least 3 rhetorical strategies you’ve observed

- What is the strategy and how is it used in the public document?

- How do you think this strategy would affect the audience?

- Do you think this strategy effectively works toward the goal? Why/not?

2) Consider all three public documents together

- What strategies or features do the examples have in common?

- Why do you think those strategies are common to the genre?

Plan: 4/16

The plan must include:

- The genre, medium, and means of distribution you’ve chosen

- An explanation for why you’ve made those choices

- Your target audience for the project

- Your goals for that target audience

- Questions or concerns about the unit

Draft 1: 4/18

This draft must include a rough draft of the public writing project and the introduction and at least two body paragraphs of your strategy essay.

Draft 2: 4/25

This draft should be as complete and finished as possible and must include both your public

writing project and your strategy essay.

Final Draft: 5/2

		PUBLIC DOCUMENT
Genre	0-9	10-11	12-13	14-15
	- The genre is not discernible - The project does not follow the conventions of the genre	- The genre is somewhat unclear - Project deviates more significantly from the genre conventions - Project poorly executes the genre	- Genre is apparent - Project uses conventions of the genre, with some deviations - Project is a good example of the genre	- Genre is immediately apparent - Project successfully uses conventions of the genre, including language, tone, voice, organization, and visuals. - Project uses the genre in an inventive or particularly convincing way
Purpose	0-9	10-11	12-13	14-15
	- The project’s message is not discernable or there seem to be multiple purposes - The project doesn’t attempt to demonstrate its relevance - The project does not seem to consider its audience	- The project’s message is somewhat muddled - The project fails to make its information and ideas appealing to the audience - The project is often inappropriate for the target audience	- The project’s message is clear - The project makes its information and ideas interesting for the audience - The project is appropriate for the target audience, with minor deviations	- The project’s message is clear and convincing - The project communicates information and ideas important for the target audience - The project is appropriate for the target audience
Rhetorical Effectiveness	0-12	13-15	16-17	18-20
	- The strategies are not discernable or are inappropriate and unsuccessful - The strategies fail to successfully communicate - The strategies do not attempt to convince the audience of the project’s importance	- Some of the project’s strategies are inappropriate for the audience or unsuccessful - The strategies communicate some of the ideas and information - The strategies do not convince the audience of the project’s importance	- The project deploys strategies that appeal to the target audience, with mixed success - The strategies communicate ideas and information, with some exceptions - The strategies convey the importance of the project	- The project deploys rhetorical strategies that appeal to the target audience - The strategies effectively communicate ideas and information - The strategies convince the target audience of the project’s importance

		STRATEGY ESSAY
Introduction/ Purpose	0-5	6-7	8	9-10
	- The essay does not identify its purpose, audience, genre, and/or means of distribution	- The essay does not clearly identify its purpose, audience, genre, and/or means of distribution	- The essay identifies its purpose, audience, genre, and means of distribution	- The essay clearly identifies its purpose, audience, genre, and means of distribution
BODY PARAGRAPHS
Leads	0-1	2	3-4	5
	- Lead sentences are missing or unrelated to the paragraph - Paragraphs purposes are difficult to discern	- Lead sentences are vague or lack a specific strategy/effect - Paragraphs are redundant	- Paragraphs have lead sentences that state the strategy/effect - There may be some similarity among paragraphs	- Paragraphs have effective lead sentences that clearly identify a strategy and its effect - Each paragraph is distinct from the others
Evidence	0-1	2	3-4	5
	- Evidence is missing, inappropriate, or merely taking up space - Evidence may be entirely lacking in integration, explanation, or analysis	- Evidence may be lacking, inappropriate or appears intended to take up space - Evidence may be poorly integrated, explained, or analyzed	- Evidence is appropriate, but may not be sufficient - Evidence is not fully integrated, explained, or analyzed (1 of the 3)	- Evidence is appropriate and sufficient - Evidence is integrated, explained, and analyzed
Analysis	0-9	10-11	12-13	14-15
	- The paragraph does not identify strategies - The paragraph does not explain the writer’s thinking - The effect on audience and/or connection to the goal are not mentioned	- The paragraph identifies some rhetorical strategies - The paragraph explains some of the writer’s thinking - The effect on audience or connection to goal are less clear	- The paragraph discusses specific rhetorical strategies - The paragraph explains the writer’s thinking - The paragraph explains the effect on the audience and the connection to the goal	- The paragraph discusses specific rhetorical strategies - The paragraph illustrates the thinking behind the writer’s rhetorical strategies - The paragraph clearly shows the effect on the audience and the connection to the goal
Finishers	0-1	2	3-4	5
	- Finishers are disconnected from the paragraph or main idea of the essay	- Finishers are vague or ineffective	- Finishers are clear but lack sufficient connection to the main idea of the essay	- Paragraphs have clear, effective finishers linking back to the main idea of the essay
		BOTH PARTS
Grammar/ Style	0-1	2	3-4	5
	- The writing has many grammatical problems - The problems disrupt the meaning - Many of the sentences are not clear - Language is very choppy and difficult to read	- The writing has frequent grammatical problems - The problems may disrupt the meaning at times - Most of the sentences are clear - The language may be choppy or difficult to follow at times	- The paper is mostly free from grammatical problems - The problems don’t disrupt the meaning - Sentences are clear - Most of the paper reads smoothly	- The paper is (nearly) free from grammatical problems - Sentences are clear - The paper reads smoothly
Citation	0-1	2	3-4	5
	- In-text citations are incorrect or absent - Works cited list is incorrect or absent	- In-text citations are sometimes incorrect -Works cited list is sometimes incorrect	- In-text citations are mostly correct - Works cited list is mostly correct	- In-text citations are correct - Works cited list is correct, including formatting