2019 1st Semester Apprentice~Precis IRP

Writer Apprenticeship Final IRP #1 for 1st Semester

“Good writing isn’t a science. It’s an art, and the horizon is infinite. You can always get better.” -David Foster Wallace

Task:  Inspired by DFW's words on writing, we will continue our study of craft. Our next project will involve you following a columnist from a major newspaper/ publication over the next few weeks.  The purpose of this project is for you to learn at the feet of a contemporary master of argumentative prose.  You will collect a minimum of four current columns and analyze the patterns of persuasion and style of this writer.  

 Too easy!  

Areas of annotation for each column:

• Speaker’s tone and possible tone shifts~ Why?
• Rhetorical strategies ~For what effect?
• Organization and arrangement ~Why here?
• Methods of appeals to specific targets of this audience~ Why would the audience be sensitive or respond to this?
• Intended audience reactions- laughter, anger, confusion, clarify, etc.

Questions to guide your observations for analysis:

1. How does the title prime the reader? why is it a "privileged perch"?
2.  What is the thesis and where is it? Why would it be placed there for what effect?
3. What introductory technique(s) did the author use?  Is the technique woven into the essay?  How? Is there a return to it in the conclusion? What is the intended effect?
4. Our texts have reflected some of the purposes of argument.  Using the language of your text, identify the purpose (s) of this argument. Is this a ceremonial argument, a deliberative argument, a forensic argument?  
5. What appears to be the balance of ethos(flex), pathos (spectrum of distinct emotional appeals), or logos (leveraging of data/ stats) this editorial?
6. Comment on the method of conclusion.  What can you learn from this method of closing?
7. What appeals are in the argument? Really think about psychology and how the writer is "unlocking" the reader.
8. After studying this piece, what, if anything, would you like to emulate as a writer?

Check out New York Times Opinion pages and columnists or the syndicated columnists from USA Today/CNN/ US News for your selection of the writer. Washington Post maybe? How about an international point of view from The Guardian/ Independent UK or Project Syndicate? Explore an idea first and stumble into a writer with Allsides ? Take this time to sample some writers and find the best one that suits your potential growth in argument writing.
LA Times/Chicago Tribune/WSJ (paywall?/ The Economist/Bloomberg or even more regional.
If you go over your "free articles", use ProQuest to search the articles.

Remember that the "I" in IRP stands for Independent. Outside of today, there will be limited time to work on this project in class. This means that there is a level of trust and academic maturity required to meet the demands. If you wait until the last few days to complete the analysis of the writer, the project will suffer as your analysis will be weak as will your Apprentice essay. On the flip side, keeping a disciplined regiment of analysis of a new editorial piece every 1-2 days will pay off as you will be less stressed and will allow for a proper reflection on the technique of your writer. This reflection will make the drafting of the Apprentice essay smooth.

While we will not use Google Sites this year, you can follow this model Editorial Project and Apprentice Essay from Matt Wenz. This is what it will resemble in Google docs. Target no less than 5 solid observations per editorial. You will then write a rhetorical analysis of one of the techniques of the editorial directly under the article. The rhetorical analysis paragraph will essentially be commenting on the dynamic of technique impacting the audience with direct evidence. A model of this will be posted shortly. Too easy!

Due dates- 
Writer selection by 11/4/2019
1st Editorial annotation by 11/5/2019
Editorial Annotation/ Reflection on Writer Style  
Editorial Essay-November...

Expect one drop in where I verify that you are keeping up with the intent of this project.  

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In Pod We Trust

This is most likely a paradox of choice but you will find something of interst.  Remember, this is to be an episode to expand the horizon of critical thought and perspective for all of your classmates.

Topics
WSJ- The Journal

WJ: The Future of Everything
Flash Forward
Philosophy Bites
Thinking Allowed
RadioLab
Sweet Reason
Freakonomics
NYT The Daily
Today Explained
TED Radio Hour
Planet Money
Revisionist History
Hidden Brain
Invisibilia
You Are Not So Smart
What is Life? (Carl Zimmer)
Reply All
On the Media

Cato Daily Podcast

99% Invisible

NYT- The Argument

TED Talks Daily

BBC The Documentary Podcast

BBC The Inquiry

The Economist podcasts

Technology

In Machines We Trust

Decoder

Future Perfect

Wired Podcasts

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
Interview with experts
Intelligence Squared
Ezra Klein Show
Knowledge Project
Philosophy Bakes Bread~ Mr. C was interviewed
Smart People 
Fresh Air
Art of Charm
Mindscape
Arthur Brooks Show
Inquiring Minds
Your Undivided Attention

SWAY- Kara Swisher
NYT- Ezra Klein Interviews

Ologies

AP Language 2018-2019- Who dis?

#wegoreads @ItsCaptOz pic.twitter.com/lOVaVEhaKh

— Brian Turnbaugh (@wegotwits) July 16, 2015

• Join Remind for course reminders sent via text.
• Get these Google Apps...for now...

1. Readability/Mercury Reader
2. One Tab
3. Google Keep
4. Audio Recorder

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Who you need (or who I heavily recommend) to follow on Twitter:
@wegotwits
@brainpicker- Essential enrichment resource for this course.  Read daily.

@Longreads
@nytopinion
@TheAtlantic
@PostOpinions

 For visuals and data
@flowingdata
@nytgraphics
@BeautifulMaps
 @VoxMaps

Photography
@TheAtlPhoto
@nytimesphoto
@timepictures
@AP_Images
@GettyImages
@LIFE

Political Cartoons
@GoComics
@CaglePost



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Pile O' Sources for Final

Source A- The Things They Carried
Source B-What makes a moral soldier? NPR Interview of Gen. Pace- Transcript
Source C-The Cat by Ryan Alexander (Read along in War poetry packet)
Source D-from Manchester's journal Goodbye Darkness via War is a Force that Gives Us Meaning
Source E-Photos-A-B-C-D-E
Source F- The Marlboro Marine
Source-G The War Within-
Source-H-Why veterans miss war TED Talk- Sebastian Junger (Text)
Source-I New York Times- Home Fires series
Source-J I am Sorry it has Come to This
Source-K Marked (Photo Essay- Portraits of Soldiers before, during, and after)
Source- L Virginia Woolf Quote
Source -M-Why I am a Marine
Source- N Rambo III Trailer
Source-O- Chart on current soldier mortality
Source- P 1st Squad, 3rd platoon.

Source Q- Female Veterans

Source R- Top ten charities that support veterans
Source S- Photo Essay(James Nachtwey)  and article
Source T- Nature of War

Source U- The German in the Woods

Source V- 1000 Yard Stares
Source W- Zippos
Source X- Medic from Afghanistan- from the scene
Source Y- Podcast- Radiolab on Medic team in Afghanistan
Source Z- Letters of Note- The Most Extraordinary Scene

2018- IRP Synthesis Research

The Synthesis Research-Our very own prompt!

*There are many working parts to this research so please stop/ask/clarify at any point*

Now we enter into Phase 2 of the project. Here we will simulate the research and process of creating the materials for a thoughtful synthesis essay. This will include focused research that requires critical thinking regarding the inclusion of evidence you will use for your eventual synthesis essay.  Your research will be excerpted into a Google Classroom Template. These are very easy steps meant to free you up so that you can drill down on the creative connections necessary for solid research and rich connections among your sources.

The following research tech tools will facilitate your work:

• Easy Bib-Thanks to Ms. Brady
• LRC Research data bases- content or others
• On Classroom-IRP 2018 Synthesis Sources

Step 1- Synthesis Prompt- You have just finished a work of non-fiction that raises several issues. Crafting a prompt will be almost too easy; however, the formation of your synthesis needs to be on your mind as you assemble your evidence. Which of these issues from the book appear the most interesting and rich enough for research? So start here by laying out several possible threads for debate. Remember that this is a very fluid process this early in the research. I will help you hone this question over the next few days.
Let's revisit your question and think how it might fit into any of these possible synthesis prompt templates:

...write an essay in which you...

1)...develop a position on the effect of...

2) ...develop a position on whether or not...

3) ...develop a position about what issues should be considered most important in making decisions about …

4)...argue the extent to which _____ should support ____

5) ...evaluate the most important factors that [one] should consider before….

6) ...develop a position on…

7)...evaluates_____and offers a recommendation about….

You can review past synthesis essay prompts here starting in 2007 to get a feeling as to the types of evidence and the range of views included.  

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Step 2- Research

Time to use those amazing LRC databases to pin down some possible leads for research. Consider the following themes to target in your sources:

• past, present, and future prospects central to your issue
• sources will reflect an understanding of the issue and its implications
• sources may "provoke, inspire, and challenge" ideas central to the issue
• sources will address both sides of the issue-may potentially be in conversation or build off each other.

Required sources-

• 1 Visual-Embedded video clip/political cartoon/ photo/art
• 2nd visual-Optional if it is a data set/graphic
• Background summary- to provide context to issue
• Pro-(1+ examples)
• Con-(1+ examples)
• Alternative idea/solution

Total Minimum Sources-8

Possible sources-Editorials, Long Form Journalism, Feature articles from reputable publications, etc.  
Only the visual can come from web.  Special consideration for sources from foundations, policy centers, think tanks, etc.

Use the available subscriptions offered through our LRC database as these are vetted journalistic sources.  The haystack has been "de-needled" via these research databases rather than Ze Google.   
As you sift through your research you will add to this Easybib project to build your work cited. 




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One tool you may want to consider as you begin your research is the Chrome App Evernote Clipper.  It looks to be a fantastic research annotation tool that could help you trap your research.  

Step 3- Evidence Portfolio via Classroom

 So right about now you have:
 A) filtered through several sources that meet the aforementioned criteria 
B) shared with me and completed a work cited via Easybib 
C) access to Classroom Assignment IRP 2018 Synthesis Sources.  Great!  Let's tie it all together in a portfolio that reflects your research and bridges your ideas towards the synthesis essay.  
  The consecutive sources labeled Source A-Source H will be excerpts similar to the AP Synthesis materials (See above).  The "Meta-commentary" step will keep you honest so that you deeply reflect on the inclusion of these sources.     

Solid Source vs. Weak Source

Step 4- Meta-commentary- 

At the bottom of the page you will provide a commentary as to how and why this evidence was selected.  Make no mistake that this is the most important part of the evidence as this reflects the strategy of how this will eventually fit into your synthesis.  This is a mirror into your critical evaluation of evidence.  Selecting weak evidence will be immediately sniffed out as there can be no way to authentically defend it.  

So simply comment on the following as they fit your concept of the evidence.  

a)  Explain how the evidence might further explore/confirm the evidence of the issue.  Provoke/Inspire  

b)  Explain how this evidence will fit structurally into your essay.  Intro? Contrast?  Strawman?  Be very patient here to explain your plan to use this evidence. 

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2018 Primary Photo Bombs!

Photobombs- Through political photography, find examples of how the candidate is targeting specific political themes (5) (job creation, education, security, etc). You must also comment on the visual strategies that help persuade for the candidate (camera angle, lighting, positioning, obvious "photoshopping".

The White House Flickr Stream and The Official White House page

Who is running in 2018?
Illinois Governor Candidates:

GOP Primary- Jeanne Ives vs. Bruce Rauner
Democratic Primary- Dan Biss vs.  Chris Kennedy vs.  JB Pritzker

Congressional Illinois 6th~
GOP Incumbent Peter Roskam - No Challengers until November
Democratic Challengers- Sean Casten vs. Carole Cheney vs. Kelly Mazeski

From the 2016 Campaign:
D- Hillary Clinton            Bernie Sanders

R- Jeb!             Ben Carson     Chris Christie       Ted Cruz      Carly Fiorina     John Kasich

     Marco Rubio           Donald Trump 

Obama White House Archives and Obama Flickr 

For  Wednesday-   Persuaders -Remember that the basic qualities of product advertising are at play with politics.  The difference is that you a spending a vote rather than money.  Since candidates are "products", let's see how they sell themselves to the prospective voter.  Just as you found evidence of appeals towards a specific target consumer, let's dig deeper to find how the methods of persuasion are layered in the official web sites of the candidates.  Find the evidence of the following:

A)3 "Basic Appeals"
B) 3 VALS techniques
C) 3 Example how the candidates attempting to build community around themselves/ or get various forms of "commitments" from the web page visitor (3)

After you paste your evidence, draw an arrow on the photo and provide a brief explanation of how the technique is used by the candidate for a particular effect.  I will be most impressed by successful identification of the DRAB! 

Review Analysis- Phase 1

 Let's look at tone for our phase 1 of our study of review writing.  It is important that you select the medium for your review (music, film, television, food, video games, books, etc.) so we can begin to drill down on features to improve our writing.  The preliminary step is to sharpen our eye to how writers use tone while describing their review topic.

A) Select your target.  (Film,Album,Show,Restaurant,Tech, Video Game, Books, etc)  *hint* Extremely positive/negative review elicit the best descriptions!
B) Find 4+ reviews of this "media" For example, 4 reviews of IT.
C) Paste the reviews into the attached Google doc from Classroom.
D) Now begin to read reviews.  In the doc, highlight all the tone words that help flavor the review to the desired tone.
E) Of course, observe the structure of the review.  Think about how the writer opened the review.  How were the areas of critique organized?  What were the comparisons? Use comment feature to observe this.

I have linked for you several quality professional reviewers below.  So what is your medium of choice for a review?  music, film, television, food, video games, books, theater, etc.

AV Club (all
Here are some of my favorite reviewers of Film/TV
Some  might be blocked from school- Use ProQuest or ask me for NYT Review if you go over.
A.O. Scott       Manohla Dargis       Peter Travers  (Rolling Stone)

Roger Ebert- Suntimes          AV Club                       The Ringer       Paste
TV-Andy Greenwald ( Grantland)

 Music- Rolling Stone (Brief)               Paste               Pitchfork             AV Club                              Steven Hyden 

Technology- Recode   Wired

Video Games -AV Club

Television- Paste      Rolling Stone    AV Club 

AV Club has sharp reviews as well...Movies, Music, TV, Books,
Grantland

My buddy Toussaint Egan for comics & anime