Fall IRP- Editorial Precis

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.  The editorial you select should not exceed 700 words, regular length of an editorial.  

 Too easy!  

Areas of annotation for each column:

• Speaker’s tone and possible tone shifts
• Rhetorical strategies
• Organization and arrangement
• Methods of appeals
• Intended audience reactions- laughter, anger, confusion

Questions to guide your observations for analysis:

1. How does the title inform the piece?
2.  What is the thesis and where is it?
3. What introductory technique(s) did the author use?  Is the technique woven into the essay?  How?
4. Our texts have reflected some of the purposes of argument.  Using the language of your text, identify the purpose (s) of this argument.
5. Is this a ceremonial argument, a deliberative argument, a forensic argument?  Explain.
6. What appears to be the balance of ethos, pathos, or logos in this editorial?
7. Comment on the method of conclusion.  What can you learn from this method of closing?
8. What appeals are in the argument?
9. 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 Yahoo News Opinion / USA Today for your selection of 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.

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 audience with direct evidence. Too easy!

Due dates- 
Editorial Annotation/ Reflection on Writer Style November 21st.    
Editorial Essay-December...

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

via GIPHY