Check out the Conservative/Liberals Post for readable instructions.

Please bring a clean, final copy of your argumentative article to class tomorrow.

Here’s a link to my blog post on the video we watched today.  In it, you’ll find a link to the morality scale site (oops, there’s another one), as well as a link to TED.com (dang).

Here’s the stereotype/bias test that MB brought up in class the other day (and posted a comment on earlier.

Lastly, here is what we didn’t cover in class today:

Some of you have already written an argument for our weekly analyses.  This time, instead of responding an argument that has already been published, you will be creating your own.  By my count, each of you has analyzed and discussed at least 18 articles; now it’s time to get your own voice to paper! 

1.   Use the general topic of your books as a starting point (and source, if appropriate; this is where the journal comes in handy) for your outline
2.   Discuss the issue with your friends or parents
3.   Address any counter-arguments
4.   Revise your outline
5.   Flesh out the outline in the form of an article 

As always, there is no length requirement for this assignment; write as much as is necessary to fully argue your point.  You will be turning in your outline along with the finished article.  We’ll briefly discuss this in class tomorrow, and devote Friday to brainstorming ideas and discovering sources.

Challenge

The above is the complete assignment.  However, if you are feeling comfortable with creating a written argument and would like an alternative challenge (for no additional points; this is simply a greater test of your skills), follow the directions above to step 4, then continue below.

1.   With your outline in mind, consider the most efficient means of communicating your argument to your intended audience (see below for possible ideas)
2.   Revise your outline, eliminate unnecessary content with the aim of presenting the most important information in the least amount of space
3.   Come up with a strong hook (a brief, cogent slogan; an appropriate image; a solid pitch)
4.   Follow your hook with enough information to get your audience to do something (find more information, donate time, etc.)

• A written argument is often the most effective means of changing a person’s opinion, but what if you are spreading awareness amongst a small audience?
• Visuals (posters, stickers, advertisements) are often an excellent way to raise awareness of an issue without requiring extended attention from an audience
• Cinema (short advertisements, viral video), while a form of visual media, requires more attention, but can deliver more information

We have not spent much time on visual arguments yet, so you will need to do some research (look around the internets, check out advertisements and public service announcements, come see me) to get a feel of the rhetoric of visual persuasion before you begin.  Please see me if you would like to attempt this assignment; in addition to your visual, you will be required to turn in your outline and an analysis of your work.

Remember, Google is your friend.  Or is it?

On video games:

Violence, Social behavior, Intelligence (and here, here…)

On teenagers:

Excerpt from Nancy Redd’s book, Pregnancy, Identity, Body Image, Media Impact, Horror Movies (that last one is strange…)

Gladwell:

On Stereotyping, Excellent review

Minimum Wage:

All the resources you’ll need

LA Creole:

History, Language (take it slow with this one, but worth the read)

Marijuana, etc.:

Activism, Google results for news

Continue reading over the sources for your support, refute, or qualify essay [click to download] this weekend.  We will work on your thesis statements on Monday, your support on Wednesday, and write the final drafts on Friday.  Normal article analyses will be due Tuesday and Thursday.  (Holy organization, Batman! A week planned in advance!)  Have a great weekend, enjoy the extra hour.

Edit: Great ironic inevitability!  Of course, as one of you so gently informed me, you do not have school on Friday.  So, the essay will be due at the end of class on Thursday, and the rest of the schedule stays the same.  [sigh.]

Edit 2: Here is the url for the essay download site: http://www.mediafire.com/?uz1ilncmiii.  Six of you have downloaded it so far, so it must be working at some point in the process.  Keep me updated if you are still having trouble.  There will be no article analyses tomorrow because the gods of organization have conspired against my best laid plans.  Work on your essays, come to class tomorrow with a thesis statement and some support.  [If you email a copy of your thesis to me before tomorrow I'll smile warmly upon you.]

We will be discussing DeLillo’s White Noise through chapter 34 on Monday.  We will write over this in about a week, so please keep up with your reading journals.

Another great discussion (From the Board below) over the censorship!  The debate was heated at times, so we’ll be writing our own argumentative articles this weekend.  By now you are all familiar with the basic structure of an argumentative article, but here’s a quick outline to help you with your writing:

• Know your position.  Begin with a basic argument, such as "Apples are good."
• Begin gathering support for your basic argument.
  • "Apples are healthy"
  • "Apples are all-American"
  • "Apples are portable"
  • "Apples can be eaten many different ways"
• Then, begin supporting each claim, adding statistics and quotations from other sources as necessary.
  • "Apples are healthy"
    • Food and Drug Administration
  • "Apples are all-American"
    • All-American Apple Council
  • "Apples are portable"
    • Relevant personal anecdote
  • "Apples can be eaten in many different ways"
    • Recipes
    • How-to guides
• After that, make sure your sources are credible and your claims are relevant and logical.
  • "Apples are all-American" (Appeal to emotion, but not a major point.)
    • All-American Apple Council (Biased source)
• After you are certain you have a logical argument, begin writing your article.  Draw your audience in with a "hook"—something to draw them in, give them interest in your article. (Look over your previous articles for examples.)  Also, because this is such a heated topic, don’t forget to appeal to those on the other side of the issue.

Post questions below for the good of all.

Legend: Black: from the articles, Blue: From you, Green: From me.