Writing to Persuade
Dr. Sean Meehan
Writing Assignments
Essay #1: Reflection
Assignment: a 2-4 page (digital, double-spaced), posted to Blackboard.
Focus: Reflection. Our readings for the first section of the workshop have focused on essays that have as a central purpose and focus a reflection on the author’s experience. This assignment gives you the opportunity to try your hand at developing a persuasive essay in the mode of reflection.
Topic: The topic for this (and every essay we will write) is up to you. As a general guideline, and to help you develop and refine a topic for the essay, use the following parameter: Reflect on a significant learning experience you have had in your life (in or out of school). Explore and explain its significance. Persuade and engage your reader in the significance of this learning experience. Focal points will be developing significance and voice.
Note: you may continue and develop upon writing you have already started in your journal or an experiment.
Objectives: To develop, through multiple stages of the writing and workshop process, a reflective essay that engages and persuades. To explore and understand the role that reflection plays in strong, persuasive writing. To develop a reflective essay that you consider to be among your strongest and most interesting piece of writing to date in your career as a writer.
Support: journal, experiment, two draft workshops, conferences
Evaluation: See Strong Writing Rubric
Essay #2: Reporting
Assignment: a 2-4 page (digital, double-spaced), posted to Blackboard.
Focus: Reporting. Our readings for the second section of the workshop have focused on essays that have as a central purpose and focus the reporting of information. This assignment gives you the opportunity to try your hand at developing a persuasive essay in the mode of reporting.
Topic: The topic for this essay (once again) is up to you, the writer. The general guideline is for you to select a subject that is of importance and interest to you and to report on this subject with the purpose (to cite our text) of expanding the range of your readers’ perceptions and knowledge beyond the limits of their own immediate experience. Two focal points will be point of view and details. Your goal is to make your report both informative and engaging. Having and using sources in your reporting is suggested though not required. Doing some research into your topic (to expand your own knowledge) will be expected.
Objectives: To develop, through multiple stages of the writing and workshop process, a report that engages and persuades. To explore and understand the role that reporting plays in strong, persuasive writing. To develop a report that you consider to be among your strongest and most interesting pieces of writing to date in your career as a writer.
Support: journal, experiment, research, two draft workshops, conferences
Evaluation: See Strong Writing Rubric
Essay #3: Explaining
Assignment: a 2-4 page (digital, double-spaced), posted to Blackboard.
Focus: Explaining. Our readings for the third section of the workshop have focused on essays that have as a central purpose and focus the explanation of a subject, process, or phenomenon. This assignment gives you the opportunity to try your hand at developing a persuasive essay in the mode of explaining.
Topic: The topic for this essay (once again) is up to you, the writer. The general guideline is for you to select and explain a subject, process, or phenomenon of which you have knowledge and experience. Your goal is to make your explanation both informative and engaging, to provide your reader with a context for understanding your particular subject. Focal points will be illustration and word choice. Remember the different choices you have for methods of illustrating your knowledge. Secondary sources for your explanation are not required, though may be relevant.
Objectives: To develop, through multiple stages of the writing and workshop process, an explanatory essay that engages and persuades. To explore and understand the role that explanation and illustration play in strong, persuasive writing. To develop an explanatory essay that you consider to be among your strongest and most interesting pieces of writing to date in your career as a writer.
Support: journal, experiment, research, two draft workshops, conferences
Evaluation: See Strong Writing Rubric
Essay #4: Arguing
Assignment: a 2-4 page (digital, double-spaced), posted to Blackboard.
Focus: Argument. Our readings for the third section of the workshop have focused on essays that have as a central purpose and focus the argument of a position that you take on a subject of your choice. This assignment gives you the opportunity to try your hand at developing a persuasive essay in the mode of argument.
Topic: The topic for this essay (once again) is up to you, the writer. The general guideline is for you to select a subject of particular interest to you, and of controversy to others, and argue your position on that subject. Defend your position and convince your reader of your argument, keeping in mind that a good argument will combine evidence, logic and eloquence in its presentation. Focal points will be evidence and logic.
Objectives: To develop, through multiple stages of the writing and workshop process, an argumentative essay that engages and persuades. To explore and understand the role that argument and logic play in strong, persuasive writing. To develop an argumentative essay that you consider to be among your strongest and most interesting pieces of writing to date in your career as a writer.
Support: journal, reading, experiment, research, two draft workshops, conferences
Evaluation: See Strong Writing Rubric
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