For this assignment I would like you to write an article to submit to GOOD magazine for publication. The topic of this article is Stevia and it should be targeted towards the All You Can Eat section of GOOD’s site. This article should be no less than 1,000 words, as this topic involves lots of information, and no more than 3,500 words, as the longest article in this section is approx. 3,406 words. Also include images of the plant itself and maybe a few of it’s products. An info-graphic, such as a timeline of stevias history, a map showing where stevia is grown and consumed, or maybe a statstical comparison of competing brands of Stevia products, should also be included.
The discourse community of GOOD’s readers consists of new-agey type individuals. The progressive thinkers are interested in the environmental, humane, and political issues around the globe. Keep this in mind when compsing your article. The main purpose of this article should be to inform consumers of the safety, benefits, and quality of this product. There should also be emphasis on how big businesses involvement in it’s production affects the industry, the product, and it’s consumers.
For this to be a strong article make sure to have plenty of quality sources (at least 10), such as journal articles, scientific studies, media publications, and personal interviews or testimonies. Make sure to evaluate your sources credibility and use the information in proper context, as opinions can be biased (even in scientific studies!). If you are unsure on a supposed fact or claim be sure to let your readers know this by using words such as “this product may help with this ailment according to so and so” not “the products cures this disease”. Also when stating claims or facts include enough info on your source so your reader may “check up” on your info. I have often read an article and thought to myself “Hogwash, where did they hear that!”. Making your claims easy to verify helps establish your ethos as a writer when using data (logos). Also don’t forget to put a personal tone & passion into your writing to connect with your audience (pathos).
By the way…
Laurie, your approach to this class has given me a passion for writing I never knew I had. I wish I could find the time to to improve upon my writing skills more. I am excited about taking WRT next semester and although I have no intention on changing my major I do have a whole new focus on what I want to do with my degree in Nutrition!!! Nutrition is all about educating people on how to live healthier lives and what better vessel is there to do this than the written word? I never thought I would enjoy having a blog this much. I know my writing leaves much to be desired but I am really digging it!
Hi Danielle.
First off, the work you have done on your blog is outstanding!!! Second, your writing is very clear thus far and very thought provoking. I think what you will find is that when you write about something that you are actually interested in and feel it is important to write about, the quality of your writing boosts and you end up surprising even yourself.
If you are really digging writing about nutrition, might I suggest you consider minoring or double majoring in Nutrition and Writing and Rhetoric. The Writing Program just started its new major, and the new majors are getting tons of attention from professors. In our major, you learn how to write rhetorically in a variety of print and electronic, civic and professional settings. We emphasize non-fiction, expository, and persuasive writing for real world settings. I think that your passion for research and writing is evident and one that you might consider nurturing. Our major or minor would be useful if you have discovered that your calling (at least) for now is to write about nutrition.
Let me know if you have more questions. Laurie
ps. About your assignment, the only changes I would make is that your source use doesn’t have to be that high and to make sure you abide by MLA citation guidelines. Also, I’d like to see you write in the 2000-2500 word range.
What I really want you to be careful about is not including so many sources that your sources do the talking for you. Keep in mind that when we use sources, we want to interact with them on the page as you did in your Evaluating Source assignment.
What I would like to see you do is enter into conversation with these sources over the next week. Realize that when we use source material, we can interact with it on the page in multiple ways. We can agree with a source, disagree with a source. We can extend their ideas to other situations. We can complicate their ideas or simplify them. We can make concede with their ideas but make additional suggestions. We can agree with one of their ideas but not with others, etc. We can use their claims as a catalyst to spark our own arguments. Or we can use their ideas to broach a new topic.
The point is that when we use sources in our work, the “use” actually entails us interacting with, conversing with, the sources on the page. Too often writers only use others’ ideas to support our own. I’d like to see you interacting with your sources on the page.
You can also, of course, put two sources into conversation with each other and then contribute to the conversation. This strategy is very useful to show your reader you have done your homework in exploring multiple angles about an issue.
By next Monday, then, (April 20th at midnight), I would like you to write 1-2 pages in which you interact with at least two of your sources on the page. This exercise will be useful if you can think of it as a pre-writing exercise and a strategy to help you evolve your own ideas. Please post this assignment to your blog by next Monday.