Before writing my first draft I’d like to cite a few more sources in my annotated bibliography on the medical benefits of stevia. Oh and the dangers of aspartame, sucralose and sugar (very briefly though). I am also waiting to hear back from a few sources but all in all if I had to start writing, I could give it a go. I am still working on finding the specific topic I want to build an info-graphic around and will be searching for visuals I’d like to include. I can already tell my biggest problem is knowing when to stop. Over the last few weeks I have developed such a passion for this subject that essentially I could research & take notes endlessly. If I were to include everything I would want for this article it would have like 10,000 words and like 30 pics! Not to mention it would take the rest of the year! I do, however, need to start actually writing a first draft so I have a better idea in which direction this article is going. With so much to write about, I am having a hard time even figuring out where to start. I don’t want my article to sound like a shameless advertising gimick for the brand of stevia product I prefer, however, I do think it is important to get the word out to the consumers on the differences in quality, taste, and safety of stevia derived products.
The research/writing/thinking process…
April 12, 2009 by dladd103
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Okay, so what might be useful then is to go ahead and find your visuals and create your infographic, if you decide to, and to try to converse with your sources on the page as suggested in comment below. I think what is useful for you to think about is that in your first draft, you shouldn’t know what you are exactly going to write about. Think of your first draft, in other words, of an opportunity to discover what you want to say. Through writing then, you will arrive a clearer idea of what you think is most important to say in your article.
In your assignment, you said your rhetorical goal is to inform your readers about Stevia. That implies to me that you think, as of now, there is a lot of misunderstandings about Stevia out there. Perhaps, a useful way to frame your article is to think about starting article by pointing out that there is currently a lot of misunderstandings or suspicions about Stevia and that in your article, you are going to clear up the matter.
Something you might ask yourself write now to help you get started or to think about how to frame your article in another way is to think about:
Why is my article about Stevia so important for Good Magazine readers to read and consider?
What does the research you have done about Stevia matter?
Answering those questions might provide the catalyst for you to begin your article.
This week, focus on finding visuals, interacting with sources, and figuring out a way to frame your article. You might try writing your introduction and posting it to your blog. Try holding off on doing other research for now and beginning to write. Most likely, when you craft first draft, you will identify spots where you need to do more research.
Thanks and carry on with good work! Laurie