Personal and Social Responsibility
Put it in Writing
ASSIGNMENT 4.4: Effective Editorial
How can writing change people's worldview? How can it influence public opinion? How can it lead to meaningful action? What is the difference between news articles and editorials? Persuasive writing, in the form of editorials, is used in news writing to help readers form their own opinions about the world.
Task:
1. Watch this video created for students by Thuan Elston, a member of the editorial board at USA Today, who provides tips for writing an effective editorial.
2. Choose an editorial/opinion article out of your local newspaper and evaluate its effectiveness as an editorial and answer the questions. Review the following persuasive editorial techniques writers use to persuade their readers. Use the following worksheet to complete your assignment.
Assessment: Below you will find the exemplary criteria used to assess the assignment.
Learning Targets: Exemplary (6/6): Students can identify key elements of a newspaper editorial and evaluate the effectiveness persuasive writing techniques. Students will demonstrate how to evaluate how text structures, literary elements, techniques, and devices enhance and shape meaning and impact.
Written Expression: Exemplary (6/6): Responses show understanding, analyses and insight with complete content to assignment requirements including specific and thoughtful connections and responses. Sophistication of thought and fully developed and error free. Work has been proofread and there are no errors in spelling, capitalization, punctuation or grammar. Content is complete to assignment requirements and makes insightful, mature connections with logical information and inclusions.
Submission:
Use the "4.4 Effective Editorial" link on the main page of this section of the course to upload your assignment to your teacher for marking.
Estimated Time Allotment: 30 minutes