Anser Questions

Dear All,

Welcome to Module 11!

After several weeks of intensive research, we are now refining our audience analysis skills further. The rhetorical challenge of Unit 3 is two-fold: 1.) can you appropriately translate an interdisciplinary topic beyond the fields it serves and 2.) can you appropriately translate scholarly, “insider” information for a public audience?

Please make sure you view the sample student projects posted on the assignment prompt, as well as the sample real-world models I included in the prompt itself. I can send out more examples upon request. As you begin to think about translating the interdisciplinary research you did for Unit 2 to a public audience rather than a scholarly one, consider your genre carefully. For instance, if you are passionate about your research topic, maybe you want to write an Op-Ed and advocate for a specific position, or you may want to design a blog for the general public where you contribute short, focused pieces. You have many options, so use the opportunity to be creative, to reach diverse audiences, and to experiment with different genres.

Unit 3 also draws on the shorter style analyses we have done over the course of semester, where we have considered tone, use of evidence, structure, perspective, and context in terms of research. You will be using these skills and applying them to your own audience analysis. Accurate, responsible, and accessible communication of research is incredibly important. Likewise, in this Unit we will also pay close attention to the issues of credibility and reliability of sites themselves, since being critical readers and consumers of news is necessary to be critical, responsible writers.

Readings/Videos/Links:

Unit 3 Video (Course Docs,Course Videos)

View John Oliver clip:

https://www.vox.com/2016/5/9/11638808/john-oliver-science-studies-last-week-tonight (also in Links)

Fake or Real? How to Self-Check the News and Get the Facts:

http://www.wbur.org/npr/503581220/fake-or-real-how-to-self-check-the-news-and-get-the-facts (also in Links)

False, Misleading, Clickbait-y, And/Or Satirical “News” Sources:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/10eA5-mCZLSS4MQY5QGb5ewC3VAL6pLkT53V_81ZyitM/edit (also in Links)

Assignments

–Unit 3 Assignment (Course Docs) and post any questions on the Q&A forum

Module 11 Discussion Assignment: Considering Public Writing

Part 1: As you begin thinking about Unit 3, consider the unique challenges, opportunities, and limitations of public writing. What sources of public writing do you interact with the most, personally and in your field of study? How might your Unit 2 interdisciplinary research topic serve as a successful topic for public writing? How will you negotiate the particulars of translating interdisciplinary content for a mainstream audience?

Part 2: Article Analysis: As you read, ask yourselves these questions: What do you know about the publication? What do you know about the author, and what might you infer about his/her perspectives? What central argument does the author make, and what style elements does he/she use? Did the John Oliver clip and other resources on fake news influence your analysis and your reading? In a paragraph or so, respond to the article. What are your general impressions—do you agree with the central points? What do appreciate (or dislike) about the writing style? How did the style affect your reading experience? Please have a couple of cohesive paragraphs.

**Please note you can combine both parts into one post.