8/3/2019 Project Two DeBoer 303-1

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Project #2 Theme: INITIATING PUBLICITYPublic Writing Genre: Letter to the Editor or Speech on a Local Public Issue

WRT 303 Seminar in Public Writing Spring 2011 (deBoer)

For Project Two, we will begin our process of reflecting on, and drafting public writingabout, a real, local, actionable issue of political, theoretical, or ideological controversy.

You will choose an issue that is

y Local your issue must have specific and limited application in a local context,which you might interact with in your day-to-day life;

y Controversial in the limited sense that there are people who will necessarilyagree or disagree with your proposed project and for which there is a real and

legitimate opposing viewpoint;

y Actionable an issue that you can actually make a material difference in; thisdifference, whether achieved or not achieved, must potentially have observable

consequences for those within the local community your project regards.

Your project will inform your future acts of public writing and should fall intogenerally the same issue or set of issues you will work directly on in the latter parts of

the semester. This is not a restrictive contract and your particular issue can andshould evolve as you revise and expand your ideas and commitments.

Your first act of public writing will be designed to initiate publicityhow can we

introduce an idea into a public sphere? What rhetorical, oratorical, or publicitystrategies can be used to best facilitate public engagement and public interest? How

can we satisfy the first stage of success in public writing?

Towards that end, you will prepare a letter to the editor of an actualpublication, aneditorial that could appear in aspecific newspaper that is read by an actual public, or

a speech that you might deliver to a realgroup, institution, or campaign. All studentswill provide a written document that reflects on their given issues, supports one

particular point of view, and advocates a specific and limited action or set of actions.An editorial or letter to the editor must be no less than three fulltyped pages. A

speech, which must be both presented in writing and given to the class, must be noless than two full typed pages and must take no less than five minutes (and no more

than ten minutes) to present.

Our writing/presentation workshop will take place on Wednesday, March 2nd

. Ourprojects will be due on Monday, March 7th.