The Editorial (ELA 3-4H)
DUE: 9/24/14
Essential Questions … Some Points to Ponder
How does technology serve as both a benefit and a detriment in the lives of young people?
What is the role of technology on the global stage?
How does the rhetorical triangle function in an editorial?
How can a writer use research to create authentic, authoritative voice in an editorial?
Prompt: Compose a 750-word (roughly) research based editorial that examines the benefits and/or detriments of
new media as it applies to young adults.
TOPIC: You will need to narrow the focus of your topics here to the scope of a 750-word editorial—for example, the thesis behind an
acceptable topic might be something like, “Young adults’ dependence on fostering friendship through social media websites like
Facebook depletes their real-life social skills,” or “Twitter and other real-time media sites benefit young adults by helping them find a
political voice,” etc.
TONE: Please take a professional, informed tone for this essay. This does not necessarily mean you have to be overly formal or
detached from your audience, and you are certainly allowed to use 1st person inclusive pronouns like “we,” “our” and “us” because you
fit into the demographic you’re discussing.
AUDIENCE: You audience will depend upon your topic. For example, if you choose to focus on the benefits of social media in the
classroom, your audience might be teachers or administrators. If you are writing about how parents should limit their kids’ Facebook
time because of the stress managing an online persona brings with it, you’d obviously be writing to parents. Please make sure that you
consider whether your audience will be hostile, wavering or supportive, and use ethos, logos and/or pathos accordingly.
PURPOSE: To convince and persuade your audience to accept your point of view. To this end, you may use either classical or
Rogerian argumentation.
POINT OF VIEW: Again, this will depend upon the ethos you wish to create. While you should avoid too much 1st person “I,” you may
want to include yourself when talking about media consumers by using “we” or “our”; likewise, you may wish to distance yourself from
your subject and stay firmly in 3rd person.
RESEARCH: You must find support for your argument from newspapers, magazines, books, or the Internet. These sources should be
introduced and documented in the body of your paper as lead-ins; any quotes you use should be embedded. You do not have to use
parenthetical documentation within the body of the paper, but you must attach a copy of your highlighted sources with your scaffolding
and thesis (mark whether you will paraphrase, summarize or quote from that source). You will want to keep your own copy of the
source to use when you actually write your paper. Any additional research used but not turned in must be turned in during class
on 9/24.
OTHER EXPECTATIONS:
Thesis, research & scaffold must be turned in on
9/12
Rough draft due: 9/16 – must be your full essay,
typed, with research etc.
Rough draft #2: 9/19 –must be a revised copy of the
essay
Submit your final copy to turnitin.com by 7:30 am
on 9/24 *NOTE: Any late papers will be docked
10% of the paper’s final score!*
Correctly use 2 examples of parallelism (please label)
Avoid logical fallacies
In class work days will be included for this essay. You will need to come prepared each day to work
on either a laptop from the mobile cart or on a class assignment. Because of the limited number of
laptops, each of you will have at a minimum one full in-class work day with the opportunity for
other partial work days.
Work Day Opportunities: Sept 9, 11, and 15
Editorial Essay Rubric: ELA 3-4 Honors
10
10
MLA Formatting: header, heading, spacing, etc.
Research
You must find support for your argument from newspapers, magazines, books,
or the Internet. These sources should be introduced and documented in the
body of your paper as lead-ins; any quotes you use should be embedded. You
do not have to use parenthetical documentation within the body of the paper,
but you must attach a copy of your highlighted sources with your scaffolding
and thesis (mark whether you will paraphrase, summarize or quote from that
source).
10
Language: Parallelism
Organization:
4
3
2
1
0
4
3
2
1
0
Clarity of Language
4
3
2
1
0
Language and Conventions
4
3
2
1
0
Reading Comprehension of Key Ideas and Details
(Infusing Textual Evidence)
4
3
2
1
0
All paragraphs are related to thesis
Minimum of 4 paragraphs/roughly 750 words
Solid support for claims
Either Classical or Rogerian organization
Good explanation of arguments
Interesting introduction and effective conclusion
Argument is clear and logical in construction
Development of Ideas:
Guided by central idea; clarity of focus
Logic-based
Topic is defined and reasonable
Writer avoids fallacies of thinking
Effective use of persuasive appeals
Appropriate for audience type
Readers’ experiences or values are represented
Original ideas
Ideas are developed completely
Total
/20
(x 5)
100
0
