Assignment 3: Writing Persuasively / Changing the Digital World
Background: In assignment one, you explored the digital media environment that you live in. In assignment two, you engaged in a close analysis of one writer’s discussion of digital media and how it affects society. In this assignment, you will put all the elements we’ve been working on together. You’re going to write a persuasive essay in which you analyze texts and experiences in order to make an original argument about media technology and culture.
Assignment: Digital media shapes our lives in both positive and negative ways, from giving us access to new knowledge to making it difficult to get away from unpleasant encounters with friends and family on Facebook. In this assignment, you’ll draw on the discussions we’ve had so far in class––and on some new topics––to consider what might make our media environment a better place to be. In a total of no less than 1200 and no more than 1500 words (4-6 pages in double-spaced 12 point Times New Roman) answer the following question in a thesis-driven essay:
What one change (in technology, in how we interact, or in how society functions) would most improve our digital media landscape?
Your essay will have to do the following things in order to be successful:
• identify a specific area where change is needed
• use evidence to show why this is a problem
• identify some possibilities for what could be done to improve things
• use evidence to argue for the one that you think would be the best
• address potential problems and complications with your proposed solution
Further pointers:
• You must take care to support your case with evidence. If you look beyond the readings done for class for this, you must check in with me that your sources are acceptable.
• You may draw on ideas from writers, but you must not only restate their argument. Use readings to critically inform your own original argument.
• Remember that you don’t only need to argue that the users of digital media, should change. Maybe it is the creators of the technology who should do something new. Or maybe the change should come at an even larger scale and affect all of society, digital and otherwise. Do not be limited by possibility.
Due Dates:
Annotated Bibliography – 10/31
Thesis and outline / Idea map – 11/5
Writing group draft – 11/12
Final Version – 11/21