Advocacy Feasibility Report
Genre: Academic Argumentative: Advocacy:
Audience: Educated, curious readers : Possible change-makers on GVSU’s campus
Page Lengths: In order to do this well, you should need about 5 pages.
Due Dates:
1. The first step in writing this essay will be drafting an Advocacy Memo. This should be formatted as a simple memo to me that basically says what you would like to write about, and will include what you are going to advocate, why it is important to you, and what change you would like to see. This statement of purpose should be specific enough that I will easily be able to tell what you will be writing about and why. Since this is a memo it should be fairly short, direct and to the point.
2. Once I have approved your issue, you need to do some research. Perhaps research the department that could make this happen - get a good understanding of what is currently available and why. Research other schools or institutions (government and city planning would even work) to see how they address this issue. Use outside research to support your end goal. Pull in sources and examples that show your idea, or something relatively similar, is viable, feasible and needed.
Your introduction should be engaging and also state the issue you are advocating clearly. It should also provide a general outline that the rest of the paper will provide details on. In addition, make sure you indicate who you are early on - why does it matter that YOU are writing this letter? What stake and claim do you have on the outcome of this situation? Why does it matter to you and why should anyone care about your thoughts and opinions?
Provide depth, background story, key components, and details about your issue in the body of the essay. Make sure all of your points are somehow brought back to your main purpose with this issue. Do not include information that is not relevant or advancing to your purpose. Ice cream is only available for consumption one night during the dining hour and that is ridiculous and should change immediately. Also, everyone knows ice cream is made of magic.
Provide detailed examples and resources for the facts that you state in our essay. Your piece had more legitimacy if you quote facts and statistics from known and respected entities than if you only use your own opinion. Your mom does not count as a known source, unless she actually is an expert on the topic. According to a random (but highly credible) blog I read, “25% -30% content of ice cream is milk. Milk is composed of Lactoferrin, which has a role as agents of non-specific defenses against pathogens. Lactoferrin also has a Antiviral activity, particularly against cytomegalovirus, influenza, and HIV.” Thus, more ice cream eating with reduce the risk of HIV infection on campus. Don't we want our campus to be healthier in general?
Briefly explore alternative ways of looking at the issue. This is important in establishing your own credibility – it is easier to believe someone if we can see that they are able to see the big picture. In addition, you need to take into account the feasibility of your proposal - is it financially feasible?; does it go against the moral code of the university? This is where you could pull in interview information. Being able to see both sides of the issue will allow for greater audience appreciation. I understand that allowing us to use the self-service ice cream machine every dinner period may result in more clean up for you and a higher cost, but...
Conclude the paper with your stance – this will depend on if you are writing for a call to action or simply to raise more awareness. An emotional appeal typically works at this point. Make sure you are clear though – what should the action be, and why? Why is more awareness needed? For the love of god, please let us eat ice cream freely. It increases happiness and your health, and, by default, makes for a better living and knowledge-gaining environment.
Include a separate works cited page that clearly shows where all of your facts and quotes come from. Any information that is not common knowledge must be included.
3. In addition to the written paper you will need to produce an Advocacy Campaign. Change and knowledge cannot occur unless the information can be shared in a meaningful way, and often a group of you need to be behind this idea. So, how can you spread knowledge about your specific topic? Potential ideas could be: photo essays, t-shirts, short films, song, pamphlets, flyers. Use your imagination. You will need to create a tangible product that can be presented to our class and that I can collect (digitally is fine). If you are creating something that would require an actual product purchase, such as a t-shirt, you can create a digital mockup and present that image. Going back to my ice cream machine idea, I would probably make a poster of some sort to hang around campus, or create a witty t-shirt that I would force my friends to wear.
Evaluation:
Essays will be evaluated on the following:
- Summation of the topic (I.e. Define terms, show why it is important) (Rhetorical situation: why are you writing? Why is knowledge or change important?)
- Ability to state the other side
- Ability to clearly state your view
- Ethical appeals
- Logical appeals
- Emotional appeals
- Focus throughout the piece
- Appropriate tone - some of your topics might be quite serious and will need to have a tone that reflects that, however some will be more lighthearted and a more whimsical tone might win the reader over more. This will be determined by both the main audience (who you are actually addressing your memo to, as well as the topic)
- Appropriate MLA Format
- Careful editing of grammar, spelling
- Coherence and logical organization
- Insightfulness
- Works cited appropriately (in-text and Works Cited)
- A mutlimodal component that will attract others to your cause
Genre: Academic Argumentative: Advocacy:
Audience: Educated, curious readers : Possible change-makers on GVSU’s campus
Page Lengths: In order to do this well, you should need about 5 pages.
Due Dates:
- Friday, September 20: Advocacy Memo Uploaded to BB
- Thursday, September 26: Advocacy Feasibility Rough Draft uploaded to BB groups
- Monday, October 7: Advocacy Feasibility Instructor Draft uploaded to BB assignments by midnight.
- Wednesday, October 9: Advocacy Campaign Presentations
1. The first step in writing this essay will be drafting an Advocacy Memo. This should be formatted as a simple memo to me that basically says what you would like to write about, and will include what you are going to advocate, why it is important to you, and what change you would like to see. This statement of purpose should be specific enough that I will easily be able to tell what you will be writing about and why. Since this is a memo it should be fairly short, direct and to the point.
2. Once I have approved your issue, you need to do some research. Perhaps research the department that could make this happen - get a good understanding of what is currently available and why. Research other schools or institutions (government and city planning would even work) to see how they address this issue. Use outside research to support your end goal. Pull in sources and examples that show your idea, or something relatively similar, is viable, feasible and needed.
Your introduction should be engaging and also state the issue you are advocating clearly. It should also provide a general outline that the rest of the paper will provide details on. In addition, make sure you indicate who you are early on - why does it matter that YOU are writing this letter? What stake and claim do you have on the outcome of this situation? Why does it matter to you and why should anyone care about your thoughts and opinions?
Provide depth, background story, key components, and details about your issue in the body of the essay. Make sure all of your points are somehow brought back to your main purpose with this issue. Do not include information that is not relevant or advancing to your purpose. Ice cream is only available for consumption one night during the dining hour and that is ridiculous and should change immediately. Also, everyone knows ice cream is made of magic.
Provide detailed examples and resources for the facts that you state in our essay. Your piece had more legitimacy if you quote facts and statistics from known and respected entities than if you only use your own opinion. Your mom does not count as a known source, unless she actually is an expert on the topic. According to a random (but highly credible) blog I read, “25% -30% content of ice cream is milk. Milk is composed of Lactoferrin, which has a role as agents of non-specific defenses against pathogens. Lactoferrin also has a Antiviral activity, particularly against cytomegalovirus, influenza, and HIV.” Thus, more ice cream eating with reduce the risk of HIV infection on campus. Don't we want our campus to be healthier in general?
Briefly explore alternative ways of looking at the issue. This is important in establishing your own credibility – it is easier to believe someone if we can see that they are able to see the big picture. In addition, you need to take into account the feasibility of your proposal - is it financially feasible?; does it go against the moral code of the university? This is where you could pull in interview information. Being able to see both sides of the issue will allow for greater audience appreciation. I understand that allowing us to use the self-service ice cream machine every dinner period may result in more clean up for you and a higher cost, but...
Conclude the paper with your stance – this will depend on if you are writing for a call to action or simply to raise more awareness. An emotional appeal typically works at this point. Make sure you are clear though – what should the action be, and why? Why is more awareness needed? For the love of god, please let us eat ice cream freely. It increases happiness and your health, and, by default, makes for a better living and knowledge-gaining environment.
Include a separate works cited page that clearly shows where all of your facts and quotes come from. Any information that is not common knowledge must be included.
3. In addition to the written paper you will need to produce an Advocacy Campaign. Change and knowledge cannot occur unless the information can be shared in a meaningful way, and often a group of you need to be behind this idea. So, how can you spread knowledge about your specific topic? Potential ideas could be: photo essays, t-shirts, short films, song, pamphlets, flyers. Use your imagination. You will need to create a tangible product that can be presented to our class and that I can collect (digitally is fine). If you are creating something that would require an actual product purchase, such as a t-shirt, you can create a digital mockup and present that image. Going back to my ice cream machine idea, I would probably make a poster of some sort to hang around campus, or create a witty t-shirt that I would force my friends to wear.
Evaluation:
Essays will be evaluated on the following:
- Summation of the topic (I.e. Define terms, show why it is important) (Rhetorical situation: why are you writing? Why is knowledge or change important?)
- Ability to state the other side
- Ability to clearly state your view
- Ethical appeals
- Logical appeals
- Emotional appeals
- Focus throughout the piece
- Appropriate tone - some of your topics might be quite serious and will need to have a tone that reflects that, however some will be more lighthearted and a more whimsical tone might win the reader over more. This will be determined by both the main audience (who you are actually addressing your memo to, as well as the topic)
- Appropriate MLA Format
- Careful editing of grammar, spelling
- Coherence and logical organization
- Insightfulness
- Works cited appropriately (in-text and Works Cited)
- A mutlimodal component that will attract others to your cause
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