Free Write for Tuesday 3/6

1. Reflect on our discussion on the assignment sheet

• Are you happy with the assignment we ended up with? Why or why not?
• Do you feel like you understand the assignment better for having had a voice in forming it?
• Do you feel your ideas were well represented? Why or why not?
• How does this assignment compare to other assignments you've done?
• What went well in the discussion?
• What could have gone better?
• How do you feel about writing an OP-ED?

     2. Work on getting your topic manageable: A clear topic isn't always the easiest thing to get to, but for an Op-Ed, or any piece of writing that focuses on convincing someone of something, it helps to consider a few things: 1. Your purpose in writing the piece (what might you want to learn more about and convince people of), 2. Who your audience is and their concerns, 3. Will they be supportive of your ideas or oppositional. To make sure you've gotten a sufficiently focused topic for your Op-Ed, reflect using the following prompts. 

• Why do I want write about this topic? Are there things I want to learn more about through writing? Does it provoke questions? Am I ok with changing what I think about this topic?
• Who do I want to convince? Will they be on my side already? If so, should I change my audience? What should my strategy be in terms of evidence? 
• Is my topic too broad? Will I find myself too bogged down in giving facts? Can I locate my topic in one specific issue or area to help narrow down what I need to discuss and defend?