Assignment 2: Open Letter
Purpose: Since you began listening to the conversations about issues related to health, you have
been analyzing a variety of texts in a variety of different contexts. Now you can engage deeper
with a topic of your choice, within our class theme of health, and expand the conversation. In the
process of close reading, critical reading, and expanding the conversation,
? you will be choosing and reading three articles within Healthy State that speak about a
shared topic,
? you will synthesize (or bring together) information from the chosen articles to discover
critical, emerging issues,
? and you will write an argument to persuade an audience to do or think something new
about the issue.
A first step before writing a persuasive argument is to listen to the conversations surrounding the
issue to which you would like to contribute. You?ll do this by closely and critically reading at
least three articles from our reader, Healthy State, finding emerging issues from these texts. You
will eventually need to incorporate three (or more) articles from Healthy State to use as support
for the argument you make. Please note that this assignment does not call for outside
research. After you select an issue, you?ll work to identify a suitable audience for your
persuasive argument, in which you will use the selected articles as evidence to support your
reasoning.
Genre: You will write an open letter, which is specifically addressed to one person but is
intended for a larger audience, organization, or group to read. Open letters are often published in
a newspaper or magazine.
Audience: The audience for this essay should be connected to the issue you choose (they should
be able to do something about the problem and solution you are presenting). To best achieve
your purpose (persuasion) with your audience, you?ll need to:
? Carefully consider what audience will need to hear your argument, target them, and
work to consider that audience?s needs, values, and knowledge on the issue. Your
tone and ?voice? should be appropriate for your audience.
? Consider the expectations your audience has of you as an author. The audience
expects that the argument is supported with reasons and evidence from the articles
you read. They want to see that you are familiar with the conversation on the issue
and want to know how your argument uniquely expands and contributes to that
conversation.
? Show that you have conducted effective inquiry into the issue by summarizing,
paraphrasing, directly quoting, and explaining the source material appropriately (the
three sources from which the issue emerged).
Requirements:
? Summary: provide a relevant summary of the idea (the problem or issue presented by one
or more of your articles and either a solution you?ve invented or one you?ve come across
in your reading) for your audience, paying attention to the parts of the text which will be
of most interest to your audience.
? Response: You will respond by arguing to your audience that the idea you are asking
them to consider will be useful, emphasizing why the idea is important (your reasons),
what is at stake, and providing evidence from the original text (and, potentially, from
other texts we?ve read so far this semester) to back up your argument. Your informed
response shows that you?ve listened to the broader conversation surrounding these issues
and your analysis and response is based on an accurate knowledge and understanding of
the situation or subject in question. Your audience is depending on you to provide more
than first reaction opinions; they desire informed opinions.
? Critical Thinking Approach: Your essay should be informed by all the texts we have read
thus far. You should also investigate the idea?s originating context as well as the context
of the audience you are trying to persuade and their subsequent values.
Paper Length: 900-1200 words (3-4 pages)
Workshop Dates: Wed., March 2nd; Mon., March 7th Due Date: Wed., March 9th
Worth: 20% of your final course grade
**NOTE: At the end of your paper, include the following honor pledge: ?”I have not given,
received, or used any unauthorized assistance.”
Assignment 2 Grading Rubric
Excellent Satisfactory Unsatisfactory
Making an Argument: The
letter clearly and effectively
argues for the idea you are
spreading. The letter
emphasizes reasons why the
idea is important, evidence to
support the reasons, and
discusses what is at stake in the
conversation. The letter goes
beyond first reaction opinions
about the idea and instead
presents informed opinions
based on careful consideration
of the conversation surrounding
the idea.
Although the letter writer has
thought about how the idea will
be useful to the audience, the
letter could more clearly and
effectively argue about the
idea?s usefulness. The letter
mentions why the idea is
important and what is at stake,
though the reasons and/or
evidence could use more
development. The letter goes
beyond first reaction opinions,
though the letter writer may
need to consider the
conversation surrounding the
idea more carefully.
It is unclear from the letter why
and how the idea will be useful
to the audience and/or why it is
important and what is at stake.
The letter may rely too heavily
on first reaction opinions, rather
than informed opinions, and
may cite few reasons and/or
little or no evidence to support
the position. The letter writer
may need to consider the entire
conversation surrounding the
idea more carefully to craft an
informed response more
effectively.
Considering Context and
Appealing to an Audience: It
is obvious from the letter that
the student has carefully
considered the idea?s
originating context and has
thoughtfully crafted a letter
aimed at convincing the
audience of the idea?s
worthiness. The letter writer
has considered the values and
assumptions of the audience
and their context and speaks
clearly to those needs.
Though the letter has put some
consideration into the
audience?s context, the letter
could more clearly explain how
the idea is applicable. The letter
also pays some attention to the
needs of the audience, but
consideration of the values and
assumptions of the audience
could be more thorough.
The letter seems to show little
consideration of the audience?s
context, and/or it is unclear
from the letter that the student
understands what context is and
how it plays a role in the
rhetorical situation. The letter
may have little or no
consideration of the values and
assumptions of the audience.
Representing the Text: The
letter accurately and objectively
summarizes the idea in the
original text, paying attention
to the parts of the text that will
be of most interest to the
audience.
The letter cites the author, title,
date, and publication of the
text, using author tags and/or
proper attribution for all
borrowed material and framing
summary, paraphrases, and
quotations with careful and
effective explanation.
Overall, the letter accurately
and objectively represents the
idea in the text, though there
may be some minor
inaccuracies, and/or the reader
may need more information to
fully understand the text?s idea.
The letter writer may need to
pay more attention to the key
parts of the text that will be of
most interest to the audience.
The letter makes clear
references to the text, but it
could use more variation in
author tags and/or it needs to
make better choices of
summarizing, paraphrasing, and
quoting. References may be
effective, but framing is thin or
missing.
The letter shows that the
student may have an
incomplete understanding of
the text because it contains
incomplete and/or inaccurate
information, causing the
audience to be unsure of the
main ideas and supporting
points in the text. Essays that
contain only opinions about the
texts are also unsatisfactory.
Because the essay does not
have enough references to the
text, it is hard to tell when the
student is referring to it and
when the student is expressing
his/her own thoughts.
Ineffective use of summarizing,
paraphrasing, and quoting
raises concerns about
plagiarism and/or
understanding.
Conventions & Style: The
language, tone, and voice of the
letter are those of a careful and
critical reader, and the letter is
edited for clear communication
that is free of distracting errors.
While the letter could be more
carefully edited for style, it is
generally clear and readable.
Because of poor editing and/or
style choices, the letter is
confusing or unclear for
readers.
