This is a follow-up exercise to the “Know Your Publication” activity we did last week. This week’s exercise involves studying a “mentor text,” or a particular source (in a particular genre, for a particular publication) that uses a similar style that you’re working on for your Unit 3 piece.
With the “Know Your Publication” activity, you looked at publications and online forums where you might want to publish or present your work. Now, let’s look a little closer. Go back to this site (magazine, webpage, YouTube channel, etc.) and find a specific source that you like. This source should not be about your topic — that’s now what we’re looking at it for at this point. You’re just looking at what features (conventions) make this text fit this publication (and this genre!) This can be an article, TED Talk, YouTube video, etc.
*Remember: You’re not looking for any old text. You’re looking for an article that can be published in the magazine you want your work to be published in, or a YouTube video that fits on the channel you want your video to go on, etc. This should be a source you want to emulate.
Once you find your “mentor text,” answer the following questions:
- What tone/ type of language does this example use?
- How does this source use research? (e.g., do they quote from outside sources, use a lot of statistics, etc.)
- What can you tell us about this source visually (and auditorily, if applicable)? Does it use a lot of imagery and color? Is the layout very clean? Is there a soundtrack?
- How long is it? (words, pages, minutes)
- Who do you think is the audience of this source? What makes you think that?
- What aspects of this source would you like to emulate in your own writing? Why? How might you do that?
- What aspects of this source would you like to avoid in your own writing? Why? How will you do that?
Share your answers with the class by leaving them as a comment on this post by W 11/23 at 12pm (noon). Don’t forget to state, at the beginning of your comment:
- what your topic is
- who your intended audience is
- what genre you’re using for Unit 3
- what publication/forum you’ve looked at (provide a link too!)
- the mentor text (don’t forget the link!)
Topic: The Monetization of Video Games
Audience: Gamers
Genre: Youtube video – Video Essay
Publication looked at: Other Youtube videos
The mentor text: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYYKy7cA9og
The video above uses an informal lighthearted tone. The sources used are quoted from outside sources and use statistics and quotes for other parties. The source uses pictures and videos in the background. The creator also periodically inserts a talking head shot of himself talking into the camera. The example above is 11 minutes 25 seconds. The audience of the source are probably younger audiences and the general public. The way the author explain this ordinary thing is with the assumption that his viewer knows what coffee is but has limited knowledge as to the history of coffee. I would like to emulate the pictures and way information is presented. I would probably avoid the camera shots this creator uses as I do not have the knowledge or equipment to copy his style.
my topic is Japanese and American education systems
my audience is to high school- college students
my genre is a magazine article
what publication/forum you’ve looked at: YouTube videos
mentor text: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/11/movies/namor-tenoch-huerta-black-panther-wakanda-forever.html
What tone/ type of language does this example use? The tone of the article seems to be enthusiastic at the fact that films are starting to have diversity and have people represent Latino culture.
How does this source use research? (e.g., do they quote from outside sources, use a lot of statistics, etc.) They did quote what the actor Tenoch Huerta said in previous interviews, and it had some statistics about the movie.
What can you tell us about this source visually (and auditorily, if applicable)? Does it use a lot of imagery and color? Is the layout very clean? Is there a soundtrack? In my opinion it was presented very clean, there was an image of the actor and the role he played which gives the audience an idea of his character but when you scroll at the bottom that’s where you see many ads. However, I believe that almost everything will include ads because that’s how they gain money.
How long is it? (words, pages, minutes) It had about 700 words.
Who do you think is the audience of this source? What makes you think that? The main audience would be to (us the) Latinos, the actor and writer both emphasize how representation is very important especially for the younger generation because it expands knowledge about culture.
What aspects of this source would you like to emulate in your own writing? Why? How might you do that? In my writing I would also like to include images and have quotes at the bottom. I would have to look into why they put quotes in the bottom, but it reminds me of how when we had to include key quotes in unit 2.
What aspects of this source would you like to avoid in your own writing? Why? How will you do that? I think that I would avoid putting the quotes together because it seems rushed in this article. With my evidence I would like to include explanations for why the quote is there and how it relates back to my topic.
Topic: How did covid affect the young generation’s mental health?
audience: Gen z and Millenial
genre: article
the publication looked at: https://www.buzzfeed.com/
mentor text: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/lizoyer/coronavirus-incarcerated-vaccines
The text above shows an opinionated piece of a woman working as a public defender at a prison. Her name is Liz Oyer and explains how the life of prisoners took a turn after covid struck. Oyer says how people were “trapped in a burning building” since inmates are kept in small spaces with other inmates at a time. It helped the spread. She describes the hardships of her job during the first outbreak of covid, she couldn’t visit the jails and do her job. She states how Inmates weren’t offered the covid vaccines to help people fight against covid. The audience for this would be people of a higher power, people that work for the government and can make the change. I think the author wants to reach them because she’s concerned for the inmate’s well-being. This is exactly the goal I’m trying to reach with my article, I’m trying to share my hardships with covid but also inform my audience of how important covid affected mental health. I would avoid writing as much as she did, I want to write an article that grabs the reader’s attention and doesn’t let go of it. Sometimes writing too much blurs the main topic. I would also use more statistics than she did.