Unit 2 Assignment

Unit 2: Research Report: A Rhetorical Analysis of Different Genres

This assignment is adapted from City Tech’s Fall 2019 Faculty Development FYW Unit 2 sources.

In Unit 2, you will choose an issue that you are really curious about, conduct research into various genres, gather and evaluate the information in those sources, and report back on what you’ve found. The issue you decide to research could emerge from your discourse community worksheet, be a topic related to your major in college, or be any sort of topic that you would like to explore. Whatever issue or topic you choose,  it should be framed in the form of an open-ended question to help guide you to a variety of sources in different genres and provide multiple answers to and perspectives on your research question.

This assignment is NOT a traditional research paper, but a report on sources in different genres. Rather than answer your research question in a thesis statement, your goal is to report on your findings by writing a rhetorical analysis of four sources in at least three of the following genre categories:

• An Imaginative text—such as a play, a movie script, a poem, a short story, or a novel.
• Visual/audio text—such as a commercial, a movie, a website, a video, a TED Talk, a podcast,  a graphic novel or an album.
• A non-traditional text—such as a collection of recipes, menus, a thread of responses to social media posts, placard-descriptions of art at a museum, or even signs posted on the walls at post offices, banks, City Tech, etc.
• A “non-literary” verbal text—such as an academic essay, newspaper article, a workplace document (memos, business reports, job application announcements, job applications, resumes, etc.).

You must analyze each source, writing at least 300 words for each one. Your analysis should especially focus on how the topic or issue is represented in these texts, rather than the issue itself. You will provide an analysis of the content, but focus on a rhetorical analysis as we have been discussing in class. Consider the text’s purpose, its audience, what era it is from, what the historical context was, using the Soapstone worksheets to guide you. You must also provide citations.

The entire report, including analysis of the four sources, introduction and conclusion, should be at least 1800 words.

 The report for Unit 2 is not a traditional essay, but it is a formal writing assignment. You will need to make sure you cite all of your resources (using the guides we will discuss in class). You must proofread carefully and edit thoughtfully. Make sure there is a clear introduction and a clear conclusion.

Consider following these steps as a guide:

1. Develop a question that you are curious about and that you find really interesting. In UNIT 2, you are primarily researching and analyzing.  All of the hard work you do now will help you in the UNIT 3 because you will be using some of what you discover in Unit 2 to write more about what you have found out in one of the genres of the documents that you have chosen.
2. Begin researching. Gather information on and analyze 4 sources consisting of at least 3 different genres. Look for sources both inside and outside of the library. Photograph what you find if it is on a wall and or painted on a street so you will remember. Document where you found this source because you will need to cite it in the final writing assignment.
3. Read and annotate these sources. Use the soapstone worksheet and rhetorical triangles we have worked on in class. And remember to document where you found this source for the required citations in the final writing assignment.
4. Begin writing your report. The best way to go about this is to write the report for each source, then write a very brief intro and conclusion.
5. Remember that format and appearance count, so give yourself time to proofread and make it look good!

How will you be graded?

1. Content: Is your document readable and informative? Does it teach us about what you’ve     learned as it relates to your research question? Does it address the rhetorical situation surrounding your sources? Who is your audience? Who is your discourse community? Didyou write at least 1800 words?
2. Research: Did you do research both inside and outside the library? Just googling your topic is not real research. Did you use four sources?
3. Genre:You must have at least three different genres.
4. Presentation: Make sure your work looks good. Proofread. Edit. You must have citations. Don’t be sloppy!
5. Language: However you choose to write this assignment, make sure that your language is    consistent. Check your grammar.
6. Citations: Keep track of your research because you must provide citations.

10/23 Due: One Rhetorical Analysis of a Source in a specific genre (300 words). This assignment should help model how you write about  the other three sources

10/28 Due: First draft of your Report . Bring two copies to class.

10/30 Due: In-Class Workshop:  October 30^th.  Revisions of your Report.

11/04 Due: Final draft of Report due.