Argumentation with Serial Day 7 Today’s agenda: Deconstructing the prompt Op-ed format Sample op-ed Listen to Serial W.9-10.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

The prompt Was justice served in the murder trial of Adnan Syed? After listening to Serial season 1 and reviewing related materials, write an opinion-editorial (op-ed) article for online publication in which you address this question and argue both Adnan’s guilt or innocence and the effectiveness of his prosecution and defense. Support your position by both directly citing and paraphrasing evidence from the podcast and related texts. Be sure to refute competing views.

Deconstructing the prompt We will use the PAFT method to determine just what this prompt is asking us to do. P PURPOSE A AUDIENCE F FORM T TOPIC

Purpose What is your purpose for writing? What are the parts to my purpose (claim, reasons…etc)​ Narrative​ Informative/explanatory​ Argumentative/persuasive

Audience Who is your audience? ​ If it’s not directly stated, assume a general audience--or look at where or how the piece is supposed to be published. Provide proper background knowledge and context​. Use appropriate language and tone​. What might their position be right now?

Form Essay, letter, op-ed, speech, brochure, etc. ​ What form does your writing need to be in?​ How does your form differ from other forms?​ Use appropriate format and structure.

Topic What is your topic/message?​ This should explicitly answer the question or task in the prompt​. Create a mock thesis statement​. Make sure it matches the purpose!

Deconstructing the prompt Annotate the prompt for the following: PURPOSE AUDIENCE FORM TOPIC Was justice served in the murder trial of Adnan Syed? After listening to Serial season 1 and reviewing related materials, write an opinion-editorial (op-ed) article for online publication in which you address this question and argue both Adnan’s guilt or innocence and the effectiveness of his prosecution and defense. Support your position by both directly citing and paraphrasing evidence from the podcast and related texts. Be sure to refute competing views.

Deconstructing the prompt Annotate the prompt for the following: PURPOSE AUDIENCE FORM TOPIC Was justice served in the murder trial of Adnan Syed? After listening to Serial season 1 and reviewing related materials, write an opinion-editorial (op-ed) article for online publication in which you address this question and argue both Adnan’s guilt or innocence and the effectiveness of his prosecution and defense. Support your position by both directly citing and paraphrasing evidence from the podcast and related texts. Be sure to refute competing views.

What is an op-ed? An Op-Ed is a piece of writing with a strong, informed, and focused argument of the writer about an issue of relevance to a targeted audience. Op-eds are opinion articles that provide readers with diverse arguments on timely news issues. Most op-eds relate to an issue in recent news, but also provide a fresh opinion or suggested course of action. While they are essentially opinion pieces, op-eds are balanced with factual information.

What elements belong in each of the three components of an essay?

OP-ED STRUCTURE Since op-eds originated in the world of journalism, there are a few pieces of jargon you will need to know.​

LEDE This is the “hook” or “attention grabber” that opens your Op-Ed and demands your readers’ attention/interest. It serves the exact same purpose as a hook or attention grabber in an essay—journalists just have a special term for it.

NUT GRAF The NUT GRAF provides relevant background information and/or context. It briefly describes the situation or problem that your argument will address. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a paragraph by itself; you can decide if it should be attached to the LEDE and/or CLAIM.

CALL TO ACTION A CALL TO ACTION sums up your argument and explicitly identifies how your reader should be affected via change in their attitude, perspective, beliefs, behaviors, etc.

Op-ed format practice LEDE NUT GRAF CLAIM REASON EVIDENCE COUNTERCLAIM REFUTATION CALL TO ACTION Annotate "Hooked on the Freewheeling Podcast 'Serial'" to find all of the elements of an opinion-editorial (op-ed) piece.