Drake English 313

WA#2, Group Assignment #1: Positive-Emphasis Policy Letters

Purpose: There are a number of purposes to this assignment. The first is to practice analyzing the different rhetorical needs of different audiences receiving the same general information. The second is to practice using positive emphasis (also known as "spin" or "putting a positive spin" on info) to describe an unpopular policy. Third is to practice condensing lots of info into a brief Power Point presentation and a relatively brief letter or two. And fourth is practicing working and writing in groups. Yes, I know some of you practice that fourth one to death in other classes, but it’s part of what we need to work on in here too, and it is a necessary and valuable, but difficult, skill to master.

Assignment: Working as a group, you will develop the following:

1) Each group will think-up its own "negative-policy" or "bad-news" scenario that would affect either the UI or some other organization or institution. Create some sort of realistic, unpopular campus or organizational policy that people like yourselves would not like (Examples include things like curfews, no-smoking on campus, raising fees or taxes etc.).

Break your audience into at least three distinct groups (Ex: students, faculty, staff, administrators etc.) who would be most affected by your policy.

2) Using the Essay Outline template, analyze these separate audiences and describe how your message would need to be individually tailored to each specific audience. How would you adapt the information differently to appeal to and persuade the different audiences? This analysis will outline the rhetorical strategy that will be used in the letters you write to these audiences. 

This section of the assignment (your audience analysis, based on the outline template) should be formatted as a brief essay (usually 5-7 pages, double-spaced).

3) Present an outline of your media campaign blitz to the class via a brief Power Point presentation.  This will give your group an opportunity to receive feedback from the entire class before handing the letters in for a grade, and to practice basic presentation skills etc.

4) Write two separate letters (one each to two of your specific groups; so your analysis essay asks you analyze at least three groups, but the letters will only be to two of these three or more groups); the rhetorical problem in these letters is to break the bad news in the most positive way possible and maintain/build goodwill with the readers, thereby eliminating any possible negative reaction to the news. Focus on positive emphasis, you attitude, and intrinsic reader benefits.

This section consists of two properly formatted, one page (maximum!) letters, addressed from your group to the respective parties. These letters must directly apply the information described in Section 2, above.

Apply the basic Informative Message Formula. Use Block Format (with or without letterhead; see Appx A in your text); also use a subject line and headings.

Grading: The group as a whole will receive three separate grades, one grade per assignment.

The Analysis Essay  is worth 200 pts, and two letters are worth 100 pts each. These grades will be given to each individual in the group. In other words, if the group as a whole receives a "B" for the audience analysis paper, then each member of the group receives a "B" for the analysis paper etc.

Working as a Group: Because each individual receives the same "group" grade, each of you is being graded in part on your ability to function well as a writing group. This includes learning to delegate and schedule work and speak up and shut up and structure the experience to be productive and easy as possible.