Assignment in Brief: Write a short combination essay in a journalistic style using at least 1) informative, 2) narrative, and one other kind of writing (likely argument of problem) that informs a college level audience about a building issue or interesting idea/thing you find important; make it about 450-600 words and imagine that you might submit this to the Valencia College newspaper, the Valencia Voice (or another news source).
Ah, finally a shorter Essay.
STEP 1 (READ):
For Essay 4, please read one of the following one to two-page essays (attached).
U4-21-Chung-How a Puppy Saved My Grieving Family.docx
U4-21-Bruner- Wave-of-New-Bills -Threatens-Trans Youth.docx
U4-16-Abdul-Jabbar-KAJ-1p-Paradox-Black_Role_Model.docx
U4-23-Jauhar-When My Father Got Alzheimer.docx
U4-20-4 Loneliness Is a Modern Invention.docx
U4-22-Fake-News-How-Brains-Trick toBelieving n How toStop-4pp.docx
WHILE READING, get a sense of all the many ways a more conversational or Journalistic Combo Essay could be used.
These are generally less formal (so no MLA citations needed), but they do often have journalistic style quotes, like this: As Nicole Chung reports about “pandemic-pups” in her 2021 Time Magazine essay, “Peggy has given our weary, grieving family a new shared focus, an emotional center that isn’t all about loss.”
What you might notice is that the purpose of today’s essays written by everyday writers is more subtle, less clear, but more elegant. Often they seem essentially informative/expository (see the Raisa Bruner essay on trans youth) or even expressive and narrative (see Chung’s essay on her pandemic-pup).
However, they IMPLY more, such as, in the case of Bruner’s article, “and we/you should do something to stop this,” or in the case of Chung’s essay “There is hope for your family if you have too much loss. Have you considered this one thing that might help?”
STEP 2 (THINK):
Explore your life, reading, conversations, work, family and friend relationships, and recreation over the past year and find a TOPIC with a SUBTLE ARGUMENT that you can hint at. What is worth writing some NARRATIVE and EXPOSITORY about that could maybe use some updating/improvement?
STEP 3 (WRITE):
In a brief 1-3 page expository, narrative, expressive, analysis, or evaluative essay. You DON’T need to state a main argument. Often, hinting at or sharing a problem is enough. Other times quick suggestions at the end are valuable.
Essay 4 Requirements. To receive a passing grade, this essay should
Be clear about an ISSUE/TOPIC/PROBLEM. Use a title to clarify if necessary.
Written to a clear audience that is NOT written to EVERYBODY. (When in doubt use a group like 20–30-year-old Parents or Community College Students in your region.)
Be 1 to 3 pages long (or about 300-900 words but try for 450-600).
NOT be in MLA FORMAT. Instead use ONLINE WRITING FORMATTING like this: a) single spaced paragraphs, b) not indented, c) with a full line of space between paragraphs. Make d) the first line the Title in 14-point font (Calibri, Times New Roman, or something similar) bolded, with e) the second line the BYLINE: “By __ (your name) on (the date)”
Consider having at least 1 to 2 journalistic quotes from an expert or to add credibility, like this: Doctor Philip Philips states, “College is actually for learning how to think, to complete processes, and to utilize adult skills.”
One possible process to get you to an effective MINI-COMBO ESSAY:
PREWRITE on 2-3 DIFFERENT TOPICS or on different parts of ONE TOPIC (from Opposing Viewpoints or credible online sources. Prewrite about TOPICS/ISSUES in your community, solutions that all should know about, or processes people should use. Then narrow it to an appropriate scope and angle. (1.5 to 3 hours).
TALK WITH SOMEONE more on that topic and related subtopics. Record a conversation or have paper and pen ready. Find someone to chat with about this. These essays will often start with a statement like, “I want to write about butterflies.” Usually this results in a strange look. The other person will then say something like “Like WHAT about butterflies?” or “How can you make that interesting?” Talking with someone helps. TRUST ME. Usually the fun and interest comes from the angle or the blending of 2-4 related or unrelated things. Maybe you want to write about The Avengers, which could be blended with the pandemic, or teamwork, making your focus more like “How The Avengers could help a boss be less of a jerk” or “How thinking like The Avengers just might get a buddy through depression.”
CONSIDER RHETORICAL APPEALS – (E) Why You and Credibility, (L) use FELSO and specifics tailored to your AUDIENCE, (P) Identify an AUDIENCE – TO WHOM EXACTLY ARE YOU WRITING? What do they value? What annoys them? How can you get through to them? (20-60 min)
OUTLINE a possible flow – with Stories/SECTIONS/paragraphs & Flow (5 to 15 minutes).
