Frequently Asked Questions

Goal
 

Write a 750-1,000-word essay that analyzes the rhetorical situation of a public document. This public document is the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) website on Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) found at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/facts.html. Your analysis should include at least TWO scholarly sources outside of class texts.

Directions

Complete a close reading of the assigned public document. Then, write a cohesive essay that:

1. Introduces and summarizes the CDC website on ADHD.

2. Analyzes the rhetorical tools used on the site (here, you will want to incorporate ideas from your preanalysis below). For instance, your essay could analyze the CDC’s use of ethos, pathos, and logos.

3. Evaluates the site’s effectiveness(again, ideas from your preanalysis below will be helpful).

This essay is NOT simply an expository or descriptive essay or an analysis of ADHD. It is an analysis of the site and how effectively the site uses rhetorical tools to get its point across. 

First Draft Grading

· You will receive completion points for the first draft based upon the successful submission of your draft. 

· Because your first draft is a completion grade, do not assume that this grade reflects or predicts the final grade. If you do not consider your instructor’s comments, you may be deducted points on your final draft. 

Final Draft Grading

The essay will be graded using a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the assignment criteria and expectations. 

Sources

· Include in-text citations and a References page in APA Style for at least TWO scholarly sources outside of class texts.

· These sources should be used to support any claims you make and should be present in the text of the essay. 

· Use the GCU Library to help you find sources.

· Include this research in the paper in a scholarly manner.

Format

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

LopesWrite

· You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. Refer to the LopesWrite Technical Support articles for assistance.

· Please be sure to review your LopesWrite score before submitting the draft to your instructor. 

Preparing to Write the Essay

Read the site closely: 

1. Read the webpage on Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) found at  http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/facts.html

o Do a first reading that uses underlining, annotation, and summary to make sure you understand what the writer is saying. Go back to any sections that need clarification. 

o On a second reading, pay attention to what the writer(s) of the CDC site is doing by describing the writer’s strategy. 

Conduct a preanalysis:

1. Use your close reading to analyze the rhetorical situation of the site. 

2. Here are some questions to guide your analysis. 

3. You do NOT need to answer all of them—pick three that make the most sense to you. Your close reading will help you generate ideas for your essay. 

· What is the context of the issue(s)? 

a) What do you know about the topic? 

b) What issues does the topic raise? 

c) Is there a larger debate, discussion, or controversy already going on? 

d) What seems to be at stake?

· Who is the writer? 

a. What do you know about the writer’s background, credibility, knowledge of the topic, beliefs, and social allegiances?

· What is the publication? 

a. What do you know about its intended readers, reputability, political slant, and the topics it covers?

· How does the writer define the rhetorical situation and identify the call to write? 

a. What is the writer’s orientation toward the issues involved? 

b. What is at stake for the writer?

· Who is the intended audience? 

a. Is the writer addressing one group or more than one group of readers? 

b. Is the writer trying to bring an audience into being? 

c. What kind of relationship is the writer trying to establish with readers?

d. What assumptions about readers does the writer seem to make?

· How does the writer use language? 

a. How does the writer use ethos, pathos, and logos to appeal to the audience? 

b. What is the writer’s tone? 

c. What does the writer’s word choice show about his or her assumptions about readers? 

d. Does the writer use specialized terms or slang? 

e. Are there memorable figures of speech?

f. Does the writer stereotype?

· What is your evaluation of the rhetorical effectiveness? 

a. Does the writer accomplish his or her purposes? 

b. What constraints, if any, qualify the writing’s effectiveness?

Draft the essay: 

Once you’ve completed the pre-analysis, draft the essay. The essay should include: 

1. Header, essay title, heading in APA Style 

2. An introduction paragraph with a thesis statement

3. At least three body paragraphs

4. A conclusion paragraph 

Also, you will need to include a References page and in-text citations formatted in APA Style with at least TWO scholarly sources outside of class texts.

Submit this assignment to your instructor in the assignment drop box AND post this draft as an attachment in the Module 2 Rhetorical Analysis Peer Review forum 

by Day 3 of Week 2.

Click here for a sample essay!

Write a 750-1,000 word review of a website about ADD or ADHD. You will write this review for the general public, so you might target a particular publication, such as a student or local newspaper or one of the national magazines. This will help you anticipate what your readers already know, what they value, and what criteria they accept as a basis of evaluation. Complete the following:

1. Develop a set of criteria that the general public would see as acceptable for a website about diseases and disorders (like ADHD).

2. Describe the website you have chosen, and then explain how it does (or does not) perform the criteria you established above.

3. Use at least two scholarly sources outside of class texts to augment your understanding and perspective on these facts and elements. Use the GCU library for sources. Include this research in the paper in an appropriate scholarly manner.

Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. Refer to the LopesWrite Technical Support articles for assistance. Please be sure to review your LopesWrite score before submitting the draft to your instructor.

 

The final draft of this assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion of the assignment. 

You will receive completion points for the first draft based upon the successful submission of your draft. The points are not an evaluative statement about your draft; be sure to consider all instructor comments as you revise your draft.

In addition to submitting this draft to your instructor, you must also post this draft as an attachment in the Week 4 Peer Review forum by Day 3 of Week 4.

 Click here for a sample essay! 

For this assignment, write a 750-1,000-word commentary that addresses a trend/topic related to ADHD. 

This means that your essay should review a single trend related to ADHD. For instance, you could analyze one of the following trends (you are not limited to this list; these are suggestions): 

· Increase in ADHD Diagnoses

· Impact of ADHD on a Child’s Schooling

· Impact of New ADHD Treatments

· Hidden Dangers of ADHD Medications

· The Reasoning Behind ADHD Awareness Week

· ADHD and the Zombie Phenomenon

· ADHD Drug Overdoses

This essay is NOT a summary of several different elements of ADHD. Rather, it is an analysis of a single trend related to ADHD, including various elements of that single trend.

Your review should include at least five scholarly sources outside of class texts.

Directions

1. Label or Identify the Subject: Provide the name for the trend and provide some context or background for the subject. 

2. Explain the Subject: Find a pattern of meaning in the trend (e.g., speculate as to causes and effects of an event, compare with a similar case, or offer an example). 

3. Make a Judgment/Offer an Opinion:Evaluate the trend using third person; offer praise or critique the trend, offering evidence to support your claims.

First Draft Grading

You will receive completion points for the first draft based upon the successful submission of your draft. Since instructor feedback for this draft is optional, you will need to consider feedback from peers and your self-review. You may also use the Center for Learning Advancement (CLA) and ThinkingStorm online tutoring services available at the following link for additional feedback: http://www.gcu.edu/Learning-Resources/Center-for-Learning-and-Advancement.php

The final draft of this assignment uses a grading rubric. Instructors will be using the rubric to grade the assignment; therefore, students should review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the assignment criteria and expectations for successful completion of the assignment. 

Because your first draft is a completion grade, do not assume that this grade reflects or predicts the final grade. 

Final Draft Grading

The final essay will be graded using a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the assignment criteria and expectations. 

Sources

· Include in-text citations and a References page in APA Style for at least FIVE scholarly sources outside of class texts.

· These sources should be used to support any claims you make. 

· Use the GCU Library to help you find sources.

· Include this research in the paper in a scholarly manner.

Format

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

LopesWrite

· You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. Refer to the LopesWrite Technical Support articles for assistance.

· Please be sure to review your LopesWrite score before submitting the draft to your instructor. 

Submit this assignment to your instructor in the assignment drop box AND post this draft as an attachment in the Topic 6 Commentary Peer Review Forum by Day 3 of Week 6.

 Click here for a sample essay!