Assessment Task 1: Commentary up to 750 words with the succinct version as a letter to the editor XXXXXXXXXXwords.
Description and assessment guidelines
Students will develop 2 written responses to a recent news article on drug use (might be from a magazine, journal, online news or newspaper). In the first (750 words) they present their opinion, substantiate this by using the evidence presented in the course material and from their own supplementary research. Evidence is important - even if you don't agree with it.
The Conversation is a really good place to go to read the type of response we are looking for in this assessment task - they are generally 750 words and have evidence to support the view
You can write this in first person and it is different from most of the academic articles you will be writing for Uni assessments.
Secondly, students will then summarise their commentary as a XXXXXXXXXXword letter for publication in a mainstream newspaper.
You will be required to submit both pieces and only the full 750 word version will require proper academic referencing. They can be submitted as one file. please include the original news item you are commenting on.
Please refer to the examples of newspapers and topics below which will help you complete this assessment. You are not limited to these examples but it is a good place to start. Other examples have been posted in the discussion forum at the end of weeks 1, 2 and 3.
Some example topics can be found here
The Age Letters
https:
www.theage.com.au/national/victoria
ules-and-tips-for-submitting-letters XXXXXXXXXXgi249r.html
How to submit a letter to The Guardian
https:
www.theguardian.com/info/2015/jan/28/contact-the-guardian-letters-desk
The Guardian Letters
https:
www.theguardian.com/politics/politics+tone/letters
The Australian Letters
http:
www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/letters
Tips for writing letters to the editor:
http:
ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/advocacy/direct-action/letters-to-edito
main
Examples here: and also here: on how to write a good commentary or opinion piece
This guide for journalists will also help students to consider the quality of the news story they are writing about
http:
www.aodmediawatch.com.au/guidelines-for-journalists
Also an Overdose reporting style guide that has been developed for North American journos