Assignment/Activity Title — Opinion Article

Year — Sophomore
Portfolio Competency — Media and Communications
Skill(s) — Media Literacy, Research, Writing
The goal of the opinion article assignment was to utilize tools and skills studied in professional journalism to
create our own article on a subject of choice. The objectives of this assignment were to use rhetorical appeals to defend a
claim and persuade an audience. The topic of the article was open-ended, with the sole requirement of fitting into at least
one of the eight news values. With the seriousness and numerous downsides of the past year, I wanted to bring attention to
a more lighthearted subject that was a large part of my experience during the pandemic. My article, titled “Nuanced New
World of Reading,” focuses on teenage reading habits in connection to the viral social media app TikTok. To complete this
assignment, I researched, reflected on my own experiences, drafted my article, and conducted peer review and revision to
create my final piece.
As a major consumer of TikTok and young adult (YA) literature, I had to first use media literacy skills to evaluate
my own experiences with both forms of media. It was easy to identify the connection between the two, as a large portion
of the videos on my TikTok page revolved around books, recommendations, and fictional characters. This “side” of
TikTok is known as BookTok: a section of TikTok with solely literature-related content. Originally I wasn’t sure what my
exact main idea would be, but as I came to recognize the great impact of BookTok on my consumption of both TikTok and
books, I began to center my piece on it. I used research skills to determine how BookTok affected other individuals as well
as the country overall. I combed through videos of popular content creators, interviewed my peers, and found credible
sources analyzing the subject. Once I organized my research findings, I was able to begin the writing process. The article
was undoubtedly one of the easiest pieces for me to complete. Due to my extensive knowledge of and experience with the
subject, I didn’t once struggle to find ideas to share. While I was writing, I had to consider my audience. Though
somewhat of a novelty topic, the ideas could prove interesting to a wide audience (teachers, teenage readers, and parents
to name a few) and I had to ensure the piece was scholarly while still being engaging and simple enough for a range of
ages to comprehend.
The opinion article initiated an exploration of the effect of media and communications, more specifically,
journalistic methods. I studied and put to use a variety of tools used by professional journalists to make their
communication more effective to their audience. The main methods were the rhetorical appeals: ethos, logos, and pathos.
To establish ethos, I included reliable sources, appropriate language and tone, and mentions of my experiences to
demonstrate my credibility. I defined terms, outlined clear cause and effect, and incorporated facts and statistics to appeal
to my audience with logos. To appeal emotionally to my audience, I used pathos. I provided personal anecdotes and
integrated common phrases and experiences that would help readers feel engaged and connected to the subject. The use of
rhetorical appeals coupled with newsworthiness and an engaging hook make my article relatable and easy to follow,
therefore making it more effective and persuasive to my audience. My use of these techniques allowed me to understand
how similar methods are utilized in the media I consume. I am now better equipped to recognize an author’s use of
persuasive tools and how they may serve to influence the opinions of society.
Student Signature: Samantha Jaffe Date: 6/2/21
Teacher Signature: Sarah Forman Date: 6/3/21