Overview[]
Popular media portrayals and scholarly peer-reviewed articles have distinct differences between the two styles of writing. In the two examples, each will discuss Common Core State Standards in two ways. The Common Core of Literacy and Literature describes how the Common Core State Standards in the English classroom can improve the teaching of literature as well as the teaching of literacy.Why We Need Common Core: "I choose C." is a video that argues public school students that were taught excluded from the Common Core standards don’t receive an education that allows the student to apply multiple subjects into one task and to think critically. The different styles of writing have different effects on the reader and how the overall message that the reader gets is communicated. In addition, I am offering advice to incoming freshman English majors about writing tips to help them succeed in our field.
Analysis[]
Common Core of Literay and Literature by Marium Karis Cronin[]
In the article, The Common Core of Literacy and Literature, Mariam Karis Cronin uses multiple strategies and techniques to illustrate her ideas and functionality of Common Core standards. In her thorough article, Cronin uses personal experience, graphs, and other figures to assist her overall point being made. As Cronin writes specifically to teachers, her use of her personal experience has a leveling effect on the reader. If the audience consisted of teachers, these teachers would respect the amount of years she has taught as reasoning to listen and to care about her opinions of the topic; this will allow the audience to learn from Cronin. In addition, Cronin supports her opinions with several graphs and figures to help the audience understand to what she is referring. This is particularly supportive in the aspect of her implication that only by joining forces with other teachers and collaborating “will our students ever become truly literate and the full potential of the Common Core State Standards be realized” (Cronin 52).
Even though the author’s paper is, to some extent, in-depth and the reader might not be thrilled reading such a long, detailed paper, Cronin makes her point quickly and clearly. Furthermore, this paper says that it is the “High School edition,” which additionally reiterates that the paper was possibly shortened, most likely to accommodate students not having the patience to read such a lengthy paper. Also, as Cronin was writing this article, she took her audience into account once more when deciding the type diction in which makes up the entirety of the article. If she had used lower-level language than which she used, the audience wouldn’t have as much admiration for her or take her as seriously. In contrast, if Cronin used diction at a much higher level than the audience, they would understand the point of her article just about as clear as mud. In addition, Cronin said absolutely everything she needed to say without adding too much or not saying enough. She clearly got her point across in a simple manner.
Why We Need Common Core: "I choose C."[]
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In contrast, the YouTube videos discussing Common Core use a different method. The tone is very humorous and sarcastic in the video, showing what a public school educated child without the Common Core regulations has to offer during the interview. The satire helps capture and keep the audience’s attention because the audience feels that it’s acceptable to “poke fun” at the student for how unknowledgeable she is. There are multiple examples of her stupidity in the video, such as her wanting multiple choice answers in the interview, seeking someone else in the room the think “pair-share” with, even though they are the only two in the room. This technique not only adds entertainment to the video itself, but also gives the audience a reason to continue watching the video, in hopes of seeing what else this student does in the job interview. Using a cartoon is an obvious way of getting a point across to the audience in a pleasurable method, instead of simply writing an article. Furthermore, by posting videos on a popular video sharing site, the audience is then broad and plentiful.
It seems as though this video’s audience is not directed solely at one particular age, occupation, or necessarily any other identifying category of people. Instead, it is directed at many, such as teachers, students, parents, administrators, school board heads, and etcetera. In ordinance to this, the diction used was mostly likely chosen at a semi-basic level of understanding. There aren’t words that a typical student couldn’t understand, but also, parents, teachers, and so on can still gather the point of the video without showing interest based on the level of diction used. In a video, length is still an aspect of consideration. If a video is too long, it can lose the interest of an audience. However, if a video is too short, the point trying to be made might not have been registered clearly to the audience. The video overall was fairly simple; it exemplified a student that was enrolled in a public high school that did not require Common Core standards and how the student was not prepared. This message was made very clear to the audience for the reason that the video was kept simple.
Advice[]
Diction
As you are beginning to write, think about who your writing is directed to. Once you establish your audience, keep in mind their reading level and make the diction correspond to their level.
- If you branch out in English to Journalism, you will have to learn to write at an eighth grade reading level.
Keep It Simple
Write until your point is clearly stated; no less, no more.
- Writing in English does not value the use of extra words, or fluff, in writing. When you’re are writing in your major (and for English majors the types of writing you will complete are essays, articles, editorials, proposals, etc.) you need to think about the audience’s opinions of your paper due to content. Critics in the English field will not tolerate the author not completely making a point, and especially will not accept the use of fluff.
Length
Keep in mind how many words/paragraphs your audience is willing to read.
- The length of the writing should be appropriate to the audience’s reading level, age, patience, and so on. If you are writing to high school level or below, consider trying to get your point across faster while making sure it can be understood.
Works Cited[]
¨ Cronin, Mariam K. "The Common Core of Literacy and Literature." ProQuest. English Journal, Mar. 2014. Web. 1 Apr. 2014.
¨ "Why We Need Common Core: "I Choose C."" YouTube. YouTube, 27 Aug. 2012. Web. 22 Mar. 2014.