JOB ONE
These are this week's notes:
monoLook up example words and add them to your notes.
ology
ped / pod
phon
photo / phos
Also, so you know, this week's vocab (RNG tomorrow):
comeuppance
dubious
exile
factoid
frazzled
inherent
slipshod
zealot
JOB TWO
Now that you've decided which country you will be writing about, let's get started.
Your job this week is preparatory to further writing assignment over the next couple weeks. While you're researching, KEEP TRACK OF ALL YOUR SOURCES. If you can't cite it, it didn't happen.
This week's assignment (due Thursday to share with writer coaches) is an overview of your country over the last five to ten years. (You can decide exactly when to start this history---pick an interesting moment in time---but bring it through the present day.) The essay should consist of four parts:
1. Introduction to the nation. Where is it? Who lives there? Is it big or small? Urban or rural? Describe the basics. Give us a tour.
2. Government and recent history. We picked our nations because they're imperfect. So write about what's been going on lately. What's good? What's bad? What's really bad? Be specific to your country. Generalities that are true of a thousand places do you no favors.
3. The most urgent thing. If you could change one thing about your nation to make life better for its people, what would you do? Be specific. Be realistic. Platitudes will get you nothing. And remember: only one thing. Don't forget to explain why that thing is the one thing that will make the biggest difference.
4. Sources. Include a list of your sources. Stealing is not okay.
This is still a shortish assignment. Try to keep it under two pages.
Rough draft due Thursday, April 25.
Final draft due Monday, April 29 (typed, double-spaced, standard font).
