R. Scott Mackey, M.A. Lecturer California State University, Sacramento Communication Studies Department Fall 2007
Instructor Bio and c.v. Published Work CommS 122 Syllabus Reading List	Communication/Journalism 122 Text Assignment This assignment is worth 50 points
	In this assignment you will be creating a print document for an audience that you will identify. The document must be at least 1500 words long. Also be aware that later in the semester you will be taking this print document's content and converting it into an interactive medium. Step 1 - Choose a subject You may choose any subject, but be careful of choosing one that is too narrow or too broad. The subject should be one that can be presented in both a print and interactive format. Following are some ideas to help you decide what subject you might want to write about: How to - write about how to do something (e.g., drive a car, hit a baseball, build a computer) All about - write about a person, place or thing Persuade someone - write about a political, social, or other cause you feel strongly about History - tell about something that happened in the past Compare or contrast something - football versus hockey, Paris versus San Francisco, men versus women Anything else - as long as the instructor pre-approves your idea. Step 2 - Create a profile of your intended reader Before you begin to write about your subject, you will need to determine who you are writing for. Your audience will determine the kind of information to include as well as how to write the information. At a minimum, your audience assessment should address the following: · Age · Gender · Interest in your subject · Awareness of your subject · Level of technical expertise about your subject · Reading ability (reading level, English as primary language) · Education · Information they specifically want to know about your subject · Things they already know about your subject Step 3 - Write your article Write your article applying the principles presented in this class. Here is an example that shows how to format your assignment and some more tips on how you can do well.

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Updated: July 21, 2007