Editorials

Opening Moment: Zoe

Inspiration for Valentine's/Love feature:

1. Women want Botox for Valentine's Day
2. Peruvian florists see jump in sales

Pulitzer Prize Winning Editorials:

• Group 1: 2013 Winners
• Group 2: 2011 Winners
• Group 3 2010 Winners
• Group 4: 2009 Winners

Step 1:  Opening Activity: What is a Pulitzer Prize? With your group, read the link, and come up with a 1-2 sentence working definition.

Step 2: In your groups discuss the following questions.  You should record your answers on your individual blog.

1. Who was the writer/writers and for which publication?
2. What was the PURPOSE of their editorials? (See "citation" tab)
3. After reading a few of the articles, describe what types of resources they used and approximately how many in any given editorial.
4. Did you detect any bias? Explain.  Cite specific passages.
5. How does the format, tone, and length of an editorial differ from a feature article?

Step 3: In your new group (as assigned by teacher), report out on your findings (questions 1-5) to your new group members.  Each group member should take notes on the "expert" for the given editorial.  Record answers to the questions on your blog.

Notes from listening to conversations:

• A lot of direct quotes--others had none
• Used research as the sources 
• A clear purpose
• Varying degrees of bias
• Bias because of word choice
• Shorter, more to the point than a feature
• More user friendly than a feature--tries hard to layout the "facts" clearly.
• Does omitted information lead to bias?
• Longer paragraphs 

HW: Valentine's Day/Love article interviews due Tues/ completed article Thursday