Current Sport: Basketball 

Socio- Cultural Topic: Media Coverage    

Instructions: Students will select a current sport and socio-cultural topic to write an essay to prepare for sending to a local or national newspaper (e.g., New York Times or Houston Chronicle). You must write in AP (Associated Press) style (see: https://writer.com/blog/a- comprehensive-guide-to-the-ap-style-of-writing/) and conform to your chosen newspaper style requirements. These requirements must be attached in hard copy form or a link to your article. The essay should be no less than 750 words and no more than 800. While this is opinion in nature, your article must be compelling and supported with credible evidence and facts found through “open sources” and/or “primary sources.” This is a great tool for a company to use to gain credible visibility making their case on one side of a contemporary argument. Pick a side, then use objective facts and evidence to support your side. Make the most compelling and strongest points first, then keep supporting this position for the rest of the paper with your facts. Be persuasive. 

Tips

• Pick a side and support it vigorously...do not waver back and forth.
  • Focus tightly on one issue or idea --- in your first paragraph. Be brief.
  • Express your opinion, then base it on factual, researched, or first-hand information.
  • Be timely, controversial, and reasonable. Don’t be outlandish.
  • Be personal and conversational, relating to your audience.
  • Tell your reader something they don’t know or realize. Educate the reader.
  • To conclude, restate your position, tell us what you want us to do now. Make a call to action. 
• This should be a balance between logical, objective evidence and your strong opinion.
  • Use clear, powerful, explicit (not vulgar) language. Avoid cliche? and general platitudes.
  • Emphasize active verbs and avoid adjectives (i.e., this is “huge” for our society)
  • Make sure to write to a specific target audience and use words that resonate with them.