ELA A30 A7.1 Assignment – Editorial Writing
One of the objectives of the A30 curriculum is for you to develop, revise, and publish an Editorial. This is very much like writing a persuasive paper. You’ll have your handouts provided for you with some resources, but here are additional resources for you to use in getting a real sense of what an Editorial is actually like.
If you’re going to write the Editorial, here’s a walkthrough of the assignment and instructions.
Sample Topics Others Have Chosen:
- Distracted Driving in Canada
- Water Drainage Issues for Farmers in Canada
- Coyote Control in Rural Areas
- Cell Phone Use in Schools (Rules in Schools)
- Northern Youth Suicide Numbers
- Rape Culture in Mass Media
- Moose Culling Protested
- Proposal for women to have to uncover their heads/faces for Gov services (Quebec)
- Criticisms of financially supporting Syrian refugees and not homeless or F.N. quality of life
- Carbon Tax proposed by Federal Government – implement in 2 years in prov
- Increased White Supremacist activity in Canada (post Trump election) – hate/race crimes
- cell phone rates across Canada
- internet access in rural areas or Northern communities
- semi driver training/Humboldt Broncos bus crash
- the “survival” theme in Canadian literature
- history of the Canadian Red Cross
- Canadian charities
- The importance of being an informed Canadian (having informed debates/discussions of topics in Canada)
- Carbon tax concerns from prairie provinces
- Tension over John A. Macdonald statues – racist history of government in our beginning; should his contribution to Canadian development be quietened or amended to fit our newer values of today’s society?
- Homelessness issues in Canada: who it largely affects, what supports are available?
- Child poverty in Canada – from which groups are they most vulnerable?
- Canada spent more than 5 billion in World Aid in the previous year. Sounds like a lot. It amounts to less than 2% of our federal budget spending; seems like a small percentage. Should we donate as much as we do?
- Discuss immigration history in Canada, or more recent immigration statistics and numbers. Whether immigration costs Canadians or whether it contributes to a balanced economy.
- Discuss refugee and asylum seekers – the numbers, comparison of numbers the last 10 or 20 years.
- Write about the side that is For Canadian support of Ukraine in Europe, or Against it.
Topics to choose from for the Law 30 class paper: Google Sheet link
Understanding Persuasive Writing
Editorial Exemplars:
Exemplar One – Security Changes in Canada (colour coded for Sides)
Exemplar Two – Security Changes in Canada (comments added for guidance)
Transition Words/Persuasive Signal Words:
- Transition Words: https://msu.edu/user/jdowell/135/transw.html#anchor1709924
- Transition Words: http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/Transitions.html
- Persuasive Words: https://blog.bufferapp.com/words-and-phrases-that-convert-ultimate-list