Please go here for a fine example of an A.C.T! (or RWE) evaluation written by Emilia Lang OHS c/o 2014.
In an effort to increase our depth of learning when it comes to reading and writing, we are going to concentrate improvement on RWE and A.C.T! news article evaluations in Government and Economics – particularly the opinion (reflection) portion. Up until now it has been enough just to have an opinion on an article. That’s OK; I want you to express personal views. Sometimes, however in an effort to do so we lose credibility – in part because we lose touch with the original issue. Sometimes stating an opinion means that you ignore the facts. Well, not anymore. As you take on a real news article – don’t discard the actual story. Go back to it over and over again.
What I’d like to see us start doing is to intellectually take the article apart; do this as you read it…the second or third time through. Mentally deconstruct it – and physically assault it. When you do these evaluations, write all over the article. I’m not suggesting that you neatly highlight it with a yellow colored felt pen and a ruler; rather circle and scratch and notate with your ink pen all up and down the margins of the paper. The thing ought to bleed with comments before you put a single finger on the computer keyboard. For that to happen you gotta really dig in and think!
We don’t think enough in this society; we just start yapping. When we’re yapping we aren’t listening or looking. To change that let’s begin to pay closer attention to those who have researched and written, writers who have taken the time to think the issue through. You don’t get a job at the New York Times or the Washington Post for merely having an opinion. That’s the difference between journalism and blogging and why we look to the news to see exactly “what is really what.”
So from now on when dealing with these RWE and A.C.T! news article evaluations try hard to reflect more deeply on the issue at hand. Keep the commentary in front of you. Write actively. Think actively. Label your Opinion – Reflection – and then go about a more soulful process of reading and writing.
I think your brain will grow.
PS…no more clean white copied articles either. Turn in the one that you wrote all over with your typed evaluation. And in Economics anyhow, be prepared for reflective pop quiz grades based solely on how actively you’re dealing with your chosen RWE article.
