Op-Ed Sketch Breakdown List

The Sketch: A Breakdown List

General Checklist:

Your Sketch must have your name, my name, class name, and the date it is due typed in the top corner. You must have a title and a works cited. Include the Works Cited at the bottom of the Sketch, not on a separate page. I want it typed and between 500-600 words. Single or double spacing does not matter. This is due Monday bring two copies typed and printed out or e-mailed to me and yourself for class workshops.

Title:

Make your title your tentative claim about your topic (also known as the “I think this is what my point is so far…” claim). I want see the question that is guiding your search, you should have numerous questions about your topic, but I want to see the central question you are interested in. What issue are you investigating? Examples:

Mine: Does the Smoking Ban Discriminate Against Smokers?

Ballenger’s: “How to Really Rock the Vote”

Handout: “Should Rifle Suppressor's Be Allowed in Hunting?”

Major Components:

Claim: What is the major point of your op-ed so far? Ex: Smoking ban should be lifted? I need to see your topic right in the opening of your Sketch. What questions are you trying to answer? Later in the Sketch I will see you answer your questions.

Intro=Major Question

Body Paragraphs=Evidence/Background Information/Minor Questions and Answers

Conclusion=Your Answer to the Major Question

Supporting Elements:

The main components that your final op-ed will include are: claims, evidence, warrants, backing, counterclaims, and a rebuttal (CW 249-250 and OWL Purdue Handout). These ideas will not be fully developed in your sketch but you should be working towards them after conferences. See next page for details.

Side Note: If this seems like a lot of things to cover don’t let it overwhelm you. Look at CW 274 for an example of what a Sketch looks like and how someone else incorporated all of these ideas. Ballenger reminds you that “A sketch is often sketchy. It’s generally undeveloped, sometimes giving the writer just the barest outline of his subject” when he is describing the rules for this assignment (CW 274). This is an early draft to your op-ed assignment it should be extra drafty. That being said I want you to include most of these elements in it. Do your best and we will work on polishing it on Monday.

Why is this Sketch Important?

This Sketch will help you flesh out your topic for your op-ed. By doing this assignment you are doing invention work for how you want to share your opinion about the topic you have chosen for the op-ed with others. I want to see that you have enough sources, claims, and ideas to support your claim. This is an excellent place to realize that there might be issues with the topic you have chosen. The goal is to get everyone headed towards a rough draft for their op-ed’s, but if you are experiencing problems don’t panic now is the time to find a more suitable topic.