Revised Journal Article Assignment

Advanced Writing Studies

This assignment is intended to give you practical experience in the realm of revising a document for a different audience.

1.       You may choose any topic related to your major, minor, or area of interest. 

· Tips for choosing a topic: visit the library or cruise the periodical section online.

· Procure an article from a professional journal that you want to base your revision on.

2. Read your article carefully.  You cannot revise something that you do not understand completely!  Once you feel you have a strong grasp of what your article says about your topic, you will then be ready for the next step.

3.       Create a scenario.

Audience: Your information must be conveyed to an audience not wholly familiar with the subject matter, language, or even specific concepts.  It will be your goal to make this audience understand the concept being presented.  Furthermore, your audience must be limited to one person or a small group of individuals.

Purpose:  Therefore, you will have to create the “purpose” also.  In other words, why are you conveying this particular information to this particular audience?  Answering this question will guide you in creating exactly the type of document that achieves some specific intention.

Identity: As the writer of this document, your identity must also be clearly stated.  Who are you?  Why are you writing to this audience? 

All pieces of the scenario puzzle must fit together. Once you have all pieces in place, ask yourself this question: Would this document be created in a real-life situation?

4.       Revise the information into a document suitable for the audience and purpose. 

· Remember that your focus is on conveying specific information for a specific purpose to a specific audience.

· The first sentence of your correspondence should clearly state why you are writing. 

5.       Format.

· Letter or memo, but other options may make more sense, like a pamphlet or a proposal.  Speak to me if you have doubts.

· Creating a specific format will ensure that you have an audience and a purpose to direct the information to.

6.       APA or MLA.

· Construct a bibliography or works cited citation for the article you used. 

· Also include in-text citations within your discussion of the material.

7.       Make certain, before you begin, that you are revising a “journal” article—one written for a professional audience.

· It is difficult to rewrite information that is already directed to a general audience; furthermore, doing so will not satisfy the requirements of this assignment. 

· If you have doubt about the validity of your article, check with me or a librarian.

8. Lastly, you are expected to do professional work on this assignment.  Every error, including grammar, spelling, punctuation, usage, vague and /or misleading phrases, etc., will result in lost points.