Question Commonplace

Who is the audience for Commonplace?

Commonplace target audience are university students that are interested in writing, reading, ,edit or comment on essays on a variety of important issues. It has very broad topics so it is open to any kind of interest.

Create a list of characteristics that define the genre of writing on Commonplace?

There is a variety of issues on commonplace but most of them seem to be related to cultural and social issues. There are also topics related to science, politics, and business. The variety of topics is very wide, this will help attract readers from university interest in any variety of topics.

How have writers ensured their pieces are timely, compelling, and relevant?

On the case of my essay called “Don’t forget about Uganda” by Nikki Brown mentions the problematic of a current war in Uganda, making her purpose of creating conscience be in good timing. The timing is also correct because she debates on how today students are not aware of the problems in Africa, she argues specific recent examples proving that most of the reader did not know about the severity of the situation. Her essay is compelling because she has a clear purpose of creating conscience among student and supports her arguments with recent and relevant evidence that a university reader can relate. Her essay is relevant because she know to what audience she is speaking to and gives good evidence that the audience can trust her perspective on the situation in Uganda.

How has the writer used ethos, logos, and pathos in composing the piece?

Ethos(Credibility): the writer target audience are students, so by being herself one student she puts herself in the position and questions the general audience at the university. “How is it that many people have no idea of the war in Uganda? ”. She describes how students are not aware of the problems in Africa and her examples com from credible sources making her paper worth reading.

Pathos(Emotional): She persuades creating conscience by giving shocking examples of how children have suffered Uganda. She compares kids from Uganda and the US and that helps the reader get emotional. At the end she persuades student be aware of the problematic and donate to an NGO to help children in Uganda.

Logos(Logical): She persuades the audience by giving relevant reasons of why students should be aware of the problems in Africa and how can we help from home. She creates and emotional effect on the reader through her examples causing her arguments to be persuasive and effective.

How do the writers draw their audience into the essays in the introduction?

She uses a story by letting the reader put in the position of an Ugandan Child. “Picture this….” By describing the picture the audience can weakly relate how child can suffer on Africa.

How would you describe the style of Commonplace essays?

The essays vary. Many of the essays are argumentative in which the writer debates her point of view on an issue and tries to persuade the audience to support her argument.

How are Commonplace essays similar to academic essays? How are the different?

They are similar because the writers are allowed to express their own views and analysis on a topic the same way as academic essays. They can be written as a first person. They can be use to persuade and audience. The main difference is that academic essays can be longer and many times pursue a more complex thesis.

How has the essay published on Commonplace incorporated the work from the ARP? Can you see what primary source the writer was working with? How is secondary source material used?

Yes her primary source is the violence in children on Northern Uganda. She introduces her secondary sources with relevant examples like BBC and NBC articles that describe a particular story of a child in Northern Uganda.