NEW MEDIA LETTERS ACTIVITY

The following is an assignment that utilizes new media, materiality, and persuasive writing. The
examples of class assignment handouts I’ve included layout the project in two parts: 1) writing
persuasive letters with new media and 2) writing a reflection piece about the student’s
experience working on the project. Additionally, in class discussion about the process and
outcomes will help expand the impact experience.

GOALS
I see this project having four goals for students:

1. Learning how to research an audience and craft a message to them

2. Looking for new ways to get the attention of an audience
3. Learning how the media changes the way you write and form ideas
4. Using new and different forms of persuasion in their writing

Ideally the students will start looking at new technologies and how we can use them. Also they
will start thinking about how the technology they use shapes their message. Finally, I want
them to think about how the combination of message, medium, and tone comes across to their
audience.

TIME
Each part of the assignment should be done outside of class as homework. After collecting the
letters from the first part of the assignment, allow at least a couple weeks for students to see if
they get any response. This also gives you the chance to discuss in class what each student and
their classmates tried to achieve with their letters.

LEVEL
This project is best suited for entering undergraduates who might not be exposed to how new
media can affect their writing. Additionally you could use this on graduates to broaden their
thinking on how to use new media and persuasion.
EXERCISE
Part 1

After reading the first two chapters in Writing New Media “(Opening New Media to Writings:
Openings and Justifications” by Anne Frances Wysocki and “Students Who Teach Us: A Case
Study of A New Media Text Designer” by Cynthia Selfe), have students write four persuasive
letters. The students can write to businesses, public officials, restaurants, hotels, celebrities,
sports teams, letters to the editor, etc. They’ll write four different letters each to a different
audience.

1. A Standard Letter—This letter should be as official and business formal as possible. This
letter should be mailed through the US Postal Service.
2. A Web/Email Contact— From a company/organization/person’s official webisite, use
either the web form or email address to send them a persuasive letter.
3. “High Tech” New Media—Write a “letter” using some form of high tech new media.
This could be through social media, making a YouTube video, sending a text, etc.
4. “Low Tech” New Media—Write a “letter” using some form of low tech new media
(something other than just typing a letter with their computer).

Discuss in class the virtues and limitations students may encounter with each letter. Give them
resources for writing an official business letter (I recommend the Purdue OWL site:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/). Help them brainstorm ideas of both high and low tech new
media. Suggestions for high tech:

 Use Twitter
 Use Facebook/MySpace/LinkedIn
 Use PowerPoint
 Make a YouTube Video
 Create a blog
 Make a mix CD or playlist
 Text Messaging
 Digital Pictures

Suggestions for low tech:

 Write letter by hand on parchment paper

 Write letter by hand with crayon
 Write letter with cut outs from magazines
 Type a letter in multicolor ink
  Write in an odd font
 Write a letter on the inside of a greeting card
 Macaroni art

Again, as they write each letter, encourage the students to think about how they can best make
their argument within that media. They should also employ classical forms of persuasion
(pathos, ethos, logos). They shouldn’t be afraid to take these to the most extreme even using
heavy flattery, begging, or telling little lies. We want to see what tactics work the best and
which don’t. In addition, how does using each media change how they decide to compose each
message?

The last important thing to work with the class on is thinking about their audience. What might
work best when writing to their parents? Would the same tactic and medium work when
writing to the CEO of a Fortune 500 company? Their boss? The weatherman at the local TV
station? Make sure they think about what they’re trying to accomplish in their letters and how
they best think they can accomplish these goals.

Part 2

The second part of the exercise is looking at what students were trying to accomplish in their
letters and whether or not they found themselves to be successful. This could be done as a
reflection paper like the one I’ve attached or just handled through in-depth class discussion.

As they examine each of their four letters, they should think about the following things:

 Who did you write to and what specifically were you trying to achieve (persuasive and
information-wise)?
 Who do you think your specific target audience was? What do you know about them? What is
your impression of them?
 What forms of media did you pick for each letter and organization? Why did you choose that
way to contact that group?
 What was it like using each “form” of media?
 How did using new media (both low and high tech) change the way you wrote your letter?
 In the content of your message, what did you use to make your case?
 Do you think you or your audience had the “power” in your letter? What shifts the power from
one party to the other?
 What response if any did you get? If you didn’t get a response, why do you think that was?
 If you did get a response, how did it come?
 How did the tone of the response match the tone of the letter you sent? For example, was it
personal, professional, a form letter?
 What do you think your audience’s impression of you based on your contact is?
NOTES
Make sure the students always leave a return address, email, or phone number so they can get
a response. Check in with the students to make sure their message is clear and their tone in
appropriate for their task.
ENG 100
Prof. Levell
Assignment 1

Writing the Persuasive Letter with “New Media”

The Assignment
For your first assignment, I want you to write four “persuasive letters” to different audiences
trying to get something. With each letter, I want you to use a different genre or medium. Your
letters should be as follows:

5. A Standard Letter—Write a professional business letter to someone. Use the Purdue

OWL website for guidelines: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/653/01/. Pay
close attention to spelling, grammar, language and tone. This letter should be mailed
through USPS (snail mail). Make sure you include a return address, email, and/or phone
number for a response. Also be sure to keep a copy of your letter to turn in.
6. A Web/Email Contact—Write to an individual, organization, etc through their official
“Contact Us” channels. From their Official Website, use either the web form or email
address to send them your persuasive letter. If you use a web form, make sure you get
a screenshot of the letter before hitting submit (if you have questions about how to take
a screenshot of your computer, please ask me).
7. “High Tech” New Media—Write a “letter” using some form of high tech new media.
This could be through social media, making a YouTube video, sending a text, etc. Make
sure you have something to turn into me (a digital picture of your letter, a link,
whatever). Don’t forget to have a way they can respond to you!
8. “Low Tech” New Media—Write a “letter” using some form of low tech new media
(Review Writing New Media Chapter 1 for ideas. Think materiality!) This in your chance
to explore writing in a new way. What kind of material do you choose to “write” on?
What kind of material do you use to “write” with?

Things to Remember in Your Letters

Don’t forget: These are persuasive letters. You want something from your audience—Change?
Information? A physical item? Keep two things at the front of your mind as you work on this
project:

1. Who is my audience?
2. What am I asking for?
With those questions as your guide, think about what approach you use for each letter. For
example, why are you using Twitter to write your boss for a raise? Why did you write a
business letter to your sister’s friend for a date?

Within the message themselves, what kind of persuasion will work on that audience? What
tools of persuasion does your approach lend itself to? What kind of tone comes across from
your message? Imagine yourself as the reader getting this message. How does it come across?
We’ll be discussing these more in your next assignment that reviews the project.

Purpose

These are the skills I hope you strengthen on this project:

 Learning how to research an audience and craft a message to them

 Looking for new ways to get the attention of an audience
 Learning how the media changes the way you write and form ideas
 Using different forms of persuasion

Grading

Here is what I’ll be looking for in your letters:

 Layout/Design: Does the layout match the medium (i.e. Does a business letter look like
a business letter, etc.)? Is it appropriate to the perceived audience? Does it fit with the
content of the letter?
 Information, style, audience, tone: Is the proper form used (formal or informal)? Is the
information presented relevant to the request? Does it seem to match the perceived
audience?
 Grammar, Punctuation, and choice of words: Did you use proper grammar and
punctuation? Was it consistent with your message? For example, different language
might work differently depending on the medium?
 Creativity: How did you use the advantages of “new media”? How did you work around
the “disadvantages?” Did you take any risks?

I’m not concerned with your success in getting what you requested. I want you to focus on
your message and how you think you’ll be most successful.

Copies of your letters should be turned in at the beginning of class, November 1st. Keep copies
for yourself and we’ll revisit them later. As always, please email (dustin.levell@gmail.com) or
call me (312-341-3721) with any questions.
ENG 100
Prof. Levell
Assignment 2

New Media Letters Reflection

The Assignment

By now, all of your “letters” should have reached someone’s eyeballs. Maybe you got a
response. Maybe you didn’t. Taking a look at each letter and approach, I want you to write
about your experience. Here are some questions to help guide your paper:

 Who did you write to and what specifically were you trying to achieve?
 Who do you think your specific target audience was? What do you know about them?
What is your impression of them?
 What forms of media did you pick for each letter? Why did you choose that way to
contact that group?
 What was it like using each form of media? What were the advantages it presented?
What were the challenges?
 How did using new media (both low and high tech) change the way you wrote your
letter?
 In the content of your message, what did you use to make your case? (i.e. persuasion –
pathos, ethos, logos; pictures, flattery, lies, personal anecdotes, demands, word choice
and language etc)
 What response if any did you get? If you didn’t get a response, why do you think that
was?
 If you did get a response, how did it come?
 Of the four letters you wrote, which in your opinion was the most successful? Why?
 How did the tone of the response match the tone of the letter you sent? For example,
was it personal, professional, a form letter, etc?
 What appears to be their impression of you based on your letter?
 Based on what responses you did or didn’t receive, what have you learned about your
approach? Would you change anything?

Don’t simply answer the questions above in order. Use them as things to think about for what
you want to talk about before you even start your paper. This paper could be roughly 5-7
pages, though I won’t count off if you have more to say.
Grading

Here is what I’ll be looking at in your papers:

 Purpose: Did you make your make your case for why you approached each letter the
way you did? Do you make a good argument for the choices you made in your first
project?
 Content: Did you thoroughly evaluate your experience? Did you present your
reflections clearly?
 Organization: Does your paper flow from idea to idea smoothly? Do you have an
outcome in mind? Does it flow logically?
 Grammar, Punctuation, and choice of words: Did you use proper grammar and
punctuation? Does your tone and sentence structure stay consistent throughout?

Please turn in your paper at the beginning of class, December 13th. As always, please email
(dustin.levell@gmail.com) or call me (312-341-3721) with any questions.