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Write a two-minute editorial speech for television in which you present your opinion of a fad or craze from the past. Make your talk similar in style to Andy Rooney's segment on the TV news magazine show "60 Minutes." Deliver your speech to the class.
Please note: Before settling on a topic and the point of view you will take in your speech, have your teacher approve your choice; teachers need to judge whether the topic you choose and your editorial approach is appropriate.
Begin your assignment by researching fads of the past and their impacts on society. Look into the motivation and the crowd psychology behind the fad or craze as well as the possible reasons it took off as it did. Fads and crazes can be dances, songs, games, activities, fashions, or food. Choose one category that interests you.
STEP 1: Initial Search
Begin your research with visits to the following Web sites:
Bad Fads
Search: Click on "Fashion," "Collectibles," "Activities," or "Events" to get a list of fads in America during the past 100 years.
About.com
Search: Type "History of Fads." You'll get a variety of sites and time periods to explore.
The 1920's Experience
Search: Fads and Fashions
Search for information about fads and crazes. Take notes on the variety of crazes and the time periods in which they occurred, as well as the social impact of the fads. Gather interesting and offbeat facts about fads and crazes in the category you chose. For example, did anyone who participated in a fad get into the Book of World Records? Which public figures were the most visible fad followers? Which ones began the fad? (For example, figure skater Dorothy Hamill's hairstyle became a fad after she won a gold medal in the 1976 Olympics.)
STEP 2: Focus Your Search
Focus your search on a general topic, such as toys or food. Use cluster diagrams to organize the details you have discovered about your topic. (See Grammar for Writing, Level Gold, pages 10–11.)
Search the Internet for more information on fads and crazes. To run a general search, visit the following Web site:
Explore other resources, such as books on cultural history and sociology, an encyclopedia, an almanac, and newspaper and magazine articles.
STEP 3: Define Your Audience
You are writing for television viewers of all ages. Your viewers most likely know about, or have participated in some fads and crazes, regardless of their age. Remind them of when they thought the latest craze was an essential part of their lives. Write with a persuasive and lighthearted style; use anecdotes and examples anyone can relate to.
STEP 4: Develop an Outline
Develop an outline from the material you gather. Include (1) descriptive details about each fad or craze; (2) the economic effect, if there was one; and (3) whether or not the fad resurfaced at a later date. (To review writing a rough outline, see Grammar for Writing, Level Gold, page 13.)
At times, writers get carried away with their own words and write run-on sentences. For a television reporter, this means trouble. Viewers see and hear a report only once. So make sentences directed, clear, and concise. Break up run-on sentences that might send viewers to another channel or to the refrigerator. (See Grammar for Writing, Level Gold, page 277.)
Some writers like to add a personal note in an editorial piece. This technique explains why the writer chose a particular topic. See if there is an anecdote or personal reference you can add to your own editorial. For example, you might begin your editorial by telling viewers how browsing through your mother's photo album made you wonder why anyone ever started wearing that tall, bouffant hair style.
STEP 5: Organize Your Ideas and Write a Rough Draft
In broadcast writing, material must be literally "to-the-second" in timing. Your editorial is to be a two-minute segment. Review your outline, and consider how much time you wish to spend on each element.
Write your rough draft based on your outline. Use a stopwatch or clock with a second hand to time the opening paragraph. How many seconds did it take for how many words? Pace the rest of your writing accordingly, to ensure that you end up with exactly two minutes of material.
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STEP 6: Revise, Edit and Proofread Your Writing
Reread the editorial aloud. Be sure each paragraph has a topic sentence and that all the sentences in the paragraph support that topic. Have you included all the facts and descriptions that will help readers understand your point? As you revise, add anecdotes and personal comments. Keep your tone light, and get people smiling as they remember the crazy fads.
Edit your writing for grammatical errors; then proofread your work carefully for spelling, punctuation, and capitalization errors.
STEP 7: Publish Your Work
Present your editorial to the class; if possible, include props.
Copyright ©2007 by William H. Sadlier, Inc. All rights reserved.