9.4 Questions About Controversy

• Write 5 questions in which you identify things you still need to learn about about WHO is involved in the controversy.

Who else is influenced by the debate?

Who else is influenced by the controversy?

Who else does the controversy include?

Who else does the controversy exclude?

Who else does the genre encourage?

• Write 5 questions in which you identify things you still need to learn about about WHAT is up for debate in this controversy.

What other position or role in the current debate is over the public issue?

What other forms of writing or genres are associated with the debate?

What other key perspectives or schools of thought on the debate?

What are the ideological differences?

What perspectives are the greatest threat to the argument?

• Write 5 questions in which you identify things you still need to learn about WHEN this controversy has unfolded (and the larger contextual details of that time period that may be relevant).

What important current events surround the controversy?

What is the public’s present involvement with the issue?

What other history is of interest in the issue?

When is the genre used?

Why is the genre used?

• Write 5 questions in which you identify things you still need to learn about WHERE this controversy has unfolded - and I mean both physical spaces and cultural spaces.

Where is the genre typical set?

Where are cultural or community values that shape the audience’s view of the controversy?

What values and beliefs are assumed about the users of the genre?

What values and beliefs are encouraged about the users of the genre?

What purpose does the genre use for the people who use it?

• Write 5 questions in which you identify things you still need to learn about HOW this controversy has unfolded in the media (including general popular media, scholarly media and social media).

How much influence is had on the debate?

What are the major points of contention?

What are the major disagreements among these perspectives?

Can this controversy be used in multimodal texts or visual texts?

Can this controversy be found in a print genre, magazine?