Step 1: Select an article from the Opinion page of a national newspaper like The Washington Post or The New York Times . You can use a print copy or an online copy. Most newspapers provide free access online. You can also access newspapers via the KU Library. If possible, please share the link to the article you read.

Step 2: Read the article
While reading, use the pre-reading, during-reading, and post-reading strategies described in the Unit 2 Learning Activities for identifying the author's purpose and audience.

Step 3: Summarize and analyze
In your Discussion Board post, identify the author and title of the article you chose to read, the name of the newspaper that published the story, along with the URL link to the article.

Provide a summary of the article. Identify the audience, purpose, and main idea of the article. Indicate how you determined the audience and purpose. Identify important supporting details presented by the author to support the main idea. Evaluate whether the article was effective in accomplishing its purpose.

Which reading strategies were most beneficial to you when reading the article? For example, how did you apply the SQ3R strategy to the reading? How did these strategies help you discern meaning?

Step 4: Respond to classmates' postings
Participate by responding to at least two classmates' initial postings. Offer suggestions for additional reading strategies that could help your classmates. Keeps the conversation going by adding to what your classmates have already written by asking questions or sharing related experiences.

Review a sample student Discussion Board post .

Discussion requirements

Initial post should

• demonstrate effectively developed paragraphs

• be on topic

• be original

• contribute to the quality of the discussion

• make frequent and informed references to the unit reading concepts