Thursday, May 26, 2011

Assignment IV: Editing Adderall

To start, the story begins with a bunch of redundant paragraphs. It says students are buying Adderall from students with a prescription for the drug a few different times with different words. It also says Adderall is used to combat ADD/ADHD 5 more times than it needs to. In addition to cutting out the redundant information about its use, I think the article should go into more depth about the drug itself. Maybe include the actual chemical compound (Adderall is dextroamphetamine and amphetamine). What the molecules do in your brain, and how prolonged use can cause the averse side-effects that were mentioned When you're interviewing a doctor, it's probably a good idea to get more than just "Adderall is a mixture of amphetamines," from him. Getting the doctor to tell you about the side effects will add credibility to the article as well (rather than a Washington faculty website).

At the end of the story, the reporter botches the story in my opinion. He says Adderall is being abused at WSU and will continue. The whole article is spent saying it's a problem, and then the last quote makes it seem like it's not such a big deal, that the abuse of a prescription drug isn't as bad as others. I think it was good that the reporter got someone else's side of the argument, but I think it was too abrupt. Either insert that argument higher in the article, or flesh it out beyond one disruptive quote at the end of the paper.

Also, I don't think the reporter should have tried to explain the effects of the drug (as he tried to do many times). Saying "Adderall works as an energy enhancer" would be more credible if attributed to a real source.

I think the reporter should have spoken to Police as well, and maybe got their take on the abuse, penalties and regularity of the abuse.

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