This assignment does not count toward the final grade.

Submit Essay 4

  • Due Dec 15, 2018 by 11:59pm
  • Points 0
  • Submitting a file upload
  • File Types doc, docx, and pdf

Essay 4

Goal:

Students will compose a largely error-free argumentative essay on a topic regarding education. The paper will also include a counterargument.

Outcomes:

Upon completion of this essay, students will be able to:

  • Thoughtfully discuss critical ideas from our class readings and research articles and organize a well-structured, sustained argument which supports a clear thesis
  • Critically analyze textual evidence
  • Analyze a student sample essay to help outline and draft argumentative essay
  • Complete activities which aim to polish analytical skills before submitting a final draft
  • Consistently and accurately use MLA citations 

Instructions:

  • 6-8 pages. 

  • Incorporates at least THREE readings from our unit ANDAT LEAST FIVE sources found on the Library website
  • MLA format. 12-point font, Times New Roman. 

  • A creative title that hints at the subject matter. 

  • Concrete evidence from at least EIGHT sources.
  • Indicate a clear focus in a well-written thesis statement and stay focused throughout the essay (OPTION 1).
  • Organizing Principle. 

  • Introduction, body, and conclusion. 

  • Fully developed analysis of how the evidence supports each topic sentence and overall thesis statement.
  • Implements proper stylistic conventions to include: sentence variation, college-level vocabulary, target audience, complex sentence structure.
  • Use an effective structure that carefully guides the reader from one idea to the next, and be thoroughly edited so that sentences are readable and appropriate for an academic audience.
  • Write the paper as if addressing a scholarly audience.
  • Option 2: characters are fictional and are in conversation with each other. Characters also use the evidence in their conversation to each other

Submission and Grading:

This assignment will be submitted via a file attachment. Be sure to attach a .doc, .docx, or .pdf. Once you've attached your essay file, click Submit! The essay will be graded using the rubric below. Please review the rubric prior to submitting your final draft.

Remember, for Essays, you must pass all 4 regardless of your Grade Goal.

Helpful Canvas Guides

The following Canvas Guides will help you successfully submit this assignment and review your feedback:

How do I submit an online assignment? (Links to an external site.)

How do I view grades in a current course? (Links to an external site.)

Click this link to meet with me in virtual office hours to review your paper before submitting! Links to an external site.

How do I submit my paper to NetTutor for electronic feedback? (Link to be provided for campus-specific Canvas systems)

1544947140 12/15/2018 11:59pm

Rubric

Essay 4 Rubric
Essay 4 Rubric
Criteria Ratings
Thesis
Edit criterion description
Strong Thesis is an opinionated statement which explicitly takes a stance on education (option 1) or fully develops a conversation using multiple perspectives on the topic (option 2).
Meeting Expectations The thesis is not clearly laid out at the end of the introduction. The thesis may not be a clear, argumentative thesis that clearly and directly answers the prompt. It may be an announcement instead of a solid, clear, opinionated statement. It may be vague and more of an observation rather than an opinionated statement about education (option 1). For option 2, the stance of one or more characters is unclear and therefore, the conversation doesn't have a clear focus.
Not Yet The thesis cannot be identified or is missing. The paper lacks a clear focus because the thesis is unclear and there is no statement regarding the student's specific opinion about education (option 1). For option 2, the topic jumps around and therefore, it is unclear what the main focus of the paper is.
Grammar
Edit criterion description
Strong 1-2 Proofreading errors (misspelling, missing commas)
Meeting Expectations 1-2 different grammatical errors (comma splices, fragments, run ons, subject/verb agreement, singular/plural, apostrophes, etc.)
Not Yet More than 2 different grammar errors-grammar impacts readability of the paper
MLA
Edit criterion description
Strong 0 errors in MLA but perhaps citation formatting is inconsistent
Meeting Expectations 1-2 errors in MLA
Not Yet 3 or more errors in MLA
Organization
Edit criterion description
Strong The essay's body paragraphs follow logically. Each paragraph discusses one specific reason to support the thesis and stays on topic and connects to the topic sentences. There are transitions to guide the reader from sentence to sentence and paragraph to paragraph (Option 1). For option 2, the conversation flows smoothly among the characters. Each point is fully developed before moving on to the next point.
Meeting Expectations The essay's body paragraphs follow logically; however, 1-2 paragraphs may have an unclear focus or topic sentence. At times, the student may try to discuss more than 1 unrelated idea in the same paragraph or the main idea may not be explicitly identified. There are some transitions to guide the reader from sentence to sentence and paragraph to paragraph, but there may be a couple places where there are missing transitions (Option 1). For option 2, the conversation jumps around a bit and is disorienting at times to the reader.
Not Yet The essay does not move smoothly through the body paragraphs. Ideas may be repeated in different paragraphs, and paragraphs may not have clear topic sentences which do not identify the reason to support the thesis. Transitions are missing. It's hard to see how ideas are logically connected (option 1). For option 2, there is no identifiable structure and therefore the conversation does not follow a logical trajectory.
Use of evidence
Edit criterion description
Strong Option 1: The student chooses specific quotes from the course readings that directly illustrate the main idea stated in the topic sentences for each body paragraph. The student demonstrates an understanding of how to locate effective evidence and incorporate it smoothly into the paragraph. Option 2: The characters use the evidence wisely. The evidence does not overpower the conversation; rather, the characters smoothly integrate the evidence and balance their opinions well.
Meeting Expectations Option 1: Most of the chosen quotes accurately illustrate the main idea from the topic sentence, but there are 1-2 paragraphs that have evidence which is not clearly related to the rest of the paragraph or that may inaccurately illustrate the main idea in the topic sentence. 1-2 quotes may not match the main idea in the topic sentence. Option 2: some of the evidence that the characters use does not relate to the topic being discussed or is not smoothly incorporated.
Not Yet Option 1: The evidence used is hard to connect logically in the paragraphs because it is unclear how the quote illustrates the main idea from the topic sentence. There are other pieces of evidence that would have more accurately illustrated the main ideas throughout the paper. Option 2: The evidence either overshadows the characters' options, is not well-integrated throughout the paper, and/or does not relate to the topic throughout the paper.
Style and Mechanics
Edit criterion description
Strong No use of second person pronouns, quotes are all properly integrated, student uses formal, academic voice.
Meeting Expectations Either quotes are not integrated OR student uses second person pronouns/informal tone.
Not Yet Use of second person AND informal tone/second person pronouns.
Analysis
Edit criterion description
Strong Throughout the paper, the student thoroughly discusses: 1) how the quote illustrates the main idea from the topic sentence or during the conversation at hand 2) how the quote and body paragraph then support the overall thesis statement of the student's essay or how the quote relates to the discussion taking place
Meeting Expectations In the paper, the student consistently discusses 1 of the following (or adequately discusses both but not thoroughly): 1) how the quote illustrates the main idea from the topic sentence or during the conversation at hand 2) how the quote and body paragraph then support the overall thesis statement of the student's essay or how the quote relates to the discussion taking place
Not Yet In the paper, the student makes an attempt at analysis but only covers 1 or fewer of the following consistently (or varies discussion of 1 of the following throughout): 1) how the quote illustrates the main idea from the topic sentence or during the conversation at hand 2) how the quote and body paragraph then support the overall thesis statement of the student's essay or how the quote relates to the discussion taking place