A sample rubric can be found here.
Essay I Assignment Sheet |
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Due Date |
See the Weekly Assignments for the due dates—all essays & outlines are due at 11:55 PM |
Length |
3-6 full pages, not 2 ½ or 2 ¾. Typically, essays that meet the minimum page requirement are "C" essays. |
Audience |
Think of your audience as a room full of successful 1010 students and a group of college instructors. They are deciding which essay best matches the assignment requirements to put into a book for future 1010 students. They don't know you, but they're interested in getting to know you and your thoughts through your writing, but they also are interested in professional distance. Therefore, professional, semi-formal writing is needed. (See the reference to "mechanics" below & the discussion on FSE in Week 1.) |
Objective |
Write a 5-paragraph, 3-6 page essay responding to the options below. Explain your point of view through your observations and/or by certain events that happened in your life (or people you know). Provide plenty of related specific examples (a person, people, places, events, dates, etc.) to prove your opinion. See the lecture notes to understand these concepts (thesis statement, essay map, topic sentences, etc.). Essays that meet only the minimum page requirement tend to be "C" essays due to lack of development. |
Introductory & Concluding Paragraphs |
The introductory paragraph should include a hook to capture the reader's attention, and the thesis statement should be the last sentence in the first paragraph. The introduction & conclusion should be more than three sentences. You may use an anecdote or other method of. The textbook section on "Beginning and Ending" (pp. 299-311) might help here. Do not begin the essay by answering the question. Your answer & your reasons become your thesis & essay map, which come at the END of the introduction, not the first sentence of your introduction. |
Organization |
This essay must follow the basic 5-paragraph structure with the thesis statement and attached essay map as one sentence at the end of the introductory paragraph. The topic sentences need to match the essay map. Additionally, the examples given within the body paragraphs should flow coherently and in the most appropriate order (chronological, spatial, emphatic, etc.). Look these up in the textbook if you are confused by these terms. The paragraphs should contain sub-points followed by examples and a concluding sentence that ties everything together and reconnects the reader to your thesis. |
Development |
The three body paragraphs must contain specific examples that support the general statement presented in the thesis. Specific examples answer questions such as who, what, when, and where. If you find yourself talking about people in general, or using "you," then you are not using specific examples. The essay must also reach the minimum page requirement. If you find yourself describing actions (e.g. She went into the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee), then you are creating a narrative, not an illustration. |
Research |
There is no research requirement for this essay. Do not attempt research. Any research in your essay means that you have not followed the instructions, and it will result in a lower grade. |
MLA |
This essay must be formatted according to MLA guidelines (margins, pagination, paragraphing, etc.). See the template and the examples in the textbook for guidance. |
Mechanics |
This essay is semi-formal; therefore, contractions and first person pronouns are allowed. Other rules of FSE language apply (see the lecture notes for a definition of FSE). |
The Outline |
The outline is due one week before the essay is due. An outline uses Roman Numerals for each paragraph and capital letters for the sub-points. The outline must follow MLA formatting, use proper grammar, and contain a thesis statement, essay map, and topic sentences for each body paragraph. The topic sentences must be complete sentences and follow the points provided in the essay map. Follow the student example closely. |
Essay I Assignment Options |
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Option 1 |
Does advertising really influence your purchasing decisions? Explain and provide details supporting your opinion. |
Option 2 |
Did high school adequately prepare you for college? Explain and provide details supporting your opinion. |
Option 3 |
What bad habit gets you into trouble? In what ways? Explain and provide details supporting your opinion. |
Option 4 |
Does technology help or hinder your education? Explain and provide details supporting your opinion. |
Option 5 |
Currently, our society uses a rating system for television shows, games, movies, etc. Do you think this is a valuable system? Why or why not? Explain and provide details supporting your opinion. |
Option 6 |
If you have a topic in mind that you would like to write about for this essay (and/or throughout the semester), please contact me and we will discuss this as an option for this paper and other papers to come. |