Essay)
Order Description
In this essay you will show what you’ve learned this semester by summarizing (briefly), analyzing (extensively), and responding to the viewpoint presented in “How
Grammar Influences Income,” which is an article provided in this module. (Note: This essay does not require outside research.)
Logistics
Please upload your essay as a Word document or a PDF.
For this essay to be comprehensive, it should be at least 1000 words in length.
MLA format (12-pt font, 1” margins, double spaced, MLA heading, title, pagination, in-text citations); Note: because you are not citing sources beyond the article, you
are not required to include a works cited.
Analysis Considerations
What tone does the author adopt? What can you say about this author’s rhetorical choices? Are the tone and rhetorical choices persuasive? Why/why not?
Does this author use convincing evidence to support his/her point? (Tip: Recall ROC: Is the evidence relevant, objective, comprehensive?)
Does the author make any points that can be disproved? Do you notice any contradictions in the author’s argument?
Response Considerations
If you disagree with this author’s argument, do you offer a convincing alternative argument?
If you agree with this author’s argument, do you expand upon what he/she has said? (Tip: Most arguments contain some type of evaluation. See if you can convert this
evaluation into a proposal.)
Do you offer convincing evidence that supports your unique response to this issue?
Grading Rubric (out of 90 points)
FOCUS & THESIS (15 points): Do you stay focused on the big-picture message of this essay (in this case, your analysis and response to this article)?
STRUCTURE & ORGANIZATION (15 points):Does the essay follow the expected structure for formal, academic essays in the United States? Do the introduction and conclusion
paragraphs give the reader a big-picture snapshot of the essay? Is each body paragraph clearly unified by a main idea? Does the progression of body paragraphs make
sense to the reader?
SUMMARY (5 points):Do you quickly and effectively summarize the article that you were assigned to read? (Note: This should be done at the beginning of your essay.
Assume that your reader has NOT read the article.)
ANALYSIS (15 points):Do you point out the strengths and weaknesses of this article? Do you directly address the author’s use of evidence? (Tip: Recall ROC. Is the
evidence relevant, objective, comprehensive?)
RESPONSE (15 points):Do you build upon what this author has said by constructing your own unique response to the topic? Do you offer convincing evidence to support
your response?
QUOTATIONS & CITATIONS (10 points): Do you directly reference the article at least one time per body paragraph? Do you utilize direct quotations? Do you summarize and
paraphrase when appropriate? Do you use a frame when you referring to the author’s ideas?
TONE & SENTENCE-LEVEL CLARITY (10 points): Are your sentences clear and effective? Is the tone of the essay appropriate given the context (formal, academic writing)?
LENGTH & FORMAT (5 points): Does the essay meet the minimum length requirements and conform to MLA-style guidelines for the font, spacing, heading, pagination, etc.
