UNLOCKING THE PERSUASIVE ESSAY Thayer’s “Essay By Numbers” Approach to the Persuasive Essay.
Unit 3: Portfolio Persuasive Essay - Mrs. Dunham · 2019-07-25 · Unit 3: Portfolio – Persuasive...
Transcript of Unit 3: Portfolio Persuasive Essay - Mrs. Dunham · 2019-07-25 · Unit 3: Portfolio – Persuasive...
Unit 3: Portfolio – Persuasive Essay
ENG 12A
Goals: In this task, you are to demonstrate your ability to…
Construct analytical paragraphs that include strong topic sentences supported by well-selected
concrete detail evidence and developed with a thoughtful, analytical commentary.
Establish an engaging introduction that provides an objective overview of the text before establishing a
thesis statement the essay will go on to prove.
Compose a strong conclusion that reviews, makes connections, draws conclusions, and brings your
essay to a convincing close.
Follow the rules and conventions of standard American English and MLA formatting.
Task: You will write a persuasive essay by taking a firm stance on the prompt and write a 5-paragraph,
double-spaced essay supporting your position. Make sure that you have a strong thesis statement at the end
of your introduction and clear topic sentences in each body paragraph that provide arguments in support of
your thesis. Be sure to provide textual support for each of your claims.
Prompt: Does power corrupt automatically? Apply this famous expression to the events and characters in
Macbeth. You can focus on a single character or several. You may take the position that it always corrupts,
never corrupts, or sometimes corrupts, but be sure to provide textual support.
Text: Macbeth by William Shakespeare (found in online textbook)
Grade: The Persuasive Outline is worth 10 points. The Persuasive Essay is worth 24 points. (Rubrics attached
below)
Rough Draft Submission is worth 10 points (submit in Lesson 6 )
o Persuasive Outline
Final Draft Submission is worth 24 points (submit in Lesson 11 )
o Persuasive Essay with CheckMyWork link attached (see message board for tutorial)
Format: As you write, keep these things in mind…
The paper must follow the MLA format guidelines.
Do not use first person pronoun (I, me, my, mine) unless they are in a quote.
Stay away from using contractions (can’t, won’t, don’t, shouldn’t, she’ll, they’re)
Do not to use abbreviations or texting language (etc., e.g., b/c)
You must use at least one quotation from the text in each of the three body paragraphs to support
your ideas. These quotations must be correctly documented according to MLA guidelines - refer to
“Format for Quotations” below.
Format for Quotations
Unit 3: Portfolio – Persuasive Essay
ENG 12A
Outline
Introduction
Hook or Attention Grabber: Thesis: (Topic (Title/Author of text) + Claim (Your position) + Main Points (reasons to support) = Thesis)
Body Paragraph 1 –
Transition Word:
1st Main Point:
Quotation/Evidence:
Explanation:
Wrap-up Sentence:
Body Paragraph 2 –
Transition Word:
2nd Main Point:
Quotation/Evidence:
Explanation:
Wrap-up Sentence:
Body Paragraph 3 –
Transition Word:
3rd Main Point:
Quotation/Evidence:
Explanation:
Wrap-up Sentence:
Conclusion: (restate your thesis)
Topic: Does power corrupt automatically? Apply this famous expression to the events and characters in Macbeth. You can focus on a single character or
several. You may take the position that it always corrupts, never corrupts, or sometimes corrupts, but be sure to provide textual support.
Unit 3: Portfolio – Persuasive Essay
ENG 12A
Grading Rubric for Outline:
Unit 3: Portfolio – Persuasive Essay
ENG 12A
Grading Rubric for Essay:
Criteria 6A six paper is superior. It
does ALL O R MO ST of the
following:
5A five paper is distinctly above
average. It does ALL O R
MO ST of the following:
4A four paper is adequate. It
exhibits ALL O R MO ST of the
following characteristics:
3A three paper is inadequate.
It is clearly flawed in SO ME
O R ALL of the following
ways:
2A two paper is very weak. It
reveals serious and persistent
problems in communications.
It compounds the weaknesses
of the 3 paper in SO ME O R
ALL of the following ways:
1A one paper is extremely
weak. It has few redeeming
qualities. It at least mentions
the topic, but generally fails
to communicate with the
reader. It does SO ME O R ALL
of the following:
Ideas and
Content
• Focuses and develops ideas in a
sustained and compelling manner,
showing creativity and insight.
• Clarifies and defends or
persuades with precise and
relevant evidence.
• Conveys fresh, useful
information using higher order
thinking skills and convincing
reasoning to provide unique
insights into complex ideas.
• Thesis statement is appropriate
and concise; supporting evidence
is well-chosen and leads the
reader through the essay.
• Focuses and develops ideas in
an effective and detailed manner.
• Defends and/or persuades with
important and relevant evidence.
• Presents useful, fresh
information or perspective with
logical reasoning that clarifies
complex ideas.
• Thesis statement is clear and
there is appropriate supporting
evidence to lead the reader
through the essay effectively.
• Adequately focuses and
develops ideas with detail.
• Defends and/or persuades with
support and clarity, using
relevant evidence.
• Presents useful information that
helps the reader understand the
author’s reasoning, logic, or
perspective.
• The thesis statement proposes
an idea that is supportable and
addresses the importance of the
topic but is weak.
• Focuses, but may not display
mature or well-developed
content.
• Attempts defense or persuasive
stance but position is unclear
and/or evidence is brief,
tangential or based solely on
personal opinion.
• The writer has an everyday
understanding of the topic, but
doesn't add anything new.
• Begins to develop supporting
ideas, some of which lack clarity
or obvious logical connection.
• Thesis statement is partial, non-
analytical, or wishy-washy; there
is some supporting evidence, and
some attempt to lead the reader
through the essay.
• Lacks focus and development;
may list items with little or no
supporting detail.
• Defense or persuasive stance is
unclear or absent; evidence is
vague or missing.
• Generalizes about the topic
without providing logical
connections among ideas, or uses
connections that are faulty.
• Thesis statement contains an
unfocused topic that lacks clear
direction for the body of the
essay.
• Simply repeats the topic or
fails to provide adequate
development.
• Fails to establish a position
and/or develop persuasive view;
evidence is not apparent.
• Does not show author’s
thinking in developing or
connecting ideas.
• There is no clear thesis
statement, no supporting
evidence, and no organizational
structure.
Voice • Demonstrates involvement with
the text and speaks purposefully
to the audience in an appropriate,
individualistic, and engaging
manner.
• Uses word choice effectively
and with a sense of control for
stylistic effect.
• Word choice is skillful and
precise.
• Communicates a sense of
commitment to the topic and to
the audience's involvement.
• Uses varied word choice
effectively.
• Word choice is precise.
• Uses a voice that is appropriate
to audience and purpose.
• Uses a variety of word choice,
but occasionally displays some
wordiness or ineffective diction.
• Word choice is adequate.
• Lacks sincerity of purpose in
the writer’s attempt to involve
the audience appropriately.
• Uses word choice that is
somewhat limited, simplistic,
mundane, or otherwise
inappropriate.
• Word choice is general.
• Attempts, but fails in the
writer’s attempt to involve the
audience appropriately.
• Uses word choice that is highly
limited, simplistic, or otherwise
inappropriate.
• Word choice is simplistic and
limited.
• Does not address the audience
appropriately.
• Uses limited and/or immature
word choice.
• Word choice is difficult to
comprehend.
Organization • Effectively organizes ideas in a
clear, logical, detailed, and
coherent manner using
appropriate structures to
enhance the central idea or theme.
• Transitions between and within
paragraphs strengthen the
relationships among ideas.
• Organizes ideas clearly and
coherently using structures
appropriate to purposes.
• Transitions between and within
paragraphs are apparent and
contribute to clarity.
• Organizes ideas in a
satisfactory manner with
adequate coherence and logic.
• Transitions between and within
paragraphs are predictable.
• Displays minimal organization;
contains irrelevancies, digresses,
rambles, or lacks logic.
• Attempts transitions and lacks
cohesion.
• Contains serious flaws in
structure, organization and
coherence.
• Transitions are poorly formed
or missing.
• Shows almost no structure,
organization or coherence.
• Transitions are missing.
Conventions • Uses multiple sentence
structures effectively and with a
sense of control for stylistic
effect.
• Commits few, if any, errors in
standard English rules for
grammar/usage and mechanics.
• Effectively meets all MLA
format and assignment
requirements and evidences
attention to detail; all margins,
spacing and indentations are
correct; essay is neat and
correctly assembled with
professional look.
• Effective integration of
quotations and documentation of
ideas and sources using MLA
format.
• Uses varied sentence structure
effectively.
• Commits few errors in standard
English grammar/usage and
mechanics.
• Adequately meets MLA
format and assignment
requirements; margins, spacing,
and indentations are correct;
essay is neat and correctly
assembled.
• Well‐integrated quotations and
documented ideas and sources
using MLA format.
• Uses a variety of sentence
structures, but occasionally
displays some wordiness or
ineffective diction; sentences
may be predictable.
• Commits some errors in
standard English grammar/usage
and mechanics that do not
impede meaning; indicates basic
understanding of conventions.
• Meets MLA format and
assignment requirements;
generally correct margins,
spacing, and indentations; essay
is neat but may have some
assembly errors.
• Awkward integration of ideas
and sources; MLA
documentation reflects some
errors.
• Uses sentence structure that is
somewhat limited, simplistic,
mundane, or otherwise
inappropriate.
• Contains flaws in Standard
English rules of grammar/usage
and mechanics that do not
impede meaning; indicates some
consistent misunderstanding of
the conventions.
• Multiple errors in MLA
format and assignment
requirements; incorrect margins,
spacing, and indentations; essay
is sloppy with errors.
• Ideas and sources reflect
numerous errors in MLA
documentation.
• Uses sentence structure that is
highly limited, simplistic, or
otherwise inappropriate.
• Displays consistent violations
in Standard English rules of
grammar/usage and mechanics
that impede understanding.
• Fails to follow MLA format
and assignment requirements;
incorrect margins, spacing and
indentation; neatness of essay
needs attention.
• Poor or missing integration of
quotations and MLA
documentation of sources.
• Uses limited and/or immature
sentence structure.
• Overwhelms the reader with
serious violations of Standard
English rules grammar/usage and
mechanics.
• No evidence of MLA
formatting.
• No quotations or MLA
documentation of sources.
Essay Grading Rubric Evaluate student essays based on the rubric below. Enter only whole numbers in the Your Score fields above.