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Junior American Literature & Composition Unit 3: Democratic Voice
Perspective, Democratic Voice & the Rhetoric of Drama: Argumentative Essay
Throughout this unit, we have read and analyzed a play as well as some supplemental texts. Our purpose was to address the following essential questions:
· Whose story is told and accepted?
· What story becomes the dominant narrative? Why?
· Whose voice is credible? Why?
· How do the varied elements of a narrative prompt emotional responses which aid in achieving a rhetorical purpose?
For the final assessment of this unit, you will need to answers these questions for yourself, and then write an essay in which you argue your position in response to the prompt below.
Argument Essay Prompt
In this unit, you read the play The Laramie Project as well as newspaper articles about the death of Matthew Shepard. You also read newspaper articles and excerpts from Stephen Jiminez’s book titled The Book of Matt: Hidden Truths About the Murder of Matthew Shepard, which cast doubt on the accepted narrative that Shepard was killed because he was gay and made a pass at the individuals who murdered him.
It is time for you to take a position on this issue.
Matthew Shepard was killed due to his sexual orientation.
Defend, challenge, or qualify this statement.
You must support your argument with evidence from the play The Laramie Project and from several additional sources. You also must address the opposing position (called the counter-argument) to demonstrate that you have thoroughly investigated and considered the variety of viewpoints and positions related to this incident.
This essay should be 800-1000 words, typed, and in MLA format.
Machine generated alternative text: NAME____________________________ Junior American Literature and Composition Unit 3—Argumentative Essay Rubric Category Distinguished Proficient Emerging Incomplete Writing Focus This category reflects how well the student constructs an argument, carefully articulating various pieces of evidence for support. ___/4 The writer effectively articulates a clear and convincing position in response to the essay prompt. Essay demonstrates a nuanced understanding of the issue addressed in the prompt and its complexities. Position is argued with exceptional depth and insight. Essay is thoroughly developed with well- chosen specific examples from the play, supplemental texts, and contemporary examples. Essay appeals directly and appropriately to the intended audience and is highly convincing. The writer adequately articulates a clear and convincing position in response to the essay prompt. At times, the essay demonstrates a sufficient understanding of the issue addressed in the prompt and its complexities. Shows some depth and complex thought, but occasional lapses make the argument less convincing. Essay is developed with specific examples from the play, supplemental texts, and contemporary examples. Essay appeals directly to the audience but is not entirely convincing for this intended audience. The writer’ position in response to the essay prompt is unclear or not convincing. The essay demonstrates a plausible understanding of the issue but tends to ignore its complexities. Shows some depth and complex thought, but persistent lapses make the argument less convincing and at times contrived. Essay uses insufficient examples from the play, supplemental texts, and contemporary examples Minimal attention has been paid to the intended audience. The writer fails to articulate a position. The essay demonstrates a lack of understanding of the issue itself, or of its complexities. Generalizations undermine the argument. Essay uses one appropriate example neglects examples altogether. The essay consistently fails to reach the intended audience. Organization This category reflects how effectively the organization of the essay reinforced the ideas. ___/4 There is an effective introduction that engages the reader, including a well- written hook and adequate background information. A strong, well-written thesis statement addresses the writer’s position related to the essay prompt. Organization supports the argument and ideas are presented in the order most conducive to a coherent argument. A counter argument is presented and adequately refuted in the essay. The powerful conclusion does not merely repeat the introduction, but instead synthesizes all of the ideas. The conclusion goes beyond mere summary and addresses the question “So what?” There is a clear introduction that introduces the argument, and includes a hook and adequate background information. A clear, convincing thesis statement addresses the writer’s position related to the essay prompt. The organization of the piece does not fully support the argument at some points. Organization at times detracts from the argument, but not to the extent that the ideas are obscured. A counter argument is presented and adequately addressed. Conclusion effectively summarizes main ideas, but may lack a compelling aspect. Introduction does not provide a clear sense of the argument’s direction, and may be missing an engaging hook and/or background information. The thesis statement does not address the writer’s position related to the essay prompt. The organization of the piece does not support the argument at numerous points. Organization detracts from the argument to the extent that the ideas are sometimes obscured. A counter argument is not presented or adequately addressed. The conclusion is repetitive, abrupt, or simply restates thesis. Introduction is vague or missing A thesis statement does not exist or does not address the prompt. Organization does not follow any clear pattern that enhances argument. Ideas appear haphazard and unorganized. A counter argument is missing. Conclusion may not adequately summarize main ideas or may be missing.
Machine generated alternative text: NAME____________________________ Junior American Literature and Composition Unit 3—Argumentative Essay Rubric Category Distinguished Proficient Emerging Incomplete Effective use of Language This category reflects how effectively the writer used language to communicate the ideas. ___/4 Ideas are communicated in a consistently sophisticated manner. Each aspect relates to thesis, providing coherence and continuity. Writing is smooth and skillful throughout the essay. Sentences are well built with strong and varied structure that invites fluent reading. Diction is at the appropriate level for the audience. Indicators of sophistication include artful sentence construction, eloquent word choice appropriate for the task, and masterful command of the English language. Ideas are communicated, but there is a lack of sophistication at times that keeps it from rising to the distinguished range. Writing is smooth and coherent throughout most of the essay. Most sentences are varied in length and style, with an occasional (2 or 3) repetition of sentence beginnings or a number of consecutive sentences of the same length or type. The sentence structure is generally correct, though some awkward sentences do appear. Diction is mostly at the appropriate level for the audience, but may have some examples of unsophisticated (vague, overused, overly simplistic) or poor/ incorrect word choices. Lack of sophistication obscures the ideas at times. Writing lacks flow to achieve coherence throughout the essay. Many consecutive sentences begin with the same words, are of the same length or the same sentence construction; the sentences hang together, and get the job done in a routine fashion. Diction is elementary and lacks sophistication. Writing lacks coherence. Work contains multiple incorrect sentence structures. Diction is elementary and/or inappropriate, and often writing is awkward due to many examples of poor/incorrect word choice. Conventions and MLA Format This category reflects how well the writer followed rules for standard written English. ___/4 The essay is virtually error-free. Punctuation, spelling, grammar, and capitalization are correct. No errors interfere with the reader’s understanding of the essay. Essay is properly MLA formatted. All source material is smoothly woven into the text. The essay contains few errors in the conventions of the English language. Errors do not interfere with the reader’s understanding of the essay. Essay is MLA formatted with a few minor, non- distracting errors. All source material is adequately woven into text, although the writer may rely too heavily on stock transitional phrases. The essay contains numerous errors in the conventions of the English language. Errors may interfere with the understanding of the paper, although the reader can follow the basic intent. Essay has multiple lapses in MLA formatting, but an attempt to follow the format is obvious. Embedding of source material is awkward. The essay contains serious errors in the conventions of the English language. Errors interfere with the reader’s understanding of the paper. MLA formatting was not attempted. Source material lacks embedding. Comments: