ENG115
ENG 115 ASSIGNMENT 2: INFORMATIVE ESSAY Draft due Week 5 and worth 50 points
Revision due Week 7 and worth 150 points
Have you ever needed just the facts?
At times a formal, objectively written approach is more appropriate or even critical for establishing credibility so that your audience will listen and get informed! The key to informative writing is making the shift from personal opinion to objec- tive facts. This assignment will provide you with the important opportunity to practice making this shift to a style that is required in so many workplaces and throughout your academic program.
For this assignment, you will write an informative essay on the topic you have previously chosen. You will need to identify a problem, need, or process related to your topic. Then you will inform your audience and provide supporting evidence from a minimum of two credible sources that have been provided in the webtext. Keep in mind, you will continue to use the standard essay format: Introduction paragraph with a thesis statement, body paragraphs that specifically support the points in your thesis statement, and a conclusion paragraph.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Compose a three-four (3-4) page paper in which you do the following:
1. Use third person point of view (POV) and the appropriate voice and tone throughout your paper. a. Did you use third person pronouns? (he, she, they, their) b. Do you sound impartial, informative/explanatory, and professional? How do you want your reader to feel?
(trust, smarter/informed) c. Is the tone formal and factual?
2. Write an introduction paragraph, which includes your thesis statement. It is suggested that this paragraph contain 5-7 sentences.
a. Does my introduction get the reader’s attention by using an intriguing statistic, quote, question, or scenario? b. Does my introduction explain the context and state the importance of the problem/issue? c. Does your thesis statement include three supporting reasons that can be debated from a different perspec-
tive? d. Is your thesis statement clear and concise?
3. Write a supporting/body paragraph for each of the three (3) points/reasons from your thesis statement. It is suggest- ed that each paragraph contain at least 5-7 sentences.
a. Do your body paragraphs support each point of your thesis with relevant examples or statistics? b. Do you address the opinions or concerns that your audience might have? c. Did you paraphrase, quote, or summarize properly to avoid plagiarism? Did you comment on each quotation?
Did you ensure you quote no more than 25 words at a time?
4. Write with logic and with transitions throughout your paper. a. Are your ideas consistent and well-organized, i.e., chronological order or order of importance? b. Do your ideas flow from one sentence to the next and one paragraph to the next, in the order presented in your
thesis statement?
5. Write a conclusion paragraph. It is suggested that this paragraph contain 5-7 sentences. a. Did you paraphrase or restate the thesis in a new way?
b. Did you leave a lasting impression, so that your readers continue thinking about your topic after they have finished reading?
6. Apply proper grammar, mechanics, punctuation and SWS formatting throughout your paper. a. Did you check your grammar?
i. The way words are put together to make units of meaning: Sentence structure, pronoun-agreement, etc.
b. Did you check your essay for mechanics? i. All the “technical” stuff in writing: Spelling, capitalization, use of numbers and other symbols, etc.
b. Did you check the punctuation? i. The “symbols” used to help people read/process sentences the way you want them to be heard and
understood: Periods, question marks, commas, colons, etc. d. Did you format according to SWS style? (See requirements below.)
SWS FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS:
Your assignment must follow these general SWS formatting requirements:
• Be typed, double-spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides. It should also have numbered pages, indented paragraphs, and a numbered Source List.
• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. Note: The cover page is not included in the required assignment page length of three-four (3-4) pages.
• In-text citations follow SWS style, using attributive tags and signal verbs. • Did you cite at least four (2) sources (no more than two (2) of the provided sources in the webtext)? Are your
sources credible? • Have you used SWS in-text citations to document your sources? (Author's last name, number indicating the
order in which you used the source in the paper.) For example, the first source in your paper would look like this: (Wielding, 1).
• Do you have a source list? 1. Did you number your sources? 2. Did you list the sources in the order in which you use them in the paper? 3. Did you include major identifying information for each reference? 4. Did you apply a consistent and SWS-style flow of information? (Author's first and last name, Title of the
source, date it was published, comment on where you found it, and page numbers). For example: Natalie Goldberg, 2016, Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within, p. 100-126. ISBN-13: 978-1590307946
• Refer to the Soomo webtext or check with your professor for any additional instructions.
Points: Draft - 50 Revision -
150
Assignment 2: Informative Essay
Criteria Unacceptable
Below 60% - F
Meets Minimum Expectations
60-69% - D
Fair
70-79% - C
Proficient
80-89% - B
Exemplary
90-100% - A
1. Point of View (POV), Voice, and Tone
Weight: 10%
Did not use third person POV at all in the paper. Voice is inconsistent, not explicit, and unprofessional throughout the paper. Tone is informal and not factual l through- out the paper.
Uses third person POV in a couple sentences of the paper. Voice may be inconsistent and explicit, and mostly unprofes- sional throughout most of the paper. Tone is mostly in- formal and factual throughout most of the paper.
Uses third person POV throughout some of the paper. Voice is somewhat consistent, explicit, and professional throughout the paper. Tone is fairly formal and factual throughout most of the paper.
Uses third person POV throughout most of the paper. Voice is mostly consistent, explicit, and professional throughout most of the paper. Tone is adequately formal and factual throughout the paper.
Uses third person POV throughout the paper. Voice is consistent, explicit, and professional throughout the paper. Tone is com- pletely formal and factual throughout the paper.
2. Introduction and Thesis
Weight: 15%
Introduction does not include a hook and/or intriguing information on the topic. It does not explain the context and/or does not state the importance of the problem/issue. Thesis statement does not include 3 supporting reasons that can be debated from a different perspec- tive, it is not clear, and/or it is wordy.
Introduction attempts to hook and/or to provide intriguing informa- tion on the topic. It barley explains the context and/ or barely states the importance of the problem/ issue. Thesis statement includes 3 support- ing reasons that can be debated from a different perspective, it is not entirely clear; and/or it is wordy.
Introduction includes a suffi- cient hook and/or intriguing informa- tion on the topic. It partially explains the context and/ or partially states the importance of the problem/issue. Thesis statement includes 3 support- ing reasons that can be debated from a different perspective, it is fairly clear, and/or concise.
Introduction in- cludes an effective hook and/or mostly relevant, intriguing information on the topic. It adequate- ly explains the context and/or adequately states the importance of the problem/issue. Thesis statement includes 3 support- ing reasons that can be debated from a different perspective, and is sufficiently clear and concise.
Introduction includes a compel- ling hook and/or relevant, intriguing information on the topic It fully ex- plains the context and/or fully states the importance of the problem/issue. Thesis statement includes 3 support- ing reasons that can be debated from a different perspective, and is completely clear and concise.
Points: Draft - 50 Revision -
150
Assignment 2: Informative Essay
Criteria Unacceptable
Below 60% - F
Meets Minimum Expectations
60-69% - D
Fair
70-79% - C
Proficient
80-89% - B
Exemplary
90-100% - A
3. Supporting Paragraphs
Weight: 20%
Did not write or incompletely wrote supporting paragraphs for each point from the thesis state- ment. Does not consider opinions or concerns of the audience. Does not properly paraphrase and/or comment on each quote.
Insufficiently wrote supporting paragraphs for each point from the thesis state- ment. Insufficient- ly consider opin- ions or concerns of the audience. Inadequately paraphrases and/ or comments on each quote.
Partially wrote supporting para- graphs for each point from the thesis statement. Somewhat con- siders opinions or concerns of the audience. Partially paraphrases and/ or comments on each quote.
Satisfactorily wrote supporting paragraphs for each point from the thesis state- ment. Adequately considers opin- ions or concerns of the audience. Satisfactorily paraphrases and/ or comments on each quote.
Clearly wrote supporting para- graphs for each point from the thesis statement. Fully considers opinions or con- cerns of the audi- ence. Completely paraphrases and/ or comments on each quote.
4. Transitions and Logic
Weight: 15%
Ideas are incon- sistent and/or are not presented in a logical order. Tran- sition words are not used effectively to move from one idea, paragraph, and/or sentence to the next through- out the paper. Body paragraphs are not in the order pre- sented in the thesis statement.
Ideas may not be consistent and/or are inadequately presented in a logical order. Tran- sition words are used ineffectively to move from one idea, paragraph, and/or sentence to the next through- out most of the paper. Body para- graphs may not in the order present- ed in the thesis statement.
Ideas are fairly consistent and/ or are partially presented in a logical order. Tran- sition words are used somewhat effectively to move from one idea, paragraph, and/ or sentence to the next throughout some of the paper. Body paragraphs are partially in the order presented in the thesis state- ment.
Ideas are mostly consistent and/or are presented in a logical order. Tran- sition words are used adequately to move from idea, paragraph, and/ or sentence to the next throughout most of the paper. Body paragraphs are mostly in the order presented in thesis statement.
Ideas are com- pletely consistent and/or are clearly presented in a logical order. Transition words are used effectively to move from idea, paragraph, and/ or sentence to the next throughout the paper. Body paragraphs are in the order pre- sented in thesis statement.
5. Conclusion
Weight: 15%
Conclusion does not paraphrase or rephrase the thesis in a new way. It does not leave a lasting impression.
Conclusion at- tempts to para- phrase or rephrase the thesis in a new way. It attempts to leave a lasting impression.
Conclusion paraphrases or rephrases some of the thesis in a new way. It sufficiently left a lasting im- pression.
Conclusion ade- quately paraphras- es or rephrases the thesis in a new way. It was some- what effective in leaving a lasting impression.
Conclusion effectu- ally paraphrases or rephrases the the- sis in a new way. It left a powerful lasting impression.
Points: Draft - 50 Revision -
150
Assignment 2: Informative Essay
Criteria Unacceptable
Below 60% - F
Meets Minimum Expectations
60-69% - D
Fair
70-79% - C
Proficient
80-89% - B
Exemplary
90-100% - A
6. Grammar, Mechanics, Punc- tuation, and SWS Formatting
Weight: 25%
There are more than 8 mechanics, grammar, and punctuation errors. The paper is not double-spaced; font is incorrect; margins are not one-inch on all sides, and, there may not be a cover page. It does not have page numbers and indented paragraphs. Did not appropriately use in-text citations throughout the body. No source list.
There are 7-8 mechanics, grammar, and punctuation errors. The paper is double-spaced; font is correct; margins are one- inches on any sides, and, there is a cover page. It only includes 1 of the following elements: page numbers and indented paragraphs. All citations are missing or have been used improperly in the essay and source list.
There are 5-6 mechanics, grammar, and punctuation errors. The paper is double-spaced; font is correct; margins are one- inches on any sides, and, there is a cover page. It includes all of the following elements: page numbers and indented paragraphs. Some in-text citations are improperly placed, missing, or not developed. Most of the source list is correct.
There are 3-4 mechanics, grammar, and punctuation errors. The paper is double-spaced; font is correct; margins are one- inches on any sides, and, there is a cover page. It includes all of the following elements: page numbers and indented paragraphs. Two credible sources are properly cited with some errors. Source List is correct.
There are 0-2 mechanics, grammar, and punctuation errors. The paper is double-spaced; font is correct; margins are one- inches on any sides; and, there is a cover page. It includes all of the following elements: page numbers and indented paragraphs. Two credible sources are properly cited with few or no errors. Source list is correct.