Informative essay

WR 121 Unit 2 Essay: Informative For this assignment, you will be writing an informative essay on a topic relating to sustainability. You are welcome and encouraged to use the topic from your first essay, but you are not required to do so. If you choose a different topic from your first essay, please email me your new topic proposal for approval.

While this is an informative essay, you will still have a thesis (main claim) that you are supporting. You are discussing your topic, but you are also saying something ​about​ that topic that you want the reader to know, understand, and believe.

However, this is not a persuasive essay. Therefore, your thesis isn’t a call to action regarding how your readers should make changes based on this information.

For example, let’s say your topic is wind energy. Good thesis statements could say:

1) Wind energy is a cost-efficient energy option. - The essay, then, would focus on cost. 2) Wind energy is environmentally sustainable. - The essay, then, would focus on

sustainability 3) Wind energy is both cost effective and environmentally sustainable. - The essay would

focus on both.

Thesis statements you would want to ​AVOID​ would be more like

1) Everyone should switch to wind energy because it is more cost-efficient and environmentally friendly.

Here, you are making a persuasive position about what your reader should ​do, ​and we want to save these statements for our persuasive paper.

ESSAY REQUIREMENTS 1) An annotated bibliography will be due before you begin drafting your essay. Your

annotated bibliography will identify and explain at least 5 credible, academic sources, and at least 2 credible, “popular” sources.

2) Your essay should be 4-6 pages long, size 12 font, double spaced 3) You should cite at least 5 credible sources 4) MLA formatting is required

Deadlines 1. Annotated Bibliography is due Wednesday, November 6 2. Thesis statement due Friday, November 8 3. Outline due Monday, November 11 4. Rough draft due Friday, November 15 5. Final draft due Wednesday, November 20

Grading Rubric Content (40 points total)

____ The introduction broadly introduces the topic and its relevance to society or the general conversations surrounding the topic ____ The thesis statement is strong, clear, and presents an identifiable claim ____ Each paragraph supports the thesis statement ____ The essay utilizes strong logic and rational thinking ____ Credible sources are cited to support each claim that is made ____ The conclusion neatly ties up any loose ends and reiterates the primary points of

the essay Research (20 points)

____ There are at least 5 reputable sources ____ Sources are appropriately integrated to support claims relevant to the discussion

Organization and Flow (20 points)

____ The essay flows from one section to the next without awkward transitions ____ Each paragraph has a clear and unified topic that is developed well ____ The points are coherent and clearly address the writing prompt and the article ____ Research is introduced with lead-ins and then followed up with an explanation of the significance to the current discussion

Formatting (10 points)

____ MLA formatting (heading, title, font, line spacing, etc) ____ Proper in-text ____ Sources properly cited on a Works Cited page

Grammatical Conventions (10 points)

____ Essay is relatively free of grammatical and spelling errors.