Essay Draft I: Proposing a Research Question

Class

English 201: The Research Paper

Essay Draft I

Proposing a Research Question

Points

50

Prompt

· This is the first of three drafts of the same research paper.

· In this draft in the argumentation mode, you pose your research question on a topic of sustainability in the introduction and answer it with your thesis in the conclusion, supporting your thesis with a synthesis of three to five articles from popular periodicals.

· For Essay Draft II and Essay Draft III, you will add sources and information to the previous drafts.

Source Distribution

· 3-5 popular periodicals (magazines, newspapers)

Notes

The word paragraph is replaced by the symbol ¶ in this rubric.

Grading and Feedback

Criteria

(D-F)

(C)

(A-B)

Title—title is broad topic: subtitle hints at thesis (your point about the topic)

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Introduction ¶--

· employs an effective opening technique

· introduces the topic and connects it to the question

· ends with your research question

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Body ¶s—

· organized in a synthesis of sources (at least 2 sources in every paragraph)

· topic sentences use your own words to identify the one point of the ¶

· primarily summary with quotations only as needed for technical accuracy

· adheres to criteria for argumentation

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Conclusion¶--

· opens with your thesis (one sentence, arguable, directly answers your research question)

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Use of Sources—uses primarily summary and paraphrase, quotations used only as needed for technical accuracy and all are brief, blended, & cited, all information is cited to avoid plagiarism (summary, paraphrase, quotation)

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Distribution of Sources—see the complete list in the prompt above

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Works Cited Page—MLA format

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Point of View—third-person point of view

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Audience —(class & instructor) considers audience in both tone and information

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Grammar, Punctuation, Mechanics

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Style—no contractions or abbreviations, no first name alone, no “in the article”

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MLA Manuscript (Document) Format

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Length—3 or more pages (when correctly formatted, not including works cited page)

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