Order 774831: why college should be free

Analysis of a Scholarly Source Major Essay Number One Assignment Prompt

English 102 Fall Term, 2017 Due Date:

Overview: In this project, you will select a quality, academic source and examine it based on its potential for use in subsequent course assignments. You will examine and research the author, publisher, context, time frame, quality of the sources/evidence cited within the text, and any other relevant information that helps you to examine the level of effectiveness this document might offer in further research. You will use this assignment to develop a threshold for acceptable research sources for the rest of your work in this course. Purpose: The purpose of this assignment is to read, briefly summarize, and evaluate a scholarly text on a topic associated with your course theme. The writer should include a brief summary of the text followed by an evaluation of that text as a useful and/or effective document for the writer’s own research purposes, and then, based on your evaluation of this work, a description of the type of document that would serve as a model for your subsequent research. Instructions: This document has three primary segments, each of which should be completed thoroughly.

I. Summary: The brief summary should identify the thesis statement, claim, or main idea of the text you’re examining, evidence and key points used to support the claim, and a description of the author’s purpose, tone, and style. The summary should also identify the primary audience(s) of the text.

II. Analysis: The analysis of the text should include some or all of the following

observations and considerations: -How clear and/or convincing is the author’s purpose for writing? What position or argument does the author present? What is the thesis statement or claim?

-What evidence does the author offer to support his or her claim or position? -Does the evidence effectively support that claim? What additional information could the writer offer? -What form does the author use to present her or his ideas? (Examples: a proposal, a report, an essay, peer reviewed document published in an academic text, a chapter of a book, a web page.) How does the form of the text serve the author’s purpose for writing? Is it the most effective form? Why or why not? -Is the article part of a continuing debate or controversy? What positions have people taken in the past? How effective is this text when placed in conversation with other texts? -Who are the intended audiences for the text? Who else might care about the author’s position? Describe one or more of the audiences. Do you believe the author reaches that group? -Evaluate the overall effectiveness of the writer’s argument based on your membership in the reading audience. Does the text reach you? -Examine the author’s tone and/or style. Identify words or phrases that illustrate that both. What effect does the tone and/or style have on the author’s purpose? What effects do the author’s tone and style have on the audience?

III. Model/Plan of Subsequent Research: Explain how useful this article would be for a

research project. Is the author credible? What qualities or strategies make the author credible? Is the evidence reliable? Using examples from your selected text and the process of examining it, conclude your essay by building a model for the type of source you feel might be most effective as you continue to examine this topic in subsequent assignments.

Length/Format: Four to five pages, double-spaced; use proper formatting for all integrated quotes and references, and include a works cited entry in MLA style. All major essay assignments for the course must be computer generated and submitted via the appropriate tab in the “Assignment Submission Portal” button on the course Moodle page. Per MLA formatting guidelines, the first page must be labeled with your name, and the instructor's name, the course and section number, the date, and the unit number in the top left corner; subsequent pages must contain your name and the page number in the top right corner. Essays must be uploaded in .doc or .docx format with one-inch margins. Text should appear in 12-point Times New Roman font. All assignments must be double-spaced before they are uploaded into the submission portal. As is the case in the professional world and in advanced academic work, failure to accomplish these formatting guidelines will result in a penalty—in this case, at least one point per neglected request. Notes: Refer to course syllabus for information concerning late work, plagiarism, and revision opportunities. Failure to bring drafts to class for assigned peer review sessions will negatively affect the final grade. A grading score sheet specific to this assignment will be issued prior to the essay’s assigned due date.

Major Essay Number One: Analysis of a Scholarly Source

Assignment Score Sheet Student name: Class Section: Date: Content Provides a thoughtful and detailed evaluation of the selected text: 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 Carefully places the evaluated document into context: 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 Evaluates the selected text in clear and logical fashion; examines the writing rather than solely the content of the selected text: 0 0.5 1 1.5 Carefully executes all three segments of the assignment—brief summary, extensive analysis, and example-driven building of a model text: 0 0.5 1 1.5 Demonstrates a detailed presentation of supporting evidence and factual basis for all claims: 0 0.5 1 1.5 Shows depth and strength in rhetorical choices and strategies (makes strong writing decisions): 0 0.5 1 1.5 Demonstrates advanced usage of concepts and writing tools introduced at this point in the course: 0 0.5 1 Mechanics Integrates sources in a useful way and cites them clearly using MLA conventions. 0 0.5 1 1.5 Uses polished standard American English and language/jargon appropriate for the audience and topic. 0 0.5 1 1.5 Scoring: Point Total: ______ Point Deductions: •Late essay ______ •Missing Drafts ______ •Formatting –––––– •Final Essay Grade: ______