English

Paper #2

Comparing a Scholarly Article to a Popular Article

Assignment Description

This paper has four overarching purposes:

· To improve your ability to read scholarly sources;

· To improve your ability to differentiate scholarly sources from popular sources and to explain those differences;

· To practice using subject-specific database to find scholarly sources written in your discipline; and

· To become more acquainted with the conventions of scholarly writing in your primary discipline.

This paper asks you to use the databases available through the George Mason University Library to find two articles: a scholarly article from a journal in primary discipline and a popular article from any credible source written on a somewhat similar topic. An important note: Given the different rhetorical situations of the two types of texts, it is unlikely you will find a scholarly article and a popular article on EXACTLY the same topic. To that end, just be sure you can make the case for how they are on a similar topic.

After you locate the articles, you will write an essay that compares and contrasts them. The specific points you deal with in your essay must include:

· The purposes of the articles: Begin by determining the general purpose of each article (to inform, to persuade, etc.), but then take it a step further and determine why each author wrote each article: to start a conversation, to contribute new knowledge to the field, to offer a new interpretation of an old idea, to present the findings of a study, etc.

· The text of each article: How are the articles similar and different in terms of how they achieve their purposes? That is, if both are making an argument, what are the similarities and differences in the evidence used? What are the similarities and differences in how the evidence was acquired? How are the papers organized and structured? What types of words and language are used in each?

· The main idea: What is the main idea of each article? How are the main ideas similar? How are they different? What seems to account for the similarities and differences? Be sure to be as specific as possible in your delineation and comparison of the main ideas.

Method Here are tips on how to approach this project:

1. You should begin by locating a scholarly article from your discipline that is of interest to you. As you use the databases to find scholarly work, use the tips from Rosenberg’s article and class to learn as much as you can about a couple of scholarly articles in your discipline that are of interest to you.

2. After finding a scholarly article, use a general database (like JSTOR or ProQuest) to find a popular article on a similar topic. You can often tell the topic of a popular article by its title.

3. After you have your two articles read them both carefully. Note the similarities and differences in purpose, audience, genre, and main idea. Think about how differences in these elements might have affected each article’s content, style, and organization.

4. Take notes on similarities and differences in content, style, and organization of the sources. Specific examples of similarities and differences (including a few direct quotes or paraphrases) should be used in your paper. Basically, HOW are the sources similar and different, and WHY might those differences exist?

Assignment Details

The paper must be at least 900 words (not including your name, the title, and reference page) but should not be much longer than 1200 words. Please use a standard font (something like Times New Roman in 12 point) and be sure to double space. You must locate the two articles you will use for the paper by Wednesday, October 10 and bring them to class that night. Two hard copies of the first draft of the paper is due for an in-class peer review on Wednesday, October 17. The draft of the paper that I will grade is due on Wednesday, October 24. Be sure to upload the paper by 7:00 PM that night. Also, be sure to bring to class on that day in a folder with your name on it a stapled, clean copy of the paper and all of your peer review sheets.

Similar to the first paper, this one does not require you to cite outside sources (other than the articles you are comparing [obviously]). Be sure to cite the articles under discussion in whichever style is associated with your major (usually APA or MLA). While citation will not be a major factor in the grade, it’s good to get in the habit of indicating the origin of information in your writing to the best of your ability.

Rubric

CATEGORY	A	B	C	D	F
Analysis of the Purpose of the Texts 35 points	Specific, developed analyses and insightful  comparisons of the purposes of the texts are presented and supported with specific evidence from both articles	The analyses of the purposes of the texts are strong and well-supported, though there may be minor imbalances in the effectiveness of the analyses or in the evidence for them	General and/or undeveloped analysis and comparison of the purposes of the texts; little description of the different reasons for the differing purposes” OR the analyses of the purposes of the texts lack evidence	Analysis and comparison of the purposes of the text are sparse, lacking insight and/or evidence	No relevant analysis or insightful observations made about the purposes of the texts or no evidence given to support such an analysis
Analysis of the How the Texts Achieve Their Purpose 35 points	Specific, developed analyses and insightful  comparisons of the texts do to achieve their purposes is presented and supported with specific evidence from both articles	The analyses of the way the texts achieve their purposes are strong and well-supported, though there may be minor imbalances in the effectiveness of the analyses or in the evidence for them	General and/or undeveloped analysis and comparison of text; little description or interpretation of the different approaches the text take to achieving their purposes OR the analyses lack evidence	Analysis and comparison of the texts are sparse, lacking insight and/or evidence	No relevant analysis or insightful observations made about the texts or no evidence given to support such an analysis
Analysis of the How the Main Ideas of the Texts 35 points	Clear delineation and insightful comparison of the specific main ideas of each text supported with sufficient evidence	Clear delineation and thoughtful comparison of the specific main ideas of each text supported with sufficient evidence	The main ideas of both texts are given, though they may not be entirely clear and may lack a significant comparative aspect OR may lack evidence	Author attempts to provide the main ideas of each text, but they may not be clear or compared or adequately supported	Author does not provide the main idea of the texts or does not attempt to compare them
Structure 25 points	Paper is clearly and intentionally organized; there is an effective introduction and conclusion; each paragraph focuses on one topic and contains a clear topic sentence	Paper is clearly organized; there is a generally effective intro and conclusion; each paragraph focuses on one topic with a generally clear topic sentence	Paper is organized, but there may be issues with the intro/conclusion or paragraphs may not be as focused as possible or lack topic sentences	Paper is poorly organized to the extent that it affects the reader’s ability to follow the analysis	There is no organization to the paper
Writing Fluency: Clear, Concise, Correct 15 pts	Demonstrates skillful writing fluency, exhibits few or no mechanical errors.	Demonstrates reasonable writing fluency, exhibits few mechanical errors.	Writing fluency is lacking, exhibits several mechanical errors.	Demonstrates minimal writing fluency, exhibits numerous mechanical errors.	Writing is not fluent-- unreadable.
Documentation 10 pts	Sources are cited correctly in the document and on the reference page. All in-text citations include an effective signal phrase All in-text citations include an effective parenthetical citation	Sources are cited, but there are a few errors in the format. Most in-text citations include an effective signal phrase Most in-text citations include an effective parenthetical citation	Sources are cited, but there are several errors in the format. Some in-text citations include an effective signal phrase Some in-text citations include an effective parenthetical citation	Some of the sources are not cited and/or the format is not correct. Few in-text citations include an effective signal phrase Few in-text citations include an effective parenthetical citation	Sources are not cited at all. All in-text citations lack a signal phrase All in-text citations lack parenthetical citations