English Evaluation Essay. 3-5 pages

Evaluation Essay

Assignment:

We have the opportunity to select and evaluate a subject in order to present our overall assessment by supporting it with criteria and evidence. The essay will be approximately 3-5 pages in length, incorporate at least two sources, and include a Works Cited page. Note: Any essay that does not have a Works Cited page will have the final grade lowered by one letter. This assignment is worth a total of 100 points.

Rationale:

The skills used in this assignment are essential creating a coherent essay based on criteria, justification, and evidence as well as creating a discussion based on a controlling idea (e.g., claim).

Process:

1. Select a subject that you’re familiar with that also falls under one of the following categories: commercial product/service, work of art, or performance.

2. Determine 4-5 criteria by which to evaluate the subject and determine to what degree the subject meets each standard.

3. Formulate a claim that represents your overall assessment about the subject.

4. Construct a 3-5 page evaluation essay presents your claim and supports it with criteria, justification, and evidence.

Essay Organization/Structure:

Because this essay is arranged deductively, we’ll use the following essay structure:

Introductory paragraph(s): Provide an engaging lead, background information about the work of subject, and claim.

Body paragraphs: Provide a transition, state the standard being used to evaluate the subject and why/how it’s important, followed by evidence that demonstrates the ways in which the subject meets or doesn’t meet the standard.

Conclusion: Provide an ending that “wraps up” the discussion rather than summarizes it.

Keep in Mind:

We must determine the criteria before we evaluate the subject. We must ask ourselves: What is the general subject? What are the criteria? Why are the criteria important? What is the specific subject? How does the subject meet/not meet each standard? What is my overall claim?

Also, we may use the sources we research any way we want. For instance, we may want to use sources to help present background information about the subject or to help present the evidence. No matter what, though, we must cite and document the sources.

Effective Essay:

An effective evaluation essay will have the following characteristics:

· A narrowed scope and clear, precise claim

· A clear sense of purpose, focus, and perspective

· Development of the overall analysis and evaluation

· An organizational structure appropriate to purpose, audience, and context

· Language and style appropriate to the audience and context

· Appropriate detail, information, and examples

· Proper mechanics (spelling, grammar, punctuation)

Format and Design:

Your essay will follow these format and design requirements:

· Use MLA format where in the upper left-hand corner of the first page, list your name, your instructor's name, the course, and the date; include a title for your essay using standard capitalization; and you create a header that numbers all pages consecutively in the upper right-hand corner.

· Use 11 or 12-point type size (Times New Roman, Calibri, or Cambria)

Evaluation Criteria: The assignment will be evaluated by the following criteria:

Focus	· The purpose should be clear and appropriate · The essay should introduce/conclude masterfully as well as engage the reader · There should be little if any clutter
Unity and Cohesion	· The essay should powerfully exhibit an organizational strategy · The organization should be masterful · Sentences and paragraphs should show a sophisticated level of unity and coherence.
Content	· The essay should present a highly coherent, clearly logical case in support of the insight.
Clarity	· The essay should demonstrate a mastery of language and reveal sophistication of usage and syntax.
Mechanics	· Punctuation, grammar, or spelling errors should not weaken the assignment