Milestone 3

ENG 520 Final Project Milestone Three Guidelines and Rubric

Overview: In Module Five, you will submit your draft character sketches and profiles and introduce your two main characters (Section IV of your final project). These character sketches will include who these characters are individually and how they connect to one another in the story. The draft will provide in-depth sketches of your main character(s), detailing the defining traits and function(s) of each character. Characters will also be defined by the archetypal role they play within the story, and how that role contributes to your chosen story themes. The draft for this assignment will focus on unique and defining character details and backstories that will be significant or revealed within your proposed story. Review the How to Create a Character Profile article and the Eight Steps to Writing Interesting and Complex Characters (5:08) and Screenwriting: Great Character Profiles (4:44) videos for help in creating your character sketches and profiles. Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:

1. Character Description: Provide an in-depth sketch of each main character, offering unique and defining details. Consider both the character’s physical appearance and psychological makeup.

2. Defining Traits: Highlight the defining traits of each character, keeping characters believable. 3. Function: Describe the function of each character within the story (such as whether your character is the protagonist, antagonist, narrator, speaker,

etc.). Make sure to provide details to support and clarify each character’s function. 4. Backstories: Offer unique and defining backstories for a character where appropriate. 5. Archetypal Role and Theme: Provide a description of the archetypal role the character will play within the story. How does this archetype best embody

the specific theme(s) you have chosen? What qualities or actions of your archetypal character relate to this theme? 6. Generalizations: Within your character sketch, make sure to avoid clichés and stereotyping.

Guidelines for Submission: Your submission should be approximately 3–5 pages in length with double spacing. Refer to the provided links for guidance in drafting your character sketches and profiles.

Critical Elements Proficient (100%) Needs Improvement (75%) Not Evident (0%) Value

Character Description

Provides an in-depth and detailed sketch of each character

Introduces characters but description lacks in details

Does not provide a sketch of each character

20

Defining Traits Highlights defining traits of each character, keeping characters believable

Does not thoroughly highlight defining traits of each character, or is lacking detail so that characters are not believable

Does not highlight defining traits of each character

15

Function Describes the function of each character, offering supporting details

Describes the function of each character, but lacks detail or is not reasonable

Does not describe the function of each character

15

Backstories Offers unique and defining

backstories for characters where necessary, consistent with world building and plot

Offers backstories for characters, but they are not unique or defining, lack detail, or are inconsistent with world building and plot

Does not offer backstories for characters

15

Archetypal Role and Theme

Describes the archetypal role the character will play within the story, with supporting details as to how that role contributes to author’s chosen theme(s)

Describes the archetypal role the character will play within the story, but lacks supporting details or cohesiveness with regard to how that role contributes to the author’s chosen themes

Does not describe the archetypal role the character will play within the story or how it contributes to theme

20

Generalizations Within character sketch, avoids generalizations such as clichés and stereotyping

Character sketches are mostly unique, but contain limited generalizations such as clichés and stereotyping

Character sketches are comprised mainly of generalizations such as clichés and stereotyping

5

Articulation of Response

Submission has no major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization

Submission has major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that negatively impact readability and articulation of main ideas

Submission has critical errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that prevent understanding of ideas

10

Total 100%