HELP PLEASE!

Rubric for Essay 2-1301

All your papers, not just this one, must in an MLA format. A word of caution: Most of you use MSWord and trust it when you tell it to set up your papers in an MLA format. It will only partially do this and part of it must me done manually. The standard font for an MLA paper is 12 point Times New Roman and this is what I want your papers written in. I do not require a cover sheet but I do want the standard MLA headers used.

Your response essay should be organized with introductory paragraph, supporting topical paragraphs and a conclusion. This does not mean that it has to be the old five-paragraph theme. That is only a model of how to organize an essay, the not the end all, be all of paper writing. Don’t box yourself in with this limited essay model. Your essay should be around three pages in an MLA format.

A response paper is a short essay that expresses your personal reaction to a work of literature. It is an analytical or evaluative paper; it is more than expressing like or dislike. It is not a book report or summary but passages may be referred to in summary to give focus to your reactions (thoughts and/or feelings). It is not a review which evaluates the quality of the work but that does not preclude expressing a thought about how a passage did or did not work for you. Some of the questions you may ask yourself when you undertake a response paper are covered in the section of chapter five in your text which is one of the best I have ever seen in a writing text and you would do well to refer to it if you are rambling in your paper. It should not be necessary to go to outside sources but if you do they must be properly cited in the MLA format and a work cited page included.

ESWE Edited Standard Written English

Your papers should be written in Edited Standard Written English or ESWE. Those standards are as follows:

1. all quoted material enclosed in quotation marks.

2. spelling/syntax (a typo is a misspelling. This also includes errors of the misuse of similar sounding words, the incorrect use of words in general)

3. sentences and end of sentence punctuation (avoid run-ons, comma splices, fragments and misuse of semi-colons)

4. verb forms (use standard forms “lay”, “lie” etc, use of “ed” or “s” at endings and the use of being or helping verbs

5. verb tense (the same verb tense should generally be used throughout the paper)

6. agreement of subject and verb

7. pronoun form (use standard rules to choose between “I” and “me”, “she” and “her”, “who” and “whom” etc.)

8. agreement of pronoun with antecedent (the antecedent is the word the pronoun refers to; if it is singular the pronoun must also be singular and so forth. Pronouns must have antecedents so no vague use of “you” or “they”)

9. proper use of apostrophes in showing possession or contracted words

10. sentence sense (words omitted, misplaced modifiers, awkward constructions)

11. proper use of possessive pronouns ( its not it’s, their not there or they’re)

12. documentation ( MLA or APA as required)

There is no such thing as a perfect first draft. You will not even find that in fairy tales.