essay highschool level

WRIT 112, Summer 2017, Prof. Laurel DiGangi

UNIT 1, SUSTAINING OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH NATURE Essay #1 – Persuasive essay The purpose of this essay is for you to explore your personal relationship with nature, using it as a springboard to examine larger issues of humankind’s changing relationship with nature in the 21st century. You will need to choose one of these questions and argue for a specific position:

 Do college students (or Americans, millennials, children, Californians, etc.) suffer from ‘nature deficit

syndrome’, and is this problematic, or not?

 Is our relationship with nature changing, and if so, what impact might this have on our attitudes

about nature and the future of “nature” itself?

You will need to incorporate properly cited quotes and/or ideas from at least two of the following:

 Richard Louv’s book Last Child in the Woods

 Bill McKibben’s “The End of Nature”

 Emma Marris’s Ted Talk, “Nature is Everywhere.”

You must also include your own personal experiences or observations.

Consider these questions as a means to brainstorm this topic: Did you have positive or negative experiences with nature as a child?

What about today? When you think of “being out in nature,” do you think of being somewhere untouched by humankind or grand scenic

views that require planning and long drives, or simpler, more accessible venues, like a local park or overgrown empty lot? Do you prefer

one type of nature to another? Do you enjoy being out “in nature” as you define it? Do you regret not having had more exposure to

nature as a child? Do you feel you haven’t missed anything by staying indoors as a child, and that you’re not missing anything by

staying indoors as an adult? Do you feel that “nature” is dangerous and should be avoided? Do you feel that it’s no longer possible to

have a pure “nature” experience, as McKibben suggests?

In order to earn a C or above, you must abide by the following criteria:

Length

 900 to 1,200 word minimum, which is 3-4 double-spaced pages. Please note, papers below 900 words will be downgraded! APA

 an APA formatted cover page AND an APA reference page (not included in the page count above)

 proper APA in-text citations for all paraphrases and direct quotations

 no abstract is necessary for this essay

Richard Louv, author of

Last Child in the Woods

DiGangi / WRIT 112 / Summer 2017 2

References / Sources

 See bulleted list, page 1. The important elements all your essays in this class must contain:

 an introduction that has a hook and introduces your audience to the topic

 a thesis that makes a specific, debatable claim; your thesis may be direct or indirect and anywhere in your essay, as long as an intelligent reader understands the point which you are arguing.

 effectively organized paragraphs with strong topic sentences and transitions

 smoothly synthesized evidence that supports your thesis and is convincing and clear to the reader

 a conclusion that does not merely restate your thesis but that leaves the reader with further ‘food for thought’ A few more rules and tips

 As this is a short essay, please do not use any long block quotes.

 It’s okay to use the word “I” when using your own specific evidence. For example, if I write about my experiences at the Antelope Valley Poppy Preserve, I cannot do this without the word “I,” just as Louv does in his book. However, I do not need to say “I believe that the tourists should not have trampled the flowers.” I can simply say, “The tourists should not have trampled the flowers.” Please remove “I believe,” “I think,” “I feel,” and “in my opinion” from all academic essays.

 Do not use the word “you.” Yes, I’m using it here because this is an informal instruction sheet; I am telling you what to do. However, when you write for an audience of peers, you should use “we” instead, to include yourself with your readers. Doing so shows your readers that you don’t think you’re better than them. Only your professors can do that!

 Please, no “drop quotes”! Create a “quotation sandwich” for each quote by 1) creating context for your quote, 2) using a signal phrase before the quote, and 3) when possible, easing out of the quote by adding some analysis.

 Your language should be formal, but clear and direct. Avoid, inflated, pompous language, but also avoid slang and language that is too informal.

See the grading rubric on the next page to understand how I will grade this essay!

DiGangi / WRIT 112 / Summer 2017 3

WRIT 112 Grading Sheet Essay #1, Our relationship with nature Prof. Laurel DiGangi

Disclaimer: This grading sheet is a guide that I use for two purposes: 1) to help me grade your essay fairly, and 2) to help you learn

how to improve your essay. Please understand that this is not an exact system; your grade is based on my overall, final judgment

Superior best

possible

A

Good minor flaws

B

Passes but needs

major improve-

ments

C

No pass

D

Fails

F

Introduction

&

Thesis

10%

The introduction engages readers’ interest and introduces the topic clearly. It provides any background information

the readers might need to help them understand the rest of the essay. The essay has a main point (a debatable thesis)

that may be direct or indirect. The thesis (main point) must be clear to an intelligent reader.

Support/

Content

30%

The paper’s body supports the thesis with clear, well-developed details. It does not repeat ideas and is clear and well-

focused. Student must paraphrase and/or quote at least two of the following: Louv, Marris, or McKibben. No idea

should not contradict the thesis (unless it is clearly a counterargument which is rebutted). You must represent all your

sources accurately. You may use one additional source if you use it for a brief quote.

In addition, you must weave your personal experience in this essay, using it to introduce, define, develop, illustrate,

and/or support your ideas.

Structure

10%

The paper is organized and seems to follow an outline. Paragraphs are presented in a logical order so the reader can

easily understand the writer’s meaning. Each paragraph is unified and sticks to one topic. Transitions create a clear

flow between sentences and paragraphs.

Overall

clarity/style

20%

The reader can understand all sentences clearly. No sentences are awkward or confusing. The writing is concise and

not too wordy or repetitious. The style is neither overly formal nor too casual. All quotes must be integrated properly.

NOT DROP QUOTES!

Grammar &

punctuation

20%

Essay contains no run-ons, comma splices, fragments, pronoun problems, capitalization, and other grammatical errors.

There are no misspelled words. Essay has been properly proofread.

APA Format

10%

Essay uses template on Moodle. Citations are correct and use proper APA style for both in-text citations and

References list at the end. Please note that this category is about citing properly. Failure to cite most sources properly

will result in a zero!

If box is checked, your paper has been downgraded because it does not meet the minimum page requirements on this assignment sheet.

If box is checked, I am requiring you to take a revised copy of this paper to the Writing Center for an in-person appointment. 1. Revise your paper according to my comments.2. Take this new, revised paper to the Writing Center, along with your revision. The tutor can help you make further revisions and polish your paper further. 3. Revise your paper again based on your meeting with the tutor, and turn in this polished paper to me.

If box is checked, I am not accepting your essay because you have not cited your sources, or it is plagiarized.

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