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Murray State University
Class Essay Assignments
Before you submit your essay in a pocketed folder you will want to evaluate your essay using the following checklist of requirements. These are the requirements I will use when evaluating your work. To the left of the requirement is a number that indicates the maximum number of points that may be lost for problems in this area.
-10 Preparation
-Were you present for in class exercises?
-Do you have a rough draft attached?
-15 Basic Requirements
-Is your essay typed, double-spaced, 12pt plain font, 3 pgs. Min/ 4 pgs. Max
(research paper min. 8-max. 10 pgs), MLA formatted, and in a pocketed folder?
-10 Smooth Introduction
-Do you get the readers attention?
-Do you orient the reader to your topic?
-10 Clear specific narrowly focused thesis statement
-Can you identify a single sentence that explains the entire essay?
-30 Spelling and Grammar mistakes
-Have you spell checked AND proofread?
-15 Transitions within and between paragraphs
-Do you provide clear signposts within the writing to link ideas and sections?
-30 Appropriate topic/ assignment/language
-Are you doing the right assignment?
-Have you written a formal academic essay?
-20 Unity
-Does the paper stay within a single topic and avoid irrelevant detours?
-20 Coherence
-Are sentences clear and logically arranged?
Do you blend sentences effectively?
-Did you consider your audience?
-30 Completeness
-Do you adequately support your main ideas with primary and/or secondary sources?
-Is your research/support valid and relevant?
-10 Conclusion
-Do you summarize and restate your position?
-Do you include a works cited page?
Also, be careful not to confuse argumentation with an emotional appeal, which involves provoking strong emotions like fear or pity to persuade. Your goal is not to make the reader feel, but to make them think.
How To Write An Argumentative Essay
While good essays often come in many different styles, there is one consistantly reliable method many writers use to produce good argumentative essays. This formula is surprisingly simple to learn and is applicable to essays in many different genres (business, history, architecture, etc).
excellent creative writers, with whom I sympathize, protest writing in a forced formula. However, college level essays often require not just creative talent, but unity coherence and completeness, all of which can be generated by using this formula.
Remember all essays should be your very best academic writing:
YES!
IN ORDER TO PRODUCE A QUALITY ESSAY A WRITER, ALL WRITERS, MUST:"!.
I. PREWRITE IN ORDER TO:
A) GENERATE IDEAS
AND
B) ORGANIZE THOSE IDEAS
II. DRAFT THOSE ORGANIZED IDEAS INTO AN ESSAY FORMAT
(DUE Sept 13)
III. SUBSTANTIALLY REVISE TO PRODUCE A NEW DRAFT (Due SEPT 15th)
IV. EDIT TO CORRECT CARELESS MISTAKES
REMINDER:
There will be deduction from your essay grade for not having a first draft on Sept. 13th and for not have a revised draft at your conference.
Although neither draft will be numerically graded on it's merits, a draft, even a first draft, should be well organized and easily readable as an essay.
Try focusing on getting the body of the paper (thesis, two main ideas and support) in good shape. This will help your peer editor understand the overall structure of your argument.
After your paper has been peer edited you should be able to revise it before your conference.
The draft you bring to your conferences should be substantially revised and of such a quality that you should have only minor editing to clear up afterwards.
Also, be aware that conferences are short and thus I can not possibly find all the possible problems that an essay may have.
Hopefully, you will get some cursory suggestions regarding the major problems and strengths to help you in the final editing process.
Supplemental Readings are strongly encouraged!
*For additional sources visit the class web site: https://www.angelfire.com/ky2/eng102murray/index.html