3 page essay 13
Week #3: Essay #1 (3 to 5 pages)
Double spaced, one inch margins, size 12 Times New Roman
Works cited page must be included
Works cited page cannot be the third page. It does not count as one of the essay pages.
Materials in this class are subject to copyright law and are for class purposes and personal study and should not be distributed or displayed outside of class.
In 1692, Rebecca Mudge Steele Greensmith was accused of being a witch. Many brought up “evidence” against Gransmith to prove her guilt.
Research the evidence that was brought up against Greensmith. Does the evidence truly reveal Greensmith’s guilt or can the “evidence” be interpreted in another way in order to argue for her innocence? Please present your interpretation of these pieces of evidence.
You are required to have at least two sources for this assignment.
Make sure that you consult sources that are credible; in other words, these sources list an author whose credentials are clear.
Your Task: Argue for Greensmith’s innocence or guilt. Interpret the evidence being brought up against Greensmith. Carefully structure this essay. Present an essay rich in carefully selected detail and thoughtful, deep analysis. Please use the rubric as a guide. **** Please note: If an author presents a helpful and convincing interpretation, please give credit to the original author. Do not pass off the interpretation as your own. Instead, explain that this author has presented this analysis and then explain why you agree with it.
Evaluation Criteria forEssay #1––Please use this as a guide to help you write your essay
Grading Rubric for the Evaluation, Summary and Illustration Essay
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The writer has used size 12 font (Times New Roman) and 1 inch margins. The writer has completed 3 to 5 or more pages of the introduction, body and conclusion with no attempt to skip spaces between paragraphs, use fonts larger than size 12 or increase the margins. The works cited comes at the end of the essay and it is not part of the page count. |
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Introduction and Thesis Statement: The attention getter grabs the interests of the readers. It may retell a dramatic short story which relates to the case and Greensmith. (You may include her husband as well too). The attention getter may include a question or reflection. The introduction of the essay prepares a context for the rest of the essay. The introduction could highlight a tension filled narrative of what occurred. The writer summarizes the ideas held by those with opposing points of view; in other words, you may sum up what the accusers or defenders had to say about Greensmith. At the end of the introduction, the writer has placed a thesis statement that presents a forceful argument. The thesis statement can be more than one sentence. It is meaningful and guides the reader to what to expect throughout the essay. The writer presents a solid claim about Greensmith’s guilt or innocence. The thesis statement is well written, clear, thoughtful, and insightful. |
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Content – Support, Detail, Deep Reflection of Ideas, Development
Deep, sophisticated thinking and analysis: At all times, the writer clearly explains why Bridget Bishop is guilty or innocent. It is very easy for readers to hear the writer’s voice and thoughts. The student showed confidence at all times in presenting his or her own unique understanding of Bishop’s guilt or innocence. The student took complete ownership of understanding the case. The student presents rich comments and explanations, which reveal deep understanding of the material. The essay is not just a random collection of ideas. These thoughts and ideas are supported by carefully researched information. Support and Evidence: The student has revealed his or her clear understanding of the material by providing adequate and solid references from the readings or other materials. These references may be quotes and or summaries. The student has brought in his or her own unique perspectives and interpretations of the information she or he has selected to share. The essay is not overwhelmed or patched up with quotes. The essay is not about information dropped with no reflection or analysis. The student carefully leads into the quotes. The quotes are properly formatted. There is a constant reflection on the meaning of the quoted segments. The writer does not drop a quote or expect readers to understand it but demonstrates audience awareness by explaining how he or she understands the quotes and or summaries. When summarizing, it is very easy for the reader to know exactly where specific pieces of information are coming from. Specific pages are mentioned. If it is not clear from where these pieces of information are coming from, then the writer will lose points. Please remember whether the information is summarized or quoted, you need to cite the source. The student’s comments demonstrates critical understanding of the topic by expanding the issue, bringing in additional perspectives, and promoting additional discussion. Quality of Sources: Strong pieces of evidence are drawn from credible and relevant sources. The writer has provided solid evidence from at least two sources consulted. The writer has provided evidence from these sources and has given credit to these using in text citations and mentioning the sources in the MLA works cited page. Please consult the internet for directions on how to properly format works cited page entries. The writer has clearly identified solid reasons to explain why he or she feels or thinks Greensmith is innocent or guilty. The essay meets the assignment’s purpose to persuade the reader of the writer’s position or opinion about Rebecca Steele Greensmith. ______________________________ Quality of the Conclusion: There may be a signal word that begins the conclusion and suggests the essay is ending. While the conclusion may stress the main argument, it is not devoted to summarizing the main ideas of each body paragraph. Instead, the conclusion resonates with the reader because the writer has creatively ended with a thoughtful reflection. Or, what usually helps writers is creating a conclusion that explains why the topic ofwriting and research has been significant and the greater ramifications behind the topic of their research. |
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Organization – logical arrangement of paragraphs and sentences The ideas within the paragraph are logically arranged; in other words, the ideas easily flow from one to the next. The writer carefully and creatively transitions the ideas from one to the next. The writer uses transitional words (however, moreover, besides) in a clear and logical fashion. The student carefully bridges the explanations between the different criteria in a clear way. Clear, creative transitions are used at all times. Thus, each paragraph in the essay is cohesively held together. The writer has clearly identified solid reasons to explain why he or she feels or thinks Rebecca Steele Greensmith is innocent or guilty and has dedicated at least one paragraph per reason. Or, the student has made his or her own decision on how to best organize the reasons within paragraphs. A paragraph or two is devoted to explaining or providing evidence to prove each reason. No matter which organizational plan the student has chosen, these reasons are well organized within the body of the essay. The conclusion of the paragraph brings the ideas to a close. The reader is alerted to the fact that the paragraph is coming to a close and has come to an end. |
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Editing, Style and Format All sentences are very clearly written. Readers are not left trying to figure out the meaning of the sentences due to incorrect grammar. The student has chosen strong word and sentence choices. The writer has made excellent stylistic choices. The writer has thoroughly proofread the whole essay, making sure that it is free of comma splices, fragments, run on sentences, verb tense errors, spelling mistakes, and other grammatical errors. If needed, the writer has consulted the tutors in the Student Success Building for help. The writer uses proper MLAin text citation or parenthetical citation. An MLA works cited page is present at the end of the assignment and each works cited entry is correctly formatted. The writer has carefully used sources. The writer has summarized, paraphrased and used quotes where needed. The writer has provided a combination of these and has used proper in text citation. None of the sentences are copied and pasted and presented as one’s own. At the same time, the writer’s voice is constantly heard. The essay is not patched together with different quotes.
Anytime that outside information is used, the writer has used in text citations to enable readers to understand from where he or she has gathered the information. All the sentences are carefully connected to one another. The reader does not have to work to figure out what the connections between the sentences are. Paragraphs are also well linked to one another. |
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Academic Effort The student has gone above and beyond the minimum requirements. The student has taken complete ownership of the writing by including insightful ideas and commentary, and making strong stylistic choices. Other evidences of strong ownership of the writing are present. The writing does not repeat any of the original grammar, words or structure present in outside sources. The student has not copied or pasted any sentences from another source and passed it off as his or her own. An essay that is plagiarized completely or partly will receive a grade of zero with no opportunity for the essay to be redone. Ultimately, the reader is able to put the essay away and restate the main ideas because the essay’s aims are very clear. The reader is able to state the reasons why Rebecca Greensmith is guilty or innocent. The reader feels satisfied upon finishing the essay. The reader did not need to work extra hard to try to understand the meaning behind faulty sentences. The reader is inspired to think more due to the ideas presented in the essay. The essay and the reading experience are very satisfying. The writer has clearly taken ownership of his or her essay and shows this through creative and clear wording, creative use of sources and a clear explanation of his or her position. The writer creatively explains why the “evidence” brought up against Bridget Bishop can be confirmed to be true or explained in another way. |
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