1.
Present
an insightful position on the issue. This means you need to have come to your own
conclusion. The conclusion will be your thesis (the answer to your original
focusing question), and it will be based on thorough knowledge of your
specific topic as well as clear consideration of all “sides.”
Your position must consider the opposition. Remember that the thesis is
the controlling idea of the entire paper, not just one statement at the end of
the introduction. Each of the 2500-2750 words you write should work to present
an insightful position on the issue.
2.
Develop
the position with compelling reasons, persuasive examples, and good evidence. This means the
paper relies on evidence contained in credible sources.
Reasons are compelling when they are convincing, well thought out, based on
evidence, and reasonable. Examples are persuasive when they are pertinent,
logical, relevant, and illuminating. Good evidence is basically proof
consisting of facts.
3.
Sustain
a well-focused, well-organized analysis, connecting ideas logically. This means that each paragraph
needs to serve a very clear purpose for your thesis. This also means that your
paper should include any necessary background information, adequate development
of each aspect of the issue/problem and of the answer/solution, and that the
transition between each aspect of the paper is smooth and logical. This means
more than adding transitional words and phrases. This means connecting the
content in some kind of logical order.
4.
Use
highly regarded sources for support and integrate them seamlessly into the
essay. This means your
essay will rely on at least 10 credible sources. Six of
these sources must be scholarly and no more than 2 may be newspaper-quality or
less. Relying on sources does not mean referencing them once. It means
integrating and analyzing the ideas from the sources that help you formulate
your own ideas. You should grammatically and contextually integrate your
paraphrases, summaries, and quotes, and make those integration choices based on
what the best use of that source information is. Each paragraph (with the
potential exceptions of the introduction and conclusion) should use some kind
of source information for support. Seamless integration requires proper use of
signal phrases and parenthetical references, grammatically correct inclusions
of quotes, and most importantly, analysis and connection of ideas.
5.
Correctly
cite source material and include a correctly formatted citation page. The What, Where, How, as well
as many of our assignments will help you here. Also, ask me questions. I’m
sort of a wealth of knowledge.
6.
Express
your ideas fluently and succinctly, using effective vocabulary and sentence
variety. Your paper should
be written in an academic tone and at an academic level. You should be
conveying ideas with each sentence. Your paper should need to be
between 2500 and 2750 words. Don’t fill your paper with “fluff.” Don’t use
first or second person, with very few exceptions.
7.
Demonstrate
facility with the conventions of standard written English. This means your paper is
written grammatically and mechanically correctly. A few errors may show up, but
as a whole the paper should be clear and correct.
8.
Meet the
requirements of length, format, and source use. The actual text of the essay
(not counting title, headings, citation page (or abstract if you’re using APA)
needs to be between 2500-2750 words. You need to use at least 10 sources. At
least 6 must be scholarly. No more than 2 should be newspaper quality or less.
The paper needs to be in MLA or APA depending on the choice you made at the
beginning of the term.
