Length: 750 words, minimum (not counting the Works Cited);
1,000 words, max
Format: MLA format, including a Works Cited; See Notes in
Moodle
Research
Required: At least two reliable
online sources – but no more than 1/3 of the essay should be quoted from
research
Genre & Audience: An informative essay (report) intended for a diverse
group of curious, educated adults
Topic Options:
1. What some people probably don’t know about (game,
show, film, book, artist) is __________________________________.
2. The strangest or most surprising aspect of (skill,
job, hobby, process, place) is _____________________________________.
3. An interesting and mostly unknown fact about (controversy,
hot topic, public figure) is ______________________________.
MLA Works Cited List:
· You must cite all of the sources you use in the essay.
MLA In-Text Citations:
·
Provide the last
name of the author of a source in the sentence (or in parentheses) when you
summarize or quote it, to make it clear which source you are using as you write:
Wilson explains that she once dropped a glass dish containing a hot cobbler in
her kitchen.
·
Whenever you use
someone else’s exact words, even just a short phrase, use quotation marks to
show what was quoted: Wilson writes, “My husband ran and lifted me up before I
even knew what was happening, and my feet were bloody.”
·
Commas and
periods go inside quotation marks, “like this,” or “like this.” However, if you
provide a parenthetical citation because the name is not in your sentence, the
period goes after: “What a mess – it was sticky, sharp, and gross” (Wilson).
Essay
Structure (Organization):
Remember to Read Samples for Help
·
Include at
least one picture: Insert a picture under
your title or within your essay.
·
How do I
start? Describe the topic and include
the main insight, angle, or impression on which you will focus (thesis).
·
When do I
start new paragraphs? Organize the
essay using a sub-topic for each paragraph or section, introduced with a topic
sentence. All these topics should directly support the thesis, the focus, of
the essay.
·
Which facts do
I include? Include only the details
most relevant to your focus; remove anything unrelated.
· How should it end? Use a fresh reiteration of your main focus (thesis), a tie-in to your
opening lines, or a great quotation from an article to add a sense of
completion to the essay.
Important
Note on Plagiarism/AI: Plagiarism
rules always apply; write your own work in your own words unless you clearly
cite a source. Plagiarism can cause you to get a “0” on the assignment or fail
the class. See the syllabus for more information.
Grading:
Content (Topic, Genre Features, Critical
Thinking)
Focus (Relevant Details,
Staying on Topic)
Organization (Topic
Sentences, Transitions, Paragraphing, Length)
Writing Style (Diction,
Tone, and Reading Level)
Layout and Format (MLA
Layout and Citations)
Mechanics (Avoiding Major
Grammar and Spelling Errors)
