The essay title is:Is racism ever justified? Instructions: This paper must follow a format of your choice (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc) You will select a subject of your choice that relates to the class an
| EXCEPTIONAL (4) | COMMENDABLE (3) | ACCEPTABLE (2) | UNACCEPTABLE (1) | |
| ORGANIZATION Introduction | HIGHLY ENGAGING introduction provides THOUGHTFUL background | ENGAGING introduction provides RELEVANT background information | Introduction provides SOME relevant background information. . | Introduction provides LIMITED and/or IRRELEVANT background information. TOO BRIEF. |
| Body | ALL body paragraphs develop a single topic, have topic sentences and CLEAR transitions allowing the paper to FLOW LOGICALLY. FOCUSED and CONTROLLED. | MOST body paragraphs develop a single topic, have topic sentences and transitions allowing the paper to FLOW LOGICALLY, FOCUSED AND COTROLLED. | MOST body paragraphs develop a single topic, have topic sentences, but information appears as UNCONNECTED CHUNKS. Paragraphs still have a sense of logical order. | MANY body paragraphs LACK topic sentences or topic sentences and body content do not always match. MANY body paragraphs develop more than one topic. Paragraphs DO NOT follow a LOGICAL order. Poorly organized. |
| Conclusion | INSIGHTFUL conclusion revisits thesis and main points. CONVINCINGLY PERSUASIVE. | Conclusion revisits thesis and main points. PERSUASIVE. | Conclusion revisits thesis and main points. It does what it has to—but PERSUASIVE. | POOR conclusion does not revisit thesis, and main points and/or conclusion are omitted. |
| CONTENT Thesis | INTRIGUING AND FOCUSED Thesis CLEARLY shapes purpose of paper and matches the content. Conveys an ATTITUDE in support or against. | FOCUSED thesis shapes purpose of paper and matches content. Conveys an ATTITUDE in support or against. | Thesis ADEQUATELY shapes purpose of paper and matches content but is only a list. BEGINS to convey an ATTITUDE. | Thesis FAILS to shape purpose of paper and/or does not match the content of the paper. Thesis is CONFUSED or FACTUAL or is NOT PROVEN. |
| Research | Multiple sources SKILLFULLY interwoven in body paragraphs demonstrating RELEVANT, THOROUGH, and SOPHISTICATED support of thesis. Writer manages information well and avoids redundancy and reliance on direct quotes. | Multiple sources CONSISTENTLY interwoven in body paragraphs demonstrating RELEVANT and THOROUGH support of thesis. Writer manages the information and avoids redundancy and reliance on direct quotes. | MOST information supports the thesis by using a SINGLE source per body paragraph. Info. is STACKED, LISTED, REDUNDANT, or CONTINUALLY PARAPHRASED. Some reliance on direct quotes. | SOME information supports the thesis, but information is LIMITED, IRRELEVANT, REDUNDANT, WEAK or INACCURATE. Paper exhibits information dumping. Heavy reliance on direct quotes. |
| Voice | Paragraphs show SKILLFUL integration of student’s own words with researched info. ELOQUENT word choice and transitions. ALL body paragraphs end with student’s observation or conclusion. Shows a CLEAR understanding of the topic | Paragraphs show BALANCE between student voice and researched info. Body paragraphs end with student’s observations or conclusion. Analysis of info shows and understanding of the topic. | There is SOME student voice integrated with researched info. Analysis of info shows SOME understanding of the topic. | Paragraph conclusions are quotes or are missing. No student interpretation is evident. Analysis of info. shows a LACK of understanding of the topic. Much of the paper is written in “I,” “YOU,” or “WE.” |
| Mechanics | Grammar, word usage, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure errors RARELY occur, but DO NOT OBSCURE MEANING. | Grammar, word usage, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure errors SELDOM occur, but DO NOT OBSCURE MEANING. | Grammar, word usage, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure errors OCCASIONALLY occur, but DON’T OBSCURE MEANING | Grammar, word usage, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure errors FREQUENTLY occur and OBSCURE MEANING. |
| Work Cited | Works cited page properly formatted. | Works cited page has very few errors | Works cited page has many errors. | Works cited page is missing or improperly formatted. |
| Paper Length | Over and above requirement. | At or slightly above requirement. | Below requirement. | Extremely below requirement. |
Instructions: This paper must follow a format of your choice (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc) You will select a subject of your choice that relates to the class and take a position in support or against, and argue it with documentation of no less than 4 peer reviewed (scholarly) articles and 4 resources from class (textbook is fine or anything in learning modules). There is a 2500 word minimum and NO maximum words on this assignment. You must have a title page and a works cited page, with the requisite number of pages on the body of the essay. (always double spaced)
Suggestions for subject matter:
Is racism ever justified?
