4 pages due in 12 hours

Assignment 2: Write a 3-4 pages essay with a THESIS STATEMENT and ARGUMENT in response to a direct question covering the topics of New Imperialism in the 19th century in Latin America.

Discussion question:  A persistent problem for the post independent nations in Latin America was the economic dependence from Europe and the United States. Explain why Latin American countries, after achieving independence, opted for a continuation of mineral and agricultural commodity exports.

Essay Instructions

1.      Concentrate on writing a good argument.  Write a thesis statement (central argument) in your introduction, develop your thesis and provide supporting details (evidence), and end with a closing paragraph.

2.      Follow Gordon Rule requirements for writing a college-level paper.

3.      Use Chicago Manuel of Style.

4.      Use Footnotes only.

5.      The essays should be typed and double-spaced.

6.      Cite all quotations and paraphrases. It is important for you to ground your argument in evidence from primary sources (letters, journals, newspapers and magazines) and secondary sources (books, biographies, histories). For a 3-4 pages essay no more than 3 citations otherwise the essay will become a compilation of ideas and opinions of other writers. Remember that the majority of your essay should consist of your own thoughts. 

7.      Use only academic sources for your footnotes and bibliography. In general, academic sources have the following characteristics: they are written by a specific author or authors.  In other words, scholarly sources specify who their authors are. They contain a title. They contain an extensive bibliography. They are published in peer-reviewed journals or by scholarly publishers. The textbook we are using in class is a good example of secondary academic source.

8.      Assignments will be submitted via turn-it-in on blackboard.

9.      Assignment 2 issued 02/28 Due 3/14.  

Chicago Manuel of Style videos and sample:

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/717/2/

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/media/pdf/1300991022_717.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBV9p9MmT8c

A  (4)

B  (3)

C (2)

     D/F (1/0)

Focus: Purpose

Purpose is clear

Shows awareness of purpose

Shows limited awareness of purpose

No awareness

Main idea

Clearly presents a main idea and supports it throughout the paper.

There is a main idea supported throughout most of the paper.

Vague sense of a main idea, weakly supported throughout the paper.

No main idea

Organization: Overall

Well-planned and well-thought out. Includes title, introduction, statement of main idea, transitions and conclusion.

Good overall organization, includes the main organizational tools.

There is a sense of organization, although some of the organizational tools are used weakly or missing

No sense of organization

Organization: Paragraphs

All paragraphs have clear ideas, are supported with examples and have smooth transitions.

Most paragraphs have clear ideas, are supported with some examples and have transitions.

Some paragraphs have clear ideas, support from examples may be missing and transitions are weak.

Para. lack clear ideas

Content

Exceptionally well-presented and argued; ideas are detailed, well-developed, supported with specific evidence & facts, as well as examples and specific details.

Well-presented and argued; ideas are detailed, developed and supported with evidence and details, mostly specific.

Content is sound and solid; ideas are present but not particularly developed or supported; some evidence, but usually of a generalized nature.

Content is not sound

Research (if assignment includes a research component)

Sources are exceptionally well-integrated and they support claims argued in the paper very effectively. Quotations and Works Cited conform to MLA style sheet.

Sources are well integrated and support the paper’s claims. There may be occasional errors, but the sources and Works Cited conform to MLA style sheet.

Sources support some claims made in the paper, but might not be integrated well within the paper’s argument. There may be a few errors in MLA style..

The paper does not use adequate research or if it does, the sources are not integrated well. They are not cited correctly according to MLA style, nor listed correctly on the Works Cited page.

Style: Sentence structure

Sentences are clear and varied in pattern, from simple to complex, with excellent use of punctuation.

Sentences are clear but may lack variation; a few may be awkward and there may be a few punctuation errors.

Sentences are generally clear but may have awkward structure or unclear content; there may be patterns of punctuation errors.

Sentences aren’t clear

Style: Word choice, Tone

There is clear use of a personal and unique style of writing, suited to audience and purpose; the paper holds the reader’s interest with ease.

There is an attempt at a personal style but style of writing may be awkward or unsuited to audience and purpose;  the reader may lose interest in some sections of the paper.

There is little attempt at style; reads as flat and perhaps uninteresting in content, which is usually generalized and clichéd.

No attempt at style

Style: Details and Examples

Large amounts of specific examples and detailed descriptions.

Some use of specific examples and detailed descriptions.  May have extended examples that go on for too long.

Little use of specific examples and details; mostly generalized examples and little description.

No use of examples

Grammar & Mechanics

Excellent grammar, spelling, syntax and punctuation.

A few errors in grammar, spelling, syntax and punctuation, but not many.

Shows a pattern of errors in spelling, grammar, syntax and/or punctuation.  Could also be a sign of lack of proof-reading.

Continuous errors