Rubric for Analysis Paper

Independent Reading Analysis Essay Rubric

	Beginning 1	Developing 2	Accomplished 3	Exemplary 4	Score
Thesis Statement	Paper does not appear to have an identifiable thesis	Thesis may be hard to locate.  Writer frequently strays from thesis	Paper has an identifiable thesis but it may be hard to locate or too narrow or too broad. Writer may stray from thesis at times	Thesis controls the entire paper and is specific enough to limit the paper appropriately .
Evidence	Writer fails to support her points with references to the text.	Writer provides some evidence from the text, but not enough to support her points. Or she fails to provide necessary commentary to link evidence to her points.	Writer provides evidence from the text, but it may not be sufficient to prove her points.  Or writer relies too much on the text and fails to provide sufficient commentary.	Thesis is adequately supported with evidence from the book. Paper contains a balance of commentary and concrete detail.
Organization	Paper is disorganized and unclear. Transitions are nonexistent. Introduction is misleading or absent.	Arguments may be scattered throughout the paper without appropriate grouping in paragraphs.  Introductory paragraph may be misleading.	For the most part, arguments are presented logically and transitions are appropriate.  There may be some confusion.	Arguments are presented logically. Introduction leads reader comfortably into the thesis. Writer provides appropriate transitions.
Conventions	Paper has enough grammar, punctuation and spelling errors to interfere with understanding.  Missing draft and peer review.	Paper has numerous grammar, punctuation, spelling errors but meaning is intact.  May be missing 1st draft and/or peer review.	Paper may have some grammar, punctuation and spelling errors.  May be missing 1st draft and peer review.	Paper is carefully proofread for grammar, punctuation and spelling.  Paper includes 1st draft and peer review.
Analysis	Writer fails to analyze the text and merely summarizes.	Writer may begin to analyze and drift into summary.  Emphasis is on summary.	Paper shows evidence of analysis, but connections may not be strong or clear enough.	Writer applies critical reading skills to adequately “break down” the text.  Focus is on “how,” not “what” of writing.

Homework for Monday, March 14

Write one page, typed, double spaced, in which you describe your town/city/neighborhood.  Begin with a purpose and select details accordingly.  Remember, you don't have to overtly specify what your purpose is, but your audience should be able to ascertain it through the details you choose.

Updated Schedule for this Week

Like we discussed in class, presentations will continue on Wednesday and Thursday.  On Friday, we will be discussing how to create a strong thesis for your Analysis papers.  If you have begun the paper, please bring it to class for feedback.  First Drafts of your Analysis papers are due in class for peer review on February 28 (the day we come back from the break).  Do not be unprepared!

Have a great break!

New Link to Preface

Hi all!  Some people are having trouble with the previous link to Jaron Lanier's preface.  Try this one!  You should be able to cut and paste, then print it.

http://max256.bearstrong.net/2010/05/01/i-want-to-say-you-have-to-be-somebody-before-you-can-share-yourself/

Preface to "You are Not a Gadget"

Please print out a hard copy of this for tomorrow's discussion.  Here is the link:

http://books.google.com/books?id=9i1WgopfVToC&pg=PR9&lpg=PR9&dq=jaron+lanier+preface+to+you+are+not+a+gadget&source=bl&ots=UqBPT9IN78&sig=pO6qZJ1qAP2ilAUyJwlVV85PoD0&hl=en&ei=phdUTaqMIIL6lwet3c3HCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CCMQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q&f=false

New Reminder

Have an annotated hard copy of "E-Playgrounds" AND, as previously assigned, a one page paper (typed) discussing your findings through DIDLS of the article.

New Due Dates and Various Reminders

As per our discussion in class today, due dates for the Independent Reading Presentations and first draft of the Independent Reading Analysis Paper have shifted!

Presentations will now be Monday and Tuesday, February 14 and 15.
First draft of the Analysis Paper due in class Thursday, February 17, for peer review.

We will turn our attention (AGAIN) to "E-Playgrounds Can Get Vicious" tomorrow, Tuesday, after we finish looking at #5 of the DIDLS practice.  Please have an annotated hard copy in class tomorrow.  There may be a writing assignment involved :)

Various Important Stuff

Attendance was sparse today, due to weather, I'm guessing.  We began discussing your responses to the DIDLS practice worksheet you completed over the break.  We will continue this on FRIDAY, so please be sure to have your DIDLS responses with you on that day.

I also assigned HW today--it will also be due on FRIDAY, not Thursday, like I originally said.  Please revisit the NY Times article, "E-playgrounds Can Get Vicious."  The link can be found on one of the blog posts.  Print out a copy and and annotate it using DIDLS.  Write a one-page typed response (double spaced, of course), discussing the various rhetorical strategies (diction, imagery, language, details and sytax) the writer uses to achieve a particular tone.  Be sure to name that tone!

Be sure to be working on your Independent Reading and Presentations, too!

Beginning next week, we will start to go over the format for the Rhetorical Analysis essay.

For Monday, Jan. 24

Hi guys!  Please bring your independent reading books to class on Monday.  We can spend a peaceful period reading :)

Independent Reading Rhetorical Analysis Essay Rubric

A HIGH SCORING PAPER:

·         Understands and answers the essay prompt

·         Identifies and analyzes rhetorical devices and stylistic elements

·         Cites specific references to the text

·         Illustrates and supports points being made

·         Is clear, well organized and coherent

·         Reflects the ability to manipulate language at an advanced level

·         Contains, if any, minor errors/flaws

A MID-RANGE ESSAY:

·         Refers accurately to the prompt

·         Refers accurately to the rhetorical devices and stylistic elements in the text

·         Provides a less thorough analysis of these strategies/devices than a high scoring paper.

·         Is less adept at linking techniques to the purpose of the passage May rely on generalizations and sketchy analysis, or be sidetracked by plot.  References may be limited or simplistic.

·         Demonstrates writing that is adequate to convey the writer’s intent

·         Contains some errors/flaws

A LOW-RANGE ESSAY:

·         Does not respond adequately to the prompt

·         Demonstrates insufficient and/or inaccurate understanding of the text

·         Demonstrates weak control of rhetorical strategies/stylistic elements

·         May do no more than paraphrase selections from the text, rather than analyze them.

·         May no more than summarize selected passages.

·         Shows a major lack of understanding and control.  May indicate severe writing problems.

Independent Reading Rhetorical Analysis Essay

First draft due in class for peer review/conference: Tuesday, 2/15

Final draft due in class: Friday, 2/25

To begin, let us define what a rhetorical analysis is NOT. A rhetorical analysis is not a summary

of a literary work or scholarly article. You may have analyzed a novel’s plot line or taken apart

the meaning of Shakespeare’s “to be or not to be” soliloquy in Hamlet before; however, trying to

understand the meaning of a work or summarize a story is NOT the goal of a rhetorical analysis!

Now that we’ve declared the most common mistake among rhetorical analysis papers, let’s begin

dissecting what a rhetorical analysis does ask you to do.  Definition: A rhetorical analysis requires you to apply your critical reading skills in order to “break down” a text. In essence, you break off the “parts” from the “whole” of the piece you’re analyzing. The goal of a rhetorical analysis is to articulate HOW the author writes, rather than WHAT they actually wrote. To do this, you will analyze the strategies the author uses to achieve his or her goal or purpose of writing their piece.

Assignment: In a thoughtfully written, carefully proofread essay of 5-7 pages, analyze the rhetorical devices and stylistic elements used by the author of your Independent Reading selection to achieve his or her purpose.

·         First, read you independent reading book carefully, annotating as you go.  Consider what you know about the author, her intended audience, and her purpose(s) for writing the book.  Make notes about the various rhetorical strategies/stylistic devices you encounter as you go.  These include, but are not limited to:

o   The four major modes of discourse: exposition, narration, description, argumentation

o   Rhetorical strategies used to develop the modes of discourse: example, comparison/contrast, definition, cause and effect, process, and classification

o   Writer’s style, including subject matter, selection of detail, organization, point of view, diction, syntax, language, and tone.

·         Next, come up with your own thesis, which focuses on a purpose of your author in his book, and several rhetorical devices/strategies he uses to achieve his purpose.  It might look something like this:

In You are Not a Gadget, by Jaron Lanier, the author uses classification, organization, and tone to show how technology has become the new “religion” of the masses.

·         After identifying your thesis, try to arrange the rhetorical strategies you’ve identified in a

logical way. For example, you could start by identifying the purpose of the intended

audience and why the author chose to write about their topic. Next, you could identify

specific stylistic choices, such as word choice, formal/informal language, etc. The idea is

to logically transition from analyzing one rhetorical strategy to another. Stay on topic

with the strategies that the author uses often and actually has a purpose for using.

·          With each point you make, have a strong topic sentence declaring the overall purpose of

the rhetorical strategies you are about to discuss. This will help identify the argument

you are making, transition your ideas, and add fluidity.  Be sure to include specific examples from the text!

·         Keep in mind that while authors use different strategies to achieve their purposes, you

also need to be making points and evaluations about these strategies, not simply

summarizing them. For example, instead of simply stating the author uses formal

language in his essay, state what effect is created by using formal language. By doing

this you are not only identifying the rhetorical strategy, by analyzing its purpose.

5. As with all academic writing, check for grammar, transitional ease, fluidity, and a logical

argument. Proofread, proofread, proofread!

Independent Reading Presentation Assignment

Assignment: Create a short presentation (5 minutes or so) for our class in which you:

·         Introduce your Independent Reading Book using SOAPStone (see handout).

·         Tell what you are enjoying/not enjoying about the book so far.  Would you recommend the book to a friend?  Why or why not?

·         Choose a short passage from your book that resonated with you, either stylistically or due to the subject matter/content.  Explain why you chose the passage and read it aloud for us.

A High Scoring Presentation will:

·         Show advance preparation: Student will have made notes or rely on a PowerPoint presentation to guide her discussion of the book.

·         Rely on SOAPStone to guide her presentation of the book, as opposed to merely summarizing the plot of the book.

·         Will cover all three parts of the presentation adequately.

·         Will speak slowly, clearly and loudly.  Will read the passage from her text as if she is familiar with it, as opposed to reading it as if it is the first time she has encountered it.

 Presentations will take place on February 9 and 10

Link for Friday's Homework

Hi guys,

Here is the link to the article for tomorrow's homework:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/22/fashion/22life.html?_r=1
Please read and annotate the article, paying special attention to rhetorical strategies used by the writer in preparation for a potential writing assignment tomorrow at the beginning of class.

Rhetorical Strategies Link

Here is the link to the Rhetorical Strategies we learned about so you can study for your quiz!

http://www.education.com/reference/article/rhetorical-strategies/

Independent Reading Books

Hi class!  Please choose one of the following books to read independently and bring it to class Monday, January 10, for my approval.  You are welcome to choose another book that deals in some way with technology--just be sure to show it to me BEFORE Monday, to be certain it is approved.

You are Not a Gadget: A Manifesto
By Jaron Lanier

What Technology Wants
By Kevin Kelly

Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives
Nicholas A. Christakis

The World is Flat
 Thomas L. Friedman