Two Source Argument
Description
Two-Source Argument Rubric (Rough and Final Draft) The Two-Source Argument essay will essentially be a fleshing out of your proposal. The paper will follow the classic structure of an academic argument (an introduction with thesis statement/argument, a body that defends that thesis with support from direct textual evidence, and a conclusion that reasserts the argument in a compelling way). The grade for the Two-Source Argument essay (worth 20% of the final grade) will be comprised of two parts: The Rough Draft (worth 20 points toward quizzes/minor writing assignments) and The Final Draft (worth 100 points). Logistically, the paper should be 4-5 pages (1,000 – 1,250 words), double-spaced, 12-point font, name and course/section on the top, pages numbered, following MLA format. The rough draft will be due before class Thursday, 10/15 via the “Paper Submissions” portal on BB (please have a shareable version in .docx or .pdf format available for in-class peer review). The final draft will be due electronically via the “Paper Submissions” tab on Blackboardby Thursday, 10/29. Evaluation will be broken down into the following components: Argument/Introduction/Conclusion (5 points – rough, 25 points – final): Does the introduction include the writer’s central argument? Is that argument specific, nuanced, and articulated clearly? Does the introduction and argument include some sense of how the writer might back up their reading/claims? Is the conclusion more than just a reassertion (verbatim) of the thesis statement? Does it add something to the argument and serve as an adequate wrapping up of the essay? Application of Critical Terms (5 points – rough, 25 points – final): Does the writer include at least 3 critical terms/concepts from the secondary source (Charles Baxter’s The Art of Subtext)? How well do these critical terms/concepts compliment the writer’s central argument and subsequent close reading? Do they appear thoughtfully selected or randomly applied? How convincing is the writer’s application of these terms/concepts to specific instances in the primary source material (Jennifer Egan’s A Visit from the Goon Squad)? Does the writer include an adequate number of direct quotes from the secondary source material in backing up or explaining their application of critical terms/concepts? Are direct quotations from secondary source material properly cited? Close Reading & Examples from Primary Source (5 points – rough, 25 points –final): Does the writer include an adequate number of direct quotes (close readings) of the primary source material (A Visit from the Goon Squad)? Does the writer move beyond the surface of the novel’s plot or general sense ofcharacter and into a strategic close reading that helps bolster the central argument? Taken together, in conjunction with the application of critical terms from the secondary source material, do these various close readings combine to create a convincing/compelling defense of the central argument? Are direct quotes from the primary source material properly cited? Structure, Formatting, Grammar (5 points – rough, 25 points – final): How well structured, overall, is the essay? Are transitions between introduction, analysis, and conclusion smooth? How carefully has the essay been edited? Spelling, sentence structure, general grammatical issues? Does the writer follow general MLA formatting (for citation of direct quotes as well as in general document formatting)?
