Fluent Essays

For this paper, you will be expected to plan and write a response to one of the readings from this module using one of the prompts below.  You should submit this paper via Turnitin.  To do so, click on the Paper 2 Rough Draft link.   Before you begin, you should view the Essay Rubric in the Course Resources section.  Please note that your grade for the rough draft will be not be based on this rubric but on full completion of this assignment.  If you have a complete essay turned in, you will receive the points.   However, this rubric will give you clear expectations as to what we expect for the final draft. The goal of this class is to teach college-level writing conventions, which may require some students to move beyond previously taught writing models, like the 5-paragraph essay format.  There are many significant weaknesses to this model and it is not adequate at this level.  Some aspects of this formula should be particularly noted. It is not desirable to have a thesis statement that presents the ideas of your body paragraphs.  This A + B + C thesis always sounds forced and is overly simplistic.  It also contributes to the next major issue, which is a lack of real transitions between body paragraphs.  Your body paragraphs need to have clear relationships between them--in the 5-paragraph model, this is usually not the case, but instead, the paragraphs read more like a list.  You can often see this in the choice of transition words--First, Second, and Finally.  There is no relationship here but the order in which they come.  The final major issue with the 5-paragraph model is the summary conclusion.  The conclusion is a vital space that can engage the reader in new and unique ways.  By simply summarizing points from your essay or restating the thesis, you will disengage the readers attention and add nothing to your paper. There is no one, single way to approach a paper, or one size or shape.  Therefore we are not looking for a particular number of paragraphs (although to prepare you for the exit essay, you should have at least 5) or a particular word count.  If you look at the rubric, you will see what we want.  First, you should have a strong introduction, which introduces the topic and identifies the papers direction.  Next, there should be quality support, which offers specific details that are well organized and thoughtful.  Finally, you will need a conclusion that challenges the reader and adds to the paper.  This should be done with clear and concise writing.  Think outside of formulas and focus on being as effective as you can be. For I Want a Wife answer the following: Bradys essay was published in 1972.  How do you think being a wife has changed since that time?Discussion of Readings Rubric This is a qualitative evaluation of the discussion forum. Students will be expected to complete an original post and two responses. If a student has only one post, the maximum score for this assignment will be 15 points. If a student has only two posts, then the maximum score will be 30 points. Excellent (45) Good (40) Needs Improvement (20) Does Not Participate (0) Original Post Demonstrates a strong engagement with the issues of the text by referencing specific aspects of the original and/or outside sources. Demonstrates an understanding of the text and clearly explains points. Answers questions with something generic or basic, and doesnt demonstrate understanding of issues. Does not participate in forum. Peer Reviews Postings are original and relevant. Comments and questions offer critical analysis supported by clear references to the original post and/or other resources and sparks engaging discussion. Agrees or disagrees with existing discussion and provides critical analysis and/or justification/explanation (e.g., text readings, resources) but does not foster discussion. Agrees or disagrees with existing discussion but provides little critical analysis and/or limited justification/explanation (e.g., text readings, resources). Such postings usually consist largely of personal opinions or experiences that might not add new information. Does not add to the discussion. Grammar and Style Highly skilled presentation of ideas that engages reading. Perhaps one or two minor spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors, if any. Explicitly presents ideas. Work appropriate for this level of student. A few minor spelling, grammar, and/or punctuation errors. Explicitly presents ideas. Work appropriate for this level of student. A few minor spelling, grammar, and/or punctuation errors. Does not write posts.I Want a Wife, by Judy Brady I belong to that classification of people known as wives. I am A Wife. And, not altogether incidentally, I am a mother. Not too long ago a male friend of mine appeared on the scene fresh from a recent divorce. He had one child, who is, of course, with his ex-wife. He is looking for another wife. As I thought about him while I was ironing one evening, it suddenly occurred to me that 1, too, would like to have a wife. Why do I want a wife? I would like to go back to school so that I can become economically independent, support myself, and, if need be, support those dependent upon me. I want a wife who will work and send me to school. And while I am going to school, I want a wife to take care of my children. I want a wife to keep track of the childrens doctor and dentist appointments. And to keep track of mine, too. I want a wife to make sure my children eat properly and are kept clean. I want a wife who will wash the childrens clothes and keep them mended. I want a wife who is a good nurturing attendant to my children, who arranges for their schooling, makes sure that they have an adequate social life with their peers, takes them to the park, the zoo, etc. I want a wife who takes care of the children when they are sick, a wife who arranges to be around when the children need special care, because, of course, I cannot miss classes at school. My wife must arrange to lose time at work and not lose the job. It may mean a small cut in my wifes income from time to time, but I guess I can tolerate that. Needless to say, my wife will arrange and pay for the care of the children while my wife is working. I want a wife who will take care of my physical needs. I want a wife who will keep my house clean. A wife who will pick up after my children, a wife who will pick up after me. I want a wife who will keep my clothes clean, ironed, mended, replaced when need be, and who will see to it that my personal things are kept in their proper place so that I can find what I need the minute I need it. I want a wife who cooks the meals, a wife who is a good cook. I want a wife who will plan the menus, do the necessary grocery shopping, prepare the meals, serve them pleasantly, and then do the cleaning up while I do my studying. I want a wife who will care for me when I am sick and sympathize with my pain and loss of time from school. I want a wife to go along when our family takes a vacation so that someone can continue to care for me and my children when I need a rest and change of scene. I want a wife who will not bother me with rambling complaints about a wifes duties. But I want a wife who will listen to me when I feel the need to explain a rather difficult point I have come across in my course studies. And I want a wife who will type my papers for me when I have written them. I want a wife who will take care of the details of my social life. When my wifeA/200-180 (7) B/179-160 (6) C/159-140 (5) D/139-120 (4) F/119-0 (3) Focus Subject well-defined; thesis clear and strong; thoughtful, with some insight and originality ; unified, with effective op ening and closing Subject fairly well defined; op ening and closing consistent Subject fairly well defined; op ening and closing consistent Subject less than exact; thesis vague or commonp lace Subject ill-defined; thesis uncertain or trivial Organization Plan evident and major p oints signaled by p aragrap h divisions and clear transitions Plan clear, with many major p oints signaled by p aragrap h divisions and transitions, with p erhap s some minor digressions or gap s Plan clear, but p erhap s incomp lete; some major p oints signaled by p aragrap h divisions and transitions; most p oints logically related; a few minor digressions Plan noticeable but incomp lete or must be inferred by the reader; not all major p oints signaled by p aragrap h divisions and transitions; some p oints logically related; some digressions Plan attemp ted but difficult to infer; hap hazard relationship s; with transitions often lacking Development Thesis well develop ed in four or more p aragrap hs, with ap p rop riate details and examp les Thesis adequately exp lained and fairly well develop ed in four or more p aragrap hs, with ap p rop riate details and examp les Thesis fairly well exp lained and develop ed in three or more p aragrap hs; some unsup p orted generalizations or irrelevant details Thesis p oorly exp lained, with frequent unsup p orted generalizations and redundant exp ressions or ideas; p erhap s some irrelevant details Little develop ment of thesis, with infrequent or irrelevant details; restatement often used Vocabulary Precise, ap p rop riate word choice; p erhap s use of figurative language Clear language, usually ap p rop riate word choice; p erhap s some figurative language Generally ap p rop riate vocabulary but at times oversimp lified Some clear, ap p rop riate word choice, but some confused or inap p rop riate language or faulty idiom Vague, confused, or inap p rop riate word choice; clichéd or informal language S entence S tructure Strong control of sy ntax, with effective use of comp lex structures Good control of sy ntax, with occasional errors in comp lex structures Clear exp ressions; a few major errors, but overall command of basic sentence structure Some errors in sentence boundaries; narrow range of sy ntactical choices Tangled or unclear sy ntax; frequent uncertain sentence boundaries Grammar, S pelling, and Punctuation Correct grammar, sp elling, and p unctuation; shows evidence of editing With few excep tions, correct grammar, sp elling, and p unctuation; shows evidence of editing U