DUE November 13, 2023 (11:59pm, EST)
Be sure to notify me (by email)
which essay(s) has/have been revised!
200 Points (20% Total Course Grade)
Directions:
- CHOOSE to revise: Essay Two or Essay Three.
- You MUST revise the document that you originally shared with me for evaluation! (Revisions can be examined if you click on File and select Version history and then select See version history on your document in KSU Google Docs.)
- First, fix the issues that I addressed with you in our Mandatory Conference:
- Be sure to fix all errors marked by me, as well as to find and fix similar (unmarked) errors.
- Be sure to address content issues that I have highlighted and commented upon.
- Fix the issues you’ve discovered since first submitting the assignment; ask your writing partner(s) for help: grammar, coherence, development of thought, etc..
- Then expand the paper significantly (from 1000-2000 words to 1600-2500 words; from 3-7 pages to 5-8 pages).¹
- You should review the original topic and instructions for the essay assignment.
- Consider the ways that depth of thought might be improved (and there are always ways for this to be done) in each paragraph.
- If you have had to (further) develop the thesis statement, make sure that there are sentences in each paragraph that tie it clearly to that thesis statement.
- Finally, further polish the paper:
- Consider ways to more tightly unite the paragraphs together.
- Consider ways to make the introduction and thesis statement even more clearly tied to the essay body.
- Consider ways to develop depth of thought in the conclusion, without moving away from the focus of the paper.
- Proofread, several times, for writing and formatting errors!
- Make sure there are no grammatical or other writing errors.
- Check for sentence clarity, tone, and voice consistency.
- Check each paragraph for unity and clarity (organization and development). Where is the topic sentence, and is it clear?
- Check the essay for unity: what is the thesis and is it clearly tied to each paragraph?
- Make sure that the formatting is correctly done.
- Make sure that the citations are done correctly (both within the text and at the end of the paper).
- Make sure that quotes are done properly and that paraphrasing includes in-text citation.
NOTES:
- There is absolutely no guarantee that the paper will earn the same grade or higher than the first version! The revised paper is being evaluated for significant revisions, as well as for overall quality. In other words, revisions do not equal a better grade: if you make sloppy revisions, then the paper’s grade might be lower than the original draft that was submitted earlier this semester! This rarely happens, but it does happen, so be careful!
- Work methodically. Seek help from your writing partner(s) in the Writing Workshop. Avoid working at the last minute.
- How to see the revision history of your work:
- Click on File
- Select Version history
- Select See version history
MORE NOTES
* One page is roughly 315 words (Times Roman, 12pt. font, 1 inch margins).
** You may use additional materials, but if a work is found outside the lesson pages, you must seek my permission to use it.
Grading Rubric
A paper may fall between the below described levels of quality—it may, for example, have a clearly stated central claim (thesis) but lack sufficient support, or it may be tightly organized and well supported, but full of grammatical and/or mechanical errors. In such instances, the paper will be evaluated in terms of its strongest qualities as set against its weakest qualities.
A Level Work
The paper demonstrates a full understanding and respect for the directions and stays on the chosen topic. The paper is properly formatted (APA Style). The paper’s thesis (main point) is clearly stated. The paper is tightly organized, well developed, and coherent. The paper is well supported by reasoning and documented sources (cited quotes, facts, and/or paraphrases). The paper has a professional tone, avoiding second person (“you” or “we”) completely and using first person singular (“I”) sparingly. The paper is virtually free of grammatical and mechanical errors. The essay is a revision of the originally submitted and evaluated KSU Google document. The paper is significantly further developed (more than sufficient). There is evidence of further polishing of the essay.
B Level Work
The paper demonstrates a full understanding and respect for the directions and stays on the chosen topic. The paper is properly formatted (APA Style). The paper’s thesis (main point) is clearly stated. The paper is mostly organized, sufficiently developed, and mostly coherent. The paper is sufficiently supported by reasoning and documented sources (cited quotes, facts, and/or paraphrases). The paper has a mostly professional tone, avoiding second person (“you” or “we”) completely and using first person singular (“I”) minimally. The paper is mostly free of grammatical and mechanical errors. The essay is a revision of the originally submitted and evaluated KSU Google document. The paper is sufficiently further developed. There is evidence of further polishing of the essay.
C Level Work
The paper demonstrates some understanding and respect for the directions and stays on the chosen topic. The paper demonstrates an attempt to be properly formatted (APA Style). The paper’s thesis (main point) is stated, but not very clearly. The paper is somewhat organized, loosely developed, and vaguely coherent. The paper is marginally supported by reasoning and documented sources (cited quotes, facts, and/or paraphrases). The paper has a barely professional tone, failing to avoid second person (“you” or “we”) completely and using first person singular (“I”) too much. The paper is mostly free of grammatical and mechanical errors. The essay is a revision of the originally submitted and evaluated KSU Google document. The paper is further developed, though not enough. There is some evidence of further polishing of the essay.
D Level Work
The paper does not demonstrate a full understanding or respect for the directions, and/or the paper fails to stay on the chosen topic. The paper does not demonstrate an attempt to be properly formatted (APA Style). The paper’s thesis (main point) may or may not be stated, but if it is stated, it has not been done so very clearly. The paper is barely organized, under- developed, and/or barely coherent. The paper is weakly supported by reasoning and documented sources (cited quotes, facts, and/or paraphrases). The paper has an unprofessional tone, significantly failing to avoid second person (“you” or “we”) completely and using first person singular (“I”) too much. The paper contains several grammatical and mechanical errors. The essay is a revision of the originally submitted and evaluated KSU Google document. The paper is not further developed. There is little-to-no evidence of further polishing of the essay.
F Level Work
The paper does not demonstrate a full understanding or respect for the directions, and/or the paper fails to stay on the chosen topic. The paper does not demonstrate an attempt to be properly formatted (APA Style). The paper’s thesis (main point) may or may not be stated, but if it is stated, it has not been done so very clearly. The paper is unorganized, under- developed, and/or incoherent. The paper is weakly supported by reasoning and documented sources (cited quotes, facts, and/or paraphrases), if supported at all. The paper has an unprofessional tone, significantly failing to avoid second person (“you” or “we”) completely and using first person singular (“I”) too much. The paper is cluttered by grammatical and mechanical errors. The essay is NOT a revision of the originally submitted and evaluated KSU Google document. The paper is not further developed. There is little-to-no evidence of further polishing of the essay.
Sample Point Deductions:
Submitted late: 3% grade point subtraction
Vague or missing thesis statement: 5% grade point subtraction
Unprofessional tone: 5% grade point subtraction
Improperly formatted: 5% grade point subtraction
Unprofessional use and citation of references: 5% grade point subtraction
Sentence coherence: 5-10% grade point subtraction
Weak essay organization and/or essay unity: 10% grade point subtraction
Not composed using KSU Google Docs: 10% grade point subtraction
1% of a 50 point essay = 0.5 point
1% of a 100 point essay = 1 point
1% of a 200 point essay = 2 points
Sample Point Additions:
Excellent thesis statement (clear and well written): 3% grade point addition
Professional tone: 5% grade point addition
Professionally cited references: 5% grade point addition
Well stated and supported points: 5-10% grade point addition
Very strong essay organization and/or essay unity: 10% grade point addition
Example
An essay worth 200 points that is: not be properly formatted (-10 points), submitted three days late (-6 points), has a very weak thesis (-10 points), has numerous incoherent sentences (-20 points), but has very strong organization and/or unity (+20 points) would likely earn a grade of 174/200 points (B+).
Rule
No grade for submitted work ever goes above an A; likewise, no graded work ever goes below an F; however, if an assignment is never submitted, or if it is submitted too late to be graded, it will receive ZERO points.
