Mann 2012

Evaluation Paper Assignment

To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, be nothing—

Elbert Hubbard

In a good movie, the sound could go off, and the audience would still have a perfectly clear idea of what was going on—

Alfred Hitchcock

We have many purposes for doing an evaluation. “An evaluation isat bottom a judgment; you judge something according to certain criteria, supporting your judgment with reasons and evidence” (Bullock 120). Evaluations can be made of books, films, television shows, plays, food, restaurants, etc. These are definitions for the things you must be able to do in an evaluation (From Dictionary.com):

cri·te·ri·on(P)Pronunciation Key(kr-tîr-n)
n.pl.cri·te·ri·a (-tîr-) or cri·te·ri·ons

A standard, rule, or test on which a judgment or decision can be based. See Synonyms at standard.

jus·ti·fy(P)Pronunciation Key(jst-f)
v.jus·ti·fied,jus·ti·fy·ing,jus·ti·fies
v.tr.

  1. To demonstrate or prove to be just, right, or valid: justified each budgetary expense as necessary; anger that is justified by the circumstances.

e·val·u·ate(P)Pronunciation Key(-vly-t)
tr.v.e·val·u·at·ed,e·val·u·at·ing,e·val·u·ates

  1. To ascertain or fix the value or worth of.
  2. To examine and judge carefully; appraise.

re·view(P)Pronunciation Key(r-vy)
v.re·viewed,re·view·ing,re·views
v.tr.

  1. To look over, study, or examine again.
  2. To consider retrospectively; look back on.
  3. To examine with an eye to criticism or correction: reviewed the research findings.
  4. To write or give a critical report on (a new work or performance, for example).
  5. Law. To reexamine (an action or determination) judicially, especially in a higher court, in order to correct possible errors.
  6. To subject to a formal inspection, especially a military inspection.

“Criteria are the standards critics and reviewers use to justify their evaluations. They will vary, depending on what you are reviewing and who your audience is. For example, the criteria you would use to judge suitable movies for eight-year-olds will quite likely differ in at least some important respects from the criteria you would use to judge a movie suitable for college students or other adults” (Trimbur 411).

“As a reviewer, then, part of your job is to identify the criteria that make for the most appropriate and compelling review . . . you also need to identify the criteria to your readers so that they know whether or not to accept your evaluation” (Trimbur 411).

“Things are usually judged to be good (or bad) either because they work well (practicality), because they are beautiful (aesthetics), or because they are morally fair or just (ethics)” (Faigley 244).

Requirements

For this paper you need to do an evaluation of a film. The choice of the film is completely up to you. Whichever film you choose, the evaluation needs to be based on clearly defined criteria. As stated in Faigley, there are three types of criteria, and at least one of these three types must be explored. The paper you must have the following:

  • A title
  • 875 words
  • A brief description of the film
  • Clearly defined criteria
  • Well supported details (examples from the film to prove your point)

For further help please look at the following:

  • Thursday’s Ticket section in the News Sentinel
  • TIME’s Arts review
  • Pages 244-289 in Faigely
  • Me

Important Dates:

  • October 30: paper assigned
  • November 20: first draft due
  • November 27: second draft due
  • November 29: conferences
  • December 4: conferences
  • December 6: final paper due

Rubric for the Evaluation Paper

True genius resides in the capacity for evaluation of uncertain, hazardous and conflicting information-

Winston Churchill

Criterion / 4 / 3 / 2 / 1
Purpose / The writer makes a clear evaluation. The prose goes beyond simply completing the assignment and makes a clear evaluation based on apparent criteria. / The writer makes a somewhat clear evaluation. The prose focuses on defined and justified criteria; however, may shift from evaluation to synopsis in some areas. / The wrier generally does not focus on a defined set of criteria and instead focuses on a synopsis of the movie’s events. / The writer does not focus on the purpose of the assignment.
Audience / The prose is consistently addressed to an identifiable audience, and one that is appropriate for the purpose. / The prose is generally addressed to an identifiable audience, but may shift to someone other than the intended audience. / Mostly, the paper has an identifiable audience, but it may shift in three or four places. / There is no clearly identifiable audience, or there are multiple shifts in the audience.
Development / The paper is strengthened by a judicious selection of details appropriate to the audience and purpose. / For the most part, the paper is strengthened by appropriate details, but there may be an important detail missing, or an inappropriate detail is included. / Although the paper includes many appropriate details, it also lacks a few important details, or includes a few inappropriate details. / The paper generally lacks details appropriate to the audience and purpose, or the paper includes too many inappropriate details.
Shape / The paper is organized in a manner appropriate to purpose, audience, and content. The shape of the paper effectively raises and fulfills a reader’s expectations. / The paper is organized appropriately, but one or two things seem out of place. The shape usually raises and fulfills the reader’s expectations. / Although the paper is usually organized appropriately, three or four things seem out of place. The shape raises, but does not fulfill the reader’s expectations. / The paper is organized in a manner generally inappropriate to the purpose, readers, and content. It fails to raise initial expectations, and/or fails to fulfill them.
Style / The prose is engaging and clear. Paragraphs are cohesive. Word choice is felicitous and sentences generally flow from one to another. The tone is also appropriate for the audience. / The prose is clear and cohesive but not as engaging as a 4 paper. Word choice is generally felicitous, but a couple problems (poor word choice, choppy sentences, lack of variety, etc.) weaken the prose. The tone is appropriate for the audience, but may shift in one or two places / The prose is generally clear and usually cohesive. Several significant problems weaken the prose. The tone for the paper seems to shift in more than a few places. / The prose is unclear in more than a few places. Problems with word choice, choppy sentences, ad lack of sentence variety occur often.
Correctness / The prose is free of distracting errors in mechanics, grammar, and spelling. / Although the prose is free of major sentence level errors, it may contain a couple of obvious mechanical or spelling errors. / The prose contains a couple of major sentence level errors and more than a couple obvious mechanical or spelling errors. / The prose contains more than a couple major grammar errors. It may also contain more than several obvious mechanical or spelling errors.