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English III NAME______
Mrs. Stafford
Gatsby/American Dream Opinion Assignment
Unit Essential Questions:
What is the American dream? Is the American dream attainable, or has it become a myth?
Is it possible to re-invent yourself in America, and are there “second acts” in American life?
As we read The Great Gatsby, we are analyzing the power of the American dream and connecting Fitzgerald’s novel to America today.
As an assessment for this unit, you must develop your own opinion on the survival of the American dream. Is it a myth that is no longer true, or is the dream still alive today? The New York Times asked this question to several contemporary writers, and you must use some of their responses as you create your own position.
Your finished product will be a 2-3 page argumentative/opinion essay with outside evidence from articles from The New York Times.
Here is the question asked by The New York Times:
There is a growing consensus that it is harder to move up the economic ladder in the United States than in many other places, like Canada. Should more Americans consider leaving the U.S. to get ahead? Or can the U.S. make changes to be more of a “land of opportunity”?
Here is the link to The New York Times page with all of the articles:
http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2012/01/08/is-the-us-still-a-land-of-opportunity
Your Tasks:
Step 1: Due by end of class Monday, November 12th
Use the space below to answer the question posed by The NY Times: Is the United States still the land of opportunity? Does everyone in America today have a shot at achieving the American dream, or should people leave the U.S. to get ahead? Is the U.S. capable of making changes to be more of a land of opportunity?
Answer the questions above based on your own thinking and without reading any additional articles. (You can use bullets to make your major points.)
Step 2: Due by start of class on Friday, November 16th
Read three articles from the possible eight articles on The NY Times site. Summarize the major points of each article using the forms below.
Choose three articles that appeal the most to you.
Article #1
Title:
Six major points made in the article:
Three Key Quotations:
Article #2
Title:
Six major points made in the article:
Three Key Quotations:
Article #3
Title:
Six major points made in the article:
Three Key Quotations:
Step 3: Due at start of class on Monday, November 19th
Create an outline for your opinion essay. This outline must include the research that you will use. Also make sure that you anticipate objections in the final part of the body section of the essay.
Outline Format
Introduction
Hook:
Link:
Thesis: America is/ is not the “land of opportunity” because…
Point/Paragraph #1
Topic Sentence:
Evidence from articles/your opinion:
Analysis:
Clincher:
Point/Paragraph #2
Topic Sentence:
Evidence from articles/your opinion:
Analysis:
Clincher:
Point/Paragraph #3
Topic Sentence:
Evidence from articles/your opinion):
Analysis:
Clincher:
Opposing View/Rebuttal Section
Some critics might argue ______, but …
Conclusion
(Original restatement of the thesis)
(Revisit hook to come to a full circle conclusion)
Step 4: Write your essay! Final draft due November 20th
Requirements:
· Be within three to four pages (not including the Works Cited page).
· Use standard Modern Language Association (MLA) standards for formatting the paper, and documenting all in-text citations and sources on the Works Cited page.
· Contain a Works Cited page. NOT a bibliography. NOT an annotated bibliography.
· Cite 4 sources at a minimum.
· Use ONLY 12 pt. Times New Roman font (except for notecards).
· Use one-inch margins on the top, bottom, and each side of every page.
· Contain NO spelling or grammatical errors.
· Contain topic sentences in your own words for every paragraph.
· Use no quotations in the introduction, conclusion or topic sentences.
· Contain an average of 3-4 in-text citations per page.
· Be an original document. Plagiarized material will result in an automatic failing grade for the assignment
· Contain draft, outline, notes and final
Helpful Internet Sources for MLA Formatting
Purdue University On-Line Writing Lab
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/557/01/
Everything you need to know about how to set up your first page, document your quotations, format your works cited page, etc..
“YES TEST” FOR MLA FORMATTING
____ Is the entire paper (including Works Cited page) double-spaced? There isn’t additional “padded” space between paragraphs or chunks, is there?
____ Is your thesis and projected organization underlined?
____ Does your final draft contain an average of at least three quality citations per page?
____ Is the heading correct? Spacing and information? Correct English course? Correct spelling of teacher’s name? No nickname? Correct due date in European form (date, month year)?
____ Are all page numbers in the upper right corner, ½ inch from the top, at the right margin, and preceded by your last name?
____ Is the essay’s title centered, NOT underlined and NOT in all capitals?
____ Is there a clear introduction that is entirely in your own words (i.e. contains NO quotations)?
____ Did you double-check to make sure all of your in-text citations are documented properly? Are the quotation marks and punctuation in the proper order? Author, page?
____ Does each in-text citation author’s name match the author’s name in your Works Cited page for each source?
____ Are there transition words that make sense between paragraphs? Do they make the essay flow nicely?
____ Does each paragraph have a clear topic sentence written in your own words with NO quotations or paraphrases? Is it followed by logical support?
____ Is there a clear conclusion that is entirely in your own words (i.e. contains NO quotations)?
____ Are all the titles properly presented in your essay’s introduction, body, and conclusion? Italicize titles of plays, anthologies, books, and novels. “Short stories,” “critical essays,” and “poems” belong in quotation marks.
____ Are the cited sources in the Works Cited page alphabetized by author?
____ Are all the titles properly presented in the Works Cited page? Italicize titles of plays, anthologies, books, and novels. “Titles of online articles,” “Short stories,” “critical essays,” and “poems” belong in quotation marks. Underline titles of web pages.
____ Is each entry in the Works Cited page followed by a period? Are publication dates in European format?
____ Are all of your drafts, outlines, etc. labeled?
____ Is your final draft stapled and placed on top?
____ Then… you are finished!
RESEARCH PAPER CONTENT & FORM RUBRIC
This rubric takes your research paper into account as a whole.
6 / A+ / · Paper appropriately infuses originality, creativity, and insight which far exceeds the standard.5 / A
Exceeds the standard / · Title includes all relevant information and is creative.
· Hook effectively addresses the reader or audience by posing a question, establishing a context, or otherwise developing reader interest.
· Thesis is well-developed and focused.
· Projected Organization is clearly divided, relevant, and grammatically parallel.
· Introduction is well-sculpted and “funnels” toward the thesis. It contains NO supporting quotations.
· Body of paper is objective and written in third person. “I” is never used. If “you” is used, it is used only to address the reader sparingly in the introduction and/or conclusion.
· Writer’s “voice” is consistently formal and appropriate to audience.
· Research supports clearly, consistently and sufficiently the thesis and topic sentences.
· Researched passages (quotations) are always woven and paraphrased seamlessly.
· Research from multiple sources is interspersed throughout the paper and NOT presented in “stacks.” The writer does NOT rely primarily on one or two main sources.
· Paper is a combination of writer’s own word and research. Writer’s own words are used to amplify, connect and/or explain research.
· Paper is divided into evident “chunks” that support the thesis and follow exactly the order of the projected organization or “proofs” addressed in the introduction.
· Transition words are used effectively between/among chunks and paragraphs and add to their clarity.
· All paragraphs contain clear and relevant topic sentences.
· Paper is efficiently and logically organized throughout and excludes irrelevant information.
· Writer’s points are consistently clear throughout.
· Paper is free of grammatical errors.
· Paper is free from common previous “target area” problems (colloquialisms, tense problems, etc.).
· Conclusion is relevant, clear, well-developed and contains a relevant, effective and thought-provoking “clincher.” The conclusion does NOT contain any supporting research.
4 / B
Meets the standard / · Title includes all relevant information.
· Hook addresses the reader or audience by posing a question, establishing a context, or otherwise developing reader interest.
· Thesis is developed and focused.
· Projected Organization is divided, relevant, and grammatically parallel.
· Introduction is well-sculpted and “funnels” toward the thesis. It contains NO supporting quotations.
· Body of paper is objective and written in third person. “I” is never used. If “you” is used, it is used only to address the reader sparingly in the introduction and/or conclusion.
· Writer’s “voice” is usually formal and appropriate to audience.
· Research supports clearly and sufficiently the thesis and topic sentences.
· Researched passages (quotations) are usually woven and paraphrased seamlessly.
· Paper is a combination of writer’s own word and research. Writer’s own words are used to connect and/or explain research.
· Research from multiple sources is interspersed throughout the paper and NOT presented in “stacks.” The writer does NOT rely primarily on one or two main sources.
· Paper is divided into evident “chunks” that support the thesis and follow exactly the order of the projected organization or “proofs” addressed in the introduction.
· Transition words are used effectively between and among chunks and paragraphs and add to the clarity of the paper.
· Nearly all paragraphs contain clear and relevant topic sentences.
· Paper is efficiently organized throughout and excludes irrelevant information.
· Writer’s points are generally clear.
· Paper is largely free of grammatical errors.
· Paper is free from common “target area” problems (colloquialisms, tense problems, etc.).
· Conclusion is relevant and clear, well-developed and contains an effective and thought-provoking “clincher.” The conclusion does NOT contain any supporting research.
3/ C
Ap-
proaching the standard / · Title includes minimal, irrelevant, or grammatically incorrect information.
· Hook somewhat effectively addresses the reader or audience.
· Thesis is somewhat developed and focused.
· Projected Organization is somewhat divided, relevant, and grammatically parallel.
· Introduction is somewhat unclear and might contain supporting quotations.
· Body of paper is mostly objective and written in third person. Some accidental first or third-person references may occur.
· Writer’ “voice” is sometimes informal, choppy, stilted, or unclear throughout the paper.
· Research supports clearly and sufficiently the thesis and topic sentences.
· Researched passages (quotations) are usually woven and paraphrased seamlessly.
· Paper is a combination of writer’s own word and research. Writer’s own words are used to connect and/or explain research.
· Paper is divided into evident “chunks” that support the thesis and follow the order of the projected organization or “proofs” addressed in the introduction.
· Research from multiple sources is NOT typically interspersed throughout the paper and sometimes presented in “stacks.” The writer relies primarily on one or two main sources.
· Transition words are used in places but do not always add to the clarity of the paper.
· Some paragraphs contain clear and relevant topic sentences.
· Paper is generally organized but may include irrelevant information.
· Writer’s points are sometimes unclear.
· Paper is relatively free of grammatical errors, but some detract from the understanding of the paper.
· Paper includes several common “target area” problems (colloquialisms, tense problems, etc.).
· Conclusion is somewhat clear or attempts to establish a thought-provoking “clincher.” The conclusion might contain supporting research.
2 / D
Below the standard / · The paper DOES NOT successfully address the reader or audience by establishing a context, creating a persona, or otherwise develop reader interest.
· The writing presents a controlling idea that is POORLY developed AND/OR LOSES FOCUS.
· Paper IS NOT objective BUT FILLED WITH WRITER’S OPINION OR “POSITION” ON PAPER. WHICH CAN BE SEEN IN OPINIONATED STATEMENTS THAT ARE NOT SUPPORTED OR IN THE WRITER’S ADHERENCE TO ONLY ONE SIDE OF AN ISSUE.
· Research MOSTLY supports thesis/ topic sentences, BUT PAPER DRIFTS AWAY FROM THESE OFTEN.
· PARAGRAPHS ARE NOT ALWAYS FOCUSED ON SINGLE OR RELEVANT IDEA.
· Research is used IN AN UNACCEPTABLE MANNER both grammatically and stylistically. RESEARCH IS OFTEN IRRELEVANT.
· Paper is PRIMARILY research only WITH LITTLE ATTEMPT BY THE WRITER TO USE HIS OR HER OWN WORDS. PARAGRAPHS ARE MOSTLY RESEARCH, AS EVIDENCED THROUGH “STACKING” OF CITATIONS.
· PAPER CONTAINS INFORMATION IRRELEVANT TO THESIS.
· FEW paragraphs contain clear topic sentences OR TOPIC SENTENCES DO NOT SUPPORT THESIS.
· The paper HAS MANY grammatical errors that detract from understanding of the paper.
1 / F
Far below the standard / · The writing presents a controlling idea that is NOT developed.
· Paper IS NOT objective BUT FILLED WITH WRITER’S “POSITION” ON PAPER. THIS CAN BE SEEN IN STRONG, OPINIONATED STATEMENTS THAT ARE NOT SUPPORTED OR THE WRITER’S ADHERENCE TO ONLY ONE SIDE OF AN ISSUE.
· Research DOES NOT support thesis/ topic sentences.
· PARAGRAPHS ARE NOT FOCUSED ON A SINGLE IDEA.
· Research is used in an UNACCEPTABLE MANNER.
· Paper is ALMOST ONLY research WITH LITTLE ATTEMPT BY THE WRITER TO USE HIS OR HER OWN WORDS. PARAGRAPHS ARE MOSTLY RESEARCH, AS EVIDENCED THROUGH “STACKING” OF CITATIONS.
· INFORMATION DOES NOT ADDRESS THESIS.
· The paper HAS MANY grammatical errors that detract from understanding of the paper.
· Paper is so far removed from the assignment’s requirements that it can earn no grade higher than an F Paper is plagiarized or not written entirely by the student him or herself.
0 / F / · Paper is not handed in, is plagiarized, or is not written entirely by the student him or herself.