ELC: Current Event Paper (Assertion with Evidence)
For your first paper, you need to pick a current event and write a documented, multi-paragraph essay asserting your views and
containing support for your views. This is not quite a persuasive paper. Think of it as a paper to support the idea of “I am right and
here are the reasons I am right.”
At the end, you will hand in:



Brainstorming/ Notes
An Outline
A rough draft that has been evaluated by me
(handwritten okay)
PROJECT CALENDAR: Please note lab days
13
Current Event Topics
Due
14
Current Event Outline
Due
15
Work Day
LAB 226
20
Papers Due!
21
Peer evals of Current
Event Papers

A quality, typed final draft including a Work
Cited page
16
Internal Citations
Practice
Vocab Packet #3
17
Work Day
LAB 226
22
-TBA
-Work Day
LAB 226
GRADING: This first paper project is worth 50 points. Your scores will be based on the following criteria:




Brainstorming/ Notes (5 points): Does it look substantial? Did you take more than two minutes working on this?
Outline (5 points) – Does is parallel your paper? Did you take more than two minutes working on this?
Rough Draft (10 points) – On time, more than 90% complete, and readable
Final Draft (30 points) – See Rubric
If any part is missing, the paper will be considered incomplete!
REQUIREMENTS





Structure: This paper must have a title, an introduction, at least three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
Current event must be clearly presented but summary must be minimal and not dominate your essay!
Sources: You need to find and USE at least one valid source supporting your position.
Layout: Must meet MLA standards as seen on the sample given in class.
Citations: Cite internally and complete a Works Cited page according to MLA standards.
Length: 500 is minimal length for a decent paper. Longer length will probably be better.
DURING CLASS
Class time will be a mix of work time and writing skill development. You will need to keep up with class activities while
working on your papers at home. If you prefer to work on your papers at home, please bring homework from other
classes or appropriate reading material to occupy yourself during quiet work time.
ELC: Current Event Paper Rubric
Hand this in with your paper!
Name _________________________________________________________
HR ___
5
4
3
2
1-0
INTRODUCTION
PARAGRAPH
Clear and
precise. Thesis
is clear. Provides
excellent outline
of the essay's
central support.
Generally clear.
Thesis is
somewhat clear.
Good outline of
essay's central
support.
Somewhat clear.
Thesis is unclear.
Fair outline of
essay's central
support.
Unclear and
difficult to discern.
Thesis is lost or
missing
completely. Poor
outline of essay's
central support.
No clear
introduction
QUALITY OF
ARGUMENT AND
SUPPORT
Clear and
detailed.
Complete outline
of the current
event topic.
Quite clear and
somewhat
detailed outline
of the current
event topic.
General and
straightforward
outline of the
current event topic
Minimal outline of
the current event
topic. Substandard
effort.
Does not
address the
current event
topic OR
plagiarized
effort.
CLOSING
PARAGRAPH
Clear and
concise.
Excellent
summary of
current event
topic and your
position.
Generally clear.
Minor errors
omissions. Good
summary of
current event
topic and your
position.
Somewhat clear.
Quite a few errors
or omissions. Fair
outline of current
event topic and your
position.
Unclear and
No clearly
difficult to discern. concluding
Significant error or paragraph
omissions. Poor
outline of current
event topic and
your position.
QUALITY OF
LANGUAGE
Excellent
sentence
structure and
vocabulary. Very
few grammatical
or spelling errors
Good sentence
structure and
vocabulary. Few
grammatical or
spelling errors
Fair sentence
structure and
vocabulary.
Grammatical and
spelling errors
detract from essay
Poor sentence
structure and
vocabulary. Major
grammatical and
spelling errors
seriously detract
from essay
Difficult to read
due to the
amount and/or
nature of
vocabulary and
grammatical
errors or
omissions
DOCUMENTATION
Accurate use of
internal citations.
Work Cited
complete and
accurate
Almost accurate
use of internal
citations and
Works Cited
page.
Incomplete use of
internal citations
and Works Cited
page.
Incorrect use of
internal citations
and Works Cited
page.
No use of
internal citations
and Works Cited
page.
OVERALL
IMPRESSIONS
Excellent effort
overall
Good effort
overall
Fair effort overall
Poor effort overall
No effort shown
CATEGORY
SCORE
GRADE
___ / 30
LTR GRD
COMMENTS: