Glaum
UNIV 111
UNIT II ESSAY ASSIGNMENT – TEXT/CONTEXT
Evolving Understandings
60 points
The Assignment:
“A piece of writing that puts textual materials (at least one of which is a written text) in conversation and
engages in summary, evaluation, and analysis (4-5 pages or 1000-1250 words).” (from Focused Inquiry
syllabus)
Definitions:
Summary: a concise recounting of the texts you have chosen, and the subject(s) they cover
Evaluation: a description of the reliability of your texts, and the method by which you determined their
reliability
Analysis: a detailed examination and description of the information you learned from your sources, and the
(possibly conflicting) views they present
Topic:
Over fall break, you were asked to go for a walk around Richmond, go for a nature walk/hike, visit a
museum, and/or watch a documentary. You were asked to actively examine what you saw, write down your
observations, take pictures, and ask questions based on specific objects that sparked your curiosity.
Using your notes, questions, and photos from the fall break activity, for your unit two paper, you are going to
select an “object” (ex. something that you saw during your walk through Richmond) and use that object to
inspire a question/topic related to the current/past function, history, or cultural significance of what you saw.
You will then research a question that is related to the original object. The research angle you choose could
be as specific to the object or as broadly defined as you would like, but you must choose an angle that
broadens your own understanding of your chosen object. Your paper will provide your readers with a new
understanding of your object, through a combination of careful observation and carefully chosen supporting
sources.
Getting started:
1. Choose an "object" (Examples include: a piece of art, item in nature, a physical space (ex. a statue on
Monument Avenue), or something you see in a film.
2. Critically analyze your "text" (Examine your text for some time. This may require another visit).
3. Choose a topic (a question) inspired by your object. (Example from a student: A documentary
depicts the problems with the meat packaging industry in the U.S. You see a package of meat in the
documentary and go take a picture of a package of meat at your local grocery store (object).
Watching this and looking at that package of meat has made you want to consider going vegetarian.
But you’re curious, how can going vegetarian impact my health?)
4. Proposal: Write a ~250 word typed proposal to me explaining your "text" and how it inspired the
topic you wish you learn more about.
Your paper will provide your readers with a new understanding of your object, through a combination of
careful observation and carefully chosen supporting sources. As our syllabus states, Unit II of Focused
Inquiry is meant to “engage…students in conversing with texts in order to recognize the limits of individual
knowledge/experience and the value of other’s knowledge/experience.” For this assignment, then, you will
bring your own observations (your “individual knowledge/experience”) into conversation with at least two
other sources (“others’ knowledge/experience) to provide a larger picture of something of interest to you.
Glaum
UNIV 111
Requirements:
In this unit, we will discuss how to evaluate a source in terms of credibility and bias. For the Unit II Essay, in
addition to your “object,” you will find two trustworthy sources from the Internet or library – to craft an
analytical essay. During the essay creation process, you will be asked to summarize your findings from each
text, evaluate the texts’ reliability, and then put the object and texts into conversation with one another,
composing an essay that presents one unified understanding. Please note that you are simply exploring the
research and information available, you are not making an argument or choosing a side for this assignment.
The most successful essays will:
 Begin with a narration of the observation of the object and the evolution of the research question.
 Fluidly move from one section of the paper to the next, using effective transitions rather than jarring
jumps from subject to subject
 Integrate discussions of the object and texts into a single analysis – that is, put them in conversation
with one another
 Adhere to the formatting guidelines for MLA, including MLA citations (see pages 388-428 in A
Writer’s Reference)
Schedule:
Proposal (10 points): Due Thursday, October 23rd
 Bring to class a printed:
o 250-word proposal for your object choice, and the question you will research in greater
depth. The proposal should explain your selection and what specifically you would like to
look into.
o Your proposal should include the picture of your chosen object.
First Draft (10 points): Due Tuesday, October 28th
o Bring to class a printed narrative of your chosen text (300 words) and evaluations of your
two found sources (200 words each)
Second Draft (10 points): Due Thursday, October 30th
 A formal draft of the full essay, bring your computer for peer review
Writing Center Visit: Required at least once at any point in the writing process.
Final Project (30 points): Due Tuesday, November 4th at 8 a.m. to my email inbox with subject line “Unit 2
Essay”
 Your final project should include ALL the steps of your process: proposal, narrative and source
evaluation, draft, and final draft.
 Save the document with your final draft as “LAST NAME_Unit2”