Name:________________________________Date:__________Period:_____Alexander/Bickerstaff AP
A MODEST PROPOSAL: SATIRICAL ESSAY ASSIGNMENT
Test Grade 3rd 6 weeks—Due Wednesday, November 10, 2010
(Submitted to turnitin.com by 11:59 Wednesday night)
Is the language of satire or negativity an appropriate or inappropriate response to the actual situation in the world?
Identify a serious problem in America, the world, or life in general (think your high school life) that needs immediate
attention. Attack that problem as Swift might attack it. Follow the structure of his argument, which identifies the
problem, offers a proposal, and then reveals the benefits of the proposal. Use satire and irony to make your argument
more effective. Use the elements of satire that we have been studying for the past few weeks.
Reminders:

You may not satirize any of the “sacred cow” topics we discussed. (gay marriage, abortion, anything that is
“too close to home” or incredibly offensive)

There is a fine line between satire and truth, so make sure your tone is apparent and appropriate for this
essay.

Remember your audience. Satire is not satire unless its purpose is to bring about change. Do not be offensive,
crude, or intentionally mean.
 Remember also that you are not an expert. Be careful of writing fallacies or making unsupported claims.
Name:________________________________Date:__________Period:_____Alexander/Bickerstaff AP
REQUIREMENTS:
Typed, 12 pt. either Times New Roman or Callibri
MLA header and page numbers, just like research paper
Approximately 2 ½ to 3 pages in length - double spaced—NO LONGER than 3 pages! I won’t read past 3 pages.
Have fun; however, you cannot be condescending or berating - remember the tone is satirical!
 As the LAST PAGE of your essay, you will include a SOAPStone of YOUR essay. This doesn’t count towards
your page requirement. This will be page 4 of your paper. One complete sentence for each category.
o
Speaker
o
Occasion
o
Audience
o
Purpose
o
Subject
o
Tone
 Electronic copy due Wednesday @ 11:59 pm to Turnitin.com. I will not be taking a hardcopy, so be sure you know
how to submit to turnitin.com.
Name:________________________________Date:__________Period:_____Alexander/Bickerstaff AP
9
Essays earning a score of 9 meet the criteria for 8 essays and, in addition, are especially full or apt in their
analysis or demonstrate particularly impressive control of language.
8 Effective
Essays earning a score of 8 respond to the prompt effectively. Essays effectively identify a problem and then effectively
satirize that problem using appropriate and well-reasoned evidence. Essays effectively follow Swift’s model (problem,
solution, benefits) and meet the length requirement. Satire is appropriate in tone and content. The prose demonstrates an
ability to control a wide range of the elements of effective writing but it is not necessarily flawless
7
Essays earning a score of 7 fit the description of 6 essays but are distinguished by more complete or more
cogent argumentation or a more mature prose style.
6 Adequate
Essays earning a score of 6 respond to the prompt adequately. Essays adequately identify a problem and then adequately
satirize that problem using evidence, but that evidence may be less valid than those of higher scoring essays. Essays
adequately follow Swift’s model (problem, solution, benefits) and meet the length requirement. Satire is appropriate in tone
and content. Their arguments are generally sound and provide sufficient evidence, but they are less developed or less cogent
than essays earning a higher score. The writing may contain lapses in diction or syntax, but generally the prose is clear.
5
Essays earning a score of 5 identify a problem and then satirize that problem but evidence may be limited,
inconsistent, or unevenly developed. Argument may contain fallacies. Essays follow parts of Swift’s model (problem,
solution, benefits) but may fall just short of the length requirement. The argument may be vague or limited in
explanation, and the tone and content may border on inappropriate. The writing may contain lapses in diction or
syntax, but it usually conveys the writer’s ideas.
4 Inadequate
Essays earning a score of 4 respond to the prompt inadequately. Essays inadequately identify a problem and inadequately
satirize that problem. Evidence contains fallacies or is generally insufficient or inappropriate. They may have difficulty
understanding what satire is or have difficultly following Swift’s model (problem, solution, benefits). Tone and content may be
inappropriate, and essays fall short of length requirement. The prose generally conveys the writer’s ideas but may suggest
immature control of writing.
3
Essays earning a score of 3 meet the criteria for a 4 but demonstrate less success in developing their own
position and/or less consistent in controlling the elements of writing.
2 Little Success
Essays earning a score of 2 demonstrate little success in identifying a problem and demonstrate little success in satirizing that
problem. These essays may misunderstand the prompt, fail to present an argument, or substitute simpler tasks such as merely
responding to the question tangentially with unrelated or inappropriate evidence. Essays fail to follow Swift’s model and meet
only half of the length requirement. Tone and content are severely inappropriate. The prose often demonstrates consistent
weaknesses in writing.
1
Essays earning a score of 1 meet the criteria for a score of 2 but are undeveloped, especially simplistic in their
argument, or weak in their control of language.