WR 121
Fall 2014
Sean Davis
Essay 1
Informative Essay Assignment Sheet
Your first writing project in this course will be an informative and surprising essay about a certain aspect of a place that interests you.
This place could be a neighborhood, city, state, or region that has always fascinated you, but it does not necessarily have to be a place
in which you have lived. It doesn’t have to be livable or even physical. Rather, it can simply be a place with which you feel some sort
of curiosity or personal connection. Your goal is to explore that curiosity or connection by writing a research-based, minimum
1000 word essay that will both inform and entertain your classmates by presenting relevant and surprising information about
this place.
Here are a few examples of surprising and informative topic ideas for essays about place:
-Your readers may already know that Miami is home to a diverse array of Latin-American cultures, but they might be
surprised to learn that it is also home to one of the largest Jewish populations in the United States.
-Perhaps you are from Oaxaca, Mexico, and you want to reverse your readers’ view of Mexican cuisine by proving that your
local fare is far more complex than the tacos and burritos served in American restaurants.
-Many people believe that Las Vegas, Nevada, is nothing more than neon lights and casinos. Is this really all there is to “Sin
City”?
When developing your topic, ask yourself questions such as the following:
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What might others not know and possibly find interesting or surprising?
What are the common views of this place?
What interests me about this place?
What interesting or surprising claim (your thesis) might I make about this place?
How much background information will my audience need about this place?
B UT OVERALL ENSURE YOUR THESIS IS YOUR OPINION AND YOUR GOAL IS TO PERSUADE PEOPLE TO YOUR OPINION
Remember to use Ethos, Pathos, and Logos when finding your supporting points that will directly support your thesis.
A first draft of your informative outline will be due for peer review on Oct. 8th.
Frist draft of your essay will be due to be peer reviewed on the 13th
Your final draft is due on Oct. 15th.
Informative (and Surprising) Essay (Paper #4)—Name_________________________
Basic Requirements:
Grade sheet (this page)?
Rough drafts with workshop comments?
All notes and applicable in-class work?
Assignment sheet?
File folder with name on tab?
Works Cited?
Copies/printouts of sources?
Paper Format Requirements:
Correct heading?
Last name and page number on each page in the correct place?
Double-spaced and typed in 12-pt. Times New Roman?
Long enough?
Paper Evaluation:
Evaluation Criteria
Introduction clearly develops and states the Possible Points
common view (focus and purpose;
10
development)
Your Points
Beginning of first paragraph clearly
Possible Points
indicates the surprising reversal (focus and 20
purpose)
Your Points
Possible Points
20
Your Points
Writer provides plenty of vivid, interesting Possible Points
facts, examples, and details relevant to the 30
point that give the audience a clear picture
of the surprising reversal (development)
Your Points
Arrangement of information and ideas is
logical and easy to follow; writer uses
transitions between parts of sentences and
paragraphs (organization)
Essay concludes effectively (focus and
purpose; development)
Possible Points
20
Your Points
Possible Points
20
Your Points
Information from sources is effectively
introduced, paraphrased and combined
Possible Points
20
Your Points
Sources are appropriate
Possible Points
10
Possible Points
20
Your Points
Tone and style are appropriate to the
audience; essay displays control, variety,
and complexity of prose
Possible Points
10
Your Points
Essay is generally free of distracting
surface errors (editing and proofreading)
Possible Points
20
Your Points
Total Points
Possible Points
200
Your Points
Essay sticks to its thesis (focus and
purpose)
Sources are cited correctly in MLA style
(parenthetically and Works Cited)
Your Points