Name: _______________________________________ Date: _____________________
American Literature Honors – Formal Writing Assignment
Definition Essay
Throughout the American Dream unit, you will be analyzing your perspective on the American Dream
alongside the perspectives of others throughout history. As we read a variety of texts, you will work on
your own definition of exactly what the American dream is to you. As with any academic essay, the first
and most important step you must take is crafting a scholarly and succinct thesis statement.
Step One: Complete page 91 in your SpringBoard book.
Step Two: Contemplate the ideas you have collected on page 91. Could you combine some of your ideas
to create your thesis? Does one of your ideas stand out as a possible definition that you could build on?
WRITE YOUR THESIS HERE:
Step Three: Craft your topic sentences! Topic sentences represent the underlying reasoning behind your
thesis statement. You have defined what the American Dream is (and/or is not). Why do you believe
that? What do you know to be true that has brought you to this conclusion? You need 4 topic
sentences)!
TOPIC SENTENCE ONE:
TOPIC SENTENCE TWO:
TOPIC SENTENCE THREE:
TOPIC SENTENCE FOUR:
Step Four: Now that you have crafted a solid thesis statement along with topic sentences which
represent your perspective on what the American Dream is (and/or is not), you are ready to choose
sources to support your reasoning! You must use at least 3 sources in your essay! Sources to consider:
any poem from SpringBoard, your literature circles novel, sources from your history class, non-fiction
articles about current events, etc.
Step Five: Pull quotes! It’s time to find textual support for your topic sentences. You must support each
of your topic sentences with at least 2 quotes! Be sure to record source titles, authors, page numbers,
and/or web addresses with your quotes!
Topic
Sentence
Quote 1
Quote 2
1
2
3
4
Step Six: Plan your draft! Outline your essay on your own paper using this outline as a guide.
1. Introduction
a. Eye catcher! Relate to your topic to your reader’s life.
b. Background information! What might your reader need to know about history, etc. in order to
understand the point you are trying to make in your essay?
c. Thesis Statement
2. Body Paragraphs (4)
a. Topic Sentence
b. Introduce quote one
c. Quote one
d. Explain Quote one (How does it support your topic sentence?)
e. Introduce quote two
f. Quote two
g. Explain quote two (How does it support your topic sentence?)
e. Link back to your thesis! (How does the information in this paragraph support your thesis?)
3. Conclusion
a. Restate your thesis in different words.
b. Recap your major points (look to your topic sentences)
c. End with a final profound and memorable statement which leaves your reader thinking about
the ideas you have presented in your paper. Consider bringing back the ideas you used in your
eye catcher!
Step Seven: Draft your essay! On your own paper, draft out your essay using your outline as a guide.
Refer to the rubric (see the back of this paper) to be sure that you are heading in the right direction with
your essay.
REMINDERS:
 Use questions sparsely. Statements make for stronger writing.
 Avoid “you,” “yours,” “we,” “us,” etc.
 Avoid “etc.”
 Avoid “I believe,” “I think,” “In my opinion”
 Avoid “practically,” “basically,” and “literally”
 Avoid “in this quote…”
 Punctuate quotes correctly!
 Consider current events to use as evidence for your claims.
 Consider readings from your history class to use as evidence for your claims.
 Branch away from tired old transitions (First, Second, In conclusion…) – boring and NOT
scholarly!
 Stay focused on your thesis. Everything you write should have the purpose of proving your
thesis to be true!
 Every paragraph should be at least 6 sentences long. Good body paragraphs will be longer
because your explanations should take more than one sentence in most cases.
 The peer revision process is NOT OPTIONAL!! Have any 10th or 11th grader complete the revision
process for you!
 Your final draft should be in MLA format with a correctly formatted works cited page!
DEFINITION ESSAY RUBRIC
CATEGORY
4
3
2
1
Writing
Process
The writer has
meticulously
completed the entire
pre-writing packet,
outline, and rough
draft, participated in
the peer revision
process (as
evidenced by the
peer revision sheet),
and revised his/her
complete rough
draft.
The writer has
completed the entire
pre-writing packet,
outline, and rough
draft, participated in
the peer revision
process (as evidenced
by the peer revision
sheet), and revised
his/her complete
rough draft.
One of the following
things is missing: prewriting packet, outline,
revised rough draft,
peer revision sheet.
More than one of the
following things is
missing: pre-writing
packet, outline,
revised rough draft,
peer revision sheet.
Introduction
The introduction is
inviting, states the
main topic and
previews the
structure of the
paper, and ends with
a concise and
scholarly thesis
statement.
The introduction
clearly states the main
topic and previews the
structure of the paper,
and ends with a clear
thesis statement.
The introduction
states the main topic,
but does not
adequately preview
the structure of the
paper and/or the
thesis statement is
weak or confusing.
The introduction
states the main topic,
but does not preview
the structure of the
paper and/or the
thesis statement is
unidentifiable.
Support for
Topic
Relevant, telling,
quality details from 3
sources give the
reader important
information that goes
beyond the obvious
or predictable. Each
body paragraph
contains evidence
from at least 2
sources.
Supporting details and
information are
relevant. All 3 sources
are referenced at least
once. Each body
paragraph contains
evidence from at least
2 sources.
Supporting details
and information are
relevant, but some
assertions are
unsupported. All 3
sources are
referenced at least
once. Each body
paragraph contains
evidence from at least
2 sources.
Supporting details
and information are
typically unclear or
non-existent and/or
one or more of the 3
sources was not
referenced. One or
more body
paragraphs contains
less than 2 quotes.
Conclusion
The conclusion is
strong and leaves
the reader with a
feeling that they
understand what the
writer is "getting at."
The conclusion is
recognizable and ties
up almost all the loose
ends.
The conclusion is
recognizable, but
does not tie up
several loose ends.
There is no clear
conclusion, the paper
just ends.
Grammar &
Spelling
Writer makes no
errors in grammar or
spelling that distract
the reader from the
content.
Writer makes 1-2
errors in grammar or
spelling that distract
the reader from the
content.
Writer makes 3-4
errors in grammar or
spelling that distract
the reader from the
content.
Writer makes more
than 4 errors in
grammar or spelling
that distract the
reader from the
content.
MLA Format
and Length
The essay
meticulously follows
MLA formatting
rules. The essay is
more than 3 pages
in length.
The essay follows
MLA formatting rules.
The essay is 3 pages
in length.
The essay mostly
follows MLA
formatting rules. The
essay is 2 – 2½
pages in length.
The essay does not
follow MLA formatting
rules and/or the essay
is shorter than 2
pages in length.
FINAL SCORE: _____/24
COMMENTS:
=
_________%
SCORE