ADVANCED COMPOSITION

Your project must be submitted as a Word document (.docx, .doc)*. Your project will be individually graded by your instructor and therefore will take up to a few weeks to grade.

Be sure that each of your files contains the following information:

• Your name
• Your student ID number
• The exam number
• Your email address

To submit your graded project, follow these steps:

• Use the link on the next page to open the Project Upload page.
• Find the exam number for your project at the top of the Project Upload page.
• Follow the instructions provided to complete your exam.

Be sure to keep a backup copy of any files you submit to the school!

Argument Essay

Argument requires you to choose a controversial issue, make a clear and specific claim that takes a position on the issue, and give reasons and evidence to support the claim that will appeal to your audience.

Assignment

For your argument essay, you'll write a 2,000- to 2,200-word research paper on an issue related to your field of study and future career.

Please note that there's no graded prewriting for the argument essay, but you should still follow the steps in the writing process to plan, organize, draft, and revise your essay before you submit it for evaluation.

Topic

In your opinion, what's the biggest problem facing your future profession, industry, or market? In your essay, you'll present the problem, clearly define and explain the issues, and then identify the best possible solution.

You should use the third-person point of view. You're writing for an audience unfamiliar with your topic, so your goal is to use language your readers are familiar with and can relate to; be sure to define any technical terms you use.

Research

You are required to usesix to eight reputable secondary sources.Evaluate your sources to ensure that the information you are using and passing on to your readers is accurate and reliable.

Incorporate evidence from your secondary sources into your plan for your essay. You'll need to use parenthetical citations and include a list of references on the last page of your exam. Refer to the APA style section in your textbook and the APA Style Guide in The Writer's Block.

Process

Follow the steps in the guided writing assignment in Chapter 20 of your textbook to prewrite, organize, draft, revise, edit, and proofread your essay.

Use Graphic Organizer 20.1 "The Basic Structure of an Argument Essay" to develop your plan; include the information from your secondary sources in your outline or graphic organizer.

Study the argument essays "The Case Against Tipping" by S.K. and "Pull the Plug on Explicit Lyrics" by James Sturm to see how each writer approaches a problem, acknowledges the opposition, and offers solutions.

Exam Format

Format your prewriting and essay exams according to the following instructions. Refer to the sample APA-style essay in your textbook.

1. Start with a title page that includes your
   • Title
   • Name
   • Student ID
   • Address
   • Email address
2. Use the header function to insert your page number in the top right margin of your document.
   • You do not need to include your essay title in the header.
3. Begin your document on page 2 after the title page.
   • Start page 2 with your title
     • Do not include abstracts in your essays.
   • Use transitional words, phrases, and sentences to guide your reader through your essay.
     • Do not use headings in your essay.
4. Include your references list on the last page of your document.
   • Do not submit it separately.

Grading Rubric

Advanced-score of 100%	The essay effectively addresses the purpose of the assignment and the requirements of the prompt. The essay provides a clear thesis statement that effectively introduces the topic, states a debatable claim, and previews the main points of the essay. The essay provides assertions, evidence, and analytic explanation to illustrate ideas, and support the thesis in ways that are fresh, insightful, and engaging. The essay effectively includes an introduction paragraph with a thesis statement that engages the reader, uses topic sentences to clearly define paragraphs, uses evidence that supports the thesis statement and topic sentences, and includes a conclusion that reinforces the thesis. The essay includes six to eight required sources. These sources are used logically and effectively to support the writer's own claims. Ideas that cannot be considered common knowledge are cited and documented using the APA citation format. The essay uses signal phrases, parenthetical citations, and a works cited page. The essay effectively addresses the audience through an appropriate tone and point of view. The essay is mostly free of errors in sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, and word choice while meeting the length requirement (2,000-2,200 words) and formatting requirements using the correct font, spacing, and margins.
Proficient-score of 85%	The essay adequately addresses the purpose of the assignment and the requirements of the prompt. The essay provides a thesis statement that introduces the topic and states a debatable claim, but the main points are not outlined explicitly. The essay provides assertions, evidence, and analytic explanation to illustrate ideas and support the thesis, though much of the information is obvious. The essay includes an introduction with a thesis statement, but the introduction may not engage the reader. Most evidence provided is relevant to the body paragraphs, thesis statement, and topic sentences. The conclusion restates the thesis but may lack a satisfactory ending. The essay includes six to eight required sources. These sources are used logically and effectively to support the writer's own claims. The writer has attempted to use APA format to indicate borrowed content, but formatting requires revision. The essay adequately addresses the audience through an appropriate tone and point of view. The essay is reasonably free of errors in sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, and word choice and may just fall short of or exceed the length requirements, however, the essay is formatted using the correct header, font, and margins, though some errors may be present.
Developing-score of 70%	The essay partially addresses the purpose of the assignment and the requirements of the prompt. The essay provides a thesis statement that offers an unclear or only somewhat debatable claim. The thesis provides direction for the essay but does not explicitly outline the main points. The essay offers some assertions, evidence, and analytic explanation to illustrate ideas, though much of the information is obvious or lacks consistency. The essay includes an introduction that is underdeveloped, body paragraphs with weak topic sentences that may lack focus, logical development, or evidence relevant to the thesis, and a conclusion that is underdeveloped. Some secondary sources are present, but they are inconsistently used to support the writer's own claims. The writer has attempted to use a citation and documentation format but does not adequately credit secondary sources. The essay illustrates some awareness of the audience but employs colloquial or idiomatic language, lacking an appropriate tone. The essay includes errors in sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, and word choice, some of which may interfere with meaning, and may fall short of or exceed the length requirements due to repetitive and unengaging content, while not fully addressing the topic and purpose. The essay may not employ the correct formatting.
Emerging-score of 60%	The essay minimally addresses the purpose of the assignment and the requirements of the prompt. The essay attempts a thesis statement, but it is factual and/or not related to the topic. The essay offers general evidence, but it does not address the topic or purpose. The essay has an introduction that does not engage the reader, includes minimally defined main ideas, isn't organized into paragraphs, lacks topic sentences, lacks evidence that relates to the thesis, lacks transitions, and/or lacks a conclusion. Few secondary sources are present, and they are inconsistently used or do not support the writer's own claims. The writer has attempted to use a citation and documentation format but does not adequately credit secondary sources. The essay addresses the appropriate audience but does not use an appropriate tone. The essay contains some errors in sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, and word choice, making it difficult for the reader to follow and comprehend. The essay also does not meet or significantly exceeds the length requirement and does not apply the correct formatting.
Not Developed-score of 50%	The essay does not address the purpose of the assignment and the requirements of the prompt. The essay does not offer a thesis statement. The essay does not provide specific, relevant evidence to illustrate ideas and support the thesis. The essay has an introduction that does not engage the reader, lacks clearly defined main ideas, isn't organized into paragraphs, lacks evidence that relates to the thesis, lacks transitions, and/or lacks a conclusion. The essay lacks secondary sources and/or secondary sources do not support the writer's claim. Sources are not cited and documented correctly. The essay does not address the appropriate audience and does not use an appropriate tone. The essay contains numerous errors in sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, and word choice, making it difficult for the reader to follow and comprehend, while also not meeting the length and/or formatting requirements.