expository essays

Unit Learning goal: Students will be able to research, write and perform an original expository essay that informs or explains some idea, task, or problem of the student’s choice.  

 

Scale/Rubric relating to learning goal:

4 – The student can write and perform an original expository speech that both informs/explains and persuades some idea or problem of that the student is interested in.  The writing and performance are both exemplarily effective. 

3 – The student is able to write an original expository speech that informs or explains something that the student is interested in.

2 – With some direction/help from the teacher the student is able to write an original expository speech that informs or explains something that the student is interested in.

1 – Even with help from the teacher the student is unable to write an original expository speech that informs or explains something that the student is interested in.

Students will be able to

1) Write a hook, thesis statement, and order of development

2) Organize an essay according to introductory paragraph, body paragraphs and conclusion

3) Write a proper conclusion

4) Use specifics to back up ideas

5) Use the order of development as a map for the essay

6) Cite sources according to proper MLA format

7) Deliver a speech by making eye contact, using proper pronunciation and effective enunciation, and avoiding the use of “uhms” or other filler words or sounds.

MLA

1) Last Name/First Name of Author
2) Title of article or title of webpage
3) Title of book or website
4) Place of publication
5) Publisher
6) Date of publication
7) Page number
8) Source of publication (example: Web, Print, DVD, etc)
9) (Internet) Date of access.

go here for sample MLA Citation pages or in-text citations.

Here are two short - but decent - videos are in-text citations and works cited page

Go HERE and Also go here for an additional video on WORKS CITED PAGE 

The best place to go for help with MLA structure or any other essay question is Purdue OWL online.

For Parallel Structure go HERE

	Thesis	Organization	Evidence (Concrete Details)	Analysis (Commentary)	Style/Audience	Conventions
5	The thesis statement is clear, well-developed and relevant to the topic.	Transitions within and between paragraphs flow smoothly.	There are four well chosen, concrete details or examples of evidence in each paragraph.  **The concrete details support the thesis.	All commentary synthesizes concrete details and supports the thesis statement.**	The style is engaging and effective.	The essay contains few if any errors in the conventions* of the English language.  (Errors are generally first-draft in nature.)
4	The thesis statement is clear and relevant to the topic.	The structure within paragraphs is clear and easy to follow.	There are three concrete details or examples of evidence in each paragraph.  The concrete details support the thesis.	All commentary explains concrete details and supports the thesis statement.	The style is appropriate for an academic paper.	The essay contain some errors in the conventions* of the English language.  (Errors do not interfere with the reader’s understanding of the essay.)
3	The thesis statement is somewhat relevant to the topic and/or somewhat clear.	There are clear introduction, body, and conclusion paragraphs.	There are two  concrete details or examples of evidence. AND/OR Some concrete details from the text support the thesis.	Some or most commentary explains the concrete details and supports the thesis statement. AND/OR Commentary re-states concrete detail.	The style is sometimes appropriate for an academic paper.	The essay contains several errors in the conventions* of the English language.  (Errors may interfere with the reader’s understanding of the essay.)
2	The thesis statement is not clear.	The essay is missing an introduction, body or concluding paragraph.	There are some concrete details.	Some or all commentary is unclear or irrelevant and does not support the thesis statement.	The style is rarely appropriate for an academic paper.	The essay contains serious errors in the conventions* of the English language.  (Errors interfere with the reader’s understanding of the essay.)
1	The thesis statement is missing or off topic.	There is no organization to the essay.	There are no concrete details.	The writer does not include commentary.	The style is never appropriate for an academic paper.	The paper is incomprehensible because of the number of convention* errors.

* Conventions of the English language refer to grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization and usage.

** Details from text must be cited appropriately and all commentary must be of the writer’s own views and thoughts.  Plagiarism is not tolerated and will result in a zero for the assignment.