A research essay that “Achieves Excellence” will be distinguished in the following criteria:

The purpose of this research assignment is to synthesize the research you have completed with your own ideas to produce an academic research essay suited to the academic context you identified in your thesis and your research. This assignment will also ask you to synthesize all of the skills we have learned in They Say, I Say.

For the academic research essay in this class, you will argue your specific “side” or perspective by advancing a thesis statement that is supported by credible evidence (your research) free of any fallacies. You will choose from the sources you closely evaluated for the library activity and research to advance your thesis in the essay. Your essay should have an original title.

Assignment Rubric

A research essay that “Achieves Excellence” will be distinguished in the following criteria:

The writer advances a thesis based on research and critical analysis (Chapters 4-10).
The writer appropriately uses sources to advance his or her thesis statement (Chapters 1-10).
The writer appropriately uses summary, paraphrase, and/or direct quotation (Chapters 1-3).
The writer meets the Standards for Effective Composition (clarity, logic, accuracy, etc).
The essay is 1500-2000 words.
The writer adheres to MLA style for in-text citations and has a Works Cited page in MLA format.