Illustrative Essay Assignment

Illustrative Essay Assignment
Due: Nov. 2, 2020 Format: MLA

Length: 2­3 pages (4+ main points) Points: 100

Rationale: Using examples is an important part of communicating. In writing, examples help make and support a point. They can be used as evidence to prove a statement, and they can add interest and clarity to a text.

Description: Write a GENERALIZATION about the joys, fears, or contradictions of a people group to which YOU belong. To illustrate your generalization, draw examples from your personal experience. Examples of a people group could include race, religion, sexual orientation or identity, or disability. It could also include descriptive labels that you may identify as such as nerds, loners, jocks, or musicians. It may also be a type of career or job description such as baker, housekeeper, or dad. Have fun with your group. Use concrete, relatable examples. Always be considerate and respectful in your descriptions of people. Finally, remember that people are not adjectives, use descriptors with a noun, i.e. a black person, a person with disabilities, homosexual person, transgendered person.

The examples should be specific and complete. You must use the TRIAC format to organize paragraphs. Follow the thesis format: subject + opinion + examples.

Illustrative Essay Assignment

Audience/purpose: Think of your paper as an article for an online magazine that asks readers to share their personal inspirational stories in that field. For example, if you are going to write about being a musician, imagine an online magazine that caters to people who want to break into the music industry.

Your purpose may make the reader laugh by highlighting quirks, raise awareness of problems, encourage conversation around an issue, or entertain.

Rhetorical strategy: Your rhetorical strategy is illustration, but you may use description, narrative, or definition in your illustrations.

Procedure: In order to complete this assignment, follow these steps: _____1. Determine your audience and purpose.
_____2. Brainstorm to generate ideas. Determine a general thesis idea. _____3. Write a bad first draft to get ideas down on paper.

_____4. Organize bad first draft and finalize a thesis statement. Use an outline.

_____5. Write 2 body paragraphs using examples to support thesis. Paragraphs should use TRIAC formula.

_____6. Write introduction and then conclusion. _____7. Have peers read draft.
_____9. Revise and edit draft.

Outcomes: In this assignment, you will meet the course goals of establishing the document’s purpose, applying audience analysis techniques, employing rhetorical strategies, generating ideas for writing, organizing document content, writing a final text from drafts, designing document format, critiquing one’s own and others’ writing, and editing documents.

Illustrative Essay Assignment

Rubric for Illustration Essay

_____1. Introduction: Well­developed introduction engages the reader and creates interest. Contains detailed context and frames the thesis. Includes preview with the thesis. (10 points)

_____2. Thesis and preview: The thesis is narrow, specific, and well written. The preview presents the supporting ideas in the order to be discussed. (10 points)

_____3. Illustration. Examples are relevant and supportive. (20 points)

_____4. Organization: The essay is well organized as a whole. There is a logical pattern of organization and ideas flow from one idea to the next. (10 points)

_____5. Body: Well­developed paragraphs that contain a topic sentence, explanation, examples, analysis, and concluding/transitional sentence (TRIAC). Paragraph is cohesive and completely developed. The paragraph as a whole supports the argument of the thesis, and this is evident in the topic or concluding sentences. (20 points)

_____6. Writing is smooth, skillful, and coherent. Diction is consistent and words well chosen. Active verbs used. Formal academic style used. (10 points)

_____7. Sentence Structure and grammar: Sentences are direct and clear, smooth and expressive with varied structure. Word usage, grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization are correct. (10 points)

_____8. Conclusion: The conclusion contains a summary of the main points and thesis. The conclusion also answers the “so what” question and gives a sense of completion. (10 points)

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