Due Date:
Directions: This assignment requires you to synthesize a variety of sources into a coherent, well-written essay.
When you synthesize sources you refer to them to develop your position and cite them accurately.
You must use MLA citation format with a work cited page.
Your argument should be central; the sources should support this argument. Avoid merely summarizing sources.
Remember to attribute both direct and indirect citations.
Introduction:
Some nations have a defined national school curriculum, while others, such as the United States, do not. As a result, students in high school English classes in the United States can read texts that vary widely from school to school, while students in other countries may all read the same books in high school.
Assignment:
Review and re-read as needed any of the reading material you have done so far this school year (including summer reading) carefully.
Write an essay that develops a position on whether or not there should be specific texts that all students of high school English must read.
A few available sources:
“Amusing Ourselves to Death” Neil Postman
“Death of a Moth” Virginia Wolf
“Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell “Against School: How Public Education Cripples our Kids and Why” John Taylor Gatto “The Allegory of the Cave” by Plato “Letter from Birmingham Jail” MLK Jr.
“On Compassion” Barbara Ascher
“Is Google Making Us Stupid?” Nicholas Carr
“Get Smarter.” Jamais Cascio
Check List:
The author provides the required Toulmin model ______ 10
The author provides the required rough draft and peer review ______ 10
The author provides all three sources ______ 10
The author follows MLA format ______ 10
Scoring Guide
9—Papers earning a score of 9 meet the criteria for 8 papers and, in addition, are especially sophisticated in their argument, skillful in their synthesis of sources, structure of argument, close reading, and/or impressive in their control of language.
8-Effective—Papers earning this score effectively develop an appropriate, clear, and significant perspective or thesis. They support their perspective by successfully synthesizing*, persuading, arguing, or explaining sources and arguments. Support is embedded in the author’s language and demonstrates strong understanding of the readings. The paper’s organization works to support the content with a conclusion that does not merely summarize points already made. Multiple perspectives are addressed in detail. The writer’s argument is convincing or thought provoking, and there is a clear voice behind the ideas. Grammar or spelling errors are minimal and do not distract from the content.
7—Papers earning a score of 7 fit the description of 6 papers but are distinguished by more complete or more purposeful argumentation and synthesis of sources or a more mature prose style.
6—Adequate—Papers earning a score of 6 adequately develop an appropriate and clear (even if just implied) thesis. They develop their position by synthesizing, persuading, arguing, or explaining sources and arguments. Support is embedded in the author’s language and demonstrates understanding of the readings. The writer’s argument is generally convincing and the writer uses the sources to support a position, but the argument is less developed or less cogent than the arguments of papers earning higher scores. The language may contain lapses in diction or syntax, and several selling or grammar errors, but generally the prose is clear.
5— Papers earning an 5 develop a (even if just implied) thesis. They develop their position by synthesizing persuading, arguing, or explaining sources and arguments, but their arguments and their use of sources are somewhat limited, inconsistent, or uneven. The writer’s argument is generally clear, and the