Informative essay

A. Instructions

All writers revise their work as part of the writing process. For Touchstone 4, submit a revised version of your Touchstone 3 essay. The process of revising involves “re-thinking” your essay. Your revision should reflect your attention to the following:

rhetorical situation
focus
organization
flow
style
clarity

As you consider possible revisions, evaluate how your essay can be improved in each of the areas above. Focus your attention on the areas that would benefit most from revision. You can add, delete, or move text as you revise your essay.

Note the following revision guidelines:

Do not draft a new essay. You must revise your Touchstone 3 draft.
Allow time between drafts so that you can see your original work from a new perspective.
Revision is different from editing and proofreading; however, be sure to edit and proofread your revised essay before you submit it.

Revise your Touchstone 3 essay using the revision strategies you learned in Unit 4. This revision should reflect significant changes from your first draft, and should incorporate the feedback you received on Touchstone 3.

B. Think About Your Writing

Include answers to all of the following reflection questions below your completed revision.

1. How much time did you spend revising your draft? Which revision strategies did you use, and which of them worked best for you? (2-3 sentences) Sophia says: A good revision takes time. This is your opportunity to re-think, re-arrange, and re-evaluate your writing. Which revision strategies did you use? Do you still agree with your thesis? Do you believe that your evidence supports your thesis, and that you have met the requirements of the assignment?

2. How did the revision process improve your essay? (2-3 sentences) Sophia says: Compare your draft to your revision. Have you added relevant details or removed irrelevant ones? Have you changed the order of details or paragraphs? Have you added transitions for better flow? In which ways is your revision better than your draft?

3. What did you learn about your writing process or yourself as a writer? (2-3 sentences) Sophia says: Think about the entire process of drafting and revising this essay. Did any part of the process surprise you or reveal something unexpected?

C. Revision Guidelines

DIRECTIONS: Refer to the checklist below throughout the writing process. Do not submit your Touchstone until your essay meets all of the guidelines. Print this checklist!

Editing and Revising

❒ Have you significantly revised your essay, making adjustments in areas that include organization, focus, and clarity?
❒ Have you made comprehensive changes in word choice, sentence variety, and style?
❒ Have you made revisions that are based on the feedback provided by your evaluator?

Essay Prompt: Image Analysis

❒ If you chose the image analysis prompt, have you revisited your analysis and interpretation of the image to ensure that you’ve done more than describe it?
❒ Have you revisited your conclusions about the audience and effectiveness of the ad?
❒ Did you include the image in your essay?
❒ Is your draft 800-1300 words long?

Essay Prompt: Extended Definition

❒ If you chose the extended definition prompt, did you make sure that your definition is unique, and doesn’t rely too heavily on the traditional definition?
❒ Did you revisit the examples and explanations that support your definition?
❒ Is your essay 800-1300 words in length?

Thesis

❒ Have you revised your thesis statement?
❒ Did you make sure that your thesis states the overall claim of the essay?
❒ Is your thesis one sentence that is located in the introductory paragraph?

Focus and Organization

❒ Have you reviewed your body paragraphs and made sure that each one has a clear topic sentence?
❒ Have you revisited your conclusion paragraph and concluding statement?
❒ Have you reviewed the sequence of your ideas?
❒ Have you improved your transitions to connect ideas between sentences and paragraphs?
❒ Have you improved the flow of your essay?
❒ Does your revision have a clear focus?
❒ Have you maintained a clear focus and included only relevant details?

Style and Tone

❒ Have you ensured that the tone of your essay is unbiased and informative?
❒ Have you informed the reader about your topic?
❒ Have you reconsidered your word choices?

Conventions

❒ Have you checked your draft for grammatical errors?
❒ Have you used Spell-Check or another method to check spelling?
❒ Have you punctuated your essay correctly?

Before You Submit

❒ Have you included your name, date, and course at the top left of the page?
❒ Have you completed the “Think About Your Writing” questions?
❒ Is your essay between three and five pages (approximately 800-1300 words) in length?

D. Scoring

Your essay and reflection will be scored according to the Informative Rubric, which considers your revision and edits, effectiveness in addressing the writing prompt for either the analysis essay OR the definition essay, the working thesis, organization, style and tone, focus, conventions and proofreading, and your responses to the “Think About Your Writing” questions.

E. Helpful Tutorials

Introduction to Revision
Revision Strategies
Organization Revision: Cutting, Adding, Moving
Revising for Clarity and Focus

F. Rubric

Advanced (90-100%) Proficient (80-89%) Acceptable (70-79%) Needs Improvement (50-69%) Non-Performance (0-49%)

Revising and Editing
Demonstrate comprehensive “re-visioning” and sentence-level edits.
There is evidence of comprehensive re-visioning of the draft essay, including adjustments to organization, focus and clarity where needed or appropriate. There is evidence of comprehensive edits to the draft essay, including adjustments to word choice, sentence completeness, sentence variety, and/or style where needed or appropriate. There is evidence of significant re-visioning of the draft essay, including adjustments to organization, focus, and clarity where needed or appropriate. There is evidence of substantial edits to the draft essay, including adjustments to word choice, sentence completeness, sentence variety, and/or style where needed or appropriate. There is evidence of some re-visioning of the draft essay, including adjustments to organization, focus and clarity where needed or appropriate; however, a few areas need additional revision. There is evidence of some edits to the draft essay, including adjustments to word choice, sentence completeness, sentence variety, and/or style where needed/appropriate; however, some issues were overlooked. There is little evidence of re-visioning of the draft essay, such that multiple areas in need of changes are unaltered. There is little evidence of editing in the draft essay, such that many errors remain. Revisions are absent or did not address problems in the essay. Edits are absent or did not address the problems in the essay.

Image Analysis
Prompt A: Analyze an advertisement using parts to draw conclusions.
Consistently goes beyond description to analyze the design choices made in the advertisement, including layout, color schemes, text, and/or other design components. Effectively draws conclusions about the intended audience, and the likely impact and effectiveness of the advertisement. Primarily goes beyond description to analyze the design choices made in the advertisement, including layout, color schemes, text, and/or other design components. Draws conclusions about the intended audience, and the likely impact and effectiveness of the advertisement. Includes some analysis of the design choices made in the advertisement (i.e., layout, color schemes, text, and/or other design components), but focuses primarily on description. Somewhat effectively draws conclusions about the intended audience, and the likely impact and effectiveness of the advertisement. Focuses heavily on description. Analysis of the design choices made in the advertisement is limited or absent. Conclusions about the intended audience, and the likely impact and effectiveness of the advertisement are very limited. Does not describe or analyze the advertisement. Does not draw conclusions about the advertisement.

Extended Definition Essay
Prompt B – Define a meaningful word or concept in a unique or compelling way.
Defines a meaningful and nuanced word or concept in a coherent and compelling way, consistently using critical thinking and thoughtful discussion to explore the definition. Consistently goes beyond traditional definitions to define the word in a new and unique way. Defines a meaningful and nuanced word or concept in a coherent way, primarily using critical thinking and thoughtful discussion to explore the definition. Primarily goes beyond traditional definitions to define the word in a new and unique way. Defines a meaningful and nuanced word or concept adequately, but only sometimes uses critical thinking and thoughtful discussion to explore the definition. Only sometimes goes beyond traditional definitions to define the word in a new and unique way. Defines a word or concept, although critical thinking and thoughtful discussion are largely absent. Often relies too much on the traditional or dictionary definition, and does not sufficiently explore a new or unique definition. Does not define a word or concept from the list provided and/or does not explore the definition in a thoughtful or critical manner. Relies almost entirely on the traditional or dictionary definition.

Thesis Statement
State the focused central claim of the essay.
Has a clear, focused, and detailed working thesis that is expressed in a single sentence that states the central claim of the essay. Has a clear and focused working thesis that is expressed in a single sentence that states the central claim of the essay. Has an acceptable working thesis that states a claim, but it may be somewhat unclear or unfocused, or composed of more than one sentence. Has a working thesis, but it is not clear and/or focused, and/or it does not state a claim. Does not have an identifiable working thesis, and/or the thesis is extremely unclear or unfocused.

Organization
Exhibit competent organization, flow, and writing techniques.
Includes all required components of an essay, including an introduction with a thesis; an adequate number of body paragraphs (3-6,) each with a topic sentence; and a conclusion with a concluding statement. The sequence of sentences and paragraphs is logical and flows well. Essay includes an introductory paragraph, a concluding paragraph, and an appropriate number of body paragraphs. The sequence of sentences and paragraphs is logical. The sequence of sentences and paragraphs is predominantly logical. The sequence of sentences and/or paragraphs is frequently illogical. The sequence of sentences and/or paragraphs is consistently illogical.

Style and Tone
Establish a consistent, informative tone and make thoughtful choices.
Demonstrates thoughtful and effective word choices, avoids redundancy, and uses a wide variety of sentence structures. Establishes a consistently unbiased and impersonal tone that is appropriate to an informative essay. Demonstrates effective word choices, primarily avoids redundancy, and uses a variety of sentence structures. Establishes an unbiased and impersonal tone that is appropriate to an informative essay, with occasional minor exceptions. Demonstrates generally effective style choices, but may include occasional redundancies, poor word choices, and/or repetitive sentence structures. Primarily establishes an unbiased and impersonal tone that is appropriate to an informative essay; however some sections express bias or include personal observations. Frequently includes poor word choices, redundancies, and/or repetitive sentence structures. Primarily establishes a tone that is biased, and personal observations and opinions are expressed frequently. Consistently demonstrates poor word choices, redundancies, and/or repetitive sentence structures. Tone is consistently biased and the essay is dominated by personal observations and opinions.

Focus
Include relevant details, effective connections.
Details are relevant and support the purpose of the essay. The writer consistently makes effective connections between the supporting details and the working thesis. Details are relevant and support the purpose of the essay. The writer makes some effective connections between the supporting details and the working thesis. Details are predominantly relevant and generally support the purpose of the essay, though some details may be irrelevant and/or distracting. Details are often irrelevant and frequently distract from the purpose of the essay. Details are irrelevant and distract from the purpose of the essay.

Conventions and Proofreading
Demonstrate command of standard English grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, and usage.
There may be a few negligible errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, formatting, and usage. There are occasional minor errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, formatting, and usage. There are some significant errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, formatting, and usage. There are frequent significant errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, formatting, and usage. There are consistent significant errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, formatting, and usage.

Think About Your Writing
Answer reflection questions thoroughly and thoughtfully.
Demonstrates thoughtful reflection; consistently includes insights, observations, and/or examples in all responses. Answers all reflection questions effectively, following or exceeding response length guidelines. Demonstrates thoughtful reflection; includes multiple insights, observations, and/or examples. Answers all reflection questions effectively, following response length guidelines. Primarily demonstrates thoughtful reflection, but some responses lack detail or insight. Answers all reflection questions, primarily following response length guidelines. Shows limited reflection; most responses lack detail or insight. Answers reflection questions inadequately: may not answer all of the questions and/or may not follow response length guidelines. Does not answer the majority of reflection questions or the majority of answers do not follow response length guidelines.

G. Requirements
Your essay should be three to five pages (approximately 800-1300 words) in length.
Informative Guidelines and Topic Selection Guidelines must be followed or your submission will not be graded.
Double-space the draft, and use one-inch margins.
Use an easy-to-read 12-point font.
All writing must be appropriate for an academic context.
Your draft and revision must be original and written for this assignment.
Plagiarism of any kind is strictly prohibited.
Your submission must include your name, the name of the course, the date, and the title of your draft.
Your submission must include, in the following order: your revised essay, your answers to the “Think About Your Writing” questions, and a copy of your original essay (from Touchstone 3).
Submit only a single file only that contains all assignment components.
Acceptable file formats are .doc and .docx.