English 1301: Report__________________________________________________________

Task Write a report of 950-1,300 words. Follow the principles in Lunsford, Chapter 14 to write
an effective report. Study the “Characteristic Features” on pg. 257.

Audience Your audience for this assignment is your classmates and your professor in this class.
Keep in mind that we are different ages and ethnicities, come from different backgrounds, and
have varied interests. You are writing an academic essay. Review Lunsford, Chapter 4.

Sources You must use at least two and no more than 5 sources, and you must accurately give
credit for the information you use from those sources. Review Chapters 19-27 as needed.
Appropriate sources include the following: journal articles, personal interviews; official website
for a place or an event; news and magazine articles about the issue; including op-ed pieces that
take a side on the issue; relevant essays from the textbook.

Library Databases Every writer should spend time researching his or her topic in the library
databases, which are likely to yield the best sources. To access the library databases while off-
campus, the user name is RCC5268, and the password is TX77511. (Use capital letters.)

Format Prepare your essay in MLA style, which is covered in Chapter 24.

Topics You may choose your topic, but it must be approved by the professor. Submit your
topic on the discussion board by Sunday, October 7, by 11:59 pm.

Report on a debatable topic, reporting on the major points for each side of the issue as well as
their shared concerns without taking a side or expressing your own opinion. Keep in mind that
your topic must be something that you can cover thoroughly in the specified length of the
assignment. Our own textbook includes several broad categories that you can narrow according
to your own interests: education, food, home, language, technology, work. The sample essay by
Fraser will serve as a model.

Stance and Tone Your stance should be neutral for a report. Your tone should match the level of
seriousness or formality of your subject and should reflect your assessment of your audience.

Deadlines Follow the schedule on your course calendar for the due dates of various parts of the
essay. Your completed rough draft, and final draft will each be uploaded to Blackboard by the
scheduled due dates. Completed drafts (stage 2) that are not within 90% of the total word count
for the final draft will not receive credit. *The complete rough draft and finished essays are due
to Blackboard.

Grading Criteria:

Excellent Good Acceptable

Marginal Poor
Element
A 100 - 90 B 89 - 80 C 79 -70
D 69-60 F 59-0
points points points
 Effectively Addresses the Addresses Some errors in Does not
addresses the writing task in most of the addressing the address writing
writing task in a a thoughtful writing task writing task and task and/or
Focus: 25%
thoughtful and manner with with some some issues substantial
organized some errors in errors in with issues with
manner organization organization organization organization

Consistently
Accurately
and accurately Accurately
interprets Little/no
interprets interprets Some
evidence, draws interpretation
evidence, draws evidence, interpretation of
warranted of evidence,
warranted draws evidence, draws
conclusions, unwarranted
conclusions, warranted conclusions,
Logic: 25% analyzes conclusions, no
analyzes conclusions, little analysis
alternative analysis or
alternative some analysis and evaluation
perspectives, evaluation of
perspectives, and evaluation of alternative
and evaluates alternative
and evaluates of alternative perspectives
where perspectives
where perspectives
appropriate
appropriate

Consistently Uses language

Uses language
uses language that is precise, Language used
that is precise, Language is
that is precise, varied, and needs to be
varied, and not academic in
varied, and vivid; employs more precise
vivid; some nature; major
vivid; employs diverse and and varied;
sentence sentence
diverse and appropriate sentence
structure structure
appropriate sentence structure issues;
issues; issues; Major
Style/Correctness: sentence structure
errors in
25% structure throughout; Many errors in
Some errors in grammar,
throughout; No Few errors in grammar,
grammar, punctuation,
errors in grammar, punctuation,
punctuation, and spelling;
grammar, punctuation, and spelling;
and spelling; MLA
punctuation, and and spelling many issues
some issues formatting
spelling; MLA MLA with MLA
with MLA incorrect
formatting is formatting is formatting
formatting
correct correct

Consistently
Selects Most source Inappropriate
selects Some source
appropriate material is source
appropriate material is
source material; appropriate; material;
source material; appropriate;
correctly correctly poor/no
correctly poor integration
integrates integrates integration of
Research: 25% integrates of outside
outside source outside source source
outside source source material;
information; information; material;
information; incorrect
cites cites incorrect
cites citation of
information information citation of
information information
accurately accurately information
accurately
Total: