Description
A. Textual Analysis (essay): Evolving Understanding of a Text (in Context)
For this assignment, you will be asked to select a “text” and actively examine it. You will then
research a question related to that text (function, history, or cultural significance of that text). You will bring
your own observations (your “individual knowledge/experience”) into conversation with at least three other
sources (“others’ knowledge/experience) to provide a larger picture of something of interest to you. One
must be an peer-reviewed source. This paper will evolve as part of a process, so preliminary writing, peer
review, and revision will be required. Concepts and language borrowed from outside sources must be clearly
cited in the text and at the end of the paper, according to MLA standards. To be successful in this unit, you
will need to keep up with this process work. Word Length: 1000 – 1250 words.
B. Writer’s. Memo: Evolving Understanding of Yourself as a Writer
In your Writer’s Memo, you will reflect on the development of your critical thinking and writing
skills, as well as yourself as a developing writer. The purpose is to help your reader gain a better
understanding of your process through the brainstorming, composing, revising and finalizing of this
assignment. You are advised to not simply repeat similar reflections from the Assignment 1’s Writer’s Memo,
instead, refer to the Writer’s Memo guiding questions to consider different aspects of your writing, and/or for
continuity, you are welcome to reflect upon growth areas as a writer from Assignment 1 to Assignment 2.
Word Length: approx. 250 words. NOTE: Please place your Writer’s Memo first (before the final essay!).
Deadlines
First Draft: due IN-CLASS on Monday November 2, 2020.
Please be ready to share your first daft with a partner during classtime for virtual feedback activities.
(No Writer’s Memo necessary for this draft.)
Final Draft: due via BLACKBOARD before Friday November 6, 2020 11:59PM.
(With Writer’s Memo.)
MLA formatting:
Please note, written assignments should conform to the following specifications. Students may need to
adjust their software settings to adhere to these requirements:
¨ Times New Roman, 12 point
¨ 1 inch margins
¨ left margin justification
¨ double-spacing
¨ last name and page number in the header
(top right)
¨ assignment information (student name, prof
name, course title, date) listed double space
top left of the page
¨ title centered
¨ Works Cited for sources.
Seee sample paper, OWL Purdue (Online Writing Lab), VCUQatar’s Writing Center for support.
File Labeling:
section 1: UNIV 111 S3 Your First Name Assign 2 section 6: UNIV 111 S6 Your First Name Assign 2
UNIV 111 S3 Your First Name Peer Review 1 section 6: UNIV 111 S6 Your First Name Peer Review 2
UNIV 111 Focused Inquiry 1
Unit 2: Text / Context
2
Criteria
There are ten points to consider for this essay. You can use the following as a checklist to help
ensure you have met all the criteria:
¨ You are to write a four to five page essay (1000 – 1250 words).
You are to write a Writer’s Memo (200 – 250 words.)
¨ You will write a narrative analytica essay on examining one text (in this, case an object)
which includes both your understanding of the object (through use, experience, memory)
and a wider researched understanding of the object (through sources).
¨ You will provide a narrative description of the object. This will be detailed and vivid.
¨ You will include at least 4 sources. For this assignment, they can be peer-reviewed
(academic), or not (i.e. blog posts, social media sources, videos, newspaper articles, etc.). You
will offer some type of summaries of 2 of the sources in the essay (their main points) that
contribute to the object’s biography. (The sources must seem credible in some way!)
¨ You must research on context (i.e. historical, cultural, social, political, etc.) to give the reader
a wider understanding of this object.
¨ Consider evolving function of the object. Consider origins.
¨ You will include your personal connection to the object.
¨ Your information will surprise yourself and thus, the reader to offer a new understanding of
th object’s biography.
¨ You will write with detail (think 5Ws and writing with the senses).
¨ You will consider the flow of the essay with an interesting “hook” to grab your reader’s
attention, with well delineated sections/main sub-topics and a conclusion that offers an
effect, thought-provoking ending. By the end we will have an increased understanding of the
topic.
Have fun and be creative!
Also, review the grading/rubric on the following page to guide you …
UNIV 111 Focused Inquiry 1
Unit 2: Text / Context
3
Grading / Rubric
The essay will be graded on the following (Excellent, Good, Satisfactory, Needs Work, Poor):
CONTENT
- Purpose: How clearly does the writer demonstrate essay objectives?
- Narrative Decription of the Object: How vividly does the writer describe the object? How
effectively does the writer illustrate the process of analyzing the text to eventually focus on the
chosen topic? - Evidence and Supporting Material (summary / in conversation): How effectively does the
writer summarize key information in 2 sources? Does the writer put the texts into a conversation
by articulating where the sources agree, disagree, and where the sources build upon each other?
Does the writer include at least 4 sources in total? - Evaluation of Sources: How effectively does the writer figure out what matters and why that
information matters in understanding the topic? Are the sources credible? Reliable? Varied? Indepth? - Source Citation: Are the sources cited correctly in-text?
- Overall Essay Arc: Is there a journey to a new and/or deeper understanding of the object by the
conclusion of the essay? - Voice: Does the writer include their personal connection to the object?
ORGANIZATION / CLARITY - Title: Does the title grab the reader’s attention?
- Structure – Introuduction: How well does the introduction “hook” the reader, show why the
topic is worth reading about, & provide some background to understand the nature of the topic? - Structure – Conclusion: Does the conclusion offer an effective, thought-provoking ending?
Does it show an increased understanding of the chosen topic? - Structure – Argument: Does the essay flow logically? Does the argument build? Are the
sections logically organized? Are the sub-topics clearly discernable?
LANGUAGE, DICTION, VOCABULARY, MECHANICS - Does the writer use varied, task and level-appropriate vocabulary?
- Does the writer evidence a control of grammar, word choice, proof-reading and mechanics?
GENERAL ASSIGNMENT REQUIREMENTS - Is the assignment the required length?
- Is the Writer’s Memo the required length?
- Does the writer adhere to MLA formatting?
- Does the writer include a Works Cited page to cite all sources?
- Did the writer participate in the peer review writing workshop?
UNIV 111 Focused Inquiry 1
Unit 2: Text / Context
4
Ideas for a Writer’s Memo
With each major assignment and the final portfolio, you will write a thoughtful statement focused on
the processes you used in writing. In the Writer’s Memo, you should discuss what worked well, what
you had problems with, how you compensated or conquered some of those problems, and questions
that remain for you. You’ll also want to express what you want the reader to know about your essay.
The Writer’s Memo is placed before the essay and includes the assignment information (the essay
does not need to duplicate this.)
The following list contains suggestions to get you started. Feel free to address issues that are not on
the list. These are suggestions, not guidelines.
- a writing challenge / difficulty
- a risk taken in the writing (something you tried for the first time, or something new, or
something that you feel is unique, or a risk) - how you tried to make the assignment your own, to mold and shape your point of view and
authority of the topic - how my personality did or did not affect the essay writing (any biases)
- a paragraph where you was especially aware of pace or syntax
- what you hope the reader learns from the writing
- where a text / instructor / peer influenced your writing
- how you tried to address to a criticism / feedback from an earlier draft
- where you broke a rule or writing convetion on purpose
- where you surrendered to your feelings to relay a message
- the mechanics and grammar that most interfered in the writing
- what most intimidated me in the assignment/process and how you dealt with this
- how you would improve the assignment if you wrote one more draft
- what you hope most readers will / will not catch
- how you hoped to make your essay distinct from others (unique)
- how you tried to offend / confuse / intimidate the reader and still get away with it
- how you tried to incorporate what you have learned in this or another class
- where my gender / family / neighborhood / city / race / century / religion / philosophy
helped me or interfered - If you had the time to write a completely different paper, what would you write?
- how you experimented with diction (word choice)
- your best claim to originality / creativity in the assignment
- any help / hindrance that you experienced while gathering evidence.
- you wanted mainly to inform / convert / wound / heal / entertain / prove…
- please don’t miss…
- the activities and/or readings that helped in class
- how a reading/discussion/piece of media from class influence your writing
- how the teacher conference(s) / peer to peer feedback / Writing Center helped
- how it felt to write this assignment / to complete the writing process from start to finish