English Writing PT2
COMPETENCIES TO MASTER
· Can identify commonalities in texts from different places, cultures and time periods
· Can identify differences in texts from diverse places, cultures and time periods
· Can write a five-paragraph essay
Overview
The five-paragraph essay is a useful way to organize and express your ideas. It provides a framework that helps you establish a position or thesis and support it with evidence. For this Project, you will write a five-paragraph argumentative essay comparing and contrasting two famous speeches.
Directions
Write a five-paragraph argumentative essay that compares and contrasts two speeches by Elie Wiesel and Susan B. Anthony.
1. First, read through the resources “Thesis Statements,” “Body Paragraphs” and “Conclusions” to learn how to construct your essay.
2. Then, read or watch both speeches several times.You may want to take notes on the most important points of each speech as you read.
3. Next, analyze each speech by considering the following: What are the themes or topics of each speech? How are the speeches similar? How are the speeches different?
4. Then, organize your essay.
o Begin your essay with a paragraph that introduces what you plan to show in your essay and includes a thesis statement. Be sure that your thesis statement presents a debatable argument rather than simply restating facts about your chosen texts.
o Use the second, third and fourth paragraphs to explain the similarities and differences between the speeches. Use specific examples from the texts to support your points.
o Use the final paragraph to synthesize the information you presented in the previous paragraphs by restating your thesis and succinctly explaining how you have proven your thesis in your paper.
5. Proofread your work to correct for errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation or mechanics before you submit it.
Note: You do not need to do research for this essay, but all sources, quotations and paraphrases from the texts must be cited using APA format.
DELIVERABLES
· Compare and Contrast Essay
Five paragraphs
Accepted File Types: .doc, .docx, .odt, .rtf, .txt, .pdf
|
Criteria |
|
|
Begins with an introduction that clearly introduces the topic |
|
|
Introduction contains a clear thesis statement |
|
|
Expresses a separate and distinct idea in each paragraph |
|
|
Supports thesis with examples or other evidence |
|
|
Identifies and discusses meaningful similarities in the two speeches being compared, citing specific examples |
|
|
Identifies and discusses meaningful differences in the two speeches being compared, citing specific examples |
|
|
Writing is clear, with no major errors |
|
|
Ends with a conclusion that synthesizes the ideas in the essay |
|
|
Any sources of information are cited using APA format, with no major errors |
|
Reading Materials
https://web.archive.org/web/20150310071020/http://www.sojust.net/speeches/elie_wiesel_perils.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldylvNscW54
https://web.archive.org/web/20150217081949/http://www.sojust.net/speeches/susananthony.html
http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/paragraphs/
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/685/05/
http://www.biography.com/people/elie-wiesel-9530714
