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Analytical Essay
Length: 750 Words
Jennine Capó Crucet's Make Your Home Among Strangers takes Lizet Ramirez's first year of college as its subject. Readers encounter Lizet contemplating her decisions and reacting to her surroundings. In response to reading such a novel during what may be your first semester at New York Tech, you will formulate a thesis statement that responds to one of the following questions, which you will support with your analysis of quotations from the novel.
1. How would Lizet’s experience differ if she attended college today? Why are these differences significant?
2. Focus on one page in the novel and what it teaches us about Lizet. Read the page aloud. Think about the significance of the words Crucet uses. How does their meaning change as you read the page in different ways?
3. Consider Lizet's experience with academic integrity. How might she have made different decisions if she were more informed about citation practices? What advice would you give her regarding college today and AI?
The structure of your paragraphs should follow the example of the sandwich paragraph in Understanding Rhetoric.
You can build from your blog postings or class work, but make sure that your essay reads fluidly.
Use of AI is not permitted.
In your rough and final drafts, you are required to include screenshots of all quotations in your essay, which contain the page numbers. If you summarize or paraphrase a passage in a text, citing the page number, you must also include a screenshot of this passage. You can paste the screenshots after your list of works cited. You can also attach an entire article with passages highlighted.
Your essay must demonstrate correct use of MLA style and a correctly formatted list of works cited, including the course text you are addressing. While you are not required to consult additional sources, you must cite all sources that you consult, including web pages. Use parenthetical citations to acknowledge when quoting or citing others’ ideas. It is plagiarism to use others’ words or ideas without citing them.
Remember, you do not need to summarize course texts in your essay. Assume your readers have read the novel and only tell them what they need to know to understand your points.
Your essay must be typed and double-spaced in twelve-point Times New Roman font.
Submit your rough draft and final drafts as Word documents on Canvas.
Developing Your Argument
Essay Structure
Assessment Rubric
Your essay will be assessed using the following criteria:
Exceptional.
Strong.
Satisfactory. The essay is reasonably focused, and explanations or analyses are mostly based on examples or other evidence. Fewer connections are made between ideas, and though new insights are offered, they are not fully developed. The essay reflects moderate engagement with the topic. It contains errors in grammar, punctuation, or MLA style (and the list of works cited).
Underdeveloped. The essay is mostly description or summary, without consideration of alternative perspectives, and few connections are made between ideas. The post reflects passing engagement with the topic. It contains many errors in grammar, punctuation, or MLA style.
Limited. The essay is unfocused and does not display evidence of student engagement with the topic.
No Credit. The essay is missing or consists of disconnected sentences. It demonstrates plagiarism: presenting others' ideas as your own, pasting content from sources (including websites), or drawing on such content without citing it.
Adapted from https://www.chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/a-rubric-for-evaluating-student-blogs/27196
Analytical Essay
Length: 750 Words
Jennine Capó Crucet's Make Your Home Among Strangers takes Lizet Ramirez's first year of college as its subject. Readers encounter Lizet contemplating her decisions and reacting to her surroundings. In response to reading such a novel during what may be your first semester at New York Tech, you will formulate a thesis statement that responds to one of the following questions, which you will support with your analysis of quotations from the novel.
1. How would Lizet’s experience differ if she attended college today? Why are these differences significant?
2. Focus on one page in the novel and what it teaches us about Lizet. Read the page aloud. Think about the significance of the words Crucet uses. How does their meaning change as you read the page in different ways?
3. Consider Lizet's experience with academic integrity. How might she have made different decisions if she were more informed about citation practices? What advice would you give her regarding college today and AI?
The structure of your paragraphs should follow the example of the sandwich paragraph in Understanding Rhetoric.
You can build from your blog postings or class work, but make sure that your essay reads fluidly.
Use of AI is not permitted.
In your rough and final drafts, you are required to include screenshots of all quotations in your essay, which contain the page numbers. If you summarize or paraphrase a passage in a text, citing the page number, you must also include a screenshot of this passage. You can paste the screenshots after your list of works cited. You can also attach an entire article with passages highlighted.
Your essay must demonstrate correct use of MLA style and a correctly formatted list of works cited, including the course text you are addressing. While you are not required to consult additional sources, you must cite all sources that you consult, including web pages. Use parenthetical citations to acknowledge when quoting or citing others’ ideas. It is plagiarism to use others’ words or ideas without citing them.
Remember, you do not need to summarize course texts in your essay. Assume your readers have read the novel and only tell them what they need to know to understand your points.
Your essay must be typed and double-spaced in twelve-point Times New Roman font.
Submit your rough draft and final drafts as Word documents on Canvas.
Developing Your Argument
- Select quotations to analyze. You only need to quote when the language of the quotation matters to your argument. Otherwise, you can put a quotation in your own words.
- As you return to the text, formulate an argument by asking what links the evidence you selected. Ask yourself how they differ from each other and from other moments. These questions will allow you to answer why each instance is significant to the novel.
- Also consider the form and style of the examples you select. Analyze the word choice and tone. Where in the novel do the instances that you note take place? Why is this significant?
- Be creative and take intellectual risks. Show readers of your essay what you want them to see. Remember that each reader interprets a text differently.
Essay Structure
- As you plan your essay, consider analyzing two to three quotations or examples per paragraph. If quotations are more than four lines in length, they need to be indented as a block quotation. Be selective and only quote the words, phrases, or lines necessary to your argument. In addition, fully analyze the quotations you have selected.
- Your introductory paragraph should introduce your claim and why it is significant. Remember that your introduction can change until the last minute; often, it is a good technique to make your conclusion your introduction.
- Each topic sentence should assert the argument in the body paragraph it begins. Your analysis in each paragraph should support the topic sentence. The topic sentence of each paragraph should support your claim in the introduction.
- The conclusion of your essay does not need to repeat what you have already said. In light of what you have argued, make a connection to a larger context and suggest ideas for further research.
Assessment Rubric
Your essay will be assessed using the following criteria:
Exceptional.
- A thought-provoking essay, clearly written and carefully argued, demonstrating creativity and thorough engagement with texts.
- The essay supports a focused thesis, considering its implications.
- The essay reflects careful reading of texts and interpretation of evidence. Quotations are analyzed and incorporated effectively, functioning as a part of sentences.
- The topic sentences support the thesis and state what each paragraph argues.
- The essay demonstrates creativity in its approach to the subject.
- The sentences throughout demonstrate clear, engaging use of language.
- The essay's title draws in readers, introducing them to the essay's argument.
- The conclusion draws the argument to a close, makes a connection to a new context, and suggests directions for future research.
- The essay demonstrates correct use of grammar, punctuation, and MLA style for in-text citations and the list of works cited
Strong.
- The essay contains a thesis, supported by analysis of quotations and examples.
- The implications of the thesis could be considered further.
- The organization of ideas could be stronger.
- The quotations could be more fully analyzed.
- The conclusion could consider further future directions for research.
- The topic sentences could more effectively address what each paragraph argues.
- The essay could demonstrate further revision and proofreading, including the use of MLA style for in-text citations and the list of works cited.
Satisfactory. The essay is reasonably focused, and explanations or analyses are mostly based on examples or other evidence. Fewer connections are made between ideas, and though new insights are offered, they are not fully developed. The essay reflects moderate engagement with the topic. It contains errors in grammar, punctuation, or MLA style (and the list of works cited).
Underdeveloped. The essay is mostly description or summary, without consideration of alternative perspectives, and few connections are made between ideas. The post reflects passing engagement with the topic. It contains many errors in grammar, punctuation, or MLA style.
Limited. The essay is unfocused and does not display evidence of student engagement with the topic.
No Credit. The essay is missing or consists of disconnected sentences. It demonstrates plagiarism: presenting others' ideas as your own, pasting content from sources (including websites), or drawing on such content without citing it.
Adapted from https://www.chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/a-rubric-for-evaluating-student-blogs/27196