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Oklahoma City Community College Keith Leftwich Memorial Library

English Composition I - ENGL 1113

Resources to assist students in English Composition I research and write their essays.

Requirements

  • Format: Use MLA format: 12 pt legible font, 1-inch margins, double-spaced, headers with Last Name and Page #, and a Works Cited page
  • Length: Two to three pages, six paragraphs minimum, not including the Works Cited page.
  • Quotes, paraphrases, and/or summaries in the body of your essay with correct MLA-style in-text citations
  • A Works Cited page listing all the sources that appear in the essay.

Tasks

  • Identify Your Topic: See the prompts below.
  • Gather Ideas: Use the OCCC library and other reliable sources to gather information to educate yourself on your topic and plan your analysis.
  • Establish an Outline: Create an Outline with clear thesis and structured paragraph ideas.
  • Draft and Revise: Write a rough draft and revise it.
  • Publishing: Submit a polished essay using MLA format.

Prompts

  1. Descriptive Analysis:
    • Goal: To understand the attributes of something.  
    • Prompt: Analyze an issue that impacts you in some way by explaining the complexity of the issue and detail where the issue comes from, why it is happening, and what solutions have been implemented.
    • Example: Analyzing high speed rail benefits and challenges for public transportation.

  2. Literary Analysis:
    • Goal: To understand a literary work on a deeper lever by examining its parts, context, writer’s choices, etc.
    • Prompt: Analyze a piece of media such as a book, poem, short story, song, movie, game, podcast, etc. by explaining how the media communicates its message by analyzing its structure, the context of the piece, and the writer’s choices for scene, dialogue, characters, etc.
    • Example: Analyzing a film’s use of genre conventions, dialogue, and visual symbolism to identify its deeper message.

  3. Process Analysis:
    • Goal: To understand a process
    • Prompt. Choose something that depends on a sequence or a list of actions to complete.  Analyze the steps of the task and identify problems or benefits.
    • Example: Analyzing the process of 3-D printing to determine if it can create a needed product.

Criteria for Success

Mechanics – 35 Points

EXPERT (32-35 points): Minimal or no spelling/grammatical errors. Word choice establishes authority and a scholarly, professional tone.

ACCOMPLISHED (28-31 points): Several spelling/grammatical errors, but errors do not obscure the writer’s meaning. Minor improvement needed in word choice and/or tone.

CAPABLE (25-30 points): Many spelling/grammatical errors that distract somewhat from the writer’s meaning. Improvement needed in word choice and/or tone.

BEGINNER (21-24 points): Numerous spelling/grammatical errors obscure the writer’s meaning. There are some word choice errors and/or a scholarly tone is not maintained throughout.

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT (0-21): Significant spelling/grammatical errors obscure the writer’s meaning. Multiple word choice errors, and the essay lacks a scholarly tone.

Formatting – 25 Points

EXPERT (23-25 points):  Essay is in MLA format and is 2-3 pages in length.

ACCOMPLISHED (20-22 points):  Minimal MLA formatting errors but meets minimum length requirement.

CAPABLE (18-19 points):  Some MLA formatting errors and/or is only 2 pages long.

BEGINNER (15-17 points):  Numerous formatting errors and/or is only 1-1 1/2 pages long.

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT (0-14): Significant formatting errors and/or is 1 page long or shorter.

Critical Thinking – 45 Points

EXPERT (41-45 points): Thesis is clear, reflects the purpose of the analysis. The analysis draws logical conclusions based on evidence, avoids summary when unnecessary. Key terms are defined as needed.

ACCOMPLISHED (36-40 points): Thesis is identifiable, mostly reflects the purpose of the analysis. Conclusions generally based on evidence, some paragraphs focus on summary/description instead of analysis. Most key terms are defined.

CAPABLE (32-35 points): Thesis is vague or only partially reflects the purpose of the analysis. Some conclusions are provided, evidence may be lacking. Summary or description may be overused. Key terms may not be defined.

BEGINNER (27-31 points): Thesis is unclear or minimally reflects the purpose of the analysis. The writing is predominately summary or description, is lacking analytical elements or supporting evidence.

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT (0-26): Thesis may be missing; the writing does not meet assignment requirements.

Organization – 45 Points

EXPERT (41-45 points): Intro contains a thesis statement, body paragraphs are unified & fully developed, concl. reinforces the thesis. Essay follows the correct organizational pattern.

ACCOMPLISHED (36-40 points): Intro contains identifiable thesis statement, most body paragraphs are unified and adequately developed, concl. restates the thesis. Essay generally follows correct organizational pattern.

CAPABLE (32-35 points): Intro contains a weak or unclear thesis statement, inconsistently unified &/or developed body paragraphs, concl. partially relates to the main idea. Essay inconsistently follows the correct organizational pattern.

BEGINNER (27-31 points): Intro attempts a thesis statement but it lacks clarity, body paragraphs show limited unity &/or insufficient development, concl. is minimally connected to main idea. Inconsistent organization.

NEEDS IIMPROVEMENT (0-26): Thesis indiscernible, body paragraphs lack development, concl. missing/incomplete. Essay lacks organization.

Content – 45 Points

EXPERT (41-45 points): The writing demonstrates knowledge appropriate to the assignment. The essay is unified, demonstrating understanding of the topic and the analytical points. Incorporates sources to support analysis.

ACCOMPLISHED (36-40 points): The writing mostly demonstrates knowledge appropriate to the assignment. The essay is mainly unified; understanding of the topic and the analytical points may be inconsistent. Analysis is mostly supported by evidence.

CAPABLE (32-35 points): The writing inconsistently demonstrates knowledge appropriate to the assignment. Essay unity, understanding of the topic, and the analytical points are inconsistent.

BEGINNER (27-31 points): The writing does not demonstrate knowledge appropriate to the assignment. Essay may not be unified, topic knowledge may be underdeveloped, analytical points may be unclear.

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT (0-26): The writing does not focus on analysis. Insufficient or missing support.

MLA Documentation – 30 Points

EXPERT (27-30 points): Quotes and In-text citations appear in all body paragraphs; Works Cited page and in-text citations have no errors or errors are negligible.

ACCOMPLISHED (24-26 points): Quotes and In-text citations appear in most body paragraphs. In-text citations and/or Works Cited page have minimal errors.

CAPABLE (21-23 points): Quotes and In-text citations appear in some body paragraphs. In-text citations and/or Works Cited page have some errors and/or inconsistencies.

BEGINNER (18-20 points): Quotes and In-text citations are missing in most body paragraphs. In-text citations and/or Works cited page have significant and/or repeated errors.

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT (0-17): In-text citations and/or Works Cited page are missing, incomplete, and/or errors are significant.