Later in this course, you will be writing three essays, using the full writing process from invention through drafting and revision. You will also be writing responses to discussion topics. For Unit 1, however, you will not be working on any major essay just yet. Instead, you will begin with a smaller task, practicing the construction of a single effective paragraph, from topic sentence through supporting details, to concluding sentence, all with an eye toward good paragraph structure, self-expression, grammatical correctness, and flow.
To that end, for this assignment you will select an article of interest from those described in the List of Approved Articles for Writing and consider an idea expressed by the author that captures your attention and speaks to your interests.
For instance, if you have an interest in technology and the Internet, you might choose an article from the list such as:
The List of Approved Articles for Writing contains many exciting articles that appeal to a wide range of interests, so be sure to review it thoroughly. Also take the time to browse in the textbook itself the contents of the articles that seem appealing to you before you make a choice.
Before beginning this assignment, carefully and very thoroughly read through the Paragraph Your Passion Scoring Guide. Read and comprehend all categories in the scoring guide, asking your instructor if you have any questions about any element of these criteria.
To complete this assignment:
You are also strongly encouraged to make use of Smarthinking, which is a free service provided to you as a Capella learner. Smarthinking allows you to submit any writing assignment for a free review from a qualified tutor. If you would like to use this excellent tool, click the link in the Resources section.
Due Date: End of Unit 1.
Percentage of Course Grade: 5%.
CRITERIA | NON-PERFORMANCE | BASIC | PROFICIENT | DISTINGUISHED |
---|---|---|---|---|
Apply accepted conventions of paragraph composition, such as structure, flow, and details about personal, professional, or academic interests in a topic. 50% |
Does not apply accepted conventions of composing a paragraph in explaining personal, professional, or academic interests. | Applies conventions of composing a paragraph in explaining personal, professional, or academic interests, but composition lacks structure, flow, or detail. | Applies accepted conventions of paragraph composition, such as structure, flow, and details about personal, professional, or academic interests in a topic. | Applies accepted conventions of composing a paragraph in explaining personal, professional, or academic interests in a unique, expressive manner that appeals to the reader. |
Identify an approved professional article in the textbook that addresses topics of personal, professional, or academic interest. 20% |
Does not locate an approved professional article in the textbook that addresses topics of personal, professional, or academic interest. | Locates an approved professional article in the textbook, but it is not clearly relevant to topics of personal, professional, or academic interest. | Identifies an approved professional article in the textbook that addresses topics of personal, professional, or academic interest. | Identifies an approved professional article in the textbook that addresses topics of personal, professional, or academic interest and that provides a detailed perspective on the topic. |
Apply proper academic writing conventions of grammar, spelling, and APA document formatting. 30% |
Does not apply proper academic writing conventions of grammar, spelling, and APA document formatting. | Applies some academic writing conventions of grammar, spelling, and APA document formatting, but includes includes persistent errors. | Applies proper academic writing conventions of grammar, spelling, and APA document formatting. | Applies proper academic writing conventions of grammar, spelling, and APA formatting and citation style consistently and without errors. |
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