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Name: Essay 2: (Fiction, Poetry, or Drama)

Description: Write a short essay (750 words) that defends a thesis you developed through a close critical reading/analysis of one (or two) works listed on the syllabus. The “critical response” essay relies on textual support from the primary text (secondary sources are not required) – not plot summary to develop the student’s argument.  Do not confuse “critical analysis” with “plot summary”; the goal is to develop, sustain, and advance a thesis based on a critique of the primary text.

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	Performance Level
Introduction	Points: 15 (15%) You establish a context for the significance of your thesis in regards to the literary work as a whole. How does your argument contribute to understanding the author’s major literary/thematic concerns? What can other readers learn from your analysis? Feedback:
Thesis	Points: 15 (15%) You state your main point (or argument) in 1-2 sentences. The thesis is the culmination of your introduction. Feedback:
Organization	Points: 30 (30%) Since your focus must be on analyzing some literary motif, theme, or a combination of literary elements (such as symbolism, character, setting, etc.), your essay must contain well-structured supporting paragraphs that contain a topic sentence, quotes from the primary text (secondary sources are not required), an explanation/discussion of the significance of the quotes you use in relation to your thesis, and a concluding sentence or two that situates the entire paragraph in relation to the thesis. Your thesis will focus on some kind of critical analysis of the primary text, so your supporting paragraphs should be organized around each of the quotes you use, explaining the significance of the quotes and why (or how) they illustrate your main point, but you also need to make sure that your paragraphs contain strong transitions and at least six (or more) sentences. Feedback:
Conclusion	Points: 10 (10%) Regardless of the argument you make, you want a conclusion that avoids summarizing what you’ve just said, and please avoid writing, “In conclusion.…” Your aim in a conclusion is to place the discussion in a larger context. For example, how might your critical analysis of a literary character relate to the other characters in a work? How might your thesis be applied to other aspects of the text, say for example, setting or symbolism? Feedback:
Grammar and Mechanics	Points: 15 (15%) Your paper avoids basic grammar mistakes, such as dropped apostrophes in possessives, subject/verb disagreement, arbitrary tense switches, etc. The paper demonstrates a commitment to proofreading by avoiding easy-to-catch typos and word mistakes (effect for affect, for example). The paper adheres to MLA formatting style for in-text citations. Feedback:
Presentation	Points: 15 (15%) Your paper meets the minimum length criteria of 750 words, is typed with a title and your name on it. You follow your individual professor’s instructions for formatting (margins, placement of the name, etc). Feedback:

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Introduction—

Levels of Achievement:

Performance Level 15 (15%) points

You establish a context for the significance of your thesis in regards to the literary work as a whole. How does your argument contribute to understanding the author’s major literary/thematic concerns? What can other readers learn from your analysis?

Feedback:

Thesis—

Levels of Achievement:

Performance Level 15 (15%) points

You state your main point (or argument) in 1-2 sentences. The thesis is the culmination of your introduction.

Feedback:

Organization—

Levels of Achievement:

Performance Level 30 (30%) points

Since your focus must be on analyzing some literary motif, theme, or a combination of literary elements (such as symbolism, character, setting, etc.), your essay must contain well-structured supporting paragraphs that contain a topic sentence, quotes from the primary text (secondary sources are not required), an explanation/discussion of the significance of the quotes you use in relation to your thesis, and a concluding sentence or two that situates the entire paragraph in relation to the thesis. Your thesis will focus on some kind of critical analysis of the primary text, so your supporting paragraphs should be organized around each of the quotes you use, explaining the significance of the quotes and why (or how) they illustrate your main point, but you also need to make sure that your paragraphs contain strong transitions and at least six (or more) sentences.

Feedback:

Conclusion—

Levels of Achievement:

Performance Level 10 (10%) points

Regardless of the argument you make, you want a conclusion that avoids summarizing what you’ve just said, and please avoid writing, “In conclusion.…” Your aim in a conclusion is to place the discussion in a larger context. For example, how might your critical analysis of a literary character relate to the other characters in a work? How might your thesis be applied to other aspects of the text, say for example, setting or symbolism?

Feedback:

Grammar and Mechanics—

Levels of Achievement:

Performance Level 15 (15%) points

Your paper avoids basic grammar mistakes, such as dropped apostrophes in possessives, subject/verb disagreement, arbitrary tense switches, etc. The paper demonstrates a commitment to proofreading by avoiding easy-to-catch typos and word mistakes (effect for affect, for example). The paper adheres to MLA formatting style for in-text citations.

Feedback:

Presentation—

Levels of Achievement:

Performance Level 15 (15%) points

Your paper meets the minimum length criteria of 750 words, is typed with a title and your name on it. You follow your individual professor’s instructions for formatting (margins, placement of the name, etc).

Feedback:

Name:Essay 2: (Fiction, Poetry, or Drama)

Description:Write a short essay (750 words) that defends a thesis you developed through a close critical reading/analysis of one (or two) works listed on the syllabus. The “critical response” essay relies on textual support from the primary text (secondary sources are not required) – not plot summary to develop the student’s argument.  Do not confuse “critical analysis” with “plot summary”; the goal is to develop, sustain, and advance a thesis based on a critique of the primary text.

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