Exploratory Essay Guidelines

EVALUATION FOR EXPLORATORY ESSAY

The following list of criteria is based on the key features for writing an effective Exploratory Essay described on your assignment sheet and on the strategies for producing effective academic writing discussed in class.

Title: Does your title forecast the issue or problem your essay examines and make readers want to read on?

Exceptional__ _____ Proficient__ X ______ Needs Work__ ____

Opening move: Describes the problem, why it is worth pursuing, why it is problematic, why the writer, as the investigator, is interested in it; in other words, it hooks the reader. Is this a stylized intro?

Exceptional___ ____ Proficient__ X _____ Needs Work__ ____

Considers alternative views and plays them off against each other. As Ramage and Bean point out, "the essential move of an exploratory essay is to consider multiple solutions to a problem" (165). [Moves through sources, both embracing and discarding arguments and information.]

Exceptional____ X __ Proficient_ _ _____ Needs Work___ _ ___

Organization: The essay should include logical organization. The reader should be able to understand each section of your essay, as well as how each section relates

Exceptional_______ Proficient___ X _____ Needs Work__ ____

Offers new, relevant input and responds to it thoughtfully. In other words, the writer summarizes and explains the new input (from a book, article, interview) and then analyzes and evaluates it, playing the believing and doubting game and exploring how this new input affects her or his thinking. The author repeats this process several times.

Exceptional__ _____ Proficient___ X _____ Needs Work__ ____

Integrates source material into essay correctly and effectively so that all borrowed facts, ideas, and words are documented and quotes are not left hanging. (Draws from a minimum of 5-6 relevant sources; limits use of internet sources.) Be sure citations are correct! Embrace the OWL at Purdue! http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/

Exceptional_______ Proficient___ _____ Needs Work__ ____

Style: The author's writing demonstrates careful editing with attention to stylistic choices such as use of strong verbs, use of attributive tags, strategic use of punctuation and unified paragraphs. Writer uses logos, pathos, and ethos to give their writing depth.

Exceptional_______ Proficient___ X _____ Needs Work_ __

Proofreading: The essay demonstrates careful proofreading and does not contain serious errors in spelling or punctuation (in particular, comma splice errors, sentence fragments, misused semicolons or colons). Awkward phrasing also falls into this category.

Exceptional_______ Proficient__ X ___ Needs Work_ _ _

Closing is satisfying to reader, explaining how the process of exploration has affected the writer's thinking on the issue under investigation. This conclusion must, above all, NOT summarize the essay. It must show movement towards, and hopefully include, the thesis.

Exceptional_______ Proficient____ X ____ Needs Work__ ____

Works cited list is complete and correct (double-spaced and in alphabetical order). Again, make sure these are correct!

Proficient___ X _____ Needs Work__ ____

MLA format?

Proficient__ X ______ Needs Work_____