IDS 101 IEssay 3Due: Apr. 17

In your first essay you used narrative and description to develop an idea. The second essay required you to focus on analysis. Your third essay will require you to synthesize information. You’ll still get to use narrative and description to develop ideas. You’ll need to do some analysis to write the paper, but the major task of this essay is to make connections. We’ve designed topics that will also allow you to use your imagination. We hope this paper is enjoyable for you to write and for us to read. The essay should be about 750 to 1000 words. Put page numbers in parenthesis to indicate quoted or paraphrased material. Note that some topics require quotation or paraphrase. Include a works cited page, if needed, using any format with which you are familiar.

Choose one of the following topics.

  1. Take on the point of view of an author we have read. Write as if you are De La Salle, Ben Carson, Thomas More, or Dorothy Day. Speaking in that person’s voice, observe a real-world situation. For example, as Dorothy Day, write about a situation involving poverty and/or community or as de la Salle, write about the classroom of a primary or secondary school. To give your work authenticity, from time to time quote or paraphrase the author whose voice you are adopting.
  2. Write an essay describing a substantive problem or decision that you are working on in your personal life. Incorporate into your essay thoughts raised by Carter’s book and how his ideas may relate to your problem-solving and/or decision-making process. Attempt to resolve your question or problem.
  1. Write a conversation between Dorothy Day, De La Salle, Thomas More and yourself on private property. Try to ground your essay in the assigned readings by the three authors. Your opinion may certainly disagree with, or oppose the opinions of the three authors we have read. This should NOT be a paper where Thomas More’s opinion on private property is presented, followed by the opinion of de la Salle, followed by the opinion of Dorothy Day, and finally followed by your opinion. More might make an initial statement about private property. Then, you (your character) might tell him a bit about the history of democracy and capitalism since his death. Then your information might elicit something from de la Salle. One important thing about writing this paper is that you must understand each author’s position on private property before you begin. Since More’s time was earlier than the times of the other authors, it may facilitate things to start with More.

Rubric for Synthesis Essay

AThese essays offer an exceptionally thoughtful and insightful synthesis of ideas, whether the connections are explicitly presented in an expository essay or implied in a creative piece. The writers of these essays offer a range of approaches to the topic, but all demonstrate a strong sense of purpose and direction. Elements of the essay are convincingly related to the purpose, and each part is effectively developed with apt examples, anecdotes, and descriptive details. Supporting details are concrete, specific and relevant to the meaning. "A" essays are carefully shaped, with an engaging beginning, a well developed and effectively organized mid-section, and a conclusion that states or suggests the significance of the essay. The writing in these essays is clear, controlled, and stylistically effective. Diction is vivid, precise, and appropriate to audience and subject matter. Sentence structure is mature and varied, and the writing shows consistent command of grammar and mechanics. In short, the "A" essay is excellent in content, coherence, development, style, and editing.

BThese essays offer a thoughtful and insightful synthesis, though the thinking may be less original than that in the "A" paper. The writers of these essays offer a range of approaches to the topic, but all demonstrate a clear sense of purpose and direction. Elements of the essay are related to the purpose, and each part includes appropriate examples, anecdotes, and descriptive details. Supporting details may be less effectively developed than those in the "A" essays, but they are concrete, specific, and relevant to meaning. "B" essays are generally well shaped, but they may have less engaging or forceful introductions or conclusions than the "A" essays. Though some parts of the paper may be less effective than others, focus and organization are clear throughout. The writing is clear and appropriate to audience and subject, though these papers tend to be less sophisticated in style than the "A" papers. Diction is less vivid, sentence structure is less varied, and there may be occasional errors in grammar and mechanics. Though they are less consistently excellent, these essays reflect a high level of accomplishment and exhibit many qualities in common with the "A" paper.

C These essays offer a clear synthesis of ideas, but the writers approach the topic in predictable ways. The connections established in the essay are superficial or obvious. The essays demonstrate some sense of purpose, but pursue it with little originality or energy. The writer includes adequate supporting details that are relevant to meaning, but their development may be perfunctory, repetitious, or sketchy. "C" essays are shaped in predictable ways. The introduction makes little attempt to engage the reader, the mid-section is mechanically organized, and the conclusion is perfunctory. The writing is generally clear, but undistinguished. Language is occasionally vague or clichéd. Sentence structure is monotonous and occasionally awkward. There may be some distracting errors in grammar and mechanics, but the writing is basically correct. "C" essays show an acceptable level of thought and expression, but they do not demonstrate the lively insight or interesting style that could lift them to a higher level.

D These essays attempt a synthesis of ideas, but do not develop it adequately. The connections offered by the writers are unclear or illogical. The purpose may be vague. Parts of the essay may be unclearly related to the purpose or to each other. Examples are vague and general rather than concrete and specific, and their relevance to the meaning is not clearly established. "D" essays are poorly shaped. The introduction is often badly focused, the mid-section contains confusing shifts in direction, and the conclusion may be irrelevant or missing entirely. The writing is unclear or otherwise inadequate. Word choice may be confusing or inappropriate to audience or subject. Sentence structure is ungrammatical or awkward enough to interfere with meaning. These papers often contain repeated errors in grammar and mechanics. The "D" paper is below average in thought, expression, or both.

FThese essays often fail to meet the criteria of the assignment (subject matter, length, etc.). They may be unorganized to the point of incoherence. Errors in grammar and mechanics are so serious, frequent, or distracting that the essay fails to communicate its ideas.