University of Memphis / ENGL 1010

Discourse Analysis EssayEvaluation

Criteria / Excellent / Proficient / Basic / Below Expectations / Points
Content / ––Provides a rich, insightful explanation of the discourse community’s purpose, goals, processes, language practices, and attitudes
––Uses details, examples, descriptions, and interpretation to skillfully develop and support key observations (“So what?”) about the group
––Incorporates course readings effectively to enrich the analysis of the group and its participants / ––Provides an accurate, interesting description of the discourse community
––Uses examples, explanations and analysis to develop and support thoughtful observations about the group and its language use
––Incorporates course readings to adequately support key insights about the group’s purpose, goals, processes, practices, and attitudes / ––Provides an accurate but not richly detailed description of the discourse community
––Uses some examples, explanations, and analysis to support observations
––Incorporatessome course readings to support insights about the community’s purpose, goals, processes, practices, and attitudes / ––Provides an incomplete or inaccurate analysis of a discourse community
––Uses few examples, explanations, and analysis to support observations
––Incorporates few or no course readings to support claims about the subject of the portrait / x/30
Organization / ––Introduces the discourse community and its study by providingessential, interesting background information
––Presents information in logical, interesting patterns that highlight the group’s purpose, goals,language practices, processes, and attitudes
––Includes smooth transitions to connect key points
––Ending convincingly articulates the significance of the writer’s insights / ––Introduces the discourse community and its study with sufficient background information
––Arranges information in a logical pattern to convey key observations about the community
––Includes transitions to connect key points or parts of the analysis
––Ending fully articulates the writer’s major insight(s) / ––Introduces the discourse community and its study with some background information
––Presents information in an understandable way
––Includes occasional transitions to connect key parts of the portrait
––Ending states the writer’s key insights about the group’s purpose, goals, processes, practices, and attitudes / ––Little introduction to the discourse community or its study
––Information presented haphazardly
––Few or no transitions to connect key parts of the portrait
––Ending offers little insight into the writer’s key points / x/30
Reader Awareness / ––Provides pertinent, interesting, detailedexplanations and perceptive analysis for readers interested––and aware of research––in writing studies / ––Provides sufficient explanations and analysisfor readers interested––and aware of research––in writing studies / ––Provides some explanation and analysis for readers interested––and aware of research––in writing studies / ––Demonstrates littleawareness of the expectations of readers interested––and aware of research––in writing studies / x/20
Sentence Structure, Wording,
Editing / ––Analysis has been carefully, effectively proofread; few, if any, minor errors.
––Word choices are rich, varied, apt
––Varied, complex sentence structures effectively utilized for deliberate rhetorical and stylistic effects / ––Analysis has been carefully proofread; only minor errors.
––Word choices are thoughtful andappropriate
––Varied, complex sentence structures / ––Analysis has been adequately proofread; few major errors, fewer minor errors.
––Word choices are apt
––Varied sentence structures / ––Analysis has been ineffectively proofread; distracting number of errors
––Word choices are often inaccurate or ineffectively incorporated
––Little sentence structure variation; mostly simple declarative sentences / x/20

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