SSCI 316 Final Essay Paper Rubric:

  EXCEPTIONAL (4) COMMENDABLE (3) ACCEPTABLE (2) UNACCEPTABLE (1)
ORGANIZATION Introduction HIGHLY ENGAGING introduction provides THOUGHTFUL background ENGAGING introduction provides RELEVANT background information Introduction provides SOME relevant background information. . Introduction provides LIMITED and/or IRRELEVANT background information. TOO BRIEF.
Body ALL body paragraphs develop a single topic, have topic sentences and CLEAR transitions allowing the paper to FLOW LOGICALLY. FOCUSED and CONTROLLED. MOST body paragraphs develop a single topic, have topic sentences and transitions allowing the paper to FLOW LOGICALLY, FOCUSED AND COTROLLED. MOST body paragraphs develop a single topic, have topic sentences, but information appears as UNCONNECTED CHUNKS. Paragraphs still have a sense of logical order. MANY body paragraphs LACK topic sentences or topic sentences and body content do not always match. MANY body paragraphs develop more than one topic. Paragraphs DO NOT follow a LOGICAL order. Poorly organized.
Conclusion INSIGHTFUL conclusion revisits thesis and main points. CONVINCINGLY PERSUASIVE. Conclusion revisits thesis and main points. PERSUASIVE. Conclusion revisits thesis and main points. It does what it has to—but PERSUASIVE. POOR conclusion does not revisit thesis, and main points and/or conclusion are omitted.
CONTENT

Thesis

INTRIGUING AND FOCUSED Thesis CLEARLY shapes purpose of paper and matches the content. Conveys an ATTITUDE in support or against. FOCUSED thesis shapes purpose of paper and matches content. Conveys an ATTITUDE in support or against. Thesis ADEQUATELY shapes purpose of paper and matches content but is only a list. BEGINS to convey an ATTITUDE. Thesis FAILS to shape purpose of paper and/or does not match the content of the paper. Thesis is CONFUSED or FACTUAL or is NOT PROVEN.
Research Multiple sources SKILLFULLY interwoven in body paragraphs demonstrating RELEVANT, THOROUGH, and SOPHISTICATED support of thesis. Writer manages information well and avoids redundancy and reliance on direct quotes. Multiple sources CONSISTENTLY interwoven in body paragraphs demonstrating RELEVANT and THOROUGH support of thesis. Writer manages the information and avoids redundancy and reliance on direct quotes. MOST information supports the thesis by using a SINGLE source per body paragraph. Info. is STACKED, LISTED, REDUNDANT, or CONTINUALLY PARAPHRASED. Some reliance on direct quotes. SOME information supports the thesis, but information is LIMITED, IRRELEVANT, REDUNDANT, WEAK or INACCURATE. Paper exhibits information dumping. Heavy reliance on direct quotes.
Voice Paragraphs show SKILLFUL integration of student’s own words with researched info. ELOQUENT word choice and transitions. ALL body paragraphs end with student’s observation or conclusion. Shows a CLEAR understanding of the topic Paragraphs show BALANCE between student voice and researched info. Body paragraphs end with student’s observations or conclusion. Analysis of info shows and understanding of the topic. There is SOME student voice integrated with researched info. Analysis of info shows SOME understanding of the topic. Paragraph conclusions are quotes or are missing. No student interpretation is evident. Analysis of info. shows a LACK of understanding of the topic. Much of the paper is written in “I,” “YOU,” or “WE.”
Mechanics Grammar, word usage, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure errors RARELY occur, but DO NOT OBSCURE MEANING. Grammar, word usage, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure errors SELDOM occur, but DO NOT OBSCURE MEANING. Grammar, word usage, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure errors OCCASIONALLY occur, but DON’T OBSCURE MEANING Grammar, word usage, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure errors FREQUENTLY occur and OBSCURE MEANING.
Work Cited Works cited page properly formatted. Works cited page has very few errors Works cited page has many errors. Works cited page is missing or improperly formatted.
Paper Length Over and above requirement. At or slightly above requirement. Below requirement. Extremely below requirement.

Instructions: This paper must follow a format of your choice (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc)  You will select a subject of your choice that relates to the class and take a position in support or against, and argue it with documentation of no less than 4 peer reviewed (scholarly) articles and 2 resources from class (textbook is fine or anything in learning modules). There is a 900 word minimum and NO maximum words on this assignment. You must have a title page and a works cited page, with 4-5 pages on the body of the essay. (always double spaced)

 

The due date is March 16, 2020 at 11:59pm with absolutely NO extensions under any circumstances because grades must be posted on time with the registrar. This is the last possible date you can turn in the essay.  The essay is worth 250 points, so do the best job you can.

 

Suggestions for subject matter:

 

  • Has Institutional Racism held minorities back from success?
  • How does Economic Racism work? Does it actually exist?
  • Is Cultural Relativism important? Are some things taboo no matter what culture practices them?
  • Should we forget the past of slavery and racism and make our own way at this juncture?
  • Is everyone equal in America? Is the American Dream within reach for everyone? Why or why not?
  • Is it wrong for people to be LGBTQ or gender fluid? Is it a choice or are we “born that way”?
  • Do men do a better job at running the country? Why or why not?
  • Should women get equal pay for equal work?
  • Do religions cause racism?
  • Is Islamaphobia racist or justified?
  • Is racism a mental illness or a choice? Or something else?
  • Are we in a Post Racial society or not even close?
  • Were the Aztecs savages?
  • Are Native Americans still here?
  • Should English be the only language we speak in America?
  • Is there such a thing as Reverse Racism?
  • Does White Privilege exist?
  • What kinds of racism exist?
  • What is Critical Race Theory?
  • What is Intersectionality?
  • Does Genetic Racism exist? What is it?
  • How did Eugenics shape our ideas about race?
  • Is racism ever justified?
  • What are the differences between a Holocaust and Genocide? Discuss a few.
  • How did Cortez manage to take over Tenochtitlan?
  • Discuss your favorite black intellectuals. Why have they been ignored in the history books?
  • Discuss why Ethnic Studies is so often banned or left out of American History classes.
  • Choose your own favorite idea or question!