TOPIC: THE MILITARY AFFECTING ONE’S MENTAL HEALTH
You agree that the military affects one’s mental health so you will persuade your audience on this issue and support your stance with credible evidence.
For this assignment, you have traditional and creative options. Choose what will challenge your writing and what would be appropriate for your topic and field:
Traditional 5 paragraph essay with 1 paragraph introduction, 3 body paragraphs, and 1 paragraph conclusion.
Op-ed newspaper article.
Blog post.
Guidelines:
In order to persuade the audience to accept the position you are advocating in this paper, you will use different kinds of appeals:
ethos (which involves the credibility of the speaker, writer, or authority being cited);
logos (which involves facts, statistics, and logic); and
pathos (which involves emotions).
A good persuasive argument uses credible sources, objective evidence, and emotional “hooks” to make use of logos, ethos, and pathos respectively.
Be sure your thesis statement is very clear. It should be a single complete sentence, including both a subject and a predicate, that combine to make claim. Example: “The USA should be more competitive in establishing a presence on Mars.”
Your introduction paragraph should include a “hook” to grab the reader’s attention. The thesis statement is typically seen in the first paragraph. Your body paragraphs will support the thesis. You should use credible sources and cite them according to the style of your discipline. Your conclusion should reiterate the strongest points from your paper and give the audience something to consider, moving forward.
Requirements:
PURPOSE: To persuade
AUDIENCE: The applicable audience for the type of document you’ve chosen to write.
LENGTH: 500 – 750 words (Times New Roman font)
SOURCES: A minimum of 3 from a professional journal or organization
FORMAT: APA
Use only third person (he/she/they) for a more professional tone. Avoid first person (I, my, us, we) and second person (you and your) in your essay.
ENGL110
Essay Rubric
Proficient
Skilled
Developing
Novice
Score
Essay Setup
5%
Paper is formatted in
perfect MLA, APA, or
Chicago style
(margins, spacing,
header, etc.).
1-2 Errors in
formatting
exist.
3-4 Errors in
formatting exist.
Inconsistent
formatting or no
discernible pattern.
Introduction
10%
Introduction is
engaging, properly
introduces the thesis
statement, and is well
developed.
Introduction is
engaging and
relates to the
thesis but is too
short or
missing
elements that
connect it
organically to
the thesis.
Introduction is mildly
engaging, somewhat
relates to the
thesis, too short,
and is missing
elements that
connect it
organically to the
thesis.
Introduction is not
engaging or
related to the
thesis. No serious
attempt.
Thesis
10%
Thesis clearly
articulates the
position, scope, and
specific elements that
will be covered in the
essay.
Thesis
articulates the
position, scope,
and specific
elements that
will be covered
in the essay
with some
challenges in
wording/focus.
Thesis is attempted
but has issues with
clarity.
Thesis is
irrelevant, unclear,
too narrow, or too
broad. No serious
attempt.
Topic
Sentences
10%
All body
paragraphs’ topic
sentences
coordinate closely
with the thesis.
All body
paragraphs’
topic sentences
coordinate
loosely with the
thesis, or most
of the topic
sentences relate
directly.
Body paragraphs’
topic sentences are
generic or indirectly
connected with
thesis.
Characterized by
weak transitions.
Weak transitions
and indirect
connections
characterize
poorly-constructed
topic sentences.
Body
Paragraphs
15%
All body paragraphs
are well developed.
All sentences support
their respective topic
sentences.
Body
paragraphs are
fairly
developed. Most
sentences
support their
respective topic
sentences.
Only one body
paragraph is
developed. Some
sentences support
their respective topic
sentences.
Body paragraphs
are present but
are too short and
do not support
their respective
topic sentences.
Grammar
20%
There are no
grammatical errors.
1-2
grammatical
errors/patterns
present, but
they do not
hinder
readability of
text.
3-5 grammatical
errors/patterns
present; mild
disruption of
readability of text.
6 or more
grammatical errors
present that
disrupt
understanding of
text.
Conclusion
10%
Conclusion is
effective, paraphrases
the thesis, and is
well developed.
Conclusion is
effective and
paraphrases the
thesis but is too
short.
Conclusion is mildly
effective, somewhat
paraphrases the
thesis, and is too
short.
Conclusion is not
effective, does
not paraphrase the
thesis, and is too
short.
In-text
Citations
10%
Signal phrases and
parenthetical
references (when
required) indicate
clearly when the
ideas, constructions,
methods, or “exact”
words of others are
used. All are
formatted according
to citation style.
Signal phrases
and
parenthetical
references are
generally, but
not perfectly,
used according
to appropriate
citation style.
Signal phrases or
parenthetical
references are
attempted but
inconsistent; may
not be formatted to
align with citation
style.
Signal phrases and
parenthetical
references are
lacking and don’t
align with citation
style.
References or
Works Cited
10%
Students correctly
and appropriately
used requisite number
of resources from
APUS library and
professional
organizations.
1-3 Errors are
present, but
student used
requisite
number of
resources from
APUS library
and professional
organizations.
4 or more errors
are present, or
student did not use
requisite number of
resources from
APUS library and
professional
organizations.
Excessive
formatting errors,
and student did
not use requisite
number of
resources from
APUS library and
professional
organizations.
Total
