Essay #1: Academic Literacy

Background: This unit deals with the importance of literacy in society, especially to
oppressed groups of people. Depriving certain people of the ability to read has long
been a way of maintaining control over them. For example, in American history, the
slaves were deprived of the ability to read for fear they might be too hard to control if
they were educated. Whereas in previous years, literacy was a privilege, now we have
fought to make it accessible to all; however, we have not completely eradicated the
problem of illiteracy. Keep this idea of literacy in mind when answering this prompt.
Purpose: The expository essay is a genre that requires the student to investigate an
idea, provide examples, evaluate these examples, and explain the idea in a clear and
concise manner. As you complete this essay, demonstrate your mastery of the Unit #1
academic literacy skills, by writing a thesis-driven paper that is supported* by well-
developed paragraphs; using effective strategies for pre-writing and composing; and
composing grammatical sentences free of fragments, run-ons, and/or wrong words.
*Supported means that you must use examples from at least one of our readings and
from other sources, such as personal experience or observations.
Readings: Abolitionist and writer, Frederick Douglass, demonstrates his self-motivation
in "Learning to Read and Write," an excerpt from his autobiography. Similarly, in
"Homemade Education," social activist, Malcolm X writes about how he played an
integral part in his own education. While both men did have mentors who guided them
in their pursuit to literacy, they both imply that their own tenacity and diligence helped
them to acquire knowledge. In "On the Importance of Reading," Dana Gioia tells a
different story, pointing at a recent decline in reading that will inevitably lead to lowered
involvement in civic duties, cultural awareness, and empathy. Jonathan Kozol agrees,
painting a dire picture of "The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society" that includes
everything from poverty and limited quality of life to illness and tragedy.
Writing Task: In an essay of at least 3 FULL pages, respond to the following prompt:
Analyze the importance of literacy.
Tips: Reflect on the purpose of your essay. What message do you want to share? Why
do you want to share it? To fulfill an assignment? To teach a lesson? To explore your
past learning experiences? Think about the reasons for your choice and how they will
shape what you write. Reflect also on the audience of your narrative. Who, apart from
the instructor, will read your essay? Are your readers likely to have had similar
experiences? Would they share your views? How much explaining would you have to
do to help them understand your point of view? What type of details (personal
experiences, quotes, description, paraphrasing) would you need to help them envision
your world and stay engaged in the essay you will write?
Brainstorm Questions:

 How are your experiences like (or unlike) those of Malcolm X and Frederick
Douglass?
 To what extent do you agree with Dana Gioia that reading fiction has a profound
impact on the intellectual, emotional, and social development of an individual?
 What role has literacy played in your life? Consider the mentors, books, and
experiences that shaped your early literacy development. Reflect on relevant
challenges and obstacles you met and overcame.

Nuts and Bolts:

 3-4 FULL pages, typed and double-spaced in MLA Format

 Brainstorm your purpose, audience, and main point on MON 9/9
 Formally outline your own essay’s main ideas and supporting evidence on MON 9/9
 Draft the introduction and body paragraphs on TUE 9/10 and WED 9/11
 Complete the Rough Draft by THU 9/12 for the Peer Review (bring 2 copies).
 Meet with a Writing Center consultant on FRI 9/13
 Revise this draft and submit the final draft in class on Thursday 9/19

Rubric: Your essay will be assessed on your ability to write a focused essay that
employs a good use of detail (description, appeals to the five senses, examples, and
quotations) engaging style(syntactic variety, sophisticated word choice, and clarity), and
unique voice (authentic use of language and figurative devices).
Please adhere to the following guidelines to maximize your score:
1. Maintain focus with an engaging introduction that explains your topic and purpose,
body paragraphs that are unified with topic sentences and supporting explanation,
transitions that link your paragraphs together, and a conclusion that reiterates your
essay’s thesis and closes with an evocative line.
2. Develop your essay with ample use of detail; this means using vivid description so
that your reader can visualize places and people you describe, adding dialogue so
that your reader can understand the references you make, adding necessary details
so that your reader can make sense of general statements made.
3. Demonstrate engaging style by employing a variety of language strategies, such as
sentence variety (mixing simple with compound and complex sentences), point of
view, grammatical manipulation, and strong verbs and nouns rather than excessive
modifiers. Always make sure to use clear syntax and correct diction.
4. Reveal your authentic voice by thinking outside the box! While you don't want your
writing to look like you talk (full of grammatical errors and diversion), you do want to
maintain the conversational tone and peak your reader's attention.
5. Reveal your writing aptitude through careful attention to the writing process, from
invention (freewriting, outlining, clustering, etc.) to drafting, and revision.