ENGL 1010

Essay #1
Is College Worth It?

Objective: Analyze an argumentative question by either agreeing or disagreeing with the

question “Is a college education worth the money?”

Assignment
Everyone has an opinion. What do you think about Bird Box? About Fortnite? About accruing
thousands of dollars of student loans? About the government shutdown?

Your assignment is to choose a side of an argumentative question, and in a well-organized

paper, analyze the argument and then offer your own opposing OR supporting viewpoint
utilizing the skills specifically from your textbook. No other research is necessary. Do your best
to keep this paper as a conversation between you and the debate thesis. However, as always, if
you bring in outside information, you must cite it. Information that needs to be cited includes
but is not limited to any statistical information or quotations/summaries/ paraphrases that are
specific to some outside source.

You need to establish the credibility of the speaker, mention the rhetorical appeal most heavily
used, but then focus more on argument than presentation. Keep in mind, however, that
presentation can help persuade a speaker’s audience.

Heads Up: To enter into this conversation well, you need to quote the case study itself
throughout your paper to help guide your own opposing/supporting stance. A minimum of
three direct quotations is required.

Challenge: This will most likely be more fun if you choose a side of the argument that fires you
up and with which you disagree!

Logistics
● 2-3 Pages—2 full pages, minimum
○ Do not go over 4
● MLA Format
○ Heading, Header
 ○ Original Title
○ 1 inch margins, TNR, size 12, Double Spaced
■ Do not add extra space.
● Work(s) Cited Page: ONLY the case study from Patterns (chapter 6/ pages 126-130) is
required.
○ Header
○ Title (Work Cited or Works Cited)
○ Hanging Indents
○ Citations in Alphabetical Order
○ You must include any other outside information here.
■ Rules for Writers does not need to be cited if you only use their templates.

To receive workshop credit:

You must bring in:
1) A hard copy of your paper, minimum two pages, obvious MLA formatting, front and back
permitted
2) A works cited page (does not count toward page minimum)
3) You need a minimum of THREE in-text citations in Essay 1. One of those citations needs to
come from the case study located in our textbook.

If you are missing any part, you will not receive credit and will not participate in the workshop.

____________________________________________________________

Essay #1 Grading: Is College Worth it? _____ Have one (1)

*These are benchmarks. You may get
another point value than shown here.
Rough Draft (12)
_____ Prepared (12)
_____ Unprepared (0)
Formatting (8)
_____ Times New Roman, 12 pt., header,
heading, title, 1 in. margins, meets
minimum length requirement (8)
_____ 1-2 minor mistakes—for example,
header is not TNR but all else is, etc. (6)
_____ Everything correct but the paper is not
in
TNR 12 (3)
_____ More than 2 mistakes/Paper does
not meet minimum page count (0)
Works Cited Page (6)
_____ Correct: font, title, citations,
alphabetical order, header with page
number (6)
_____ 1-2 minor mistakes (4)
_____ Do not have one (0)
Introduction (7)
_____ Hook, introduces the topic, includes the
thesis statement (7)
_____ Hook OR introduces the topic,
includes the thesis statement (3)
_____ Does not introduce the topic or no
thesis statement (0)
Thesis Statement (10)
_____ Presents your argument and a
roadmap for the rest of the paper, well
said and easily understood (10)
_____ Presents both parts, the idea is there, but
it is not written well OR only 1 part
apparent (5)
_____ Thesis is unidentifiable (0)
Paragraphs (12)
_____ Move in logical order, topic
sentences/transitions present, break in
appropriate places (12)
_____ Moves in logical order, topic sentences
or transitions need work (8)
_____ Organization is lacking, topic sentences
and transitions need work (4)
_____ Choppy, information does not make
sense (0)
Conclusion (8)
_____ Ties up all loose ends, restates the
argument (8)
_____ Ties up all loose ends but does not refer
to the argument (4)
_____ Contradicts the main argument OR
leaves too much open (0)
In-Text Citations/Parenthetical Citations
(7)
_____ Every bit of information that did not
come only from you is cited correctly
(7)
_____ 1 Mistake (6)
_____ 2-3 Mistakes (4)
_____ Redeemable but needs work (2)
_____ Totally messed up/no credit is given
(0)
Conventions (10)
_____ No errors in grammar/punctuation, etc.
(10)
_____ 1-2 errors (8)
_____ 3-5 errors (5)
_____ 6-8 errors (3)
_____ More than 8 errors (0)
Address the Topic at Hand: Focus (20)
_____Critical thinking evident, evidence that
you understood the assignment and
thoughtfully crafted a paper, everything
required by the prompt is included,
insight is interesting and original (20)
_____ Critical thinking evident, everything
required by the prompt is included,
thoughtfully crafted a paper (15)
_____ Critical thinking evident (10)
_____ Paper unfocused or only includes some
of what was required by the prompt (5)
_____ No original thought or effort evident
OR prompt not evident OR you did not
use the required materials (0)