English 1023 –Evaluation Essay Assignment

Select a product on the market to evaluate as discussed in class.

1. Write a clear, thoughtful, and well-drafted essay evaluating the usefulness/uselessness, greatness/badness, etc. of the product you have chosen.

1. You must support your assertions with specific examples (standards: mostly universal and at least 1 individual), and remember to EXPLAIN these examples. Your essay should be comprised of 7 paragraphs, an introduction, body paragraphs (4) that support your thesis, a counter argument, and a conclusion. Make sure you use transitions between paragraphs. Remember, your thesis and your claim should be evident in the paper, making a value judgment, and working along with your standards to prove your argument. Your paper should be between 5 pages.

Be sure you do not simply include all positives or all negatives about the product, you are not making a commercial, nor are you writing a hate-fest, make sure you include a counter argument paragraph was well, to present the opposition to your own argument.

You need to have 3 universal standards and 1 personal standard in the paper.

Avoid writing about subjective items, such as movies, music, art, books, etc. Use more concrete evidence. For example my idea of a “good” book may be very different from someone else’s, but a “good” computer would have more concrete, solid, factual evidence to make an argument.

1. You must use at least four direct quotations, no more than 7 with proper parenthetical citations from at least four reliable sources (but no more than 6), about the product you are writing about. Remember that a quotation must never stand alone; it must always be part of your own sentence. Also remember that you must interpret or explain the quotation/example or show how it helps to prove the point you are trying to make. Your quotes must only be a sentence long at most, NO LONG QUOTES!!  Include a works cited page with the essay cited properly. For this assignment, a reliable source for background info would be the product website, but avoid using it for body evidence because of bias. I would recommend starting there and then consulting other sources as needed. You MUST vary your sources, do not use the same website, author, etc. more than once. I also want to see the use of not only quotes, but summary and paraphrasing as well. You will include a properly formatted Works Cited page with this paper. Remember, your sources should not be older than 2 years for this paper!

1. Your final essay must be word-processed using Microsoft Word, double-spaced, and conform to MLA style. Use 12-point Times New Roman for your font style and size.

1. Your essay will be evaluated according to the grading guidelines rubric posted on Canvas.