Hi there!  2020  Mulgrew's Midyear Exam

Welcome to the essay portion of your midyear exam.  Today you will need your writing portfolio, a computer, and access to your Google Docs.  This is a skill-based test of writing.

 

Instead of completing another essay that demonstrated the use of the sippy-cup, I will allow you to choose either Writing Asn. #3- The Respect Essay, or Writing Asn. #4- The Rule Change, and submit the one that best fits the rubric, and will score the maximum number of points.  If some slight, or even major changes are needed, the take the 90 minute class today to make those improvements and reprint This will now be called Writing Asn. #5, and the heading should look like the example below:

 

                                                       5.

Strong Introduction..... 20 Points                      Name
Strong Supporting Detail.... 60 Points                Date
Strong Conclusion........... 20 Points                  Block

Important notes of my expectations:

* This is a silent day.  The support you got in peer editing, if you took advantage of that when it was required, is now over:  You are on your own to tweak, edit, and improve what you wrote earlier.  Pay attention to the rubric/ evaluation and especially what is written in BOLDFACE TYPE.  The parts that are in BOLDFACE are the parts where the most people lose points.  

* Remember that I am expecting to see transitions at the start of each supporting detail paragraph and the concluding paragraph and that wasn't original part of the Respect Essay #3, so add those to this final, midyear draft if that is the one you choose..  I will also be judging the amount of supporting detail given, and I suspect that that is where a majority of work will happen today.

* You have THIS PERIOD ONLY to get this done.  When you have printed a copy with the correct, new heading, look at the whiteboard for stapling instructions.  Any time remaining can be spent working on other midyear exams or reading the school newspaper.

* If you did not complete either Asn. #3 or Asn. #4, then you only have the rest of this block to complete a draft and share it with me. Please note, I know how to view revision history, so please don’t try to copy and paste other people’s work as your own, and I can also tell if you have worked on it during the period of time between the final due date of 1/22 and today's test date. Be honest or I will know.

* I would also like to see the paper single spaced, using the block format, and 12 or 14 point font.  Remember that the M.L.A. format required one space after a comma, and two spaces after an end mark.

Other important links to consider:

Persuasive Writing Signal Words. This is the transitions page

Writing Effective Introductions for Informative Writing  This is a lead sheet.

Writing Effective Introductions for Persuasive Essays. This is another lead sheet.

Persuasive Rubric/ Evaluation This is how you will be graded and gives detailed point reductions that could negatively impact your grade.

The No-No List:

No, you may not listen to music today.

No, you may not use your phone during the ENTIRE testing block- even when you are done.

No, you may not start a new topic.  It must be an extension of either previous writing assignment.

 

 

English Midyear   Evaluation Sheet  2020


Name _____________________________________ Block ___

Now that you feel you are done, please use a colored pencil and mark the paper with the following:

  1.  Box the thesis and restated thesis.
  2. Underline the transitions used in each supporting detail paragraph and the conclusion.
  3. Write “Bridge statement” in the margin if it was used.
  4. Circle the synonyms used in the restated thesis.
  5. Double underline the lead reminder.

1.       Look at your Introduction:  20 Points

A)     Do you have a specific type of lead?  If not, -10

B)      Is the lead long enough?  If not, -5

C)      Does the lead make the reader want to continue reading because it is interesting?  If not, -5

D)     Is there a bridge statement needed after the lead, and before the three-part thesis statement?  If missing and needed, -5

E)      Is there a thesis statement containing the topic, position, and three reasons why, all in one sentence?  If not, -5

Score __________

2.       Look at the supporting detail paragraphs:  60 Points

A)     Does each paragraph start with a transition?  -5 for each missed in the supporting detail paragraphs and conclusion.

B)      Does each supporting detail paragraph end appropriately? Or do you see poor “Clincher” type sentences. -5 for each clincher.

C)      Are two of the reasons too similar?  Should they have combined those two and look for a better, third reason? -20

D)     Although the supporting detail paragraphs do not have to be equal, does each one have ENOUGH  DETAIL  to PERSUADE THE AUDIENCE?  Really? -20 to -40 depending on the case.

Score __________

3.       Look at the conclusion:  20 Points

A)     Does it have a restated thesis that uses enough synonyms so that it doesn’t seem repetitive?  Are more synonyms needed?  Are the reasons in the same order? -5 if no synonyms are used, or if they are not in the same order. -5 if no transition is used.

B)      Does the lead reminder echo back to the lead?  -5 if it doesn’t, -10 if the lead reminder is not attempted.

Score: __________

 

TOTAL  Essay Score:___________