English 1302 Proposal Essay

Format: MLA (Times New Roman, 12 point font, 1” margins, double-spaced)

Due Dates:

Peer-Review on Eduflow:

1. Upload essay to Eduflow by Friday, March 25th by 11:59pm.

2. Return to Eduflow to peer-review on Saturday, March 26th or Sunday,

March 27th by 11:59pm

3. Bonus/Optional: Return to Eduflow by Tuesday, Mach 29th and complete

the Reflection questions for a bonus of five points on your essay

Proposal Essay due in Dropbox by Tuesday, March 29th by 11:59pm

Total Points Possible: 150 points (50 points for Peer-Review Review on Eduflow; 100 for

essay

Purpose: The Proposal Essay provides students an opportunity to consider all of the

elements to prepare for writing a research essay including:

• considering an issue and providing a specific stand on the issue

• composing a thesis statement and topic sentences for each paragraph

• providing logical reasons why you have chosen this topic

• writing a summary paragraph of a scholarly source

• writing an analysis paragraph of the same source that includes a quotation from the

source in MLA format followed by an explanation sentence

• constructing a Works Cited page for the one source from Opposing Viewpoints

Instructions: The Proposal Essay is a five-paragraph essay that introduces the topic you

will research and write about this

Introductory paragraph

Start the conversation about your topic. Narrow the focus to a specific issue within the

larger topic. Provide a thesis statement about what you would argue in the argument

paper as your last sentence of the introduction.

Recognize that that is a working, flexible thesis statement that you will assist you in

focusing your ideas; however, you will continue to work on revising this thesis during the

semester. Most importantly, the thesis statement should take a stand on an issue.

First body paragraph: Explain your interest

Use this paragraph to discuss why you are interested in this topic and discuss why other

people should also be interested in the specific issue that you have researched. This

paragraph should answer the question: Why am I researching this topic?

Second body paragraph: Summary Paragraph

For this paragraph, you should provide a summary of your source from Opposing

Viewpoints. This summary paragraph should follow the guidelines of summary that are

presented in the chapter including:

Introducing the author and text: Introduce author’s full name and use their last name afterward.

Articles are provided in quotation marks.

Keeping the focus on the author and using present tense verbs. Give the author credit! Use their

name often within the summary. Example: Lee argues, Lee provides, Lee explains, etc.

Providing transitions to show the chronological order of the text. Example: First, Next,

Additionally, Also, Then, Finally, etc.

Third body paragraph: Analysis of quotation

For this paragraph, you should focus on the quotation and your explanation of the quote. In other words,

build your analysis paragraph around the quotations. See section on Writing and Citing Quotations:

Provide one quotation from your source. Follow the guidelines of building paragraphs

around quotations including:

1.) introducing the idea of the statement.

2.) providing the quotation in MLA format with a lead-in phrase or an integration of the

quotation within your own sentence.

3.) using present tense verbs to discuss the author/speaker’s ideas.

4.) providing an explanation, an examination, of the quotation.

Conclusion:

Remind the audience of your thesis. You can also provide a call to awareness of this issue or

some solution to the problem.

Works Cited: Provide a WC page in MLA format for your source. Copy, paste, and re-

format the MLA citation that is located at the end of your text on the Opposing Viewpoints

database, or see the template for Works Cited for an article from a library database which is

located in the Resources chapter.

Rubric:

50 points for peer- review on Eduflow

20 points for following directions of the assignment and MLA essay formatting

20 points for thesis statement, topic sentences, and conclusion

20 points for summary paragraph and analysis paragraph with quotation

10 points for Works Cited page accuracy

30 points for grammar and editing

150 points

135-150=A; 120-134=B; 105-119 =C; 90-104=D; below 900=F