For this assignment, you’ll prepare a 1,200-1,500-word classification and division essay based on your graphic organizer. Do not switch topics. You may not submit this essay until you’ve received your grade and instructor feedback on your prewriting exam.
While you’re waiting for your prewriting to be evaluated, you should do the following:
- Review the reading assignments for Lesson 7.
- Prepare a rough draft of your classification and division essay so that you’re ready to revise when you receive feedback on your prewriting.
Assignment Objectives
For this exam, you’ll do the following:
- Use prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing to write a formal, college-level essay.
- Distinguish among different patterns of development.
- Apply an appropriate pattern of development to a specific purpose and audience.
- Write an effective thesis statement.
- Develop paragraphs using topic sentences, adequate detail, supporting evidence, and transitions.
- Apply the conventions of standard written American English to produce a correct, well-written essay.
Topic
Use the topic and graphic organizer you completed for your prewriting assignment. Do not switch topics. You’ll develop your essay from your graphic organizer. Your topic should be one of the following:
- Music or books or fashion
- Types of friends
- Types of activities or hobbies
- Types of food
- Places you’ve lived or visited or vacationed
You’ll write in third-person point of view to an audience of your Penn Foster classmates. To learn more about using the third-person point of view, refer to the Classification and Division Worksheet on your student portal.
The information you use to prepare your graphic organizer should be based on your own knowledge and experience of your subject. Personal experiences can inform your assignment. For example, if you watch horror movies, you know that they often involve jump scares. This kind of information is fine to use. However, specific personal experiences like the following example can’t be used as evidence: “My sister and I often go to watch horror movies. She loves them, and then we try to scare each other while we eat a big bucket of popcorn.”
Research isn’t required. However, if you do research or incorporate information from outside or secondary sources, you must cite your sources using APA citation and documentation style.
Evaluation Rubric
Your instructor will evaluate your work for Essay: Classification and Division based on the following criteria:
Ideas & Content: The writer provides a clear thesis statement that addresses the purpose of the essay. The writer combines elements of classification and division as necessary to illustrate the purpose of the essay. The writer includes at least 3 categories for classification and/or division to adequately support the thesis statement.
Rubric
Skill Realized | Skill Developing | Skill Emerging | Skill Not Shown | |
Traits of Good Writing Review the complete explanation of the “Six Traits of Good Essay Writing” Criteria and the rating you earned for each trait, as well as references you can study to improve your writing skills. | 100–85 | 84–70 | 69–60 | 59–0 |
Organization: There is a clear introduction with a thesis, body, and conclusion. The writer uses topic sentences to organize body paragraphs and transitions appropriately to guide the reader from point to point. The conclusion reinforces the thesis statement and provides a satisfactory ending to the essay. | 25–23 | 23–21 | 21–19 | 19–0 |
Voice: The writer interacts with the assigned audience using an appropriate, consistent point of view and tone. The writer offered adequate evidence from his or her own experience to effectively engage readers’ interest and address the purpose of the essay. | 20–18 | 18–17 | 17–16 | 16–0 |
Grammar, Sentences and Word Choice: The writer uses correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure. The writer makes correct word choices, defines unfamiliar terms, and conveys a clear message. The writer has edited and proofread the essay. | 15–13 | 13–10 | 10–8 | 8–0 |
Format: The writer met the required length (1,200–1,500 words), used the assigned font and margins and included the required header information correctly. | 10–8 | 8–7 | 7–5 | 5–0 |