Social Responsibility: Ability to Engage in National Communities
Write a Letter to your U.S. Representative
What concerns you?
It is essential, in a legitimate government, for the voice of the people to be heard and heeded. Otherwise, our Republic won’t work. As citizens, it is our responsibility to reach out to those who govern us and direct their actions.
Write a three-paragraph (minimum) letter to your U.S. Representative outlining a problem you see with who gets what, where, when, why, and how, and your ideas for solutions to that problem. If this official has addressed that issue, give them constructive feedback on their approach. You should do a bit of research on the Representative’s stance—on a separate sheet of paper, include two correct citations in MLA, APA, or Turabian format for the sources you use.
You should use formal business formatting for your outreach and submit your letter and works cited to your instructor. Remember to remain courteous in your writing! You may find the Purdue OWL website helpful for formatting your communication:
Requirements:
- Must write about a salient federal issue. Look for a bill or issue currently being debated in one or both chambers of Congress.
- You must include two sources (minimum)
| Exemplary (4) | Accomplished (3) | Developing (2) | Beginning (1) | ||
| CT: Inquiry | Topic Selection | Identifies a creative, focused and manageable topic that addresses potentially significant yet previously less explored aspects of the topic. | Identifies a focused and manageable/doable topic that appropriately addresses relevant aspects of the topic. | Identifies a topic that while manageable/doable, is too narrowly focused and leaves out relevant aspects of the topic. | Identifies a topic that is far too general and wide-ranging as to be manageable and doable. |
| Clear Thesis/Main Idea | Thesis statement presents a main idea that is clear, concise, and relevant to the topic. Thesis is well-developed. | Thesis statement presents the main idea clearly and is relevant to the topic. | Thesis statement is broad and generalized, and does not specifically relate to the topic. | Thesis statement does not exist or is not relevant to the topic. | |
| CT: Synthesis | Existing Knowledge, Research, and/or Views | Synthesizes in-depth information from relevant sources representing many various points of view/approaches. | Presents information from relevant sources representing various points of view/approaches. | Presents information from relevant sources representing limited points of view/approaches. | Presents information from irrelevant sources representing limited points of view/approaches. |
| Civic Involvement Benefits Individuals or Communities | Describes in-depth how the issue affects communities, as well as why issue is of interest to the individual, and the issue’s importance nationally. | Describes how the issue affects communities, and/or why issue is of interest | Briefly describes how the issue affects communities. | Does not describe how the issue affects communities. | |
| CT: Analysis | Analysis | Analyzes evidence to reveal insightful patterns, differences, or similarities related to focus. | Analyzes evidence to reveal important patterns, differences, or similarities related to focus. | Analyzes evidence, but the analysis is not effective in revealing important patterns, differences, or similarities. | Lists evidence, but it is not analyzed and/or is unrelated to focus. |
| Conclusions | States a conclusion that is a logical extrapolation from the inquiry and analysis findings. | States a conclusion focused solely on the inquiry and analysis findings. The conclusion arises specifically from and responds specifically to the inquiry findings. | States a general conclusion that, because it is so general, also applies beyond the scope of the inquiry and analysis findings. | States an ambiguous, illogical, or unsupportable conclusion from inquiry and analysis findings. | |
| Limitations and Implications | Insightfully discusses in detail relevant and supported limitations and implications. | Discusses relevant and supported limitations and implications. | Presents relevant and supported limitations and implications. | Presents limitations and implications, but they are possibly irrelevant and unsupported. | |
| Sources and Evidence | Demonstrates skillful use of high-quality, credible, relevant sources to develop ideas that are appropriate for the discipline and genre of the writing. Sources included in a works cited page in appropriate format. | Demonstrates consistent use of credible, relevant sources to support ideas that are situated within the discipline and genre of the writing. Sources are included in a works cited page that may or may not be in appropriate format. | Demonstrates an attempt to use credible and/or relevant sources to support ideas that are appropriate for the discipline and genre of the writing. Sources may or may not be included in a works cited page. | Demonstrates an attempt to use sources to support ideas in the writing. Sources not included in a works cited page. | |
| Mechanics | Control of Syntax and Mechanics | Uses graceful language that skillfully communicates meaning to readers with clarity and fluency, and is virtually error-free. | Uses straightforward language that generally conveys meaning to readers. The language in the writing has few errors. | Uses language that generally conveys meaning to readers with clarity, although writing may include some errors. | Uses language that sometimes impedes meaning because of errors in usage. |
