Get to the heart of one of your core beliefs, whether it is religious, philosophical, personal, cultural, political, sociological, psychological, or vocational. Explain in detail exactly what the belief entails and why it is so important to you. You may tell personal stories, cite evidence, and/or use rhetoric to support your belief. Make sure to use the rhetorical appeals (logic, emotion, credibility) to make your belief more compelling. The most important aspect of this opinion piece is to communicate your authority on the topic and your sincerity of belief. Remember, this is not a rant. You should strive to uphold the expectations of civil discourse.
This, I believe.
- See the Course Guide For the Deadline
- 500 words minimum 750 words MAXIMUM. These are firm numbers.
- Sources are optional. Include MLA citations and works cited page -- if necessary.
- MLA style
- Use an appropriate mix of LOGOS, ETHOS, and PATHOS.
- You may choose to produce this in an alternate format: Youtube video, podcast, speech, etc. You MUST let me know at the beginning of this unit if you are planning on this format. Otherwise, complete it in the "Assignment" Google Document. If you share this with the class verbally or in an alternate format, you will earn 5 bonus points.
- 50 points
Exceptional - A
90-100 percent
- Content: The student’s writing focuses on a compelling central idea, a thesis, and supports that position with extensive elaboration. The essay captures the spirit of the "This I Believe" purpose.
- Organization: Unified and coherent. The cleverly planned structure adds significantly to meaning.
- The student's voice is authentic and genuine. While there may be a few errors in mechanics, usage, or sentence structure, outstanding command of the language is apparent.
- MLA formatting is flawless
Proficient - B
80-89 percent
- The student’s writing focuses on a central idea, a thesis, and supports that position with good elaboration and explanation.
- Organization is clear and easily followed.
- The student's voice is clear. A competency with language is apparent, even though there may be some errors in mechanics, usage, or sentence structure.
- MLA formatting is near-perfect
Competent - C
70-79 percent
- The student’s writing focuses on a central idea or thesis and supports that position, but with only some elaboration or evidence [based on research, if applicable].
- Organization is clear enough to follow without difficulty.
- The student's voice is present. A control of language is apparent, even though there may be numerous errors in mechanics, usage, or sentence structure
- MLA formtting is acceptable
Inadequate - D
60-69 percent
- The student’s writing shows significant problems in one or more of several areas, making the writer’s ideas often difficult to follow:
- support may be minimal;
- organization may lack clear movement or connectedness;
- the student's voice may be unclear;
- there may be a pattern of errors in mechanics, usage, or sentence structure that significantly interferes with the understanding of the writer’s ideas.
- MLA formatting is unacceptable
Unacceptable - F
59 percent or below
The student’s writing
- shows a failed attempt to engage in the prompt,
- lacks support,
- or the problems with organization, MLA style, and/or language are so severe as to make the writer’s ideas very difficult to follow.
late submission = ½ credit
No submission OR word count less than minimum OR source count less than minimum = 0 points
The student’s writing was not submitted. Plagiarized papers will also earn a zero. THIS INCLUDES PAPERS THAT DO NOT CITE SOURCES FOR ANY REASON -- INTENTIONAL OR UNINTENTIONAL.