Essay 2 Self-evaluation

You may ask:
Why is he giving us the Essay 2 self-evaluation so early, before the final draft is due?
Answer: So that you know what to work toward.

A. First, consider your essay from top to bottom, with parts like any other essay: How is your title? Is your introduction well-developed, and does it hold your reader's interest? Does it transition smoothly and logically to a clear, focused thesis statement? How is your outline? Are main ideas covered in paragraphs? Are your paragraphs well-developed, or do they wander a bit? Do you use good grammar, good word choice, good spelling and punctuation? Do you include well-integrated quotes, paraphrase, summary of ideas from sources, all necessary citations in MLA format, and a list of cited works?

B. Like the last essay self-evaluation, this self-evaluation will also be based somewhat on the "basic features," in this case, for the "Speculating About Causes" essay described in SMGW chapter 9:

B1. A presentation of the subject: Notice that this category is flexible: If you speculated about what causes hellium balloons or hot air balloons to rise, most people would know what you're talking about, so you could be brief. If you narrow your topic to focus on a cause for something about which your reader may be unaware, you will need to begin by describing/explaining/presenting your subject in greater detail. To do this, you can use some of the strategies you practiced in the last essay, "Explaining a concept."

Ask yourself: Did you present/describe/explain enough information about your subject as your reader needs, or did you assume too much, and leave too much unsaid?

B2. Plausible Causes: (a) Are your speculations about causes plausible, believable? (b) Do you include a forcasting statement in which you list the possible causes and the order in which you'll consider them?

B3. Logical Sequence of Causes: This one is related to the previous one: Do you consider possible causes in some logical order? Types of logical order to consider:
- chronological order
- ascending or descending order of importance
- from obvious to hidden causes
- from external to internal causes:
- - from context or environment to actor
- - from group and others to individuals and me
- in rhetorical order, starting with a cause that might be powerful to consider, ending with another powerful consideration, and sandwiching less important causes in between.

B4. Convincing support: This "requires knowledge and creativity" (SMGW). Do you provide convincing support, based on good research, careful reflection, creative insight? All of your causes should be supported somehow, and the least plausible or most obscure should be given the most careful support. Substantial support *must* come from your research sources, including well-integrated quotes, paraphrase, summary.

B5. A consideration of reader's objections and alternative causes. SMGW clains that nearly every essay of this type considers objections and alternative causes. See the basic features section in SMGW, chapter 9, for more details. Do you consider objections and alternative causes?


C1. What did you learn from writing your last essay that you did better in this one?
C2. What did you learn from writing this essay?

D. Did you use the Writing Center?