An Exploratory Essay

ENG 1520Guidelines for Essay 1: Inquiry-ArgumentFor Essay 1, write an exploratory essay about your chosen research area. It may be a topic that you are well-versed in already or an area that you never heard of before we discussed it in class. The purpose of the assignment is to establish some foundational knowledge about the subject area and begin to develop a sense of the key problems and issues attached to it.The paper must be a minimum of 1000 words (double-spaced) and a recommended maximum of 1500 words. It must be properly designed in EXACT MLA FORMAT. It must contain 8-12 in text citations (in the form of direct quotes and/or properly constructed paraphrases) from college-level source materials (see #3 below).The paper must cite ONLY 4 sources: one must be a book, one must be a scholarly or scientific paper, and two should be highly reputable internet sources. (Note: electronic versions of the book and scientific articles are acceptable provided that the source originally was physically printed).Your thesis: for this project you will not be making a major argument (that will come in Essay 2); however, you still want your paper to express an opinion (an informed opinion) about the research area. What I recommend for the Inquiry is that you construct a thesis which presents WHY the subject is important for us now and/or in the future and WHY you are personally interested or invested in it. NOTE: as stated elsewhere, it is NOT a requirement that this area of research should also be the subject of Essay 2, but it may be an advantage to have the two built upon the same research area; however:You may NOT, this semester, build Essay 2 directly “on top” of Essay 1. What I mean by this is that if you write about the same research area in both papers, they must still be separate documents. Essay 2 may not be constructed by simply adding 5 or 6 pages to Essay 1. That said, the four sources you use in this essay may also be used in Essay 2.Although there are a number of ways to organize this essay, you will want to make sure that you accomplish certain things:Introduction: one paragraph that introduces the research area and rivets your readers’ attention on it. The introduction should end with your thesis statement.History: a brief overview (one or two paragraphs) on the origins and development of the research area. If applicable, you might also discuss the key persons involved or the leading thinkers and researchers in the field.Foundational Knowledge and Facts: A few paragraphs detailing the key findings and essential knowledge and theories as the research area knows them now. This section will answer questions about WHAT we know about the field of study.Key Problems and Issues: A few paragraphs detailing the challenges and future issues facing the field. Most biological areas of research are in their very infancy; that is, we are only beginning to realize the potential of things like genetic medicine and biotechnology. Likewise we are only beginning to understand our own brains! You may want to organize this section around the ideas of positives and negatives. For example, what are the potential benefits of the subject area and conversely what are the dangers possible (many biologically based ideas have the potential to be beneficial and harmful – think about medications, for example).Future Focused Conclusion: Finish your paper by presenting a concluding paragraph which presents an expansion of your thesis: that is, your final paragraph should reiterate why you consider the area of study to by important, why you are personally invested in it, and perhaps where you think the field will be going in the future.ENG 1520 ESSAY ONE Grading GuidelinesAll categories have equal weight5=excellent; 4=good; 3=acceptable; 2=weak; 1=very weak; 0=missing entirely[Y=yes=5; N=no=0]Required Elements and Progress: Each item is worth 5% [Total= 10%]___1st Draft is 500 words minimum/4 quotes minimum and turned in on time___ Revised Draft is 1000-1500 words/Has 8 quotes minimumIndividual Content, Format, and Writing Elements: Each is worth 5% [Total=90%]Essay Level:___Does the Introduction properly identify the research area and does it use an effective writing strategy to capture reader attention?___Is there a thesis at the end of the introduction which presents a clearly argued OPINION about WHY the area ofstudy is important to the writer?___Does the body of the essay develop a section that presents the origins and development of the research area effectively?___Does the body of the essay contain a section that clearly and effectively present Foundational knowledge, facts, and theories about the research area?___Does the body of the essay provide an extended and effective discussion of key problems and issue related to or essential to our understanding of the research area?___Does the essay supply specific and concrete details rather than vague generalizations?___Does the essay cite supporting evidence from its four sources, using 8-12 citations (direct quotes/paraphrases {max. of 2 extended quotes})?___Does the conclusion present a clear and detailed expansion of the original thesis, this time focusing on why the area of study is important now and for all of society, the future, and the writer?___Does the essay show development of thought, insight, or originalityParagraph Level:___Are the paragraphs unified, focused, and of appropriate length?___Are the transitions between and within paragraphs appropriate?Sentence Level:___Are the sentence structures free of fragments, run-ons, comma splices, and other boundary problems?___Is there unclear, awkward, or excessively wordy phrasing or sentence structure?Surface Level:___Is the language clear and easy to read with appropriate word choices and no unnecessary or missing words?___Is the essay formatted correctly, based on classroom instruction and written guidelines?___Is the essay relatively free of other surface errors: punctuation, spelling, verb tense, and grammar___Are the quotes and paraphrases in correctly formatted MLA citation style?___Is the Works Cited pages correctly formatted according to MLA guidelines and does it consist of the 4 requiredsources (1 book, 1 scholarly/scientific article, 2 reputable additional sources)?Additional Comments: