Analytical Essay 1
5-6 Pages
First draft due Monday, November 4
For this essay you can choose between two possible questions:
Should [high school/school district] invest in/provide to students [a specific technology]?
Should [high school/college] provide [a program] for students, despite budget cuts?
This essay is an argumentative essay in which you will advocate for a change in a particular school or school district. In your essay you will try to persuade the people who can make a change for a particular school or school district to adopt your perspective regarding the priorities of the institution. The priorities of the institution are concretely embodied in its budget, and although the administrators of an institution might make statements about the direction of their institution, these statements are meaningless unless the administrators actually decide to devote resources towards moving the institution in that direction. Think of your audience as the people--the students, teachers, counselors, parents, and community members--who can influence the funding decisions of administrators.
The high school, district, or college that you select should be one that you have attended. Because of your experience you should be an authority on the specific needs and conditions of the institution, and you should have a good sense of your audience. However, to strengthen your argument, you are required to do research. You are responsible for determining whether outside sources are reliable and whether outside sources are biased. You should also make judgements concerning the extent to which the examples from outside sources are applicable to the specific needs and conditions of the institution that you are focusing on. Finally, you should demonstrate in your essay an awareness of the views of people whose opinions differ from your own.
Your essay will be evaluated according to two rubrics. First, your essay will be evaluated according to the criteria in the EWRT1A Portfolio Scoring Guide. Remember to pay attention to ideas, development, organization, style, and mechanics. Second, your essay will be evaluated according to the criteria in the EWRT211 definition of an analytical essay. If you do well on this essay you should consider including it in the portfolio that a committee of EWRT211 instructors will evaluate at the end of the quarter.