Unit 8: Informed Opinions through Causal Chains https://content.nroc.org/Develop

Unit 8: Informed Opinions through Causal Chains
https://content.nroc.org/DevelopmentalEnglish/unit08/Resources/159958.html
Writing Assignment and Rubric
Writing Assignment
Write a multi-paragraph essay identifying at least two of your personal or lifestyle choices and explain the positive and/or negative effects they have on the environment. Support your opinion with effective examples showing the impact of your individual actions externally (close to home and/or on a larger scale). Make sure you AVOID logical fallacies, meaning that your connections between causes and consequences are carefully considered and sufficiently proven.
Your response should clearly explain and describe at least two personal choices and use details to show how each choice impacts the environment, close to home, out in the world, or both. To do a good job you need to convince the reader that what you have to say, although personal, impacts them in some way. Ultimately, why should your reader care that these choices lead to these consequences? This means each paragraph should include a personal choice, the effects of this choice, and the points that show why this information matters to your reader. You should have at least two body paragraphs, depending on how many personal choices you plan to discuss, an introduction that is attention-grabbing and reveals your argument (your thesis goes here), and a conclusion that offers some memorable final thoughts on the connection between individuals and their environments.
In all, you will have at least four paragraphs, depending on the number of personal choices you include. Each paragraph should have a unique link between it and the one that comes after it. The order of these points is up to you, but make sure you have placed each paragraph purposefully and that the body paragraphs show causal relationships (choice causes effect).
Remember that you need to write sound arguments, so you can avoid logical fallacies. Refer to the foundation lesson on this topic if you need examples of logical fallacies.
The grading rubric below will help you develop your paper.
Rubric
Your essay will be graded using five separate categories: Purpose, Thesis Statement, Supporting Ideas, Paragraph Development, and Grammar & Punctuation. Each of these five categories will be rated as Proficient, Developing, or Needs Improvement.
Proficient means that you have met the standards of an effective analysis essay. Developing means you have partially met the standards of an analysis essay, but it needs some revision. Needs Improvement means you did not meet the standards of an analysis essay.
The rubric is attached to the uploaded files.
Sample Student Response (USE ONLY FOR GUIDE)
My Lifestyle and the Environment
By Keisha Kincaid
https://content.nroc.org/DevelopmentalEnglish/unit08/Resources/160645.html
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Reading Selection
“Global warming—this time it’s personal”
https://content.nroc.org/DevelopmentalEnglish/unit08/NROCActiveReader.html
Write in the format of:
Provide a suitable TITLE for this essay
1) Introductory Paragraph (contains Introductory statement and thesis)
Tip: The introductory statement introduces your claim about the effects of at least two personal choices on the environment. Your thesis statement should appear at the end of this paragraph.
An outline of this paragraph might look like this:
Introduction
Hook
Background
Thesis
2)Body Paragraph 1 (contains Main Point, Evidence, Analysis, Link)
Tip:
Main Point: (Main Point = personal choice and its effects on the environment) Think about the first idea you want to discuss that shows the effects your choice had on an environment either close to you (home or family) or farther out (community, city, state, country or world). Write the topic sentence expressing the causal relationship between this choice and its effects.
Evidence: (Evidence = support showing the causal relationship) Add the examples that show how your choice affects the environment. Make this evidence specific so your readers can “see” the personal points you are making even though they didn’t experience them.
Analysis: (Analysis = explanation of the environmental impact of evidence) Add the analysis that shows how the evidence you’ve just provided about the impact of your choices on the identified environment connects to the topic sentence (main point) in this paragraph. You should also explain why your readers should care about this causal relationship. How will something personal affect them?
Link: (Link = transition to next paragraph) Add how this paragraph connects or leads to the choice you will discuss in the next paragraph. The purpose behind your paragraph order should be clear.
3) Body Paragraph 2 (contains Main Point, Evidence, Analysis, Link)
Tip: SAME which is for Body Paragraph 1
4) Optional (only if you want to write – it is not necessary/compulsory) Body Paragraph 3 (contains Main Point, Evidence, Analysis, Link)
Tip: SAME which is for Body Paragraph 1
5) Concluding Paragraph (contains concluding statements)
Tip: Leave your reader with something to think about that wraps up your discussion about the relationship between individuals, their choices, and the impact these choices have on the environment. You may wish to make the reader think about why he/she should care about the information you have presented. You could also make the reader think about the effects of your views and what they might mean for the future or for everyday life.
An outline of this paragraph might look like this:
Conclusion
Synthesis
Final impression
Writing needs to be your own!!!!!! Make sure you do not copy-paste from somewhere.
let me know if you have any questions.