ENG 123 Journal Guidelines and Rubric Overview: The journal activity in this course is private between you and the instructor. However, you will be discussing your work with your topic in future discussions with your peers. This week, you spent some time reflecting on persuasion in your everyday life, and you shared some potential topic ideas with your peers and instructor. But why is persuasion so important? Let’s think about that a little bit in this journal assignment. Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:

1. After exploring the Opposing Viewpoints Database and reviewing your brainstorming activity, identify two issues that are related to your career or degree:

a. Write a fully developed paragraph for issue one (5–8 sentences). i. Explain at least two clear arguable sides to the issue. ii. Explain how the issue relates to your field or degree, or your potential field or degree.

b. Write a fully developed paragraph for issue two (5–8 sentences). i. Explain at least two clear arguable sides to the issue. ii. Explain how the issue relates to your field or degree, or your potential field or degree.

2. After exploring the arguments related to your issues, take a moment to consider the bigger picture. Then, briefly reflect (in 1 to 2 paragraphs) on the

importance of persuasion for the issue you are most likely to write about. Be specific in your assignment; this information will help guide you as you work on your project in the coming weeks.

a. Identify which side you might argue if you plan to pursue this issue in your final persuasive essay. b. Identify your potential audience and why your topic would be relevant to them.

Rubric Guidelines for Submission: Submit the assignment as a Microsoft Word document with double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, and one-inch margins.

Critical Elements Proficient (100%) Needs Improvement (75%) Not Evident (0%) Value

Issue One Identifies first potential issue that has two clear arguable sides and demonstrates relation to career or degree

Identifies the first potential issue, but it is missing information that explains the two clear arguable sides to the issue or does not demonstrate relation to career or degree

Does not clearly explain why the potential issue was chosen

25

Critical Elements Proficient (100%) Needs Improvement (75%) Not Evident (0%) Value

Issue Two Identifies second potential issue that has two clear arguable sides and demonstrates relation to career or degree

Identifies the second potential issue, but it is missing information that explains the two clear arguable sides to the issue, or does not demonstrate relation to career or degree

Does not clearly explain why the potential issue was chosen

25

Argue Identifies which side might be argued if this issue is pursued in final persuasive essay

Identifies which side might be argued if this issue is pursued in final persuasive essay, but lacks details or does not discuss relation to the potential topic

Does not identify which side might be argued

20

Audience Identifies potential audience and why topic would be relevant to them

Identifies potential audience and why topic would be relevant to them, but discussion contains inaccuracies or lacks details

Does not identify potential audience and does not discuss why topic would be relevant to them

20

Articulation of Response

Journal assignment is mostly free of errors of organization and grammar; existing errors are marginal and rarely interrupt the flow

Journal assignment contains errors of organization and grammar, but they are limited enough that assignment can be understood

Journal assignment contains errors of organization and grammar that make the journal difficult to understand

10

Total 100%

ENG 123 Journal Guidelines and Rubric