Essay 3: Defending Science Fiction, A Collaborative, Researched, Academic Argument
For this paper, you will defend a definition of science fiction by using details from your reading this term. This essay requires you to use one of the novels that we’ve read together and/or one (or two) of the graphic novels as well as outside academic sources from the library's databases along with the short pieces by Cooper & Anders (links below in step 1).
This assignment asks your group to work collaboratively to defend your definition and to explore its implications in the works that we have read ("The Truth of Fact, The Truth of Feeling" and The Lifecycle of Software Objects).
Your group will compose one paper together, but you will receive two separate scores--one for the paper written by the group and a grade that you earn individually (for which you will be graded by your group members). See further details about collaboration below.
2) Next locate academic sources using the library's databases that offer other definitions for Science Fiction.
3) Next, pick one of the definitions on Anders’ list. Consider how it might or might not support Cooper’s assertion that we cannot “unambiguously” portray science fiction. You will ultimately agree or disagree with Cooper at some point in your text.
4) Examine the readings by Ted Chiang for ways you may support your definition you chose.
Your claim/ thesis should be something along the lines of “<PERSON X>’s definition (from one of the links above) is strongest because it incorporates <ideas x or y>, as seen in Ted Chiang's short story/novella>”. Your claim/thesis should not be your own proposed, synthesized definition combining ideas from multiple sources.
4) Use your academic sources from the library's databases as further support for your argument.
NOTE: YOU MUST INCLUDE IN-TEXT CITATIONS IN YOUR ESSAY AND SUBMIT A WORKS CITED PAGE. ALL SOURCES IN YOUR PAPER MUST BE FROM THE LIBRARY'S DATABASES (OR A LIBRARY) WITH THE EXCEPTION OF YOUR LITERARY TEXT, GRAPHIC NOVEL, AND THE SHORT PIECES BY COOPER AND ANDERS (LINKED ABOVE). YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO USE SOURCES FROM THE WORLD WIDE WEB.
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PURPOSE
Your general purpose in this assignment is to argue/persuade. See steps 3&4 above for your more specific purpose.
AUDIENCE
When you begin writing, assume that you are writing this essay for publication in an academic journal and assume that your audience has read your novel(s) and is familiar with their content. In other words, there is no need to ever summarize the plot.
Remember that an effective explanation has a point and has a clear claim and an interesting angle or slant. Be sure to support your claim with a clear explanation that utilizes specific support such as facts, data, examples, illustrations, statistics, comparisons, analogies, and images. Remember that your claim is a general assertion about the relationships of the specific parts and the support you use to prove that claim should help your reader identify those parts and see those various relationships. All examples that you use should be relevant, interesting, convincing, representative, accurate, and specific.
This is a formal academic essay. Do not use contractions, informal language or slang, or the first person (“I”).
RESEARCH REQUIRED
You will need to conduct outside research on your topic. You must use dependable, reliable sources. These include book chapters and articles taken from academic journals.
You must use signal phrases and include in-text MLA citations to note the ideas of your sources and include a works cited page as well.
Papers handed in without signal phrases, in-text citations, or a works cited page will not be accepted and will receive a grade of zero.
YOU CANNOT USE SOURCES FROM THE WORLD WIDE WEB! You must use sources from the library's databases or other sources from a library.
FORMAT
Your essay should have a title. It should also be typed, double spaced, with one-inch margins all around, Times New Roman Font, & 12 pt. Your paper should be minimum of 4 FULL pages Your essay should have a title. It should also be Your essay should have a title. It should also be FULL pages and have a works cited page. Refer to OWL at Purdue for questions about MLA format and citations.
RULES FOR COLLABORATIVE WORK
Everyone in the group must make a significant contribution to the final product. You will create one essay as a group.
Each student is required to use Google drive over the course of this project to work collaboratively online with the other students in your group. This will require everyone to have an active Google/Gmail account.
Do not write individual sections and try to piece together an essay. This is a bad idea! Follow the scenario I mentioned in class.
If a majority of the group members feel an individual student is not contributing his or her share to the project, this person may be voted out of the group. If this occurs, the individual voted out of the group must complete the project on their own and must forfeit the points for individual scoring (see below).
I suggest making someone group captain/manager. It will be this person's responsibility to keep everyone on task.
At the end of the project, everyone within the group will grade one another anonymously.
Total Possible Points: 60/
Individual Scoring (18 points):
Score for individual score for contribution to in-class drafting/invention and overall contribution to project (graded by group members).
Group Scoring (42 points ):
Final Draft, evaluated on the following criteria:
Focus (12 points): Does essay have a clear purpose? Focus on a main idea and clearly identifiable thesis? Are reader’s expectations set and then met? Ideas, examples, and reasons developed in the body of the paper are clearly related to the main focus?
Development (12 points): Are supporting examples, showing details, and data rich and relevant to the main idea? Are the writer’s assertions immediately followed by supporting evidence? Appropriate research supports the writer’s main idea or thesis? The writer shows how or why evidence is relevant to main idea or claim?
Organization (12 points): Do ideas and paragraphs proceed in logical and apparent sequence or pattern? Does writer use sufficient audience cues to let the reader know what has been discussed, what is being discussed, or what will be discussed? Does writer use attention-getting title and lead-in, essay map, summary and forecasting statements, paragraph hooks, transitional words and phrases? Do effective conclusions guide the reader from beginning to end?
Style (3 points): Is language clear direct and readable? Are sentences clear, concise, and easily read by intended audience? Is word choice appropriate for audience? Do sentences reveal and sustain appropriate voice and tone?
Mechanics (3 points): Are there obvious errors in spelling, punctuation, and grammar? Are there patterns of error?
NO 1ST DRAFT ON DUE DATE (-5 POINTS)
NO PEER CRITIQUE (-5 POINTS)
NO REFLECTION (-5 POINTS)
NO PROCESS OR PROPER CITATION OF SOURCES=NO GRADE
Grading scale:
A 54-60
B 48-53
C 42-47
D 36-41
F 0-35
