Unit 8: Informed Opinions through Causal ChainsWriting Assignment and RubricWriting AssignmentWrite 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.Reading Material londonessays.com RubricYour 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.Multi-Paragraph Causal EssayProficientDevelopingNeeds ImprovementPurpose(exploring causal relationshipsClearly presents two personal choices and thoroughly analyzes the effects of those choices on the environment.Includes a partial causal analysis, but doesnt fully develop the claim and/or presents an unoriginal view of the topic.Does not include causal elements or is not fully developed.Thesis StatementClearly presents a thesis statement that is interesting and shows how the essay will progress.Vaguely identifies a functional but uninteresting thesis statement. The overall essay direction is present butinconsistent.Does not include a thesis statement and the essayâs direction is unclear.Supporting Ideas(use of Major and Minor Details)Uses solid examples to support the thesis statement and prove important points; avoids logical fallacies.Partially uses examples as proof; lacks support for some important points; mostly avoids logical fallacies.Does not develop or provide examples to illustrate the claim; argument contains logical fallacies.Paragraph Development (strength of introduction, conclusion, and coherency)Smoothly connects ideas between/within paragraphs in a purposeful manner; introduction and conclusion make interesting, effective statements about the topic.Ideas between/within paragraphs are partially connected or moderately purposeful; introduction and conclusion are present but not effective.Missing connection between ideas; purpose of content is unclear; incomplete introduction and conclusion.Grammar & PunctuationEssay contains appropriate use of semicolons, colons. When used, dates and addresses contain correct commas, and numbers are written correctly.Essay needs further editing and/or contains some problems with semicolons, colons, commas, and/or numbers.Displays little attention to editing or correct usage of semicolons, colons, commas, and/or numbers.