Planning a Career Project: Who is an Interior Decorator?

Number of sources (what does that mean im not sure) For your second and final writing assignment in this course, you’re being asked to construct a variation of a personal essay, which can also be referred to as a research project. The essay that you produce must be based on a combination of personal experience(s) and research, it must be told primarily from the first-person point of view, and it must meet the given length requirement of 500 to 1,500 words. The essay that you write should be a direct response to one of the two prompts offered. It should offer your ideas and opinions and use research as support. This essay, much like the personal narrative, will be directed toward a general and unfamiliar audience—people who don’t know you personally. Your finished product should be completely original and contain research only as support for your established ideas. You should not rely on the results of your research to create your essay, but to support ideas of your own. This will help to ensure that your finished project is unique, credible, and ethical. YOUR OPTIONS There are two distinct topic options for this particular assignment. While each of these options has specific requirements and expectations, there is also a great deal of freedom included with each. Because your essay is being created based on your opinions/ideas and research, no two completed essays will be exactly alike. Option 1: Personal Take on Current Issues Choose a current issue in local, national, or international news. Write an editorial piece explaining the issue and offering your opinions and any solutions you can think of that may apply. You’ll need to thoroughly research the issue at hand in order to provide a solid explanation of the issue, as well as informed opinions and solutions. You must be sure to provide an appropriate context for the issue you choose; the audience needs to understand why this is a problem that deserves consideration and why you feel your solutions can affect it. Part of your purpose is to convince your audience that your solutions are viable. Option 2: Planning a Career Choose a career that you would like to pursue. You’ll need to thoroughly research your career choice. You should explain the career to your audience. Although an explanation of the career is certainly necessary, you must be sure to keep the focus of the essay on yourself and why you want to enter this particular career field; the focus shouldn’t be solely on the career field itself. Be sure to provide as much detail as possible about your career choice, including what type of education, training, or certification is required; what a typical day or week would be like; what kind of salary you can expect; what the future looks like for employees in this field; and whether or not geography will affect job opportunities. Part of your purpose is to convince your audience that you’re making an informed choice, allowing you a chance at success in the job market. ESSENTIALS: FORMATTING YOUR ESSAY ■ Please be sure to include a header at the top of each page that includes your last name and a page number at the right margin. ■ The very first page of your essay shouldn’t contain a header, but it should include your name, your student ID number, and the exam number. ■ Your paper should be typed and double-spaced using Microsoft Word or another word processing program such as WordPad, X Word, AbiWord, and so on. It must be submitted in .doc, .docx, or .rtf format for grading purposes. ■ Use double-spacing, standard one-inch margins, and a font no larger than the equivalent of Times New Roman 12. ■ Your final draft should contain between 500 and 1,500 words. GRADING RUBRIC: EXAM 007130 Exemplary Proficient Fair Poor Not Shown Grammar and Mechanics (45 points) Introduction (5 points): The essay establishes a specific topic and approach and sets an appropriate tone/mood for the rest of the essay. It engages the reader and creates interest. 5 4 3–2 1 0 Coherence and Unity (10 points): Ideas flow clearly and logically as the essay is developed. Each paragraph contains one main idea (with enough detail to develop that idea clearly and logically) and a connection to the ideas that precede and follow it. Clear transitions are present between sentences as well as between paragraphs. The author remains focused on the topic. 10–9 8–7 6–5 4–1 0 Sentence Structure (10 points): Sentences are varied in both structure and length. Sentences are complete, expressive, clear, and to the point. The essay includes no run-on sentences or fragments. 10–9 8–7 6–5 4–1 0 Spelling, Word Choice, Grammar and Punctuation (15 points): Essay is free of spelling errors. Appropriate language is chosen for each situation, fitting the mood/tone set in the introduction. Word choice complements, does not inhibit, clarity. Essay utilizes correct and consistent verb tenses, subject-verb agreement, clear pronoun-antecedent agreement, and so on. Grammar errors do not interfere with comprehension. Essay is free of errors such as comma splices, misplaced commas, and inappropriate end punctuation. All punctuation is used correctly so as not to inhibit clarity. Errors should not interrupt or distract the reader. 15–14 13–11 10–7 6–1 0 Conclusion (5 points): The conclusion provides adequate closure, reinforces the meaning/significance established in the introduction, and effectively wraps up the essay. 5 4 3–2 1 0 Research and Citations (40 points) Support for Ideas (15 points): Adequate detail and accurate support are provided for each idea introduced. Specific, accurate, and relevant examples are used to show meaning. The essay does not simply make blanket claims without support. Quality sources (credible, accurate, reasonable, supported) are used effectively to enhance the author’s ideas. 15–14 13–11 10–7 6–1 0 In-text Citations (10 points): Included for all borrowed material and properly formatted. Each one has a corresponding Works Cited entry. Web addresses and/or links are not acceptable. 10–9 8–7 6–5 4–1 0 Works Cited (15 points): Page is included at end of document. Entries are alphabetized, and each entry has at least one corresponding in-text citation. All entries are correctly formatted according to MLA guidelines.