Unit 3 Activity 2 Task 2 and 3

2. Reflection on writer’s purpose:

Lou’s Place

The writer’s purpose in a descriptive form is to convey a picture of the world as they perceive it through their senses. The writer’s purpose in the descriptive essay Lou’s Place is to show how the place is symbolized in time, by expressing what the place looks like, sounds like, feels like, smells like and what the food tastes like. The writer achieves this in line 2, “Stopping in to see if anyone could tell us where to locate the turn we had missed, my husband and I received a large dose of culture shock.” Paragraph 3, line 2 “Chunks are missing from the carpet at the favorite tables of the workers.  The hardened veneer on some of the tables is missing a notch here and there.  The paint on the walls has cracks and there is a perennial smell of hamburgers permeating the air.” shows how the writer describes Lou’s Place and allows the reader the ability to perceive the place. The writer allows the reader to visualize the place and also how it is symbolized in time by last paragraph “The last time I was in Lou’s, I experienced another trip through time’s door; it was as if  nothing had changed, nothing, except the amount of gray in her hair. ……. Everything is the same, everything is different.”

3. Rubric for Descriptive Essay (Lou’s Place):

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Title	Title is creative, sparks interest and is related to the topic.	Title is related to the topic but needs to be more creative.	Title is present.	No title present.
Introduction (Organization)	The introduction is inviting, states the main topic, previews the structure of the paper, and includes a well-written, clever lead that is related to the essay’s topic which attracts the reader’s attention.	The introduction clearly states the main topic and previews the structure of the paper, but is not particularly inviting to the reader. A well-written lead is used to attract the reader’s attention.	The introduction states the main topic, but does not adequately preview the structure of the paper nor is it particularly inviting to the reader. A lead is used but is not particularly attractive to the reader or does not relate to the topic.	There is no clear introduction of the main topic or structure of the paper. No lead is used.
Focus on Topic (Content)	There is one clear, well-focused topic. Main idea stands out and is supported by detailed information. Well-written topic sentences are used in each 5-7 sentence paragraph.	Main idea is clear but the supporting information is general. Topic sentences are used in each paragraph.	Main idea is somewhat clear but there is a need for more supporting information. Topic sentences are used in most paragraphs.	The main idea is not clear. There is a seemingly random collection of information. Topic sentences appear in few or none of the paragraphs.
Supporting Information/ Details	Several relevant, telling, quality details give the reader important information that allow the reader to picture, smell, feel, hear or imagine tasting things described.	Supporting details and information are relevant, but one key issue or part of the description is unsupported. There are a few vivid details in the essay.	Supporting details and information are relevant, but several key issues or are unsupported. There are details but they do not help the reader imagine they are involved.	Supporting details and information are typically unclear or not related to the topic. There are no or barely any vivid details in the essay.
Adding Personality (Voice)	The writer seems to be writing from knowledge or experience. The author has taken the ideas and made them "his/her own."	The writer seems to be drawing on knowledge or experience, but there is some lack of ownership of the topic.	The writer relates some of his own knowledge or experience, but it adds nothing to the discussion of the topic.	The writer has not tried to transform the information in a personal way.
Sentence Structure	All sentences are well-constructed without using repetitive ideas throughout.	Most sentences are well- constructed with complete thoughts.	Most sentences are well-constructed but some are run-ons or are not descriptive.	Sentences do not have structure and are incomplete or rambling.
Sequencing (Organization)	Details and transition words and phrases are placed in a logical order and the way they are presented effectively keeps the interest of the reader.	Details and transition words and phrases are placed in a logical order, but the way in which they are presented makes the writing less interesting.	Some details and transition words and phrases are not in a logical or expected order, and this distracts the reader.	Many details are not in a logical or expected order. There is little sense that the writing is organized. The transitions between ideas are unclear or non-existent.
Conclusion (Organization)	The conclusion is strong and leaves the reader with a feeling that he/she understands the writer’s point of view.	The conclusion is recognizable and ties up almost all the loose ends.	The conclusion is recognizable, but does not tie up several loose ends.	There is no clear conclusion, the paper just ends.

Grammar & Spelling	Writer makes no errors in grammar, punctuation, or spelling.	Writer makes 1-2 errors in grammar, punctuation, or spelling.	Writer makes 3-4 errors in grammar, punctuation, or spelling.	Writer makes more than 4 errors in grammar, punctuation, or spelling.
Revision	Writer has revised thoughtfully with multiple changes that add to the ideas or clarity of the writing.	Writer has revised thoughtfully but 1 or 2 issues remain.	Writer has revised but several issues remain.	Writer has only revised spelling and grammar issues, there was no revision, or original copy was not submitted.
Form/Neatness	Essay is appropriate length and is neatly handwritten in blue or black ink with few or no cross-outs or excessive use of white-out, or is neatly typed in black ink in Times New Roman Font size 12.	Essay is neatly handwritten in blue or black ink, or is neatly typed in black ink in Times New Roman Font size 12.	Essay is not particularly neatly handwritten in blue or black ink, or is neatly typed in black ink in a non-requested font or font size.	Essay is not neatly handwritten in blue or black ink, or is not neatly typed, with a number of cross-outs, messy use of white-out, or is written/typed in ink that is hard to read.

 

 

 

 

RHETORICAL MODES

RHETORICAL MODES

Rhetorical modes (also known as modes of discourse) describe the variety, conventions, and purposes of the major kinds of writing. Four of the most common rhetorical modes and their purpose are exposition, argumentation, description, and narration.

Rhetorical Modes	Purpose	Audience	Content	Style	Voice	Organization
Descriptive	To express to the reader our perception or idea of the world which is, what a thing looks like, sounds like or smells like by using our five senses which are sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch.	The audience depends on the purpose of the descriptive piece and therefore, the audience can be children, adults or layperson.  The person who will be able to visualize the thing after it has been read.	Descriptive prose provides sensuous details about people, places, times of day, feelings and so on. It therefore allows you to perceive the world through your five senses.	Can be either of the Artistic type or the technical/scientific type though the artistic type is more typical and characteristic of this type of discourse. In the artistic type, all of the affective factors which are associated with the senses will be exploited.	The voice used must appeal to your senses as at the end of the piece, you should be able to visualize the image of the thing that is described. Eg. Use of words such as big, yellow, sad.	Organization principle is Spatial: presented as they are (or were) located in space--such as, from left to right or from top to bottom. Therefore when an object is attempted to be described then, we are forced to freeze the moment in time in order to describe it.
Narrative	To express an event to the reader on how we experience the world whether it is temporal sequence which is events are happening at present; or chronological order, natural sequence in which events occur in time. Time is very important in narration.	The audience depends on the purpose of the narrative piece and therefore, the audience can be children, adults or layperson.  The person who will experience the story based on what has been read, reader will have a sense of witnessing the action.	The meaning narration covers any type of discourse that relates events in time. Narration is concerned with actions in a temporal sequence with life in motion. Primary purpose is to appeal to our intellect and not our imagination.	Artistic narrative types are the types of narration with which we are more familiar, but in the writing of history, technical/scientific narration, since the primary purpose is to inform or explain.	Should use descriptive language as it needs to be able to describe the story or convey a meaning.	Time controls the structure of narration. Events take place in a temporal sequence. Events can take place in the chronological order, relate events at the most dramatic point of the action and the use of flash back in time to go to the high point of the story.
Argument	This is an attempt to persuade or convince the audience or reader to change their beliefs or opinions on a topic of idea and to have the audience/reader take action by appealing to the readers’ reason or emotion. It is based on beliefs, attitudes, ideas and conceptions.	The audience depends on the purpose of the argumentative piece and therefore, the audience can be children, adults or layperson. The person who will change their conception or belief about a topic or issue and take action.	Evidence is used and cited in order to justify the writers claim or position. Requires the reader to analyze and evaluate.	Technical scientific argument is the equivalent of logical argument and persuasion is the equivalent of artistic argument. Logical argument appeals to the intellect (reason) and persuasive argument appeals to the emotions.	Nature is to appeal to the audience’s rational thought rather than to their emotions. Argues the point to make reader aware of the conflict or issue or disagreement, and states their point of view from the beginning of essay to the end.	There are various types of arguments which have their own structural characteristics. There are Inductive arguments (generalisations, analogy and cause and effect) and deductive arguments, which have fairly complex patterns and means of testing. Argument may have two or three claims which are : one is the conclusion, the first sentence, and the other two sentences which constitute grounds that justify the conclusion.
Exposition	The primary function of exposition is to inform the audience/reader and explain an idea, belief or feeling. Exposition typically deals with ideas, which are essentially abstract and have no time dimensions.	The audience depends on the purpose of the expositive piece and therefore, the audience can be children, adults or layperson.  The audience is who will be have an understanding of the explanation and information after reading the piece of writing.	Used to convey an understanding, therefore this discourse is concerned with making an idea clear, analyzing a situation, defining a term, giving instructions and the like. It is most often used in the academic world, in the world of work and in everyday life.	There may be both technical/scientific and artistic exposition. However, technical/scientific is more typical of this mode, since its main purpose is to inform or explain, which usually implies an appeal to the intellect or understanding.	Writing is used to engage the audience in the idea or belief and also to explain, so it relates to the dimension of reality. The audience is therefore asked to believe the view of the writer.	There in no one single method of organizing exposition, but a variety of methods, most of them based on logic. This is because exposition typically deals with ideas, which are abstract and have no space/time continuum. Structural devices used in Exposition are: classification, analysis, definition, comparison and contrast, illustration, cause and effect and analogy.