Keeping up Appearances: The Cost of
Looking Good
“Here’s Looking
at You: Is Body Image Being Taken Too
Seriously?” “The Pitfalls of Plastic Surgery,” “The Human Cost of Fakes,” and
“The Morality of Designer Knock-Offs” all address issues stemming from our increasingly
unachievable standards of attractiveness/desirability. Each of the authors has addressed the harm
caused to ourselves and others as a result of buying into society’s definition
of attractiveness.
The
Assignment:
Compose your paper as a response to one
of these authors, either addressing something we are encouraged to do or a
situation created by our desire to “fit” society’s definition of attractiveness. You will narrow to something very specific--Keep
in mind that you will isolate one idea that the author addresses and then
respond in one of the following ways:
·
Agree
with one of the author’s ideas
·
Challenge
one of the author’s ideas
·
Discuss
something that you think the author missed when writing his/her article
·
Pose
a solution to one of the issues the author has raised
·
Analyze
the writer’s piece in terms of effectiveness
·
Introduce
a new, but related idea
Ideas: The ideas delineated below are provided to
give you ideas of how you could respond.
v Effects of negative
body image on certain populations (wrestlers; gymnasts; gay men; teens; dancers)
v Products (weight loss
pills; male “enhancement” products; ProActive; steroids; wrinkle creams)
v Procedures (calf implants;
hair plugs; laser hair removal; permanent make-up)
v Causes of our
insecurity/dissatisfaction (video game heroes; celebrities; photoshopping)
v The moral issues
surrounding an industry: Child labor/sweatshops
(narrow to a certain company)
v The politics of
attractiveness: Attractiveness and jobs;
attractiveness and grades
Table of
Contents:
Criteria for
Success 2
Schedule of Due
Dates 2
Evaluation
Criteria (Rubric) 3
MLA Formatting
Guidelines 4
Help with
Source Material 5
Page for Brainstorming 6
Fill-in-the-Blank
Outline 7
Criteria
for Success
See
the rubric on page 3 for the standards by which your paper will be graded. It will clearly tell you what to do in each
section of the paper.
Criteria
for Success: Use this check-off sheet to
ensure that you meet all of the criteria.
1000+
words, double-spaced & formatted according to MLA—See page 4 of this prompt
A
summary of one of the America Now essays
At
least one outside source used in order to support your argument
A correctly
formatted Works Cited page with the America Now article and your source
*Instructions are in Keys for Writers,
166-169 (Basic Rules) and 169-194 (Samples)
In-text citations
correctly introduce your sources the first time you use them (full name,
credibility, and the name of article or publication)—Sample on pg. 5 of this
prompt
Subsequent in-text citations include the first word
of the Works Cited citation and page number (if applicable); they still require
a lead-in.—Sample on pg. 5 of this prompt
v No internet
articles unless they are from reputable online newspapers!
v Encyclopedias,
dictionaries & other reference sources do not count toward the source requirement;
however, you must still include them on your Works Cited page.
Schedule
of Due Dates:
Wednesday, Mar
11/Monday, Mar 16: Summary and Completed
Tearaway Due
·
Compose
a 200+ word summary of the article you have chosen to respond to.
·
Fill
in the tearaway (including the statement of purpose/audience) on pg. 7 of this
prompt.
v
Thesis
should be directed to a very specific audience & tell them what to think,
know, or do
v
Topic
Sentences should identify the main point and transition from the previous point
v
Each
main point ¶ should include a topic sentence, explanation of the point, support
for the point, and a “So What?” reflection that helps the reader see the
validity of the material.
Wednesday, Mar
18/Monday, Mar 23: Workshop Draft Due;
BRING TWO COPIES!
·
Bring
the completed draft of your argument.
·
Include
a Works Cited page; See Keys for Writers, 166-169 (Basics) & 169-194
(Samples).
Wednesday, Mar
25/Monday, April 6: Final Draft Due
·
1000+
words (put word count at end), formatted according to MLA—See pg. 4 of prompt
·
Correctly
formatted Works Cited page with your America Now essay and your source
·
Submit
in folder with your evaluation criteria chart
**Complete
the information from your diagnostic!
·
Include
all workshop materials and copies of every source you used.
Important Information
Regarding Grading:
Evaluation Criteria
English 1A
Essay Grade: ___ ___
___ ___ Overall Grade: ___
___ ___ ___
___ ___
___ ___ Has a clear, narrow, strong thesis with only
one claim that is directed to a particular audience
___ ___
___ ___ All main points relate back to the thesis
___ ___
___ ___ All explanations/examples/outside sources/reflection
support the main point
___ ___
___ ___ Writer has audience-awareness (content is
audience-specific; tone is audience-friendly)
___ ___
___ ___ Writer maintains a consistent view (doesn’t
change claim or demonstrate uncertainty)
___ ___
___ ___ Each main point gets its own ¶(s)
___ ___
___ ___ Main points with more than one idea are
separated into subpoints (1 idea per ¶)
___ ___
___ ___ Topic sentences effectively identify the point
and connect it to the thesis
___ ___
___ ___ Connections between ideas are clear (topic
sentences; transitions)
___ ___
___ ___ Ideas follow one another logically from ¶ to ¶
(cause and effect, chronologically)
___ ___
___ ___ Ideas follow one another logically within ¶s
___ ___
___ ___ Writer has enough main points to substantiate
thesis
___ ___
___ ___ Main points are fully developed (explanations, specific
examples, source material, reflection)
___ ___
___ ___ Support is vivid and specific rather than
general and vague
CONCLUSION: ___ ___
___ ___ Areas
that NEED WORK are checked; well-done areas are denoted with stars.
___ ___
___ ___ The conclusion is a well-developed ¶ that
doesn’t simply restate the main points
___ ___
___ ___ The conclusion leaves the reader thinking
___ ___
___ ___ The conclusion may leave the reader with
something to ponder or do
___ ___
___ ___ Original ideas/engaging topic: The paper has purpose and isn’t revisiting
common ideas
___ ___
___ ___ The paper has an academic tone/the writer has a
unique, interesting writing style
___ ___
___ ___ The paper is not repetitive
___ ___
___ ___ The writer demonstrates critical thinking (logical;
no fallacies; can identify appeals and fallacies)
___ ___
___ ___ Writer makes use of a variety of sentence
patterns
___ ___
___ ___ The writer demonstrates creativity
MLA: ___
___ ___ ___ Areas that NEED WORK are checked; areas that
are well-done are denoted with stars.
___ ___
___ ___ First use of a source introduces it (author’s
full name &/or the title, credibility, and a lead in)
___ ___
___ ___ All subsequent uses of a source include a lead-in
& a correct citation: 1rst word on WC
___ ___
___ ___ Punctuation is correct (ellipses, colons,
periods, and quotation marks)
___ ___
___ ___ Writer begins and ends each ¶ with his/her own
thoughts
___ ___
___ ___ Layout of Works Cited page correctly follows
MLA documentation guidelines
___ ___
___ ___ Individual citations on the Works Cited page
follow MLA documentation guidelines
___ ___
___ ___ All sources used are cited; all cited sources
are used; sources are credible; enough sources used
GRAMMATICAL ACCURACY (Errors per page): A: 1-2
B: 3-4 C:
5 D: 6
F: 7+
Diagnostic: Paper
One: Midterm: Paper
Two:
MLA FORMATTING GUIDELINES
·
No
separate cover sheet or title page
·
12
point font; 1 inch margins all around; justify left
·
Place
your name, your instructor’s name, the course title, and the date in the upper
left hand corner. These items are
double-spaced.
·
The entire paper is double-spaced; never
hit “enter” twice.
·
Center
the title a double space under the date; capitalize all appropriate words. Do not underline or boldface. Do not use all caps, place it between
quotation marks, or end it with a period.
·
Begin
the essay a double space below the title.
·
Number
your first page and all subsequent pages one-half inch from the top, one inch
from the right margin. Put your last
name before the page number.
·
Indent
the first line of each paragraph using your tab key (5 spaces).
Example:
Juncker
1
Margaret
Juncker
Professor
Varbel
English 1A
17 March 2009
No More Jury Duty
Are you sick and tired of jury
duty? Does your heart sink every time
you open the mailbox and see the words “Superior Court” ominously glaring at
you from the front of an official–looking envelope? Well, despair no more. You can turn those frustrating mailbox
moments into moments filled with diabolical chuckling. What will you need? Read on.
Help with Source Material
Works Cited Citations:
*Instructions are in Keys for Writers,
166-169 (Basic Rules) and 169-194 (Samples)
Reprinted Book: Lane, Tristan. Luscious with Lipo. 1970. Chico, CA: Houghton Mifflin, 2007.
Editor as author: Lanze, Deirdre, ed. Celebrity Woes. 3rd ed. Boston:
Norton, 2006.
Work in an Anthology: Juncker, Margaret. “Jeans or Juvy.” Why Not Fitting in Leads to
Crime. 4th
ed. Ed. John D. Shehorn. Boston, Bedford, 2008. 56-60.
Advertisement: ProActive.
Advertisement. Bazaar. 13 February 2008: 43.
Newspaper: Riley, Jane.
“Label Lies.” Fresno Bee 26 October 2007: A5.
Scholarly Journal: Jones, Ty.
“Steroid Abuse.” MD Quarterly 45.6 (2006):
125–133.
Magazine Article: Diaz, Trey.
“Metrosexuality.” Health 26 October 2005: 15.
Database Article: Cite as print article (above) and then add
the following:
·
Name
of the database, underlined (Expanded Academic ASAP.)
·
Name
of the service providing the database (Infotrac.)
·
Name
of library w/ city & state (Mission College Library, Santa Clara, CA.)
·
Your
date of access (30 October 2005.)
Rosenberg,
Debra, Lynn Waddell, and Suzanne Smalley. "Did Your Breast Implants Change
Shape?" Consumer Reports 21 Jan 2008: 40. Academic
Universe. Lexis-Nexis.
Mission College Library, Santa Clara,
CA. 16
Mar. 2009.
In-text Citations:
*Instructions are in Keys for Writers,
148-149 and 155-157.
First Use:
In her article “Calling for a New Dialogue on Rape,” University of
Pennsylvania student Darcy Richie asks an important question: “What messages are men receiving through the
media and through our words about how women are to be treated?” (36).
Subsequent
Uses: One of her theories is that “the media’s
sexualization of females translates […] into a justification to touch, fondle,
and use force or coercion to lure their female acquaintances into unwanted
sexual intercourse” (Richie 35).
Page for
Brainstorming
Fill-in-the-Blank-Outline (Follows
Standard Format)
Statement
of Purpose and Audience: On the lines
below, identify your target audience and what you want them to think, know, or
do as a result of having read your paper:
_____________________________________________________________________________
I.
Intro
A. *(Optional) Attention-getter (Think of Richie’s rape scenario.)
B. ¶ Summary of the America Now article: Include author, title, overall idea of the
piece in the first sentence. Then,
identify the writer’s supporting points using author tags.
C.
Transition ¶: Transition from the
summary ¶ and isolate/identify the point that you would like to focus on or
spin off of. Make it stand out from the
piece, and explain it clearly before you defend, challenge, propose a solution,
address a missed point, or present a new idea.
D. Thesis statement: Specific, focused claim re: the topic (Direct
to target audience; tell them exactly what to think, know, as do as a result of
having read your paper):
_____________________________________________________________________________.
**Really
consider audience. Do they already know,
already agree, already care, or already do?
II. Body:
You can support with statistics (Richie), expert opinion, interviews
(Rispin), etc.
A. Topic sentence that identifies
main point:
_____________________________________________________________________________.
1. Explanation of the point:
______________________________________________________________________________
2. Support (specific):
______________________________________________________________________________
3.
“So What?” (relevance):
______________________________________________________________________________
B. Topic sentence that identifies
main point and transitions from point A:
_____________________________________________________________________________.
1. Explanation of the point:
______________________________________________________________________________
2. Support (specific):
______________________________________________________________________________
3.
“So What?” (relevance):
______________________________________________________________________________
C. Topic sentence that identifies
main point and transitions from point B:
_____________________________________________________________________________.
1. Explanation of the point:
______________________________________________________________________________
2. Support (specific):
______________________________________________________________________________
3.
“So What?” (relevance):
______________________________________________________________________________
III. Conclusion
Wrap
up your paper in such a way that you invite the reader to think, to agree, or
to act. If you give the reader something
very specific to do, even if it is just to ponder what you have presented, your
conclusion will be more effective (as in the case of Collins and Take Back the
Night).