The following is a rubric for an essay. I will provide more information in the next input. Please wait. Research
Types of Sources: Include at least six high-quality, credible sources in your essay, all of which should be
cited using MLA in-text citation and in your Works Cited. (You will complete a separate Annotated
Bibliography of three of your six sources). Research source genres might include academic/peer-
reviewed articles, academic books or chapters, reports from governments or think tanks, organizational
white papers or websites, surveys, etc. Carefully evaluate your sources for credibility and relevance. Do
not include sources unless you are clear about who wrote and published them. While I encourage
exploratory research in the beginning of your process, you will need to weed out less credible, less
relevant sources as you refine your inquiry.
Reading and Annotating Your Sources: Conducting responsible research means reading sources
thoroughly and using them in substantive ways. Avoid simply grabbing a statistic or a short quotation
from sources without taking into account the entire source. Use article abstracts (the
summary/preview of the paper) to help you discern whether a source is worth reading to begin with;
however, text from the article abstract should not appear in your Annotated Bibliography or in the
body of your paper. As you incorporate sources, add the citation to your Works Cited; three core
sources (your most substantive sources ) should also be include in a separate annotated bibliography
using Purdue OWL’s Summarize, Evaluate, Reflect method (we’ll go over this in class).
Write & Revise
An outline for the structure of a researched feature article might look something like this:
1. First-person: an anecdote or first part of the story as a way of previewing the paper’s topic and
inquiry
2. Bigger picture: an overview and framing statement of the bigger question using sources,
including a clear statement of your inquiry question
3. First-person: the next scene or segment of your story, foregrounding the connection to the
bigger picture
4. Bigger picture: development of the question, incorporation and synthesis of more research
5. First-person: an additional scene or story that gets at another complicated aspect of the bigger
picture (ongoing cycle of narrative and incorporation of research)
6. Bigger picture: the “take-away,” perhaps in the form of a reflection on your opening story or a
proposal as a conclusion; emphasize what was learned in the course of your essay and what
questions remainNarrative introduction piques reader’s interest and
previews the purpose of the paper (what issues are at
stake); intro vividly locates reader in a specific time and
place and presents a clearly stated inquiry question
● Body of article alternates smoothly and logically between
personal narrative and research (1st and 3rd-person POV)
● Guiding transitions are provided between paragraphs and
connecting transitions within paragraphs
● Focused and coherent paragraph structure (MEAL plan)
● Conclusion rewards the reader for reading to the end by
providing an insightful takeaway (response to the inquiry
question) that follows from the author’s synthesis of
research and analysis
Notes:
Audience
Awareness
● Feature article is interesting and informative
● Title reflects the article content and piques reader interest
● Portal image is copyright clean and previews the paper’s
subject in an intriguing manner
● Article is written for a general audience, evidenced by how
the writer provides clear definitions of concepts, context
for research, and background info as necessary
● Sentences are clear and well-structured; language is precise
and vivid; excess language(wordiness) is eliminated; tone is
professional, yet accessible