Essay 

ENG130: Literature and Comp

ENG 130: Research Essay

Essay ENG 130: Research Essay

This assignment focuses on your ability to: evaluate researched source materials to be
academic, valid, and reliable; to incorporate research fluidly into an essay format; to cite researched
information properly in APA format.

The purpose of completing this assignment is: learning how to research valid and reliable
sources is an important lifelong skill for school, career, and personal life. You will need to know how
to synthesize researched information and present it effectively. As a student of Post, please be sure
you use this assignment to solidify your mastery of APA text citations. Ask your instructor questions!

______________________________________________________________

Prompt (what you are writing about):

Who is August Wilson and how do his plays in The Pittsburgh Cycle—particularly Fences—

reflect the society in which they are set?

Instructions (How to get it done):

 Research August Wilson, his life, The Pittsburgh Cycle of plays, and how they reflect the eras

in which the plays are set.

 You must have at least four outside sources that are academic and reliable.

 Create an essay that is 2 to 3 pages and relates the following information:

o August Wilson’s life and accomplishments

o The plays that are included in Wilson’s The Pittsburgh Cycle including brief summaries

each play.

o Research on the era and location in which Fences is set.

 This is a research essay and not an argumentative essay.

 Include direct quotes and paraphrases from your researched information

 Be sure that you have in text citations and corresponding reference citations for all quoted

material, paraphrased material, and newly researched material.

Requirements:

 Length and format: 2-3 pages.

 The title page and reference page are also required, but they should not be factored into the
2-3 page length of the essay.

 It should also be double spaced, written in Times New Roman, in 12 point font and with 1 inch
margins. Essay should conform to APA formatting and citation style.

 Use the third-person, objective voice, avoiding personal pronouns such as “I,” “you,” “we,” etc.

 Please use the above source and at least four outside sources to create a properly-formatted

APA reference page.

 Use APA format for in-text citations and references when using outside sources and textual

evidence.

 Please be cautious about plagiarism. Make sure to use in-text citations for direct quotes,

paraphrases, and new information.

Source: Fences by August Wilson (pages 1270-1331)

Research Essay Rubric

Does Not Meet
Expectations

0-11

Below
Expectations

12-13

Needs
Improvement

14-15

Satisfactory

16-17

Meets
Expectations

18-20

Organization Many details are
not in a logical or
expected order.
The paper does
not use
paragraphs.

Writing may have
little discernible

organization, but
some details are
not in a logical or
expected order.
The paper uses

paragraphs
in

effectively.

Writing has
adequate

discernible
organization.

Paragraphs are
generally used

effectively.

Writing is
organized and

details are placed
in a logical order.
Paragraphs are

mostly used
effectively.

Writing is
effective,

purposeful, and
well-organized.
Paragraphs are
used effectively.

Evidence and
Support

Does not include
text support
and/or text
support is not
cited.

Very little evidence
is given and used
in the essay
properly. Research
evidence is not
incorporated.
Evidence may not
relate to the thesis
statement.
Evidence is cited
but not with the
proper formatting.

Some evidence is
used from two
research sources
and/or evidence is
somewhat related
to the thesis
statement.
Evidence may or
may not always
cited properly.

Evidence is used
from three outside
sources and/or
evidence is mostly
tied to the thesis
statement and
used properly and
is cited properly.

Evidence is
integrated from at
least four outside
sources and/or
evidence is used
effectively and
cited properly.

Integration of
Knowledge

The essay
demonstrates that
the author has not
fully understood
and applied
concepts learned
in the course.

The essay
demonstrates gaps
in knowledge of
applied concepts
learned in the
course.

The essay
demonstrates that
the author, to a
certain extent,
understands and
has applied
concepts learned
in the course.

The essay
demonstrates that
the author, for the
most part,
understands and
has applied
concepts learned
in the course.
Some of the
conclusions,
however, are not
supported in the
body of the paper.

The essay
demonstrates that
the author fully
understands and
has applied
concepts learned
in the course.
Concepts are
integrated into the
writer’s own
insights. The
writer provides
concluding
remarks that show
analysis and
synthesis of ideas.

APA
Format

APA format is not
followed.

Errors evident
throughout all of
the areas: 1 inch
margins, correctly
formatted title
page, correctly
formatted
reference page,
double spacing,
Times New
Roman,12 font.

Errors evident in
three to four of the
areas of: 1 inch
margins, correctly
formatted title
page, correctly
formatted
reference page,
double spacing,
Times New
Roman, 12 font.

Errors evident in
one to two of the
areas of: 1 inch
margins, correctly
formatted title
page, correctly
formatted
reference page,
double spacing,
Times New
Roman, 12 font.

Free of errors in: 1
inch margins,
correctly formatted
title page,
correctly formatted
reference page,
double spacing,
Times New
Roman, 12 font.

Grammar and
Mechanics

Grammar and
mechanics’ errors
make the essay
incomprehensible.

Grammar, spelling,
punctuation, and
mechanics errors
occur throughout

Several errors in
grammar,
punctuation,
spelling and

Some spelling,
grammar,
punctuation and
mechanical errors

Free of
punctuation,
spelling, grammar,
and other

document. Word
choices are seldom
academic.
Sentence structure
may be illogical or
unclear.

mechanics
present. Word
choice reveals
some
understanding of
academic
language
requirements.
Many sentence
structure issues
exist.

are evident.
Academic
language is
upheld. The
sentence structure
is often logical and
clear so that
relationships
among ideas are
established.

mechanical errors.
Consistent use of
academic word
choices.
Sentence
structure is mostly
logical and clear.