2/19/2021

Critical Analysis Writing

Assignment

https://canvas.pasadena.edu/courses/1112750/assignments/8752741 1/3

Critical Analysis Writing Assignment

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Critical Analysis Writing Assignment

Purpose

The purpose of this assignment is for me to get to know you as a writer and identify your strengths
and weaknesses in writing. This essay will be graded, as you are expected to have met prerequisite
writing courses’ requirements and SLOs.

Topic

Everyone at some time makes claims that are expected to be true. Arguably, for as long as we can
remember, humans have lived in a world where truth is asserted or contrasted with other verbal,
written, or creative forms of communication. Logic, metaphor, analogies, science, art—potentially all

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2/19/2021 Critical Analysis Writing Assignment

https://canvas.pasadena.edu/courses/1112750/assignments/8752741 2/3

ENGL1C Critical Analysis (1)

that can be included in a language or a type of language—flies in the face of truth. There are great
arguments that deconstruct truth, as well as great arguments that construct it. Beliefs, opinions, and,
strangely, facts (or “alternative facts”) are often conflated with truth, and, sometimes, separated from
them. In this essay, therefore, your assignment is to tell me what you believe to be true even if you
believe that truth cannot be known.

Assignment

Please respond to the following question with a well-developed thesis that is supported by a few
examples or evidence in the body of your essay:

What do you believe to be true, and why?

Directions

Please type 2 pages of double-spaced, Times New Roman, 12 point font.
Please include your name, my name, our course name, today’s date, and an original title, in MLA
format.
Your essay must include an introduction, a thesis, a body, and a conclusion.

Tips

When writing about what you believe to be true, remember it is what you believe. What I’m asking for,
essentially, is for you to be able to articulate your worldview to me, in two pages. For example, you
may believe that people should have less children, the world is overpopulated, people should vote
Republican, Jesus is God, Allah is the true God, Global warming is real, Nature does not exist, the
future is female, the singularity is possible, racism still exists. These are just examples intended to
help you brainstorm.

Because our socio-political atmosphere often raises awareness of “trigger warnings,” please be
mindful that the Academy (higher education) is an intellectual atmosphere and as difficult as it may
be for everyone, including myself, we must try hard to separate our emotional reactions from our
written thoughts, if they are to be found offensive or polemical. That being said, I am not, by
assigning you this essay, encouraging you to be offensive, discriminatory, or insensitive. I realize the
difficult position this puts us all in, but unfortunately that comes with the territory of making truth
claims.

Remember, this assignment is for me to see how well you can argue (articulate) what you believe in
the form of an essay.

2/19/2021 Critical Analysis Writing Assignment

https://canvas.pasadena.edu/courses/1112750/assignments/8752741 3/3

Total Points: 10

Criteria Ratings Pts

5 pts

5 pts

Introduction
and Thesis

5 pts
Mastery

Introduction and
thesis are clearly
written with
proper grammar
and syntax. Writer
demonstrates a
strong control of
language with
depth, analysis,
and well
developed
sentences and a
developed
introduction.

4 pts
Advanced

Introduction and
thesis are written
with proper
grammar and
syntax. Writer
demonstrates
good control of
language with
analysis and well
developed
sentences and a
developed
introduction.

3 pts
Proficient

Introduction and
thesis are
proficiently
written but the
syntax and
grammar impede
meaning. Writer
demonstrates
some control of
language with
developed
sentences and a
developed
introduction.

2 pts
Emerging

Introduction
and thesis are
vaguely written
and the syntax
and grammar
impedes
meaning. Writer
has a difficult
time controlling
the language
and the
development of
sentences.

0 pts
No
Marks

Body and
Conclusion

5 pts
Mastery

The body and
the conclusion
are clearly
written with
strong analysis,
depth, and
evidence that
supports the
writer’s thesis.

4 pts
Advanced

The body and
the conclusion
are written with
strong analysis,
some depth, and
some evidence
that supports the
writer’s thesis.

3 pts
Proficient

The body and the
conclusion are
proficiently written
with some
evidence, but the
support of the
writer’s thesis is
questionable and
unclear.

2 pts
Emerging

The body and the
conclusion are
written with no
evidence nor
support of the
writer’s thesis
and is highly
questionable and
unclear.

0 pts
No
Marks