Topic: Abortion

Format: MLA

This essay should be between 900 and 1000 words, excluding the required annotated bibliography.

First, you will choose a public debate that has at least two opposing sides. As before, you need to research that topic in order to narrow the topic’s scope, so it can be easily discussed in 1000 word essay.

Note: Consider your audience as laymen in the field who have only general knowledge of your topic.
 

 This essay must include a minimum of five sources. Three should be peer-reviewed sources.  Include the following two peer reviewed sources:

  

(peer reviewed)  Gee, Alastair. “Anti-Abortion Laws Gain More Ground in the USA.” The Lancet 377.9782 (2011): 1992–1993. 

(peer reviewed) Milner, Allison, and Anne Kavanagh. “Abortion Laws Reform May Reduce Maternal Mortality: An Ecological Study in 162 Countries.” BMC Women’s Health 19.1 (2019): 1.

You may use eBooks; however, as discussed in your textbook, books generally are not as current as peer-reviewed articles.  You may also use primary sources (interviews, statistics, etc); however, these primary sources should be obtained from experts within that field.  

Make sure to include the following sections in your essay:
 

an introduction and claim,
background,
body,
and a conclusion.
 

Make sure your essay includes the following:
 

The background for your chosen topic,

A discussion of both sides of the debate, including core values or warrants underlying their arguments

Your common ground (Rogerian) solution/claim

An explanation of how that common ground claim can resolve the core issue for both sides.
 

After you have written your essay, please make sure to revise the content of your essay. Lastly, be sure to edit your essay by checking grammar, format, and smaller technical details. Please make sure your essay is written in third person.
 

The Annotated Bibliography
 

An annotated Bibliography (AB) is due with your Rogerian essay.

ENGL102

Assignment

Rubric

EXEMPLARY

LEVEL

ACCOMPLISHED

LEVEL

DEVELOPING

LEVEL

BEGINNING

LEVEL

Points

Earned

Purpose and

Audience

(20 Points)

18-20: The

writing engages

the reader with

an original

approach to the

subject. It may

encompass

conflicting ideas

and inspires the

reader to

contemplate the

relationship of

complex ideas.

16-17: The

writing clearly

goes beyond the

minimum

requirements of

the assignment.

It attempts to

engage the

reader through

originality and

presentation of

complex ideas.

14-1

5: The

writing meets the

minimum
requirements of
the assignment.

It offers insight

into the subject

through basic

logic and the

presentation of

ideas based on

some

evidence.

13 or below:

The writing fails

to

meet the

minimum
requirements of
the assignment.

It offers little

insight

into the

subject and has

serious flaws in

logic and

omissions in

evidence.

/20

Thesis and

Support

(20 Points)

18-20: The

writing has a

clearly articulated

original thesis

and

subordinate

ideas supported

by reliable and

relevant evidence

based on original

research. Main

ideas are not lost

in surrounding

supporting

evidence.

16-17: The
writing has a
clearly articulated

thesis supported

by

appropriate

evidence and

sound logic.

Minor gaps in

logic and

argument may

appear. Main

ideas can be

distinguished

from supporting

evidence with

some effort.

14-15: The
writing has a

clear thesis and

related

subordinate ideas

supported by

clear thinking and

appropriate

evidence. Logical

arguments may

be one-sided or

incomplete.

13 or below:

The writing may

need a more

clearly articulated

thesis

and/or

appropriate
related
subordinate

ideas. Fuzzy logic

may be evident

and adequate

supporting

evidence is

lacking.

/20

Organization

(20 Points)

18-20: The

writing flows

smoothly and

logically from a

well-defined

thesis. It contains

an appropriate

introduction,

conclusion, and

smooth

transitions. The

essay follows the

organizational

method noted in

the

assignment

details.

16-17: The

writing is

organized

logically and

flows well. An

introduction and

conclusion are

evident, but

transitions may

be smoother. The

essay follows the
organizational
method noted in
the assignment
details.
14-15: The

writing

demonstrates

rudimentary

organization and

logical structure,

but ideas may be

more fully

developed and

supported by

more appropriate

evidence. The

essay does not

clearly follow the

organizational
method noted in
the assignment
details.
13 or below:

The writing is

noticeably lacking

in organization.

There is no clear

introduction nor

conclusion and

ideas are neither

carefully nor fully

developed.

Supporting

evidence is

clearly lacking.

The essay does

not follow the

organizational
method noted in
the assignment
details.
/20

Style

(10 Points)

10:

The writing

engages the

reader through

an original prose

style appropriate

to the subject.

Language is

precise.

Sentences are

varied but not

noticeably so.

Active voice is

apparent. All

quoted or

paraphrased

material is

properly

documented and

cited in MLA

style. Quotations

are integrated

smoothly into the

discussion.

8-9: The writing

keeps the

reader’s attention

through a

carefully crafted

prose

style.

Language chosen

is

appropriate to

the subject, but

may call

attention to itself

in minor ways.

Most quoted and

paraphrased
material is
properly
documented and
cited in MLA
style. Quotations
are integrated
into the

discussion

6-7: The writing

is clear but could

be expressed in a

style more

appropriate to

the subject. It is

jargon-free but

may require a

more complete

explanation of

some terms

used. Sources

are documented

and cited but

need to show

greater

consistency in

use of MLA style.

Quotations are

dropped into the

discussion

5 or below: The

writing lacks

clarity and is

sometimes

confusing. The

language chosen

is not appropriate

to the subject nor

the assignment.

Sources are

overly quoted or

paraphrased and

not adequately

documented nor

cited in MLA
style. Quotations

appear out of

place and/or are

dropped into the
discussion

/10

Research

(10 Points)

10: The essay

utilizes strong

and academic

research (mainly

peer-reviewed

articles), and

these sources

strengthen the

essay’s claim.

The essay meets

or exceeds the

required number

of

sources, as

stated in the

assignment
details.

8-9: The essay

utilizes academic

research (mainly
peer-reviewed
articles), and
these sources
strengthen the
essay’s claim.
The essay meets

the required

number of

sources, as
stated in the
assignment
details.

6-7: There is

research within

the essay, but

most of the

sources are not

peer-reviewed.

These sources do

not serve to

strengthen the
essay’s claim.

Instead, the

research serves

as filler. The

essay does not
meet the
required number

of sources, as

stated in the
assignment
details.
5 or below: The

research is

lacking in the

essay and/or is

missing

altogether. The

essay does not
meet the
required number

of sources as

stated in the
assignment

details

/10

Grammar and

Mechanics

(10 Points)

10: The writing is

free of

proofreading

errors. The

writing contains

sentences that

are always

complete and

grammatically

correct, and free

of confusion and

ambiguity.

8-9: The writing

may exhibit a few

minor errors in

proofreading, but

they do not

impair the flow of

the reading. The

writing contains
sentences that

are complete or

which imply

unstated

connections

and/or

conclusions.

6-7: The writing

could benefit

from additional

proofreading, as

some errors

impede the flow

of the reading.

The writing

contains some

grammatical

errors easily

corrected.

Additional

proofreading

would help

eliminate errors.

5 or below: The

writing exhibits

substantial errors

in proofreading.

The writing is

confusing and

ambiguous owing

to substantial

errors of

grammar and

syntax. There is

no evidence of

proofreading,

editing, or

rewriting.

/10

Formatting

(5 Points)

5: Student

provides a high-

caliber, formatted

assignment in

proper MLA style.

4: Assignment

presents an

above-average

use of formatting

skills with few

errors in MLA

style.

2-3: Appearance

of final

assignment

demonstrates the

student’s limited

ability to use MLA

style formatting.

0-1: Appearance

of the final

assignment is

distracting. The

number of MLA

style formatting

errors impedes

easy reading.

/5

Annotations

(5 Points)

5: The

annotations give

strong details

about the

research that was

used in the

essay. These

annotations show

that the student

read the articles,

are clear, and are

at least two

sentences

each.

4: The

annotations gives

details about the

research that was
used in the

essay, are clear,

and are at least

two sentences

each.

2-3: The

annotations lack

detail, contain

grammatical

errors, and are

under two

sentences each.

0-1: The

annotations are

missing and/or

are illegible.

/5

Total: