Description
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Choose a work of art that in some way expresses your values, your taste, your style. It doesn’t necessarily have to be your favorite work, or the most important for sentimental reasons. But it should be one that you feel does a good job of communicating something about you, something that you think is important. The work can be of any type, a painting, a photograph, a piece of music, a building, a poem or story.
Think carefully before choosing “The Starry Night” by Van Gogh or an image of the beach. There are zillions of people who would probably say very similar things, including you (and including me!). Try to choose something that is a little less common. If you choose a “Great Work of Art,” be aware that it is really tough–if not impossible–to say something original about it.
First, describe the work. What details are important to it? What details appeal the most to you? Explain what about the work speaks to you, and how it speaks about you. Be concrete and specific. Can you tell the difference between saying a painting “gives off a good vibe” versus “the orange and red in this painting remind me of being a child looking at the flowers in my grandmother’s backyard”? The first one is vague and conveys very little compared to the second.
Then tell me why you chose that work. What is it about the piece that you feel represents who you are as a person? How does the work symbolize your view on life or culture? Here too, try to be as concrete as you can. Saying “family is everything to me” is pretty ordinary and bland but saying “my grandmother taught me to cook a dish she learned growing up in Haiti, and to me that represents family” demonstrates a vivid connection to the theme.
This assignment should be 400 words, and will be assessed on its formal clarity, the quality of the writing and editing, its degree of engagement with its topic, its creativity/inventiveness/originality of ideas, and the sophistication of thought it expresses.
Rubric
2020 Blog Post/Writing Rubric
2020 Blog Post/Writing Rubric
Criteria Ratings Pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeContentAbility to incorporate and synthesize learned material into written responses that are accurate and meaningful, and which reflect student’s grasp on, and ability to think independently about, course content.
35 pts
Exceptional
Student shows mastery of the relevant information and ideas, and demonstrates deep thinking on the topic. Response demonstrates creativity, synthesis, and/or incisive critical thinking on the issues at hand.
30 pts
Good
Student demonstrates a solid grasp of material and can convey responses to the material in a clear, accurate and thoughtful manner. Depth of student knowledge and thinking on the topic seems adequate but not exceptional. Response is solid but may not make new critical leaps, or synthesize information in unexpected ways.
25 pts
Adequate
Student demonstrates basic familiarity with material and adequately addresses the prompt. Conveys ideas in a coherent, though unremarkable, manner.
20 pts
Unacceptable
Student response lacks clarity, accuracy, or demonstrates a lack of thought and engagement about ideas/material, or an inaccurate grasp of ideas/material.
35 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeGrammar/MechanicsAbility to craft coherent thoughts in standard English, free from errors in diction, spelling, grammar and punctuation, and edited for flow and clarity.
35 pts
Exceptional
Writing is well edited and completely free from errors in spelling, grammar, diction and punctuation. Reads smoothly, clearly, and with careful attention to sentence rhythm, word choice, and thoughtfulness about overall flow.
30 pts
Good
Writing is clear, well edited and completely free from errors in spelling, grammar, diction and punctuation. Shows some awareness of word choice and overall flow.
25 pts
Adequate
Writing is largely free from errors in spelling, grammar, diction and punctuation, is largely clear, and demonstrates some attention to editing and reader experience.
20 pts
Unacceptable
Writing contains several errors in spelling, grammar, diction, and/or punctuation. Is unclear and shows little to no editing.
35 pts
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeStructureAbility to form a body of ideas on a topic into a coherent whole. Knowledge of how ideas flow together and how transitions connect passages logically to one another.
30 pts
Exceptional
Argument/exposition demonstrates mastery of form and flow, and overall awareness of the assignment as a written whole. Demonstrates creative, inventive or incisive solutions for presenting student’s thoughts and course materials in novel, meaningful and effective ways.
27 pts
Good
Argument/exposition demonstrates grasp of form and flow and awareness of the assignment as a written whole.
23 pts
Adequate
Argument/exposition is coherent and complete, but shows little to no thought to design. Ideas are presented clearly, but with no compelling logic or order.
20 pts
Unacceptable
Argument/exposition is haphazard and not logically presented.
30 pts
Total Points: 100
