Prewriting: Illustration
Advanced Composition : Prewriting:
Illustration
Lesson 5 Overview
In this lesson, you’ll review
several patterns of
development for writing,
including description,
illustration, classification,
and definition. You’ve likely
studied these patterns in
other courses such as
English Composition. The aim of this lesson is to prepare you for
writing an illustration essay. As you review the material in each
assignment, note how each pattern of development serves specific
purposes, as well as how they can be effectively combined to write
more complex and interesting
essays.
5.1 Identify the goals and importance of descriptive
writing
Description
READING ASSIGNMENT
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Read this assignment. Then, read pages 261–275 and 280–284 of Chapter 12
in your textbook.
Introduction
Descriptive writing can create a vivid impression of a person, place, or
thing in the reader’s mind. Unlike other patterns of development,
descriptive writing immerses the reader in a rich experience of the
subject by using language that appeals directly to the senses. The
goal of descriptive writing is to show rather than tell, and the best
descriptive writing engages all of the senses—not only sight, but also
hearing, touch, smell, and taste.
Reading Highlights
Pages 261–266
Effective descriptive writing activates the imagination through using
active verbs, modifiers that accentuate sensory detail, connotation,
and figurative language. These elements must be used with care,
however. Relying too heavily on descriptive language can obscure the
point you’re trying to convey, cluttering a passage with too much
information instead of providing a clear, concrete picture. When using
descriptive language, bear in mind the dominant impression you wish
to create.
Pages 267–274
Read Rachel Maizes’s essay “Bad Dog,” looking closely at the
highlighted areas, which point out different characteristics of
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descriptive writing used throughout. When you’ve finished reading,
look at the sample graphic organizer in Graphic Organizer 12.1, which
offers a handy illustration of the development of a descriptive essay.
Then read Sam Quinones’s essay “Dreamland, Portsmouth, Ohio” and
review the graphic organizer (Graphic Organizer 12.2) that traces how
the different descriptive elements are used.
Page 275
This brief section offers helpful suggestions for integrating description
into an essay. The key points are to
Include only relevant details
Keep the description focused
Make sure the description fits the essay’s tone and point of view
Pages 280–284
Read the “Students Write” essay by Maia Nault. Notice that the topic
of her essay, “Sometimes, We Give” appears at the end of the first
paragraph. Like Rachel Maizes’s essay, the author’s topic sentences
and other elements have been highlighted, which allows you to see
how the author integrates thematic and descriptive elements along
with other patterns of development.
Key Points and Links
READING ASSIGNMENT
Key Points
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Descriptive writing creates a vivid impression or image of the
person, place, or thing in the reader’s mind.
Effective descriptive writing activates the imagination by using
active verbs and modifiers that accentuate sensory detail,
connotation, and figurative language.
You can integrate description into an essay by including only
relevant details, keeping the description focused, and making
sure the description fits the tone and point of view of the essay.
Discover More: Descriptive Writing: Goals
Respond to the following based on your reading.
Read or reread the essay by Maia Nault and complete the following
questions
1. Under “Analyzing the Writer’s Technique,” respond to all four
items.
2. Under “Thinking Critically about Description,” respond to all four
items.
Discover More Answer Key:
Discover More: Descriptive Writing: Goals
1. Analyzing the Writer’s Technique
1. Nault’s dominant impression is one of empathy. It is implicit, but
the last sentence in paras. 14 and 15 come close to making it
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explicit.
2. Answers will vary, but some strong examples include “squirmed
between a heap of blankets” (para.1), “threadbare, filthy clothes”
(3), and longer passages such as the description of the homeless
man (7).
3. Answers will vary, but students might point out “a hole the size of
my dog’s face” (para. 2) and “crumpled-soul” (3) as particularly
effective; some may find “my hair felt like a frizzy rat’s nest” (3)
and “a wave of calmness” (5) as somewhat cliched.
4. Other patterns include narration, comparison-contrast, and
illustration; they help convey a full and vivid picture of the narrator
and her encounter with the homeless man.
2. Thinking Critically about Description
1. The name of the city and neighborhood are omitted, but Nault
gives enough detail for the readers to envision the busy-ness of
the city.
2. Nault’s tone is sympathetic and compassionate as she describes
Michael and her encounters with him. Her tone elicits the reader’s
empathy.
3. It suggests that she was a heavy load, being pulled unwillingly
and then deposited in the right spot.
4. Answers will vary, but Nault seems to be comparing the young
homeless man with a discarded piece of paper. The essay would
lose a powerful, imaginative image.
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5.2 Describe the effective ways of using illustration in
composing engaging content
Illustration
READING ASSIGNMENT
Read this assignment. Then, read pages 298–318 of Chapter 13 in your
textbook.
Introduction
Writers use illustration to make a general idea specific, clarify an
unfamiliar concept, and engage a reader’s interest. As with descriptive
language, however, illustration is most effective when used selectively.
Examples must be appropriate and serve to reinforce your argument
or support your thesis. This section reviews the use of illustration as a
tool that can help readers follow your argument and influence their
thinking toward your point of view.
Reading Highlights
Pages 298–301
Illustration is generally used to support a generalization. Carefully
review the explanations and examples provided in the text in
preparation for reading and evaluating the essays included in this
assignment. As you read the essays in this chapter, notice that using
a generalization by itself isn’t an appropriate writing technique—a
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generalization must be developed using a pattern of development,
such as illustration, to provide specifics showing how the
generalization reflects your purpose.
Pages 301–306
Read the essay “What’s That Supposed to Mean?” by Deborah
Tannen. When you’ve finished reading, review the characteristics of
illustration described earlier in the chapter. Then study the sample
graphic organizer that follows and consider how you might use it as a
visual guide for analyzing Tannen’s essay.
Pages 306–309
As you read Martin Gottfried’s essay “Rambos of the Road,” note how
he uses specific examples to illustrate what he calls “auto macho,” or
road rage. After you’ve finished reading the essay, study the tips
provided in “Integrating Illustration into an Essay”.
Pages 310–315
Because your essay exam for this lesson will be based on illustration,
carefully study the steps outlined in the guided writing assignment
section in this chapter. The topic for your exam will be assigned, but
you may find it useful to practice using one of the topics suggested in
this guided writing section. Pay special attention to the editing,
proofreading, and revision tips as well.
Pages 315–318
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Read the “Students Write” essay “Conforming to Stand Out: A Look at
American Beauty,” by Nick Ruggia. Like the essays you read in the
previous section, select portions of the text have been highlighted to
point out the organizational elements as well as the illustrations the
author uses to support his theses. You might also want to check out
the Works Cited page that follows the essay for a good idea of how
the author references the evidence he’s gathered as part of his
research.
Key Points and Links
READING ASSIGNMENT
Key Points
Illustration is used by writers to make a general idea specific,
clarify an unfamiliar concept, and engage a reader’s interest.
Illustration is used to support a generalization.
Discover More: Usage of Illustration
Respond to the following based on your reading.
Read or reread the essay by Nick Ruggia and complete the following
questions
1. Under “Analyzing the Writer’s Technique,” respond to all three
items.
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2. Under “Thinking Critically about Illustration,” respond to all four
items.
Discover More Answer Key:
Discover More: Usage of Illustration
1. Analyzing the Writer’s Technique
1. Ruggia’s three main examples of the “drastic lengths” women in
America go to in order to achieve physical perfection include the
drive to be thin, the popularity of plastic surgery, and the fad of
body art. Examples of celebrities balance his discussion of the
impact of body art trends on men. Some may find that his last
example of “Americans’ obsession with physical appearance” is
more an example of self-expression than a negative or dangerous
behavior.
2. Ruggia combines two factual and scholarly sources with one
cultural source (Pew Research Center’s “A Portrait of ‘Generation
Next’”) and one popular source (the Toronto Star article). This
blend ensures reliable information and adds cultural relevance.
3. He could have used evidence from the local news or personal
examples.
2. Thinking Critically about Illustration
1. Ruggia explains his statistics for emotional effect: “millions of
women struggling with food disorders” (paragraph 2) and “5.2
million reconstructive plastic surgeries” (paragraph 3). He uses
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examples for a fact: “enormous fake breasts” (paragraph 3) and
“even ‘alternative’ piercings are now accepted: Amy Winehouse”
(paragraph 4). Ruggia conveys the superficiality and prevalence
of eating disorders and body
art.
2. The phrase connotes the artificiality of the blonde bombshell
stereotype.
3. Ruggia could have interviewed celebrities or body art aficionados
to give their perspective, or he might have quoted popular
magazines to show how these magazines portray body art trends.
4. It’s supported by the claims that a fear of aging and a desire to be
attractive drive body modifications. Since we all get older and
generally less attractive, misery is inevitable. But evidence
supporting the claim that fear of aging drives body modification
could be stronger.
5.3 Explain the ways of classifying and dividing topics
for essays and articles
Classification and Division
READING ASSIGNMENT
Read this assignment. Then, read pages 400–411of Chapter 16 in your
textbook.
Introduction
In your everyday life, you probably find it helpful and even comforting
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to keep things organized. By classifying objects, chores, and even the
food we eat into recognizable groups or dividing large entities into
manageable segments, we make sense of and keep track of the
various parts of our lives.
Classifying or dividing a topic for an essay can help you organize your
thoughts and ideas before you begin a draft, or it can be the pattern of
development you use to inform your readers about your topic. In this
assignment, you’ll review the principles of classification and division
and look at how classification and division can be effectively combined
with other patterns of development. While each method of
organization can be effective on its own, combining two or three will
give your essay more depth and allow for more sophisticated
approaches to your subject matter.
Reading Highlights
Pages 400–401
Classification is the sorting of items into specific categories for ease of
identification. It seems people are compelled to sort things: clothing,
office supplies, and library books are generally grouped together in
ways that help us find and use them more efficiently. Even people are
sorted into groups by family, job title, or personality type. If we divide a
large group, such as a business, into smaller categories, like
departments, we call that division.
Pages 401–403
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Your text discusses the characteristics of the classification or division
essay on these pages. First, remember your readers and be sure that
your categories make sense to them. Use a single principle for
classification or division. For example, if your topic was stars, you
could classify them by brightness, color, and mass, but if you divided
them, it would be by types of stars. Each element classified or sorted
into parts should be fully explained. An essay that employs
classification or division frames the parts and pieces with a thesis,
which identifies the topic.
Pages 403–407
Read the essay “My Secret Life on the McJob: Fast Food Managers”
by Jerry Newman. In his essay, Newman uses illustration to both
engage his readers and differentiate the management styles of
different store managers. As you enjoy reading this essay, consider
the following questions:
What was the most common managerial style the author
encountered?
What was the most common work attitude of mechanical
managers?
Why do you suppose relationship managers were so rare?
Which of these managerial types is characterized by quickly
letting employees know what is expected of them?
After you’ve read the essay, study the sample graphic organizer that
follows.
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Pages 408–410
Read “The Language of Junk Food Addiction: How to ‘Read’ a Potato
Chip” and study Graphic Organizer 16.2 to see how the article is
illustrated in a graphic organizer.
Page 411
Study the material on integrating classification or division into an
essay. Then take a close look at the guidelines for actively reading
and thinking critically about a classification or division essay. You’ll
find these guidelines useful when studying or writing a classification or
division essay.
Key Points and Links
READING ASSIGNMENT
Key Points
Classifying or dividing a topic for an essay can help to organize
your thoughts and ideas before you begin a draft.
It can also be the pattern of development that you use to inform
readers about your topic.
Use a single principle for classification or division in your writing.
An essay that employs classification or division frames the parts
and pieces with a thesis, which identifies the topic.
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Discover More: Essays and Articles: Classifying and Dividing
Topics
Respond to the following based on your reading.
Read the following passage carefully, then answer the questions.
1.
How Are Rocks Different from Minerals?
Geologists know the difference between rocks and minerals. Minerals
are natural chemical compounds, and their variety is enormous.
They’re sometimes classified according to their chemical properties.
The Dana classification system includes the silicate, carbonate,
sulfate, oxide, and element classes, among others. For instance, a
very common mineral in the silicate class, quartz, is mainly composed
of silicon dioxide. The element class comprises metals and
intermetallic elements, such as silver and gold.
In contrast, the three basic kinds of rocks are classified in terms of
how they were formed. Igneous rocks are hardened magma—the
molten rock found beneath Earth’s crust. Sedimentary rocks are
formed from layers of sand, clay, or the remains of marine creatures.
Compressed by the weight and pressure of ocean depths, sand can
become sandstone, clay can become shale, and the skeletons of
marine animals may be transformed into limestone. Finally,
metamorphic rocks can originate from either igneous or sedimentary
rocks. Over billions of years, convulsions of the Earth’s crust have
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pushed igneous or sedimentary rocks deep into our planet’s
subsurface to be transformed (metamorphosed) by unimaginable heat
and pressure. Over millions of years, granite may be transformed into
some form of gneiss or schist—rocks that are often found in the Alps
or the Rocky Mountains. Limestone may be transformed into marble,
shale into slate, and sandstone into glittering quartzite.
1. If the paragraphs are part of a short essay, what is a possible
working thesis for the essay?
2. Outline the classifications and divisions in the essay.
Discover More Answer Key:
Discover More: Essays and Articles: Classifying and Dividing
Topics
1. Possible thesis: Unlike minerals, which are natural chemical
compounds, rocks are categorized by the ways in which they’re
formed.
2. Classification: Minerals
Divisions: quartz
Classification: Rocks
Divisions: Igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic
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5.4 Summarize the link between classification and
definition related to content development
Definition
READING ASSIGNMENT
Read this assignment. Then, read pages 429–439 and 445–455 of Chapter 17
in your textbook.
Reading Highlights
Pages 429–434
A definition, which explains the meaning of a term or concept, should
be given directly and then may be explored through illustrations and
examples. For example, “Voice over: In a film or video, dialog spoken
off camera, generally in the context of a series of visual images” is a
direct definition. An extended definition explores the meaning of a
topic more completely. The essay by Jan Goodwin, which you’ll read
as part of this assignment, offers an extended definition through
explanations of who “freegans” are and how they live. In an extended
definition essay, you can expect to find one or more characteristics,
including
A brief explanation of the term: “Arachnid: A family of creatures
within the Arthropod phylum, which includes spiders, scorpions,
and horseshoe crabs.”
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Specificity and focus: In Jan Goodwin’s essay “Freegans”, the
focus is on urban foragers and their place in society.
A point: An extended definition makes its point by elaborating on
the definition. “With their compound eyes, treacherous webs, and
grasping mandibles, spiders are seen by some as prototypes of
some alien menace.”
Varying or mixed patterns of development: You might compare
and contrast spiders and horseshoe crabs or discuss the
evolution of spiders from ancestors of the horseshoe crab. Other
approaches would be to use details and distinguishing
characteristics, such as compound eyes, treacherous webs, and
grasping mandibles, or repudiate misconceptions—“Spiders play
a vital role in curtailing the populations of insect pests.”
Once you’ve reviewed the textbook’s examination of the
characteristics of extended definitions, read Jan Goodwin’s essay,
“Freegans: They Live on What We Throw Away.” Afterward, study the
sample graphic organizer for an Extended Definition Essay that
follows.
Pages 435–437
Read the essay by Mike Crissey, “Dude, Do You Know What You Just
Said?” As you read, imagine creating a graphic organizer for the
essay. Then study Figure 17.2 to see if your thoughts and ideas on
that objective match up with the organizer offered in your text.
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Pages 438–439
Pay close attention to the section “Integrating Definition into an
Essay,” because the instructions establish four kinds of terms you
should define no matter what the essay’s purpose or pattern of
development is. The need to define technical and abstract terms may
be obvious, particularly for an audience unaware of the jargon.
Though it’s not discussed in your textbook, another element to writing
an extended definition for an academic paper is to study its etymology,
which refers to the origin and history of the word. For example, as
detailed in Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary, the term etymology
comes from the Greek words etumos, meaning “true,” and logia,
meaning “word” and “reason,” to indicate a word’s literal meaning and
source. This fourteenth-century term worked its way from Greek into
the English language by passing through Latin, Anglo-French, and
Middle English.
Unabridged dictionaries provide the most information, usually including
the time period the word came into common use, the language(s) in
which some form of it was used, and the root word(s) for each of its
parts. With some, you may have to identify the root word for a term
and then look up that root word in the dictionary for the origin’s
definition. Be sure to read the section or appendix in the dictionary
that explains how to read the etymological information to gain full use
of this resource tool.
Why would anyone want to incorporate this type of information into a
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definition paper? Sometimes a term’s etymology is so basic, such as
when the root word means exactly the same as the term, no purpose
is served by discussing it. On the other hand, the word’s original
meaning can often shed new light on its current use and deepen your
understanding. Consider the term plagiarize, which involves using
someone else’s work and ideas as your own. Originally, the word
came from the Latin and Greek where it meant “kidnapping,” as well
as netting or trapping game (Merriam-Webster). Supplying this
etymological information in your definition can help you portray the
angry shock an author feels when his or her work is kidnapped or
taken hostage by another person. In addition, it can be used to
underscore the criminal connotations associated with plagiarism,
thereby supporting the severe punishments imposed for such an act.
In addition to examining the types of terms that require definition in an
extended definition essay, this section also offers guidelines for
reading actively and thinking critically about extended definition
essays.
Pages 445–455
The “Readings: Extended Definition in Action” section begins with a
“Students Write” essay by Kate Atkinson, “Guerilla Street Art: A New
Use of Public Space”. Note the highlighted words and passages in the
essay while you analyze the reading. The second essay, “Dating on
the Autism Spectrum” by Emily Shire, demonstrates the integration of
extended definition with other patterns.
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Key Points and Links
READING ASSIGNMENT
Key Points
A definition explains the meaning of a term or concept.
A definition should be given directly, and then maybe explored
through illustrations and examples.
Integrating definition into an essay requires you to explain certain
types of terms, including technical and abstract terms that may be
unfamiliar to the
reader.
Etymology refers to the origin and history of a word.
Discover More: Content Development: Definition
Respond to the following based on your reading.
Read the following passage carefully, then answer the questions.
How Are Rocks Different from Minerals?
Geologists know the difference between rocks and minerals. Minerals
are natural chemical compounds, and their variety is enormous.
They’re sometimes classified according to their chemical properties.
The Dana classification system includes the silicate, carbonate,
sulfate, oxide, and element classes, among others. For instance, a
very common mineral in the silicate class, quartz, is mainly composed
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of silicon dioxide. The element class comprises metals and
intermetallic elements, such as silver and gold.
In contrast, the three basic kinds of rocks are classified in terms of
how they were formed. Igneous rocks are hardened magma—the
molten rock found beneath Earth’s crust. Sedimentary rocks are
formed from layers of sand, clay, or the remains of marine creatures.
Compressed by the weight and pressure of ocean depths, sand can
become sandstone, clay can become shale, and the skeletons of
marine animals may be transformed into limestone. Finally,
metamorphic rocks can originate from either igneous or sedimentary
rocks. Over billions of years, convulsions of the Earth’s crust have
pushed igneous or sedimentary rocks deep into our planet’s
subsurface to be transformed (metamorphosed) by unimaginable heat
and pressure. Over millions of years, granite may be transformed into
some form of gneiss or schist—rocks that are often found in the Alps
or the Rocky Mountains. Limestone may be transformed into marble,
shale into slate, and sandstone into glittering quartzite.
a. Look up the term metamorphosis in a standard college dictionary
and write out several different definitions. Which one would apply
to rocks?
b. Using Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary at
http://www.merriam-webster.com/ (www.merriam-webster.com/) ,
investigate the etymology of metamorphosis. (Be sure to look up
the term meta- as well.) How does the information you find help
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http://www.merriam-webster.com/
you better understand the definition?
c. What words or concepts are defined in the paragraphs?
d. How does the discussion of rocks and minerals combine
definition with classification?
2. Read or reread Kate Atkinson’s essay, “Guerilla Street Art”.
1. Respond to all three items under “Analyzing the Writer’s
Technique.”
2. Respond to all five items under “Thinking Critically About
Definition”
Discover More Answer Key:
Discover More: Content Development: Definition
1.
a. Your definitions will vary, but the definition that applies to rocks
should refer to a change in its constitution caused by pressure,
heat, and water, making it more compact and more highly
crystalline.
b. Answers will vary, though should include that meta- in this
situation means “change” and that the root word morphë means
“form.” This word combination is also seen in the Greek
metamorphoun, to transform. Rocks are classified by the way
they form (morphë). In the process of metamorphosis, the
igneous or sedimentary forms actually change form; they
transform into a different kind of rock.
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c. Minerals, element class, igneous rocks, magma, sedimentary
rocks, and metamorphic rocks
d. The passage classifies minerals by their chemical properties and
rocks by how they were formed; each paragraph includes
scientific names and terms that needed to be defined for the
reader.
2. Analyzing the Writer’s Technique
1. It’s art taken “out of its traditional context”; it’s art that uses “public
space to create controversy and intrigue”; it makes art free and
accessible to a broad audience” (paragraph 1).
2. Title: introduces a new term; introduction: offers several
examples that prove the topic’s relevance; conclusion:
summarizes why guerrilla street art can be considered art
3. Judgment: “crude or offensive descriptions” (paragraph 4);
technical: “wheat pasting” (paragraph 2); abstract: “iconic image”
(paragraph 3); controversial: “guerrilla street art” (paragraph 1)
3. Thinking Critically about Definition
1. Atkinson appreciates guerrilla street art. The essay is, therefore,
more favorable than it would be if she saw it as an illegal act only
or as an actor produces artless work.
2. Atkinson might have included an article from an art magazine or
website. The sources she uses emphasize that her subject is
popular and political rather than illegal, academic, or concerning
the established art world.
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3. “Vibrancy” connotes positive energy; “blossoming” connotes
positive growth. Both support the affirmative tone.
4. The term is a euphemism if it means something rawer than the
words suggest. “Guerrilla” can connote either activity that’s illegal
and difficult to stop or activity that can be romanticized. If the
latter, it’s euphemistic. More direct language: unapproved street
art.
5. Similarities: posted in the same locations; unsolicited by the
venues; without official permission; may be eye-catching and
beautiful, promote a cause, be self-serving, irritate neighbors, be
costly to remove. Differences: primary purpose is pragmatic and
commercial rather than non-pragmatic and aesthetic.
5.5 Prepare an outline or graphic organizer for an
illustration essay using a specified topic
Graded Project: Prewriting: Illustration
READING ASSIGNMENT
Your project must be submitted as a Word document ( x, )*. Your
project will be individually graded by your instructor and therefore will take up
to a few weeks to grade. Be sure that each of your files contains the following
information:
Your name
Your student ID number
The exam number
Your email address
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To submit your graded project, follow these steps:
Log in to your student portal.
Click on Take Exam next to the lesson you’re working on.
Find the exam number for your project at the top of the Project Upload
page.
Follow the instructions provided to complete your exam.
Be sure to keep a backup copy of any files you submit to the school!
Illustration Prewriting
Effective illustration essays support a generalization, explain, and
clarify by providing examples that maintain readers’ interest and
achieve the author’s purpose.
Assignment
For this assignment, you’ll prepare an outline or graphic organizer for
a 1,600- to 1,800-word essay using the illustration pattern of
development. You’ll choose one of the assigned topics listed below
and begin your research; three to five secondary sources are
required. You are required to use American Psychological Association
(APA) citation and documentation format for parenthetical (in-text)
citation and your list of references.
Review Illustration, Chapter 13 in your textbook, and complete
exercises 13.1, 13.2, and 13.3 on developing and explaining
examples, and appealing to specific audiences. Refer to Graphic
Organizers 13.1 and 13.2 in your text to see the structure of an
illustration essay.
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You do not need to use text boxes or create flowcharts for your essay
assignment. Refer to the sample graphic organizer included in these
exam instructions and type your work in a word-processed document.
Topics
Choose one of the following topics:
A generalization about effective or ineffective parenting
A generalization about your current or future career
A generalization about your age group, Baby Boomers,
Generation X, Millennials, and so on
Research
You will need three to five reputable secondary sources for your
Illustration prewriting.
Review Chapter 22, “Finding Sources, Taking Notes, and
Synthesizing Ideas.” Evaluate your sources to ensure that the
information you’re using and passing on to your readers is accurate
and reliable.
Incorporate evidence from your secondary sources into your outline or
graphic organizer to plan your essay. You’ll need to use parenthetical
citation and include a list of references on the last page of your exam.
Refer to the APA style section in your text and the APA style guide in
the Writer’s Block (pflibrary.pennfoster.edu/writersblock/citationanddoc
umentation/apastyle) .
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http://pflibrary.pennfoster.edu/writersblock/citationanddocumentation/apastyle
Process
Follow the guided writing assignment in Chapter 13 of your textbook.
Steps one to six will help you develop, plan, and organize your ideas.
Sample Graphic Organizer
Avoid using text boxes, arrows, lines, or flowcharts for your graphic
organizer. Instead, use a basic informal outline for your ideas like the
one shown below.
You can see the structure of Gottfried’s “Rambos of the Road” in
Graphic Organizer 13.2 in your textbook, but you’ll need to write a
more in-depth outline or graphic organizer to create a strong
foundation for your 1,600- to 1,800-word essay.
Title: Career Paths for English Majors
Introduction
Background: Many people believe that English majors can only be
teachers, if they find jobs at all.
Thesis: Contrary to what people may think, English is a versatile
major that can lead to well-paying jobs in a variety of fields.
Body Paragraphs
Example 1: English majors find jobs in writing fields, such as technical
writer, copywriter, and editor.
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Profita (2019) claims that English majors can put their revising,
editing, and proofreading skills to work as social media
managers, technical writers, and public relations specialists.
Example 2: English majors find jobs in technical fields.
“PayScale is finding plenty of signs that humanities majors in
general—and English majors in particular—are making headway
in faster-growing areas related to digital content. Among the
bright spots: content strategists ($90,500), content marketing
managers ($82,100), content managers ($72,200), and web
producers ($69,900)” (Anders, 2016, para. 5).
Example 3: English majors find jobs in business and marketing fields.
English majors have found lucrative jobs as advertising
executives, human resources managers, employment recruiters,
and software developers (Laue, 2019).
Conclusion
There’s nothing wrong with loving to read and write or wanting to
become a teacher, but English majors aren’t locked in to teaching.
English is the perfect major for careers that demand good
communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
References
Anders, George. (2016). 14 jobs for English majors that pay at least
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$60,000. Forbes. Retrieved from
https://www.forbes.com/sites/georgeanders/2016/10/03/14-jobs-for-
english-majors-that-pay-at-least-60000/#68eb5c834f1d (www.forbes.c
om/sites/georgeanders/2016/10/03/14-jobs-for-english-majors-that-pa
y-at-least-60000/#68eb5c834f1d)
Laue, Christine. (2019). Best-paying jobs for English majors. Monster.
Retrieved from https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/best-
paying-jobs-english-majors (www.monster.com/career-advice/article/b
est-paying-jobs-english-majors)
Profita, Mike. (2019). Career options to consider for English majors.
The Balance Careers. Retrieved from:
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/top-jobs-for-english-majors-
2059642 (www.thebalancecareers.com/top-jobs-for-english-majors-20
59642) .
Essay
Format
Format your prewriting and essay according to the following
instructions. Refer to the sample APA-style essay in your textbook.
1. Start with a title page that includes your
Title
Name
Student ID
Address
Email address
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https://www.forbes.com/sites/georgeanders/2016/10/03/14-jobs-for-english-majors-that-pay-at-least-60000/#68eb5c834f1d
https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/best-paying-jobs-english-majors
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/top-jobs-for-english-majors-2059642
2. Use the header function to insert your page number in the top
right margin of your document.
You do not need to include your essay title in the header.
3. Begin your document on page 2 after the title page.
Start page 2 with your title
Do not include abstracts in your essays.
Use transitional words, phrases, and sentences to guide
your reader through your essay.
Do not use headings in your essay.
4. Include your references list on the last page of your document.
Do not submit it separately.
Grading Rubric
Skill
Realized
100-90
Skill
Developing
89-80
Skill
Emerging
79-70
Skill Not
Shown
69-0
Thesis, Ideas, and Content
-The thesis makes a focused claim
that can be sustained in a longer
essay.
-The outline/organizer provides a
detailed plan for the essay and
incorporates secondary sources to
support thesis and main points.
25-23 22-20 20-18 18-0
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Organization
-Ideas are arranged logically.
-Each proposed main point is
focused on one example and helps
support the thesis statement.
25-23 23-21 20-18 18-0
References
-Provided three to five potential
secondary sources for research.
-Incorporated borrowed information
from secondary sources using
parenthetical (in-text) citation.
-Properly formatted using APA
guidelines.
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Conventions
-The outline/organizer has been
spell-checked and proofread to
check for errors in word choice and
typos.
-The paper is reasonably free of
errors that interfere with a reader’s
ability to understand the content.
15-13 13-11 11-9 9-0
Format
-The prewrite is developed as an
outline or graphic organizer.
– It includes all required information
in a properly formatted cover page.
10-8 8-7 7-6 6-0
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