English 1302 Proposal Essay
Format: MLA (Times New Roman, 12 point font, 1” margins, double-spaced)
Due Dates:
Peer-Review on Eduflow:
1. Upload essay to Eduflow by Friday, March 25th by 11:59pm.
2. Return to Eduflow to peer-review on Saturday, March 26th or Sunday,
March 27th by 11:59pm
3. Bonus/Optional: Return to Eduflow by Tuesday, Mach 29th and complete
the Reflection questions for a bonus of five points on your essay
Proposal Essay due in Dropbox by Tuesday, March 29th by 11:59pm
Total Points Possible: 150 points (50 points for Peer-Review Review on Eduflow; 100 for
essay
Purpose: The Proposal Essay provides students an opportunity to consider all of the
elements to prepare for writing a research essay including:
• considering an issue and providing a specific stand on the issue
• composing a thesis statement and topic sentences for each paragraph
• providing logical reasons why you have chosen this topic
• writing a summary paragraph of a scholarly source
• writing an analysis paragraph of the same source that includes a quotation from the
source in MLA format followed by an explanation sentence
• constructing a Works Cited page for the one source from Opposing Viewpoints
Instructions: The Proposal Essay is a five-paragraph essay that introduces the topic you
will research and write about this
Introductory paragraph
Start the conversation about your topic. Narrow the focus to a specific issue within the
larger topic. Provide a thesis statement about what you would argue in the argument
paper as your last sentence of the introduction.
Recognize that that is a working, flexible thesis statement that you will assist you in
focusing your ideas; however, you will continue to work on revising this thesis during the
semester. Most importantly, the thesis statement should take a stand on an issue.
First body paragraph: Explain your interest
Use this paragraph to discuss why you are interested in this topic and discuss why other
people should also be interested in the specific issue that you have researched. This
paragraph should answer the question: Why am I researching this topic?
Second body paragraph: Summary Paragraph
For this paragraph, you should provide a summary of your source from Opposing
Viewpoints. This summary paragraph should follow the guidelines of summary that are
presented in the chapter including:
Introducing the author and text: Introduce author’s full name and use their last name afterward.
Articles are provided in quotation marks.
Keeping the focus on the author and using present tense verbs. Give the author credit! Use their
name often within the summary. Example: Lee argues, Lee provides, Lee explains, etc.
Providing transitions to show the chronological order of the text. Example: First, Next,
Additionally, Also, Then, Finally, etc.
Third body paragraph: Analysis of quotation
For this paragraph, you should focus on the quotation and your explanation of the quote. In other words,
build your analysis paragraph around the quotations. See section on Writing and Citing Quotations:
Provide one quotation from your source. Follow the guidelines of building paragraphs
around quotations including:
1.) introducing the idea of the statement.
2.) providing the quotation in MLA format with a lead-in phrase or an integration of the
quotation within your own sentence.
3.) using present tense verbs to discuss the author/speaker’s ideas.
4.) providing an explanation, an examination, of the quotation.
Conclusion:
Remind the audience of your thesis. You can also provide a call to awareness of this issue or
some solution to the problem.
Works Cited: Provide a WC page in MLA format for your source. Copy, paste, and re-
format the MLA citation that is located at the end of your text on the Opposing Viewpoints
database, or see the template for Works Cited for an article from a library database which is
located in the Resources chapter.
Rubric:
50 points for peer- review on Eduflow
20 points for following directions of the assignment and MLA essay formatting
20 points for thesis statement, topic sentences, and conclusion
20 points for summary paragraph and analysis paragraph with quotation
10 points for Works Cited page accuracy
30 points for grammar and editing
150 points
135-150=A; 120-134=B; 105-119 =C; 90-104=D; below 900=F