Open the John Muir Essays document in your Google drive folder and create a new heading.
Important Discovery
Purpose – Analysis & Persuasion
- To analyze the impact of an important discovery
- To persuade the audience of the importance of a discovery
Audience – Your classmates and myself who may not agree that your chosen discovery is important.
Format – 5 paragraph essay
| Paragraph 1 – Introduction |
Describe John Muir’s glacier discovery and theory of geographic formation. Include a quote from the book. Introduce your discovery by providing brief background information about what the discovery is, who discovered it, and where and how it was discovered. Write a thesis statement listing three reasons why readers should believe that the discovery is important.
| Paragraph 2 – Reason 1 |
Create a topic sentence that states your first reason for why the discovery is important. Explain your reason in detail, providing at least two examples or facts or pieces of supporting evidence. Make sure that your sentences include some type of rhetorical appeal (ethos, pathos, and/or logos). End with a concluding statement that summarizes how your examples/facts/evidence support your reason.
| Paragraph 3 – Reason 2 |
Create a topic sentence that states your second reason for why the discovery is important. Explain your reason in detail, providing at least two examples or facts or pieces of supporting evidence. Make sure that your sentences include some type of rhetorical appeal (ethos, pathos, and/or logos). End with a concluding statement that summarizes how your examples/facts/evidence support your reason.
| Paragraph 4 – Reason 3 |
Create a topic sentence that states your third reason for why the discovery is important. Explain your reason in detail, providing at least two examples or facts or pieces of supporting evidence. Make sure that your sentences include some type of rhetorical appeal (ethos, pathos, and/or logos). End with a concluding statement that summarizes how your examples/facts/evidence support your reason.
| Paragraph 5 - Conclusion |
Restate your reasons for why your discovery is important. Make a concession or counterargument that acknowledges why someone might not believe that the discovery is important. End with a memorable rhetorical appeal that emphasizes your discovery’s importance.
Evaluation –
- Organization – you followed directions and have at least 5 paragraphs that are well developed with a topic sentence and details.
- Focus – your thesis is clear and your essay does not stray from it. You wrote persuasively.
- Support – you used appropriate rhetorical appeals & descriptive details to persuade the reader of your discovery’s importance. You included many specific examples.
- MLA style – internal citation, proper heading, double spaced, etc.
- You have at least 500 words.
- See the rubric for more specific evaluation criteria.