QUESTION 1

Competency

Identify and illustrate steps of the writing process in composing written exercises.

Instructions

Compose a single body descriptive paragraph in formal written English. Be sure to include the following:

• Topic sentence that provides the main idea for the descriptive paragraph.
• Body sentences that discuss the main idea for the descriptive paragraph using explanation, examples, details, and of course, descriptive elements.
• Transition sentence: Your descriptive paragraph must include the use of at least one or more transitions that move the paragraph along.
• Conclusion sentence: Your descriptive paragraph must end with a

• concluding sentence that wraps up and refers to the main idea of the topic sentence and signals to the reader that the paragraph is over.
• Your descriptive paragraph needs to contain a minimum total of five complete sentences.

Reminder: Descriptive refers to a style of writing. Choose your sentences for your descriptive paragraph from the following sentences, and use them together to construct your descriptive paragraph. They will not all be appropriate for this paragraph, so choose only the sentences that result in a complete descriptive paragraph as listed above. Use a topic sentence that provides the main idea for a single well-organized paragraph using the steps of the writing process.

Choose the best sentences to construct your descriptive paragraph, and put them together to make ONE well-organized descriptive paragraph. Remember that not all sentences need to be used.

• It’s a soft, blue-sky break before the gray skies of winter begin to reflect the steely cold waters the lake becomes with the first freeze.
• Dogs are sometimes fierce protectors that can attack anyone they feel is threatening a family.
• In the old days, dogs were not considered companions, but seen more as working animals.
• That’s what we can all call a red-letter day!
• My dog, Bosco, is a Harlequin Great Dane that outweighs our 10 year old brother, and to the other dogs in our neighborhood he must look like a tall spotted monster because they avoid him at all cost.
• Do you think dogs are smarter than people?
• Sometimes our dog seems to know when we are laughing at him because he tucks his head down and appears to shrink into a small ball resembling a lumpy soccer ball.
• On a beautiful fall day, my family enjoys picnicking at a quiet beach we know that has a blue lagoon surrounded by rustic picnic tables and tall, green pines.
• I really like dogs.
• The whole family grabs sweaters and corduroys, Mom packs a cheese sandwich picnic basket with all the junk food we never get to taste otherwise, and we jump into Dad’s old blue jalopy and head out for one last day of fun before all the hub-bub of school gets into swing.
• My brother is a great Jayvee football quarterback, my older red-headed sister is a cheerleader complete with red pom-poms, and I play cymbals and drums in the school pep band, so we are usually very tied up in school activities soon after school starts.
• That dog can open the refrigerator and grab a can of soda!
• I really enjoy the pep band; it’s fun to get all dressed up in my red band uniform and beat those shiny drums during a game.
• Our big dog needs to stay at home with the cat because he attracts sand and fleas.
• On one hand, it is hard to get everything ready for the day trip; on the other hand, nobody in our family wants to miss such a day of fun.
• My brother thinks he is smarter and more well-dressed than the rest of us because he is the oldest.
• For example, cats can be really pretty, but they don’t seem to love everyone in the family.
• At the end of a great day of flying kites, chasing each other around the lagoon, and eating great junk food, we all go home extremely tired and extremely happy.
• A day with my dog.
• My family comes in all shapes, ages, sizes, and hair colors, but no matter what we look like, we ALL love to eat.
• As night falls and my father drives the old beat-up car towards home, most of us finish up the cheese sandwiches and chips and doze off after a day of fun.

Grading Rubric

	0	1	2	3	4
Category	Not Submitted	No Pass	Competence	Proficiency	Mastery
Paragraph Construction: Topic Sentence	Not Submitted	No topic sentence included in the paragraph, or the sentence selected is not appropriate.	Topic sentence is evident and used to relate to most sentences, but not all.	Topic sentence is used as the main idea of the paragraph, and directly relates to most of the body sentences, but some sentences may not relate.	Topic sentence clearly illustrates the purpose of the paper and is used to command the rest of the body sentences.
Paragraph Construction: Body Sentences	Not Submitted	Either no body sentences provided, incomplete sentences, or sentences do not relate to the main idea for the paragraph.	Most body sentences relate correctly back to topic sentence, but not all fit into the descriptive paragraph coherently.	Body sentences tie main idea to the paragraph assignment, but do not include enough detail and examples for a descriptive paragraph.	Body sentences discuss main idea of the paragraph. Illustrate good use of details and examples to achieve the descriptive purpose of the assignment.
Paragraph Construction: Concluding Sentence	Not Submitted	No concluding sentence in paragraph or concluding sentence does not offer any sense of closure or seem appropriate.	Conclusion seems to be apparent to the reader; however, a sentence does not tie into the main idea as expressed.	Concluding sentence is carefully tied into the main idea stated as the topic sentence, but does not make clear this is the conclusion of the paragraph.	Concluding sentence is relevant to show review of the main idea as expressed and signals completion of the paragraph.
Sentence Construction	Not Submitted	Incomplete sentences or sentence errors evident throughout the paragraph.	Most sentences are complete and show correct constructions; however, no variety of sentence structures is evident.	Some evidence of varied sentence structures used correctly, but some parts of the paragraph body sentences fail to show complex/simple sentence variety.	Varied sentence structure and simple/complex sentences handled correctly. Demonstrates use of the steps of the writing process. Effective use of transitions noted.
Grammar and Mechanical	Not Submitted	Many grammatical and mechanical errors throughout paragraph. No transitional sentences used or ones used are ineffective.	Some grammatical errors interrupt flow and meaning of the paragraph; however, most are complete. Some attempt at use of transitions in paragraph.	A few grammatical and mechanical errors evident in paragraph, but do not seem to drastically change the reader’s perception of the answers. Transitions used.	No grammatical or mechanical errors evident in complete variety of simple and complex sentences that illuminate the idea of the assignment. Good use of transitions evident.

QUESTION 2

Competency

Demonstrate ability to comprehend and summarize in written material.

Instructions

Write a one page analysis of the document provided here following the steps of the writing process, as well as showing the thesis of the article, the main points that support that thesis, and your own response and reaction to the author’s point of view and how it is presented. Do this in complete paragraphs using correct formal English that has been revised, proofed, and edited to show good form.

(Download copy of the document to be analyzed)

Counterpoint: Cooling Off

Contents

• Introduction
• The Science of Global Warming
• Increasing the Risk
• Slowing Climate Change
• Individual Choice
• Ponder This
• Bibliography

Full Text

Thesis: While the average citizen of an African nation can do little to lower emissions, it turns out that the American citizen is producing more greenhouse gasses on average than anyone else on earth.

Summary: The world’s scientists no longer have any doubt about the fact that we are changing the chemical concentration of our atmosphere. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), since the Industrial Revolution ushered in a new age of fossil fuel consumption in the nineteenth century, the percentages of the three most common heat-trapping gasses in the atmosphere have increased dramatically. Carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide have always been components of our atmosphere, and are part of what makes our planet livable. Without these gasses, too much of the heat we gain from the sun would be reflected back out of the atmosphere, making for a much cooler earth. The problem arises when these gasses become too dense, retaining more and more of the sun’s heat and gradually increasing the overall temperature of the earth and its atmosphere. The good news in this story is that there are worldwide efforts in place to slow climate change even as we work to learn more about it. The dangerous increase in greenhouse gas emissions is largely caused by manufacturing processes, the burning of fossil fuels, and increases in agriculture.

Introduction

About twenty years ago, strange stories began trickling into the popular press about a discussion scientists were having on climate change. We were seeing elaborate diagrams and graphs which talked about “the greenhouse effect,” “greenhouse gasses,” and “global warming.” The science quickly unfolded into dramatic predictions about deserts appearing in our wetlands and ferocious lightning storms that alternately reminded us of biblical prophecies and mediocre science fiction movies.

Unable to imagine such things becoming part of our familiar modern world, most of us were unable to believe any of it, at first. The problem was that, unlike predictions of a judgment day on January 1, 2000, these theories didn’t go away. Now, the question is not whether we are helping to change the earth’s climatic temperatures, but what risks we are choosing to take with our world.

The Science of Global Warming

The world’s scientists no longer have any doubt about the fact that we are changing the chemical concentration of our atmosphere. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), since the Industrial Revolution ushered in a new age of fossil fuel consumption in the nineteenth century, the percentages of the three most common heat-trapping gasses in the atmosphere have increased dramatically. Carbon dioxide has increased 30 percent, methane has increased more than 100 percent, and nitrous oxide has increased about 15 percent. Meanwhile, the US National Academy of Sciences reports that the surface temperature of our planet has risen about one degree Fahrenheit in the last 100 years, and that much of that increase has occurred since the 1980s, when we first started talking about the problem. With growing information about how our climate works, scientists are now more willing to say that these two observations are linked.

Carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide have always been components of our atmosphere, and are part of what makes our planet livable. Without these gasses, too much of the heat we gain from the sun would be reflected back out of the atmosphere, making for a much cooler earth. The greenhouse gasses get their name for their ability to retain some of this solar heat and re-disperse it throughout the earth’s atmosphere, keeping the planet at a comfortable 60 degrees Fahrenheit or so.

The problem arises when these gasses become too dense, retaining more and more of the sun’s heat and gradually increasing the overall temperature of the earth and its atmosphere. Ironically, many scientists believe that we would have seen a larger increase in temperature over the past few decades except for our production of another pollutant, sulfate aerosols, which tend to reflect solar heat away from the earth. Because sulfate aerosols also cause smog, acid rain, environmental damage, and human respiratory problems, we are not considering this as a long-term solution.

Increasing the Risk

In a 2001 report, the National Academy of Sciences found “new and stronger evidence” that human beings were responsible for most of the increase in global temperatures. The report also estimated that, unless we do something about our emissions now, average global temperatures will increase anywhere from 2.2 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100. Even at the lower end of this estimate, scientists agree that we would likely see some dramatic changes to our world, with early signs already beginning to show.

The year 2001 saw the highest global temperatures in recorded history, and a measurable diminishing of glaciers and ice caps is undoubtedly related. Melting will increase sea levels. As the earth loses its ability to disperse solar heat, we may also see increased rates of water evaporation, so that many regions may dry out. At the same time, the increased movement of water vapors through the atmosphere in the wake of glacier melting and large-scale evaporation may lead to spells of violent, torrential rain. Added to this is a likelihood that warmer ocean temperatures will create stronger, longer lasting hurricanes and monsoons, and contribute to the dramatic shifts in weather pattern associated with El Nino.

While our scientists steadfastly refuse to commit to any of these predictions, they do agree on one thing: the more concentrated we let our greenhouse gasses become, the greater the risks we take. It seems we may have found another way to make our own planet uninhabitable.

Slowing Climate Change

The good news in this story is that there are worldwide efforts in place to slow climate change even as we work to learn more about it. The dangerous increase in greenhouse gas emissions is largely caused by manufacturing processes, the burning of fossil fuels, and increases in agriculture.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was open for ratification by member countries in 1992, and the Kyoto Protocol was adopted in 1997. Under these agreements, signatory nations commit to take steps to lower the emissions of greenhouse gasses to earlier levels in order to contain the threat of global warming. In addition, constant progress in technologies, such as improvements in manufacturing, alternative energy sources, and cleaner burning automobiles all help to make lowering our greenhouse gasses a realistic option for any nation that chooses to make it a priority.

For those of us in the United States, there is more good news. While the average citizen of an African nation can do little to lower emissions, it turns out that the American citizen is producing more greenhouse gasses on average than anyone else on earth.

Individual Choice

We in the US emit approximately 6.6 tons of greenhouse gasses per person per year, reflecting an increase of about 3.4 percent between 1990 and 1997. The experts tell us that about 82 percent of these emissions come from burning fossil fuels (mostly oil) to create electricity and power our cars. If that figure is not enough to rouse us to action, there’s this: the EPA estimates that about 32 percent of the gasses we’re emitting in this country are a matter of individual choice.

In other words, even if we made no effort to further clean up our manufacturing processes, our agricultural techniques, or our industries, we could still cut up to a third of our gas emissions by making some small changes to the electricity we use in our homes, the way we get to work, and the waste we choose not to recycle. The whole world would thank us for it.

Ponder This

1. According to the author, on which aspects of climate change do most scientists agree?

• 2. On which aspects of climate change are scientists less certain?
• 3. Give an example of an action the international community has taken to address global warming.
• 4. According to the author, who has the greatest opportunity to slow the emission of greenhouse gasses? Why?

Bibliography

Periodicals

King, Ralph. “GM’s Race to the Future.” Business 4.9 (October 2003): 9p. Online. EBSCO. 16 October 2003.

Knickerbocker, Brad. “States take the lead on global warming.” Christian Science Monitor 95.222 (10 October 2003): np. Online. EBSCO. 16 October 2003.

Margolis, Mac, Eric Pape, William Underhill, Jimmy Langman, and Melissa Roberts. “Vins d’Angleterre?” Newsweek (Atlantic Edition) 142.14 (6 October 2003): 4p. Online. EBSCO. 16 October 2003.

Perkins, Sid. “On Thinning Ice.” Science News 164.14 (4 October 2003): 2p. Online. EBSCO. 16 October 2003.

Strum, Matthew, Donald K. Perovich, and Mark C. Serreze. “Meltdown in the North.” Scientific American 289.4 (October 2003): 8p. Online. EBSCO. 16 October 2003.

Websites

Climate Change Science: An Analysis of Some Key Questions. The National Academies Press. 16 October 2003. http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10139.html.

The Convention and Kyoto Protocol. UNFCCC. 15 October 2003. http://unfccc.int/resource/convkp.html.

Global Warming. Environmental Protection Agency. 16 October 2003. http://yosemite.epa.gov/oar/globalwarming.nsf/content/index.html.

Global Warming Dispute. Online NewsHour.Org. 16 October 2003. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/europe/jan-june01/bush%5F6-14.html.

• These essays and any opinions, information or representations contained therein are the creation of the particular author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of EBSCO Information Services.

~~~~~~~~

By Amy Witherbee

Grading Rubric

	0	1	2	3	4
Category	Not Submitted	No pass	Competence	Proficiency	Mastery
Thesis Identified	Not Submitted	Student’s paper did not identify the thesis of the reading passage correctly, or no attempt was made.	Student’s attempts to identify the thesis of the reading passage are evident in this exercise	The introductory paragraph remains unclear as to the thesis of the article.	Student confidently cites the thesis of the passage and builds his/her summary around this information
Analysis	Not Submitted	Student submission includes too few sentences written to show any analysis of the article. Idea development is lacking.	Student’s sentences tie to main idea of the paragraph assignment, but do not include any in-depth detail	Student uses examples to show analysis in his/her summary, and most of the summary shows in-depth analysis	Student’s sentences fully discuss main ideas of the article, offer in-depth original ideas about the article offering an in-depth analysis of the reading.
Organization	Not Submitted	Inadequate organization of the one page analysis of the article as assigned, or too little is written to evaluate. Incomplete analysis other than “surface” summary offered	Organization of paper shows attempts to tie in to the major ideas of the article; however, some crucial ideas are omitted or left unexplained.	Organization correctly organizes paragraphs of paper; however, some elements do not support a clear thesis	Student’s organization shows thoughtful consideration of possible implications of the article ideas. Student uses support relevant to review entire article
Sentence Variety	Not Submitted	Student’s writing and sentence choices are not coherent. Use of simple and repetitive or incorrect sentences interferes with competent analysis of the selection.	Student performs mostly cursory repetition of simple sentences. Some varied sentence structures chosen and used correctly. Limited use of transitions used.	Some varied sentence structures chosen and used correctly, some sentence choices do not show transitions to keep the assignment examination moving from A to B to C.	Varied sentence structure and simple/complex sentences handled correctly. Demonstrates competent use of the steps of the writing process. Effective use of transitions noted.
Mechanics	Not Submitted	Paper contains incomplete sentences, word usage errors, sentences with mechanical errors etc. that distract from the meaning of the student’s paper.	Some grammatical and mechanical errors evident in sentence choices for the summary paragraph. Most sentences convey complete thought; however, some are confusing.	Grammatical and mechanical errors are minimum, and do not distract from meaning of the paper.	All sentence choices create analysis containing a good topic sentence, through discussion of the main idea of that topic. A variety of simple and complex sentences with no grammatical and/or mechanical errors.

Competency

Implement critical thinking and research strategies for clear communication of written ideas.

Instructions

Produce a complete 2-4 page paper in which you do a comparison and contrast between driverless cars and/or traditionally driven cars. Be sure to define your reason for writing (thesis), and treat both ideas equally as to pros and cons, costs to promote, validity, efficiency to use, probability of success, and manpower requirements, etc. Your paper should contain an introductory paragraph, thesis statement, body paragraphs each supporting a major idea regarding your point for writing, and a concluding paragraph to wrap-up the paper and signal the completion of your support for your reason for writing.

Although actual research is not a part of this assignment, provide a brief statement at the beginning of the assignment explaining how you would have gone about finding and providing support for your paper.

Grading Rubric

	0	1	2	3	4
Category	Not Submitted	No Pass	Competence	Proficiency	Mastery
Evidence of Critical Thinking	Not Submitted	No evidence of logical reason for writing provided. Paper lacks clear indication of the subject considered. The following are missing: what points to be considered or how the writer will go about finding information relevant to the topic. A thesis is not evident or is not appropriate. Both subjects of the comparison and contrast are not equitably described or analyzed.	Some evidence of research methods to be used. Thesis statement is included, but does not clearly illustrate point of the paper. It relates to most of the body paragraphs, but not all. Both subjects of the paper are treated, although not equally.	Some evidence of research attempted. Thesis statement is used and directly relates to most of the body paragraphs, but recedes in importance as paper moves along. Both elements of the paper topic are treated, but not completely.	Student clearly indicates some tactics involved in research on the topic assigned. Introduction clearly illustrates the purpose of the paper and Thesis indicates a “reason for writing” offered and is used to command the development of the rest of the complete comparison/contrast of two elements.
Essay Construction: Body Paragraphs	Not Submitted	Either no body paragraphs provided, are incomplete, or do not clearly support or relate to the statement of the main idea. Body paragraphs are not fully developed.	Composition of body paragraphs usually appears designed to support thesis as stated; however, some irrelevant (major details) overlooked in the Comparison / Contrast.	Body Paragraphs tie to essay topic, support thesis as stated, but do not always include enough detail and examples to be complete paragraphs, or show comparison/contrast.	Body paragraphs clearly support main idea of the essay and illustrate good use of details and examples to achieve the purpose of the assignment. Student sticks to the thesis support.
Essay Construction: Conclusion	Not Submitted	No concluding paragraph to wrap up the essay is offered, or the statement provided is not appropriate for a conclusion and does not provide closure.	Weak concluding paragraph exists, but is not successful as conclusion of an essay. Brief or incomplete conclusion, and fails to completely consider the point of the paper.	Concluding paragraph does not quite make clear it is conclusion of the paragraph, or does not wrap up the paper effectively as complete conclusion.	Concluding paragraph is relevant to show review of the Major Point and main ideas of the Body as expressed. Clearly signals correct completion of the essay.
Sentence Structure and Usage	Not Submitted	Incomplete sentences evident throughout the paragraphs, misplaced sentences, and/or sentences that wander off the support for the major points. Sentence errors are included.	Most sentences are complete and coherent; however, some omissions and/or incorrect statements of facts and ideas exist in the paper. Some slang or unprofessional tone may be present.	Some evidence of varied sentence structures used correctly, but some parts of the paragraph body sentences fail to show complex/simple sentence variety and/or support organization of the Body paragraphs.	Varied sentence structure and simple/complex sentences handled correctly. Demonstrates use of the steps of the writing process. Effective use of transitions noted. Sentences in paragraphs belong to show development of the essay.
Grammar and Mechanics	Not Submitted	Many grammatical and mechanical errors in paragraphs and sentences often result in disconnected thoughts and points for a written paper.	Sentences show coherence; however, some do not pertain to the topic sentence of the paragraph, and/or wander off the comparison / contrast of the subjects.	Few minor grammatical and mechanical errors evident in paragraphs that do not seem to drastically distract or change the reader’s perception of the paper’s meaning.	No grammatical or mechanical errors evident in complete variety of simple and complex sentences that illuminate the idea of the assignment and prove the points as stated.

Competency

Apply APA documentation techniques correctly in research.

Instructions

Using the Rasmussen College library online database ( http://guides.rasmussen.edu/library) for all resources, find a topic you feel is suitable (real world, everyday life) for a brief 2-3 page research paper, and compose an annotated bibliography (not the entire paper) of 100 word annotations from a minimum of five resources from credible academic databases or eBooks. Be sure to employ APA method of documentation.

Grading Rubric

	0	1	2	3	4
Category	Not Submitted	No Pass	Competence	Proficiency	Mastery
Use of APA Word File Setup with Cover Sheet	Not Submitted	No Word file submitted in APA formatting with cover sheet.	Word file and cover sheet in APA formatting is attempted with major errors.	Word file and cover sheet in APA formatting is attempted with minor errors of omission.	Word file and cover sheet are submitted for this assignment in complete & correct formatting.
Use of Credible Resources from Databases	Not Submitted	Resources fewer than five and/or some resources are not from Rasmussen College databases and/or are not current resources.	Five resources used but several are not from Rasmussen College databases and/or are not current resources.	Five resources used from Rasmussen College databases; however, not all pertain to the issue as indicated and/or are not current resources.	All resources are included and are from Rasmussen College databases and are current resources.
Titles of Resources in APA	Not submitted	No attempt at an organized APA references list is evident or the submission does not follow APA format accurately.	Attempt at organizing into an APA references list contains all resources; however, list does not completely follow correct APA usage.	Organization of reference list of resources for the annotations is almost complete; however, some errors in APA usage are evident.	An organized effort of references of resources for the annotations is completed in correct APA notations.
Annotations	Not submitted	Incomplete information is evident throughout the annotations which are not fully developed or do not summarize the source correctly.	Most annotations are complete and follow organized pattern; however they do not all show accurate annotations as instructed and/or point out the information gathered.	Some annotations contain errors of organization that do not interrupt the meaning of the annotation as presented, but are not all clear.	Varied sentence structure and complex sentences handled correctly in giving good summation of the annotations.
Grammar and Mechanics	Not submitted	Many grammatical and mechanical errors show lack of proofreading and editing prior to submission.	Some grammatical errors evident in annotations that sometimes obstruct the meaning of the annotation summary.	Very few errors in sentences appear, and do not seem to change the reader’s perception of the information summary.	No grammatical or mechanical errors evident in complete variety of simple and complex sentences present an accurate annotation summary.

Competency

Use collaboration techniques to correct written documents.

Instructions

Show your ability to analyze, correct, and revise the following rough draft, giving your input on the revision necessary to improve the quality of this essay. You will show successful completion of this deliverable by:

• Providing feedback for corrections/alterations using the Comments feature in Word (Review tab).
• Respond to the six questions at the end of the student rough draft linked above.
• Use complete sentences in all of your responses.

(A downloaded copy of the rough draft is found below)

Rough Draft

[Title Here, up to 12 Words, on One to Two Lines]

Rasmussen College

Author Note

Student Anybody

Should Not Privatize Prisons

Prisons should not be privatized because punishing criminal activity should not be a profit business. It is not the place of private prisons to administer punishments. It is the State or government that decides who is a prisoner so they should remain responsible for them until rehabilitated. It is wrong to put a private company that makes a profit off a being in charge of prison operations because their goal is profit not punishment or rehabilitation. Private prisons that cut costs may risk security problems because cutting costs often means cutting corners. I think private prisons are wrong, but .

Prison should not be privatized because the path to profit is to treat human beings badly. Prisons are based on two things custody and care. No one wants to cut corners on the custody aspects of a prison. Care is the only part of a budget that has room to be cut. “One way for-profit prisons to minimize costs is by skimping on provisions, including food. “ A psychiatrist who investigated a privately run prison in Mississippi found that the inmates were severely underfed and looked “almost emaciated.” During their incarceration, prisoners lost anywhere from 10 to 60 pounds.” Citation Steven Starkey

Additionally, there is a financial incentive to do a bad job. The more effective a correctional facility is, the less need of its services. If the inmates have educational, work release programs, medical care such as anger management or mental health while locked up its less likely for them to return to a prison after being released. There will never be a point of not needing prisons; if there is better correctional policies and administration could result in a reduction of need. Privatized prisons are disastrous from the point of view of a profit organization.

Finally, the most important reason Prison should not be privatized is the right to punish belongs only to the state. The criminal justice system is the process by which legally deprive human beings of their guaranteed rights. When someone other than the state tries to deprive someone of these freedoms and rights, charge them with crimes so if it is a privatized prison doing no different than one that committed the crime.

Prisons should not be privatized because punishing criminal activity should not be a “for profit” business. It is not the place of private prisons to administer prisoner punishments because it is the State government that determine who is a prisoner and they should remain responsible for them until time has been served. Private prisons that cut costs may risk security problems because cutting costs often means cutting corners which is less

References

Prisons should not be privatized because . . . n.d retrieved from https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071121104551AAMMYdU

Privatizing prison health care leaves inmates in pain … Friday, Oct. 3, 2014 retrieved from http://www.mypalmbeachpost.com/news/news/privatized-prison-health-care-in-florid

Prison privatization: a study of the causes and magnitude … (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.worldcat.org/title/prison-privatization-a-study-of-the-causes-and-mag

Deliverable 05: Collaboration on the Final Draft of a Persuasive Essay: Please answer the following short questions as if you are offering feedback and input–in about 25 word answers–to your work colleague as a form of solid feedback about this paper. Your sentences should be complete and answer the prompt in light of what you are reading before you.

I, the reader, feel the topic of this paper is stated quite plainly and a clear position is taken on it because (why or why not?): Name 2 elements of the writing process you think this author needed to consider more thoroughly in stating his/her position. Did you find the research element to be covered sufficiently in this persuasive research essay? Why or Why Not? Consider the sentence structures here. Do they demonstrate the writer’s critical thinking ability in this exercise? Why or Why Not? List 4 unique errors pertaining to the correct use of APA formatting throughout this paper: In a brief sentence or two, what would you advise this writer to do to improve the organization of this persuasive essay? Consider introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion, research support, citations, reference list, sentence revisions, and/or voice, audience, and relating to the reader.

Grading Rubric

	0	1	2	3	4
Category	Not Submitted	No Pass	Competence	Proficiency	Mastery
Student’s Submission Format	Not Submitted	Student’s Word file is not submitted in APA formatting with cover sheet.	Student’s Word file and cover sheet in APA formatting contains major errors.	Student Word file and cover sheet is submitted in APA formatting attempted with minor errors of omission.	Student’s Word file and cover sheet are submitted for this assignment completely & correctly formatted in APA.
Student’s evaluation of Author’s use of resources	Not Submitted	Student fails to note that fewer than five resources were used and/or that they are not from credible academic resources from RAS online library.	Student notes if five resources used but does not note that some are from dictionary, Wikipedia, commercial sales sites and/or Blogs considered unsuitable, or not current.	Student notes if five resources are used mostly from current & credible academic databases or eBooks, but fails to note that not all pertain to the essay topic.	Student notes if all resources are included and if they are from credible, current academic resources as instructed.
Student offers analysis of the Author’s working thesis for the persuasive essay	Not Submitted	Question about the thesis is considered, but student’s observations are incorrect or unclear as to discussion of the persuasive topic and reason for writing.	Student undertakes critique of writer’s working thesis; however, answer does not note lack of clearly persuasive position for the paper and/or discuss a better option.	Student remarks that working thesis is provided and contains slightly persuasive position; however, omits offering substantive replacement statement for persuasion.	Student notes that working thesis is shown and then offers revision steps to clearly indicate persuasive position and clarify reason for writing.
Student offers consideration of the APA formatting of the essay	Not submitted	No attempt at identifying errors and re-organizing student’s APA reference list is evident or question answered.	Student recognizes errors in in-text citations and reference list, but attempt at re-organizing into an APA Reference list contains all resources, but the list is not correctly redone.	Organization of reference list of resources for the paper is almost complete and in-text citation errors are noted; however, some errors in APA usage are evident.	An organized effort to correct incorrect in-text citations and references list of resources is completed in correct APA formatting
Student offers examination of essay’s major supporting details and minor supporting details	Not submitted	Incomplete consideration of major & minor supporting details for thesis fails to note any re-organization of major or minor supporting details needed for working thesis.	Student recognizes that major supporting details are incomplete and/or some are not connected to the thesis, but fails to offer possible corrections.	Student notes that essay contains a few errors of organization and offers some corrections, but not good ideas of revision of supporting details to better support the thesis.	Student notes errors of support in major details that do not connect to support for the thesis and offers valid corrections.
Student responds to the Questions	Not submitted	Questions were overlooked and are not discussed, or sentences and mechanical errors abound. Some questions are not correctly answered with revision in mind.	Student notes omission of details in most instances, but does not consider all and does not show clearly how to correct this essay. Some grammatical errors evident that are not overly intrusive to meaning of the exercise.	Student’s discussion noting points of support missing, but does not cover all of them, or shows a very few errors in sentences and question answers that do not seem to obscure the meaning.	Student notes omission of well written and some inaccurate details and errors included and offers corrections. No grammatical or mechanical errors evident in good variety of sentences that use transitions effectively to discuss the paper & answer questions asked.