The Persuasive Essay
Building a Cogent Argument
Strong/Weak Essay Rubric
4 3
Advanced Mastery
(Insightful/Artful)
• Insightfully identifies Realism or satire of
Romanticism and the Romantic Hero.
• Original, varied supporting insights.
• Original, correctly incorporated textual
evidence.
• Artful organization.
• Artful transitions, vocabulary / word choice
and coherence.
• Few spelling, grammar or punctuation errors.
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2 1
Approaching Mastery
(Limited)
• Does not clearly identify Realism or satire of
Romanticism and the Romantic Hero.
• Weak, invalid or limited supporting insights.
• Some correctly incorporated textual evidence.
• Organization limits coherence.
• Limited transitions, vocabulary / word choice
or coherence.
• Spelling, grammar or punctuation errors hurt
coherence.
Mastery
(Clear/Comprehensive)
• Clearly identifies Realism or satire of
Romanticism and the Romantic Hero.
Strong Essays
• Clear, comprehensive supporting insights.
• Correctly incorporated textual evidence.
• Clear organization.
• Clear transitions, vocabulary / word choice and
coherence.
• Some spelling, grammar or punctuation errors.
Errors do not interfere with coherence.
xx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Needs Improvement
(Failure)
• Fails to identify Realism or satire of
Romanticism and the Romantic Hero.
Weak Essays
• Fails to provide supporting insights.
• No correctly incorporated textual evidence.
• Failure to organize severely limits coherence.
• Errors with transitions, vocabulary / word
choice or coherence.
• Spelling, grammar or punctuation errors
severely affect coherence.
 The Persuasive Essay
Building a Cogent Argument
Prompt.

Based on your reading and study of Mark Twain’s novel The adventures of Huckleberry
Finn, explain how the story is Realistic in terms of plot, narration and characterization or
explain how the plot, narration and characterization satire Romanticism and the Romantic
Hero. Be sure to support your insights with textual evidence and parenthetical citation.

1. Dissect the prompt using a “T-Chart”

To Do Words Task
(Circle in prompt) (Underline in prompt)

Thesis Statement.
Write the thesis statement for your essay as clearly as possible by stating if the story is
Realistic or satirizes Romanticism and the Romantic Hero.
 The Persuasive Essay
Building a Cogent Argument
Research.

Design a chart that will allow you to compile the support needed to write your essay.
Remember, your essay will explain Twain’s use of Realism or satire of Romanticism and the
Romantic Hero by focusing on plot, narration and characterization.
 The Persuasive Essay
Building a Cogent Argument

Supporting Insight Passage Citation

 The Persuasive Essay
Building a Cogent Argument

Prewriting and Pre-Composing.

Complete the following frame to in preparation for writing your essay.

Essay Frame.

Aspect Support. Insight: “Textual Evidence” (Citation).

1
A (plot)
2

1
B (Narration)
2

C (C’zat) 1

5
 The Persuasive Essay
Building a Cogent Argument
Writing.
Write the first draft. Be sure to double space, use the correct heading and give a title.

1. Write your heading. Write your name, teacher, class, period row and date using the
example below as a guide. Be sure to double space.

Margarita J. Espinoza

Mr. Seals

English 11P, Period 3

15 April 2015

2. Write your title.

3. Write the introduction.

 Thesis.
State your thesis in a clear and meaningful sentence.

 .Topics
State your support topics in separate sentences in the order they will be written.

4. Write the body of your essay.

In a new paragraph, restate the first line of reasoning and then support it with at least three
clearly explained examples, anecdotes, or illustrations. Repeat this process with the second
and third lines of reasoning.

5. Refute a counter argument.

In a new paragraph, restate the counter argument that you will address, and then refute that
counter argument with al least three clearly explained examples, anecdotes, or illustrations.

1. Write the conclusion.

Review your lines of reasoning, the counter argument and restate your topic sentence.
 The Persuasive Essay
Building a Cogent Argument

Editing.

1. Check the format.

 Check the heading, title and spacing.

Margarita J. Espinoza

Mr. Seals

English 1-2, Period 3, Row A

15 September 2005

2. Check organization.

 Double underline the overall topic/subject sentence and number the reasons in the
introduction.

 Underline and number the topic sentences for each body paragraph, be sure they
occur in the same order as they are referred to in the introduction paragraph.

 Highlight supporting examples/anecdotes/illustrations (there should be at least three

per body paragraph).

 Box transitional words.

3. Check Spelling.

 Read through the essay backwards, sentence by sentence, to check for spelling
grammar and punctuation errors.

4. Evaluate the essay.

 Grade the essay using the district scoring guide.

 The Persuasive Essay
Building a Cogent Argument

Revision

1. Revise the essay making correcting problems found during the peer edit.

2. Have a parent or other adult read and edit your essay.

3. Revise the essay making correcting problems found during the parent edit. Be sure to
have the editor sign your essay in the upper right-hand corner indicating that you made
the changes that were recommended.

4. Type the final draft of your essay. The essay must be double-spaced, 12 point font
(preferably Times New Roman), one inch margins with proper headings and numbering.
Please do not use a cover page or portfolio, simply number each page and staple them
together in the upper-left corner.