Final Assignment – Blog Posts

For your final assignment, you are going to complete 1 new type of article, and one type of article that we have previously worked on in class.

New Article

Sports Profiles

The sports world is full of colorful characters, so it's no surprise that personality profiles are a staple of sportswriting. Whether it's a charismatic coach or a young athlete on the rise, some of the best profiles anywhere are found in sports sections.

Here's an example of the beginning of a profile lede:

Norman Dale surveys the court as his players practice layups. A pained look crosses the face of the coach of the McKinley High School basketball team as one player after another misses the basket.

"Again!" he shouts. "Again! You don't stop! You don't quit! You work 'till you get it right!" And so they continue, until they start to get it right. Coach Dale wouldn't have it any other way.

Previously Completed article – Choose 1

Feature Lede

Straight Lede

Sports Column

Season Wrap-up or Preview

These can be on any topic of your choosing. These are to be posted to your blogs for the final exam date.

SCORE OF 46-50

An essay in this category demonstrates clear and consistent mastery, although it may have a few minor errors. A typical essay effectively and insightfully develops a point of view on the issue and demonstrates outstanding critical thinking, using clearly appropriate examples, reasons, and other evidence to support its position; is well organized and clearly focused, demonstrating clear coherence and smooth progression of ideas; exhibits skillful use of language, using a varied, accurate, and apt vocabulary; demonstrates meaningful variety in sentence structure; is free of most errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics.

SCORE 41-45

An essay in this category demonstrates reasonably consistent mastery, although it will have occasional errors or lapses in quality. A typical essay effectively develops a point of view on the issue and demonstrates strong critical thinking, generally using appropriate examples, reasons, and other evidence to support its position; is well organized and focused, demonstrating coherence and progression of ideas; exhibits facility in the use of language, using appropriate vocabulary; demonstrates variety in sentence structure; is generally free of most errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics.

SCORE OF  36-40

An essay in this category demonstrates adequate mastery, although it will have lapses in quality. A typical essay develops a point of view on the issue and demonstrates competent critical thinking, using adequate examples, reasons, and other evidence to support its position; is generally organized and focused, demonstrating some coherence and progression of ideas; exhibits adequate but inconsistent facility in the use of language, using generally appropriate vocabulary; demonstrates some variety in sentence structure; has some errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics.

SCORE OF 31-35

An essay in this category demonstrates developing mastery, and is marked by ONE OR MORE of the following weaknesses: develops a point of view on the issue, demonstrating some critical thinking, but may do so inconsistently or use inadequate examples, reasons, or other evidence to support its position; is limited in its organization or focus, or may demonstrate some lapses in coherence or progression of ideas; displays developing facility in the use of language, but sometimes uses weak vocabulary or inappropriate word choice; lacks variety or demonstrates problems in sentence structure; contains an accumulation of errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics.

SCORE OF 26-30

An essay in this category demonstrates little mastery, and is flawed by ONE OR MORE of the following weaknesses: develops a point of view on the issue that is vague or seriously limited, and demonstrates weak critical thinking, providing inappropriate or insufficient examples, reasons, or other evidence to support its position; is poorly organized and/or focused, or demonstrates serious problems with coherence or progression of ideas; displays very little facility in the use of language, using very limited vocabulary or incorrect word choice; demonstrates frequent problems in sentence structure; contains errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics so serious that meaning is somewhat obscured.

SCORE OF 25 and Under

An essay in this category demonstrates very little or no mastery, and is severely flawed by ONE OR MORE of the following weaknesses: develops no viable point of view on the issue, or provides little or no evidence to support its position; is disorganized or unfocused, resulting in a disjointed or incoherent essay; displays fundamental errors in vocabulary; demonstrates severe flaws in sentence structure; contains pervasive errors in grammar, usage, or mechanics that persistently interfere with meaning

Essays not written on the essay assignment will receive a score of zero.