Complex Definition of Skepticism

English 120: College Composition and Reading Instructor: K. Sherlock Unit 1 Essay De nition: What Is Skepticism? DUE DATE On Canvas, visit “Syllabus” in course menu, or go to the corresponding “1.13 SBMT • UNIT 1 Essay” module for submission info and due dates. Follow these standards: MLA Style Download the MLA template below and populate it with your own info and essay content; DON’T alter its pre-configured format and style, but delete annotations in red and blue where directed: • TMPL | MS Word MLA Doc [DOCX] Submit/Upload Using the “Start Assignment” button on the official “SBMT • UNIT 1 Essay” page, upload the final draft of this essay in either Portable Document Format .pdf; MS Word .doc or .docx File Name Pattern your filename on the following (including dashes): YourLastName-FirstInitial-ENGL120-section####-ASGN1.docx [or .pdf] (E.g., Szewluk-K-ENGL120-1806-ASGN1.pdf). Not sure which section you’re in? Find out your registered courses on WebAdvisor’s Colleague (wa.gcccd.edu/col/wa) VALUE 5 points; Complete/Incomplete. This assignment will not be graded. Timely completion earns all 5 points. Non-completion or lateness will incur a reduced score, as explained in module 0.2. • Overview, Goals, and Objectives: “Late and Missing Work.” LENGTH 3-4 pages, plus a separate Works Cited page, correctly formatted and arranged per MLA document design and bibliographic style. PURPOSE fi The purpose of this essay will be to • practice MLA document design and citation style; • explore a basic expository writing style without personal narrative (i.e., without using “I,” “my,” or related pronouns); • demonstrate an understanding of Unit 1’s concepts and readings, including magical thinking, superstition, and skepticism; • define and use these concepts to support claims of value; • contextually quote and synthesize outside sources. RELEVANT LESSONS AND RESOURCES The following resources and information are directly related to this assignment and will represent some of the criteria by which your essay will be assessed and scored: • TMPL | MS Word MLA Doc [DOCX] • 1.2 • Readings for this Unit • 1.3 • Contextual Quotations • 1.6 • How to Write a Definition Essay • 1.7 • Writing a 3-Stage Introduction • 1.8.f • Integrating and Punctuating Quotations • 1.11 • MLA Document Design CONTEXT If you viewed the “Welcome” video on the homepage as directed, then you already know the entire premise for this course depends on us using a common definition of the term “skeptical.” Why? Because the word means different things to different people. “Skeptical” can be mistaken to mean “cynical,” or “suspicious” or “distrustful” or “resistant.” However, “skeptical” as it applies to critical thinking and reasoning requires us to consider a more intellectual definition whose understanding allows us to discuss important social and cultural patterns of belief like pseudoskepticism, magical thinking, or superstition. In this first essay of the semester, then, you will articulate and support a complex definition for the term “skepticism.” ASSIGNMENT TASK Complete the required readings of Unit 1. Then, drawing inspiration from two or more of these sources, compose a 3-4 page MLA formatted essay (750 – 1000 words) in which you 1. develop, explain, and defend your own complex definition of the word, “skepticism”‘ 2. illustrate this with a personal anecdote of when you became skeptical about something; and 3. contextually quote and cite two or more of the following essays available in 1.2 • Readings for this Unit: • Albert, Sarah, “The Psychology of Superstition” • Kohn, Alfie, “What Makes a True Skeptic?” • Rhodes, Ella. “The Everyday Magic of Superstition” • Schlesinger, Tess, “Magical Thinking vs Scientific Thinking” • Shermer, Michael, “I Am Therefore I Think” • _______. “For the Love of Science” Note: these sources should be quoted in the body of your essay, not in the introduction or conclusion. English 120: College Composition and Reading RULES 1. A “complex definition” should try to take the general term, “skepticism,” and break it down into more specific criteria that are introduced by your thesis, then later explained, discussed, and illustrated in the body of your essay. 2. Your personal anecdote should describe a superstition, an urban legend, a myth, a conspiracy theory, etc., that you once believed to be real, but which you later grew skeptical of. • You should avoid childhood myths like Santa Claus or the Tooth Fairy, etc. Instead, look toward those beliefs you held onto or began from early adolescence or later, after eleven years old. • To frame your explanation of why you became skeptical of this belief, you should use your own complex definition of the term, “skepticism.” • This will be the only essay this term where you’ll be permitted to write about yourself or reference yourself. 3. Your essay should use the outline of development provided below. OUTLINE (Use this outline to develop your essay!) 1. Introduction: A single three-strage introductory paragraph of approximately 100 words that does the following: a. as a hook/context, introduce in a common or popular definition of the word, “skepticism”; b. acknowledge, in summary, a personal encounter you had with skepticism; c. assert as your thesis, in your own words your own point of view about either i. an alternative definition you believe to be truer or more useful, or ii. a definition that corroborates the dictionary definition but adds to it or refines it; then, iii. propose several criteria to break down that definition for further explanation in your essay. 2. Body: Several fully developed body paragraphs consisting of 500 to 750 words, total, in which you a. discuss at length the criteria listed in your thesis, one criterion per paragraph; b. illustrate that criterion with the descriptive and/or narrative details of a personal experience you had in which you became skeptical; c. discuss and interpret how those details support your definition of “skepticism. 3. Conclusion: In a single concluding paragraph, briefly summarize the main objective and crucial points of your essay, with reference to your personal experience of becoming skeptical. Instructor: K. Sherlock 4. Works Cited: Provide a “Works Cited,” which is required for this assignment. Your Works Cited should start at the top of a separate, paginated page at the end of your essay, and it must include all the sources referenced in your essay, including any dictionaries referenced for the assignment.* All citations should be correctly formatted and alphabetically arranged in MLA bibliographic style, including hanging indentions. (Use the MLA document template or copy its format exactly.) *A Note about Quoting Dictionaries: Typically, because dictionaries are reference sources and the meaning of the words within them are public domain, they are not quoted or cited. The exception to this is in a definition essay, which quotes dictionaries in order to examine or challenge their wording. In future, you will not be allowed to quote or cite a dictionary unless it is for this same purpose. Otherwise, it is preferred that you paraphrase the meaning of a word using your own voice. VOICE AND TONE Because this assignment asks you to include personal narrative, for this assignment only you may use the pronouns “I,” “me,” “mine,” or “my.” Nevertheless, you should 1. adopt a neutral tone throughout the essay that is free of slang and other informalities, including contractions (words like isn’t and goin’); 2. remove all second-person pronouns (“you” and “your,” etc.) and any contraction that might include “you.” CONTEXTUAL QUOTATION AND CITATION A contextual quotation is a word-for-word quote introduced in the context of your own writing. Immediately after the quote (and continuing the same paragraph), it is discussed in order to 1. paraphrase it and explain the author’s meaning, and 2. interpret and apply its relevance to your own assertions. Be sure to quote complex opinions and interpretations, rather than obvious statements of fact and statistics. A more full-throated explanation of contextual quotations can be reviewed in “1.3 • Contextual Quotations.” Also, review the rules for introducing, marking, and parenthetically citing quotes in “1.8.f • Integrating and Punctuating Quotations.” (Study the MLA template for help with citation style and contents.) English 120: College Composition and Reading ASSESSMENT/SCORING RUBRIC Successful completion of this assignment will be determined by the following criteria, each of which is explained further in the scoring rubric for this assignment: 10 points, max. 1 pt. Three-stage Introduction: An effective introductory paragraph should include a. three discernible stages of development; b. a thesis written in your own words that asserts a clear point of view; c. a complex definition including several, more specific criteria that forecast what will be discussed at length in the essay. 2 pts. Definition: A successful definition essay should a. be written in several fully developed paragraphs consisting of 500 to 750 words total; b. follow the guidelines for developing a definition essay; c. represent a variety of tactics for developing definition; d. properly quote and cite required texts for this Unit and listed in this assignment. 1 pt. Personal Support: A successful response should a. reference a personal encounter with the term being defined; b. include descriptive and/or narrative details from that encounter; c. effectively use these details to reinforce the definition asserted in the thesis. 1 pt. Conclusion: A successful summary conclusion should a. reiterate the thesis using different words or tone;; b. encapsulate the main points of the essay; c. remind readers of the personal relevance of the definition to the writer. 1.5 pts. Writing Competency: Competent writing should a. avoid common errors of grammar, punctuation, sentence mechanics, and usage; b. contain effectively organized and cohesively developed paragraphs that have controlling topic statements, clear explanation, good use of support, and proper discussion/interpretation of these; c. employ effective transitions between paragraphs; d. use language with precision and control; e. use a respectfully neutral tone free of slang, vulgarity, and colloquialisms; f. demonstrate a process of editing and refinement before a final draft of the essay has been submitted. 0.25 pts. Document Design and Style: Correct MLA style should a. follow document design/layout with regard to title page, margins, headers and pagination, and typography (font size and types); b. be double-spaced throughout (including Works Cited), with paragraph indention and contextual (parenthetical) citations in the body of the essay; Instructor: K. Sherlock c. include a Works Cited with bibliographic references organized alphabetically and set with hanging indentions; d. demonstrate it has undergone an adjustment of settings to effect MLA style, or that it you have made use of the MLA document template for this goal. 0.25 pts. File Formatting: Document should a. be saved in a supported file type (MS Word or PDF); b. possess a file name consistent with the required filenaming protocols explained at the beginning of this prompt. 3 pts. Student Learning Outcome #1: Identify, analyze, and evaluate the rhetorical strategies in a variety of culturally relevant texts.

Collepals.com Plagiarism Free Papers

Are you looking for custom essay writing service or even dissertation writing services? Just request for our write my paper service, and we'll match you with the best essay writer in your subject! With an exceptional team of professional academic experts in a wide range of subjects, we can guarantee you an unrivaled quality of custom-written papers.

Get ZERO PLAGIARISM, HUMAN WRITTEN ESSAYS

Why Hire Collepals.com writers to do your paper?

Quality- We are experienced and have access to ample research materials.

We write plagiarism Free Content

Confidential- We never share or sell your personal information to third parties.

Support-Chat with us today! We are always waiting to answer all your questions.