Welcome to the ENGL 1301 Evaluative Essay Class Guide! Use the tabs across the top of the page to navigate through the different sections of this guide. This is a guide to help you locate information on your evaluative essay for ENGL 1301 Composition I.
In this paper, you'll have the chance to present an evaluation of an artistic work.
Assignment: In a 4-6 page essay, argue that a piece of artistic work (performance, album, TV show, artwork, movie) is a good or bad representation of its type/genre.
Essentials: You must have a thesis that addresses what you're evaluating and what conclusion you've drawn. You must have a paragraph that discusses your criteria. You must feature specific examples for the work you're evaluating as you support your reasons.
Sources: You must also use at least two sources in your paper. In addition to the artistic work you're evaluating (which will count as one of your sources), you must use newspaper, magazine or journal articles, excerpts from books, online articles, or websites. You may use work from other critics to help support or illustrate your position.
Possible Format:
1. Intro paragraph (apx. 1/2 page)
2. Paragraph dealing with the criteria (apx. 1 page)
3. Paragraph detailing criteria A (apx. 1 page)
4. Paragraph detailing criteria B (apx. 1 page)
5. Paragraph detailing criteria C (apx. 1 page)
6. Conclusion paragraph (apx. 1/2 page)
Thesis example: I argue that Crash is a good movie because it contains a number of memorable performances, has a resonant and thought-provoking message, and received critical acclaim (including a Best Picture Award at the Oscars).
Another thesis example: I argue that Crash is a bad movie because it does not have a well-written script, does not have believable characters and does not deliver a satisfactory ending.
Need help choosing your topic or identifying keywords for your searching? Or maybe you need a refresher on how to avoid plagiarism, the importance of citing your sources or using MLA? Go through one of the interactive online tutorials created by Library Services:
There are several types of information available to students through the ACC libraries, both in print form and electronically. The tabs along the top of the page provide details on the different types of resources listed below:
Books You can find a good selection of books and ebooks in our collection. A book can provide detailed background and in-depth historical information about any given topic.
Reference Books This covers encyclopedias, atlases, and other resources that are referred to for specific information. Go to these for definitions, shorter explanations, historical and biographical sketches. Some of these will be print sources, some in online databases.
Articles Articles from journals, magazines, and major newspapers are the primary source for recent reviews and literary criticism on recently published works. ACC databases can help connect you to these articles.
Web Sites The Internet can be tricky for academic and scholarly resources. Much that you find will be student papers or from "paper mills" that sell lousy essays for students to plagiarize. Be especially careful to check for author credentials and for the quality of the writing.
