Q Basic Information Topic: Developing Academic Habits using The Power of Habit Length: 500-750 words Format: MLA paper format Support Source Requirement: You must meet with a support source for this essay (Professor Ojeda or your coach, Val). You will write about the feedback you received from your consultation and submit that feedback with your final draft. Calendar of Due Dates* Activity Introduce Assignment Thesis and Progress Report Draft Peer Review Final Draft Due Due Date Week 3 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 *Remember to meet with Professor Ojeda or Val at least once between weeks 3 and 8 when your final draft is due! What is an Essay? A traditional five-paragraph essay has the following structure: • Introduction paragraph • Body Paragraph 1 • Body Paragraph 2 • Body Paragraph 3 • Conclusion You will be working on Essay #1 for the next few weeks, which will require you to write a traditional five-paragraph essay on the following theme: Habits are powerful. They drive our decision making; they a?ect how companies train their employees; and they guide our everyday lives. For this essay, you will write a 500-750-word essay about a positive academic habit you developed this semester using the habit loop and the golden rule of habit change. For help with this essay, review the Essay 1 Resources page. Relevant Course Outcomes • Students will be able to write a unified, developed, logically-organized essay. • Students will apply the conventions of standard American English as appropriate for academic writing. Objectives • organize an essay that has a clear thesis, well-supported body, and convincing conclusion • integrate new knowledge on habits and success skills into essay • format a paper properly in MLA • reflect on how habits can be formed • Revise, proofread, and edit an essay for publication Essay Guidelines Your ?nal essay should be at least ?ve paragraphs and 500-750 words in length. It must be written in MLA format. You must meet with a support source as a requirement of this essay. Step 1: Choose a Habit, Create Your Habit Loop, Participate in Your New Loop You must choose a habit related to improving your study, reading, writing, or academic skills. Choose one of the following habits. In your essay, it is very important that you explain why the habit has helped you grow academically. Be sure to study the links included so that you are clear on how the habit might be beneficial to your academics: • Creating and following a calendar/schedule • Establishing a set study routine (choose a specific set of study strategies and study the link for information on how to establish a study routine) (Links to an external site.) • Applying active reading strategies before, during, and after you read • Applying the writing process (Links to an external site.) to an essay • Using the Pomodoro technique to task manage (study the link for information on how you can use the Pomodoro technique to help you study more effectively) (Links to an external site.) • Doing grammar exercises (Links to an external site.) 3 x per week • Meditating (Links to an external site.) 3 x per week (study the link for information on how meditation relates to academic performance) • Journaling (Links to an external site.) 3 x per week (study the link for information on how journaling can improve your academic performance) • Exercising (Links to an external site.) 3 x per week (study the link for information on how exercising can improve your brain function, which you need for academic excellence!) Once you choose a habit, you will create a habit loop using what you learned from reading about the loop in The Power of Habit. You will write about this as part of discussion in week 3. Note: This is not a theoretical or hypothetical essay. It is an experiment you have to participate in. You will need to implement this new habit for two to three weeks to complete this essay. For more resources, see the Essay 1 Resources Page. One way you can keep track of your habit and stay motivated is to use a habit-tracking app. This article from Lifehack (Links to an external site.) includes 24 of the best. I use Habitica (#2 on the list). It turns my habit tracking into an RPG (role-playing game), which definitely fits my personality. Look for one that can help you keep up with your habit. Step Two: Plan and Organize Your Essay Once you have create a loop and engaged in the new habit for two weeks, prepare to write your essay. Some of the planning we will do together as a class, some you will need to do on your own. Step Two, A: Write a Thesis and Create an Outline Write a thesis for your essay. The thesis is the main idea of the entire essay. Your thesis for this essay should explain why the habit is important for your success as a student, reader, or writer, and how you used The Power of Habit to create the habit. Once you have written the thesis, take some time to create a rough outline your essay. (Links to an external site.) Step Three: Write a Draft of your Essay Your essay should have the following parts. Make sure that your first draft and final draft follow this structure: Introduction Write your introductory paragraph. Introduce your essay with an introductory paragraph that includes a hook/attention-getter, an introduction of why the topic is important, and your thesis statement. Body paragraph 1 First, in one paragraph you should explain your past study, writing, or reading skills. Write about why you chose this particular habit, what it is about your academic life that shows you you need to change and take on the habit, and in what ways the habit is positive. Body paragraph 2 Describe the habit you developed using concrete details. In one paragraph, explain the new “habit loop” for this habit by describing the routine, the cue for the habit, and the reward. Discuss how you implemented the habit loop to begin this new habit. You should describe with some detail what it is that you did over the course of the two-three weeks you practiced this loop. Body paragraph 3 Finally, in one paragraph write about how this habit has and will continue to bene?t you. What positives have already come from the habit? What positives will come from this habit, if any? What negatives may come from it, if any? How will you stay motivated to continue pursuing the habit? Conclusion Your conclusion should summarize your points, and revisit the introduction or tie all the ideas together. Step Four: Get and Give Feedback Once you have written a draft (or before, if you need some guidance), submit it so that Professor Ojeda can give you written feedback. Then, make sure to meet with a support source (Professor Ojeda, your CARE coach, the online writing tutors, or Smart Thinking) for some feedback. Apply that feedback to your essay. Additionally, participate in peer review with your classmates, give them feedback on their writing, and receive additional feedback on your draft. Step Five: Revise, Edit, and Proofread Your Work After receiving feedback, revise, edit, and proofread your work using the tools you learn about in Week 8 of the course. Don't forget to also meet with Professor Ojeda or Val to discuss your essay at least once between weeks 3 and 8. Step Six: Submit your Final Draft Once you have completed your essay, submit your final draft. With your final draft after the essay and on a new page, please also write a 150-word reflection discussing your meeting with Professor Ojeda or Val, what you discussed, what you learned about writing your essay from the meeting, and what you applied to revising and improving your essay. Resources/Examples Here are two examples written by former students. • Student Example 1 Download Student Example 1 • Student Example 2 Download Student Example 2 Assignment Requirements MLA Format, Documentation, and Academic Honesty This writing assignment must be written in MLA Format, with which you should be familiar by the time the work is due. Your essays will be submitted through UniCheck, a tool that helps protect your work by adding it to a global database of papers submitted for courses and that reviews your work for plagiarism. You can use this tool to review your use of outside sources, to ensure you are properly incorporating outside information, and to learn more about citing information correctly. To learn more about reviewing your Unicheck reports, visit the Unicheck help page. Checklist for Key Requirements • Your essay should be 500-750 words and contain five paragraphs. • As this is a personal essay where you use yourself as the primary source of information, you should write in the 1st person (I, me). Do not use 2nd person (you). • Follow MLA Format; this should be done correctly as there is only one way to format a paper in MLA. • Your title should be related to your specific topic and set the tone for the essay. • Use college-level vocabulary; avoid profanity, slang, and contractions (it's, they're, we-re, don't, etc.). • Proofread your assignment for grammatical and mechanical (spelling, capitalization, and punctuation) errors. • Do not allow anyone else to type your papers for you. Late Policy: • All activities (except for discussions and Power Ups) may be submitted late at a deduction of 5 participation points per activity for one week after the closing date. After one week, the activity will be marked as a zero and can't be submitted late. Essay Rubric Criteria Exemplary Advanced Competent Developing Beginning Points Meaning and Development Ideas are fresh, mature, and extensively developed; insightfully develops a POV and demonstrates outstanding critical thinking. Develops a POV and demonstrates competent critical thinking; enough supporting details to support thesis. Develops a POV and demonstrates some critical thinking; examples, evidence, reasons may be inconsistent or inadequate; supporting details are generalized. Some POV is developed but not supported by sufficient evidence; unclear thought process (insufficient examples, reasons, or evidence). Unclear POV; little or no evidence; underdeveloped critical thinking (inappropriate or insufficient evidence, examples, reasons). 35 Criteria Exemplary Advanced Competent Developing Beginning Points Organization Thesis is presented with clarity; all ideas relate to the thesis; specific and accurate support is provided. Structured, organized, and focused; coherence and unity is present; presents a thesis and suggests a plan of development that is carried out. Mostly structured and focused; coherence is present, though not all ideas relate to the thesis; clear support, though further development is needed. Limited organization and focus; coherence is unclear; insufficient and/or unclear evidence and development. Disorganized and unfocused; serious revision in coherence is needed; thesis is not developed or not present. 35 Criteria Exemplary Advanced Competent Developing Beginning Points Grammar and Mechanics Control of conventions contribute to the writer’s ability to communicate; free of most mechanical errors; appropriate format. Sophisticated choice of language and sentence structure; uses words correctly and avoids wordiness, jargon, and sentence-level errors. Occasional errors do not interfere with writer’s ability to communicate purpose; appropriate format. Proficient use of language and sentence structure; minor errors with complex sentence structures. Errors interfere, but not sufficiently to affect the writer’s ability to communicate; sentences are correct but simple; some weaknesses in format; Some inaccurate or wordy use of language; mastery of sentence structure; minor errors or one consistent error (run ons or fragments) Errors interfere with the writer’s ability to communicate purpose; significant errors; errors in format are visible; Developing use of language (weak vocabulary or word choice); sentence structure is basic; consistent errors appear. Errors interfere with the writer’s ability to communicate with purpose; pervasive mechanical errors; inappropriate format; Displays frequent and fundamental errors in vocabulary; sentences are simplistic and illustrate constant errors. 20 Criteria Exemplary Competent Beginning Points Basic Requirements Essay meets and does not exceed word count. Essay is written in correct MLA format. Essay has an original title. Essay does not use 2nd person. Essay is missing no more than one of the following requirements: Essay meets and does not exceed word count. Essay is written in correct MLA format. Essay has an original title. Essay does not use 2nd person. Essay is missing more than one of the following requirements: Essay meets and does not exceed word count. Essay is written in correct MLA format. Essay has an original title. Essay does not use 2nd person. 10 Criteria Exemplary Advanced Competent Developing Beginning Points Support Source Reflection Support source reflection completed Support source reflection not completed 10 ________________________________________ Privacy Policy: Unicheck Privacy Policy Rubric Essay Rubric (1) (1) Essay Rubric (1) (1) Criteria Ratings Pts This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeMeaning & Development 35 to >32.0 pts Exemplary Ideas are fresh, mature, and extensively developed; insightfully develops a POV and demonstrates outstanding critical thinking. 32 to >29.0 pts Advanced Develops a POV and demonstrates competent critical thinking; enough supporting details to support thesis. 29 to >26.0 pts Competent Develops a POV and demonstrates some critical thinking; examples/evidence/reasons may be inconsistent or inadequate; supporting details are generalized. 26 to >21.0 pts Developing Some POV is developed but not supported by sufficient evidence; unclear thought process (insufficient examples, reasons, or evidence). 21 to >0 pts Beginning Unclear POV; little or no evidence; underdeveloped critical thinking (inappropriate or insufficient evidence, examples, reasons). 35 pts This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeOrganization 35 to >32.0 pts Exemplary thesis is presented with clarity; all ideas relate to the thesis; specific and accurate support is provided. 32 to >29.0 pts Advanced Structured, organized, and focused; coherence and unity is present; presents a thesis and suggests a plan of development that is carried out. 29 to >26.0 pts Competent Mostly structured and focused; coherence is present, though not all ideas relate to the thesis; clear support, though further development is needed. 26 to >21.0 pts Developing Limited organization and focus; coherence is unclear; insufficient and/or unclear evidence and development. 21 to >0 pts Beginning Disorganized and unfocused; serious revision in coherence is needed; thesis is not developed or not present. 35 pts This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeGrammar and Mechanics 20 to >17.0 pts Exemplary Control of conventions contribute to the writer’s ability to communicate; free of most mechanical errors; appropriate format. Sophisticated choice of language and sentence structure; uses words correctly and avoids wordiness, jargon, and sentence-level errors. 17 to >14.0 pts Advanced Occasional errors do not interfere with writer’s ability to communicate purpose; appropriate format. Proficient use of language and sentence structure; minor errors with complex sentence structures. 14 to >12.0 pts Competent Errors interfere, but not sufficiently to affect the writer’s ability to communicate; sentences are correct but simple; some weaknesses in format; Some inaccurate or wordy use of language; mastery of sentence structure; minor errors or one consistent error (run ons or fragments) 12 to >10.0 pts Developing Errors interfere with the writer’s ability to communicate purpose; significant errors; errors in format are visible; Developing use of language (weak vocabulary or word choice); sentence structure is basic; consistent errors appear. 10 to >0 pts Beginning Errors interfere with the writer’s ability to communicate with purpose; pervasive mechanical errors; inappropriate format; Displays frequent and fundamental errors in vocabulary; sentences are simplistic and illustrate constant errors. 20 pts This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeBasic Requirements 10 pts Exemplary Essay meets and does not exceed word count. Essay is written in correct MLA format. Essay has an original title. Essay does not use 2nd person. 7 pts Competent Essay is missing no more than one of the following requirements: Essay meets and does not exceed word count. Essay is written in correct MLA format. Essay has an original title. Essay does not use 2nd person. 5 pts Beginning Essay is missing more than one of the following requirements: Essay meets and does not exceed word count. Essay is written in correct MLA format. Essay has an original title. Essay does not use 2nd person. 10 pts This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeSupport Source Reflection 10 pts Exemplary Support source reflection completed 0 pts Beginning Support Source reflection not completed 10 pts Total Points: 110 PreviousNext Morales 1