essay 2 rubric

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Essay #2 grading rubric

half-done draft due 10/18
complete final draft due 11/1

4-point rubric
4 categories, up to 1 point each

4 = exceeds standards
3 = meets standards
2 = partially meets standards
1 = does not meet standards

_____ 3-page (at least 750 words) academic essay explains
conclusions of research on a current situation or event, presented in
formal academic style, free of grammar, spelling, or punctuation
errors; in-text citations and reference page prepared in APA format;
fully-developed paragraphs thoroughly explain all short quotes and
researched details, with no long quotes or unexplained details.

_____ thesis topic of academic essay examines a current situation or
event related to Murphy's argument on the US' view of self (cf. Ch. 1,
Capitals), military (cf. Ch. 2, Legions), or corruption (cf. Ch. 3,
Fixers); thesis opinion explains conclusions of research and evaluates
the value of Murphy's argument; body of argumentation analyzes at
least four sources of information, at least one of which should be a
Congressional bill—if useful, two sources may be selected from those
previously used for essay 1;

_____ 3-page (at least 750 words) short story presents themes
suggesting the thesis of the academic essay in an original
fictionalization of important aspects of the current situation or
event appropriately focused to a brief short story format;

_____ themes of short story are composed of vehicles (main and other
characters, settings, and at least five total literary devices) and
tenors which present the thesis opinion from the student author's
academic essay; students may choose to incorporate aspects of mystery
(unanswered questions), suspense (audience's anticipation while having
to wait), or dramatic irony (audience knows something characters
don't; one character knows something another character doesn't; even
characters' knowing something the audience doesn't).

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Ch1, Capitals
As the Founding Fathers found value in studying the positive model of
Republican Rome to build the successful USA, we today can find value
in studying the negative model of Imperial Rome to avoid its
failures.

• Rome fell, and many varied arguments have attempted to explain why,
generally focusing on internal and/or external challenges;

• Washington the general and first President, Jefferson the author,
and Franklin the practical politician each studied aspects of the
Roman Republic;

• Republican Rome didn't plan to slide into a failed empire, but it
happened, so we can now check symptoms of imperial hubris for
cathartic benefits.

Ch 2, Legions
Armies on the march and encamped, Alexandrine, US, or Roman, operate
under many similar logistic, bureaucratic, and cultural conditions.

• Logistically, it's difficult to supply the best-equipped and trained
forces anywhere, anytime;

• Politically, it's difficult to organize, finance, and implement
constant expansion, as it requires more and more time, effort, and %
of GNP;

• Culturally, it's difficult to manage the growing split between the
dual demands for working-class enlisted troops (who become more and
more new immigrants and rented foreigners) and professional/management-
class (who tend more and more to be experienced citizens in privatized
para-military service).

Ch 3, Fixers
The shifts in meaning of the Latin word suffragium and today's English
word franchise metaphorically represent the corrupt aspects of
privatization: nepotism, plutocracy, and expensive inefficiency.

• Rome gave and now the US is in danger of giving its great public
institutions away, and giving everything away is impractical—Rome fell
into feudalism and too many of the great US institutions are becoming
aspects of global-corporate economics;

• Contracting out government functions may or may not be patriotic or
efficient, as case by case analysis will conclude, but some functions
are particularly sensitive and privatizing them is particularly
hazardous, for example, [military operations, as discussed in ch 2, as
well as] secret intelligence and defense functions.