ESL 112 Solution Critique Paper
(20% of final grade)
Purpose
In this unit you will demonstrate your ability to critically apply information from at least 6 sources when writing a formal research paper with APA formatting. Your final draft will reflect the combination of your research skills (choosing a focused topic, developing a research question, using library materials for support), source-based writing skills (evaluating, synthesizing, and documenting sources), and critical thinking skills.
Assignment Description
Choose a problem in a society (e.g., community, state, region) affecting a specific group or environment (e.g., an ethnic or cultural group, age or gender group, animal species, location). Identify (describe) and critique 2 current solutions to the problem. Your description and critique should be based on evidence from reliable sources.
Strong Solution Critique Papers will do the following:
1. Provide background information about the problem
2. Identify viable, current solutions to the problem
3. Clearly and accurately describe each solution being critiqued
4. Offer a thoughtful, accurate, and current critique of the strengths/weaknesses (pros and cons, benefits/drawbacks) of each solution
5. Support all of the above with synthesized evidence from reliable sources
Solution Critique Paper Outline
Points: 10
Solution Critique Paper Draft 1
Write a complete first draft of this essay, meeting all assignment requirements, including expectations for formatting, sources, and academic integrity.
Points: 20
Solution Critique Paper Draft 2
Revise the first draft of this essay based on peer feedback and self-revision, improving writing to not only meet all assignment requirements, but also to address specific criteria indicated in the rubric.
Deadline: 24 hours before the individual conference
Points: 20
Solution Critique Paper Final Draft
Revise second draft based on instructor feedback and also addressing specific criteria indicated in the rubric.
Points: 100
Source Requirements
A minimum of six (6) reliable sources (at least 2 of which must be academic, peer-reviewed). Strong essays will most likely use more sources. All sources should be written in English (or, if written in another language, there should be an easy way to access an official English translation.) Most body paragraphs should demonstrate synthesis of more than one source. Fabrication of sources is a violation of academic integrity.
Formatting Requirements
Essays should be a minimum of 5 double-spaced pages in length (approximately 1250 words) and should be no more than 6-7 pages (approx. 1500-1750 words.) The title page and reference page are not counted as part of this length requirement. It should be written using an APA recommended font like 11-point Arial, Calibri, or Georgia, or 12-point Times New Roman. Paragraphs should be indented and the document should be formatted with 1-inch margins on all sides. The first page should be formatted as a title page (see APA 7th edition title page formatting guidelines here) and the “References” list should begin on a new page after the final line of the conclusion. Final drafts should include your UIN (9-digit number).
AI Disclosure Statement
Students can utilize Generative AI tools for ESL Course assignments, provided they disclose their usage and use it in an ethical manner. See the infographic below for how to write a complete AI Disclosure Statement or see the Ethical Use of Generative AI (PDF) for examples.
Provide your disclosure statement at the end of the References List. If you didn't use any tools, please provide that information as well.
Submission Requirements
Students will be asked to submit the second and final drafts of this assignment to plagiarism detection software.
Grading Criteria
All above-mentioned Steps will contribute to the Solution Critique Paper category of your final grade in this course as indicated in the First Day Handout. For all drafts, you will be held accountable for the quality of your work. For the first/second draft, your work will be scored on general adherence to the assignment requirements as detailed in the assignment description and rubric criteria; points will be deducted for underdeveloped or missing components. The final draft will be scored using the rubric below.
ESL 112, Solution Critique Paper Grading Rubric
[Student Name]
Performance Indicators
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Incomplete (IC)
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Unsatisfactory (UN)
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Needs Improvement (NI)
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Adequate (ADQ)
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Advanced (ADV)
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The work demonstrates no attempt at the skill, or significant components are missing.
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The work attempts but does not demonstrate the skill.
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The work demonstrates some skill but is applied unevenly or inconsistently.
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The work demonstrates good skill but should be further developed.
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The work demonstrates excellent skill and shows clear competence in this area.
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Assessment
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Criteria
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IC
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UN
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NI
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ADQ
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ADV
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Score
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Comments
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Introduction: The introduction engages readers, contextualizes the topic, and conveys a clear purpose, with a logical progression of ideas from general to specific.
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0-5
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6
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7
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8
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9-10
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10
|
|
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Thesis Statement and Essay Structure: The introduction contains a thesis statement with a perspective on the research topic that goes beyond simple description or explanation of the topic. The thesis is appropriate for the scope, purpose and audience of the paper. Subsequent body paragraphs align with the thesis to establish coherence.
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0-1
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2
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3
|
4
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5
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5
|
|
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Paragraph Structure and Development: The paper contains well-developed paragraphs that provide one central point in support of the thesis. Points are well supported by multiple pieces of synthesized, academic evidence or examples. Supporting details advance the point, completely discussing the why/how of the point in relation to the thesis. Relationships between information are clearly demonstrated through cohesive sentences.
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0-11
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12-13
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14-15
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16-17
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18-20
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20
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|
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Analysis & Critique: The paper contains the strengths and weaknesses of both solutions. Each critique point is elaborated with in-depth, evidence-based analysis of a particular aspect of this solution. The information is current and accurate and the analysis demonstrates a strong understanding of the solution.
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0-5
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6
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7
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8
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9-10
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10
|
|
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Source Selection: Sources are sufficiently credible and relevant to the research topic.
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0-1
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2
|
3
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4
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5
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5
|
|
|
Source Integration: Sources are well-integrated and accurately represented through effective paraphrasing, quoting, or summarizing. Quotation use is limited to specific cases as discussed in class.
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*Pending review
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*Pending review
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7
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8
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9-10
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10
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|
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Source Documentation: The paper includes verifiable and accurate in-text citations where needed and matching reference page citations according to the style. guide specified by the instructor.
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*Pending review
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*Pending review
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7
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8
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9-10
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10
|
|
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Conclusion: The paper contains a conclusion for an academic research paper that reviews the purpose of the paper, conveys significance of the research topic, and suggests future implications and/or research. The paragraph progresses in a logical manner from specific to general ideas.
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0-5
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6
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7
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8
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9-10
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10
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|
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Academic Tone: The paper is written using language that is appropriately academic and precise in tone.
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0-1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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5
|
|
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Clarity of Language: Sentence structures are clear. Errors in grammar, spelling, or word usage do not confuse the overall meaning of ideas.
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0-1
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2
|
3
|
4
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5
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5
|
|
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Formatting: The paper is free of editing marks and appropriately formatted according to the assignment/task guidelines.
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0-1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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5
|
|
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AI Disclosure: Disclosure statement provides all information specified in guidelines for a complete understanding of which and how generative AI tools were used and their presence in the final work.
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0-1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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5
|
|
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Late point deduction (if applicable)
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0
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|
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Final Grade (out of 100 points)
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100
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