Socio-political Writing Assignment Composition Those who need votes, sponsors, support, or want to get things done, often rely on persuasive writing skills to create logical, emotional, and moral petitions. Objectives This assignment assesses your mastery of the Socio-Political Learning Unit objectives: • Identify forms of persuasive writing in a socio-political writing situation • Analyze visual images • Write clear and comprehensible sentences • Navigate the persuasive writing process Writing Process 1. Complete all lessons in the Socio-political Learning Unit 2. Complete the Peer Review assignment before the deadline 3. Revise and finalize 4. Submit your final hardcopy and prepared envelope to Dr. Bodily before the deadline 5. Submit electronic copy to eCampus and www.turnitin.com before the deadline Topic Click the appropriate topics link pertaining to your curriculum (Traditional, SAGE, or Service Learning) Areas of Emphasis Point-of-view, audience, voice, clarity, action verbs, sensory details, showing description, persuasive appeals (logos, pathos, ethos), and business letter formatting Format This letter shall be word processed in MS Word file format, utilizing a minimum of 300 words and a maximum of 600 words, formatted according to business letter guidelines taught in the Learning Unit. This letter does not require sources or a Works Cited page; however, you may provide citations in MLA formatting style to strengthen your Logos. This assignment also requires you to prepare a professional No. 10 business envelope according to formatting taught in the Learning Unit and the US Postal Service. The envelope must be word processed, and printed in a printer. Place a stamp on your envelope or purchase a pre-stamped envelope from the US Postal Service. Verification You are required to send this letter to your audience as follows: • LECTURE STUDENTS: Submit your hardcopy, signed letter and stamped envelope to me before the deadline, and I will send your letter. • ONLINE STUDENTS: Capture a photo of your letter placed inside your stamped envelope and capture a second photo of your US Postal Service receipt or proof of delivery. Paste these images to the end of your electronic submission to www.turnitin.com and eCampus. Submission • Submit hardcopy as required (see the Verification section above) • Submit an electronic copy of your letter only in MS Word file format under the following title: Last Name-First Name-Letter (e.g. Smith-John-Letter) to www. turnitin.com and eCampus by clicking the “Submit Assignments” button. Penalties Letters will be rejected without grading in the following cases: • Plagiarized text • Does not address the topic/objectives • Late or missing submission to eCampus and/or www.turnitin.com • Incorrectly formatted (incorrect file and/or rhetorical form) • Provided no hardcopy letter .

1. Socio-political Writing Assignment
Composition
Those who need votes, sponsors, support, or want to get things
done, often rely on persuasive
writing skills to create logical, emotional, and moral petitions.
Objectives
This assignment assesses your mastery of the Socio-Political
Learning Unit objectives:
• Identify forms of persuasive writing in a socio-political
writing situation
• Analyze visual images
• Write clear and comprehensible sentences
• Navigate the persuasive writing process
Writing Process
1. Complete all lessons in the Socio-political Learning Unit
2. Complete the Peer Review assignment before the deadline
3. Revise and finalize
4. Submit your final hardcopy and prepared envelope to Dr.
Bodily before the deadline
5. Submit electronic copy to eCampus and www.turnitin.com
before the deadline
Topic

2. Click the appropriate topics link pertaining to your curriculum
(Traditional, SAGE, or
Service Learning)
Areas of Emphasis
Point-of-view, audience, voice, clarity, action verbs, sensory
details, showing description,
persuasive appeals (logos, pathos, ethos), and business letter
formatting
Format
This letter shall be word processed in MS Word file format,
utilizing a minimum of 300
words and a maximum of 600 words, formatted according to
business letter guidelines
taught in the Learning Unit. This letter does not require sources
or a Works Cited page;
however, you may provide citations in MLA formatting style to
strengthen your Logos.
This assignment also requires you to prepare a professional No.
10 business envelope
according to formatting taught in the Learning Unit and the US
Postal Service. The
envelope must be word processed, and printed in a printer.
Place a stamp on your
envelope or purchase a pre-stamped envelope from the US
Postal Service.
Verification
You are required to send this letter to your audience as follows:
• LECTURE STUDENTS: Submit your hardcopy, signed letter
and stamped envelope

3. to me before the deadline, and I will send your letter.
• ONLINE STUDENTS: Capture a photo of your letter placed
inside your stamped
envelope and capture a second photo of your US Postal Service
receipt or proof of
delivery. Paste these images to the end of your electronic
submission to
www.turnitin.com and eCampus.
Submission
• Submit hardcopy as required (see the Verification section
above)
• Submit an electronic copy of your letter only in MS Word file
format under the
following title: Last Name-First Name-Letter (e.g. Smith-John-
Letter) to www.
turnitin.com and eCampus by clicking the “Submit
Assignments” button.
Penalties
Letters will be rejected without grading in the following cases:
• Plagiarized text
• Does not address the topic/objectives
• Late or missing submission to eCampus and/or
www.turnitin.com
• Incorrectly formatted (incorrect file and/or rhetorical form)
• Provided no hardcopy letter and/or stamped envelope
• Refused to send letter

4. Bonus
If you receive a response to your letter before our course
concludes, I will add extra-credit
to your composition grade. Please let me know via email at the
time you receive a response
and let me know what the sender said. I enjoy receiving these
reports!
Topic Choices
Begin noticing and thinking about images, signs, symbols, and
logos you find problematic.
For example, a Vietnamese restaurant in Dallas recently choose
a red star as part of its logo.
The red star may represent communism to many refugees who
escaped the Vietnam War
and now live in the United States. Is this a good idea for
business?
Traditional and SAGE Student Topic Ideas:
1. Capture a photo of a monument. This can be a monument to
a person or historical
event. Persuade an interested and authorized person or group to
remove, alter, or
improve the monument.
2. Capture a photo or image of a government’s or political
organization’s agenda.
Persuade this organization to discontinue, alter, or improve the
image and message

5. behind the image. A few examples may include the following:
• A government agency such as the EPA uses imagery to
promote its
environmental agenda. Some of this may be propaganda to
promote the US
President’s political party since presidents choose EPA
directors.
• A political party such as the Green Party, the Republican,
Democratic,
Independent, or Libertarian Party uses imagery to promote their
political
agendas.
3. Capture a photo or image of propaganda. Persuade a person
or groups of people
who may be hurt by this propaganda to resist its message and
act to counter the
message. This may include persuading an organization to
promote a certain agenda
by using their own image, symbol, or logo (create one for the
organization).
4. Capture a photo or image of a company logo or advertising
imagery. Notice how
companies choose to display certain ethnicities or types of
people, doing certain
things while feeling certain ways, in their visual images.
Persuade a company or
organization to discontinue, alter, or improve the image and
message behind the
image. A few examples may include the following:

6. • Energy company: Sustainable energy companies use logos or
images of green
pastures and clean air on advertisements. Does this work for
them? Fossil Fuel
energy companies also use logos and images to promote their
energy products.
Do their images work for their type of resource?
• Fast Food: In the case of fast food restaurants, Burger King
often uses images of
Black Americans more than other ethnic groups. Why? Black
Americans
experience greater chances of suffering from diabetes and heart
disease which
are linked to diet. Is there a problem with this?
• Textiles: Clothing manufactures often display very thin
women wearing their
latest fashions. Is this a problem?
• Beauty: A plethora of companies display certain images and
forms of beauty. Is
this a problem?
• Groceries: Many food manufactures display farms, bucolic
sunsets, healthy
plants and animals on their product packaging. Often slogans
such as “all
natural” accompany these images. How does this reconcile with
the fact that
most food in packages is grown indoors, on feed lots, and

7. within monoculture
environments? How can the food be natural when its grown or
raised with
artificial fertilizer, chemicals, feed, and then preserved by more
chemicals?
5. Create an original image for a company, church, government,
non-profit, or other
organization and persuade a leader of the organization to adopt
your image.
Rubric

8. NLC English Department Visual Analysis Paper Rubric
CRITERIA
Excellent
(18-20 points)
Proficient
(16-17 points)
Satisfactory
(14-15 points)
Unsatisfactory
(12-13 points)
Deficient
(0-12 points)
Thesis
Engaging opening
that introduces the
paper’s topic, a

9. problem, research
question, purpose,
and method for
writing; the thesis is
an easily
identifiable, well-
phrased argument
that recognizes the
intended message,
as well as its
purpose and
audience. The thesis
reflects sound
critical, interpretive,
and analytical
thinking; title and
author of work are
appropriately
identified.
Generally engaging
opening; areas to
be strengthened
may include
presentation of
general topic,
development of
transition between
general opening
and specific thesis
statement; thesis
statement is
phrased as an
argument but may
be strengthened
through

10. clarification of the
main idea being
offered and
purpose.
Recognizes the
broad intended
message but
misses some
nuances.
Opening is functional
but too brief and/or
simplistic; topic is
apparent but needs to
be developed to
engage the reader;
weak sense of
purpose and claim;
paragraph topics are
vague or disconnected
from the thesis; thesis
may be too general,
vague, or imprecisely
presented; thesis may
not directly address
the prompt.
Recognizes the
intended message and
its purpose but does
not demonstrate
knowledge of its
significance.
Opening is
ineffective, poorly
organized, and

11. underdeveloped;
thesis statement
may summarize
plot points rather
than present
argument about
text or may be
missing; thesis may
not address the
prompt or a viable
topic; author
and/or title of
image may not be
referenced
properly Does not
identify the deeper
purpose of the
image.
Fails to fulfill the
requirements of the
assignment.
Development
Each paragraph
clearly connects to
the thesis and offers
identifiable, well-
phrased ideas to be
fully argued in each
paragraph; concrete
details are
incorporated in the
body paragraphs
and describe the

12. image and the
different elements
used; paragraphs
are well-organized
to create a coherent,
carefully developed
and supported
argument;
transitions between
ideas are logical and
each idea builds on
the preceding.
Each paragraph
generally connects
to the thesis but
one or more main
ideas may need to
be clarified;
concrete details
are generally well-
chosen though
some may be
irrelevant or
insufficient as
evidence to
effectively support
the thesis and/or
paragraph;
recognizes the
relationship
between the image
and its physical
characteristics;
paragraphs are
generally well-

13. organized,
although some
transitions may be
awkward; focus
and control of
argument may
need improvement
because the point
of a paragraph
may not always be
clear.
Supporting ideas
within body
paragraphs are
present but weak in
one or more following
areas: main idea not
discernible, a fact
about the text is
summarized, and/or
unclear connections to
thesis exist. Concrete
details are present but
weak because they
provide insufficient
evidence to support
the body paragraph
and/or lack insightful
inference. Paragraphs
identify the type of
image and some
physical
characteristics. Lack
of coherent
organization of ideas

14. within paragraphs;
abrupt transitions
that impede flow.
Topic sentences
absent or
consistently lack
focused ideas,
either offering
general, irrelevant
comments or
stating facts about
the text; there is no
discernible
argument or point
guiding the paper;
concrete details are
absent or
ineffective/
insufficient;
consistent lack of
coherent
organization of
ideas within
paragraphs and
from one
paragraph to the
next; points of
paragraphs are
unclear. Identifies
the type of image
and some of its
physical elements.
Fails to fulfill the
requirements of the

15. assignment.
Interpretation
Recognizes all of the
elements of style
included in the
image and
thoroughly explains
their effects on the
image’s message;
analyzes the image’s
contextual
influences and how
they affect the
message;
demonstrates a
thorough analysis of
the image, as well as
its techniques and
message.
Recognizes most
elements of style
used in the image
and attempts to
explain their
effects on the
image’s message;
attempts to
identify the
image’s contextual
influences but
provides an

16. incomplete
analysis of their
effects; provides a
good analysis of
message and
technique that is
generally
comprehensive.
Discusses the
elements of style used
in the image, but does
so in a general sense;
explains only the
obvious contextual
influences of the
image; overlooks
some aspects of visual
interpretation.
Identifies most of
the elements of
style used in the
image, but does not
explain their
significance; does
not demonstrate
recognition of the
image’s deeper
purpose; attempt at
analysis is
rudimentary.
Fails to fulfill the
requirements of the
assignment.

17. Language &
Style
Paper reflects an
argumentative
mode of writing
appropriate for the
topic; it is academic
in tone; writer's
voice is evident,
confident, and
sophisticated;
vocabulary and
phrasing are
academically
appropriate,
persuasive, and
sophisticated
without being
pretentious.
Writing is
generally
academic in tone;
writer’s voice may
not be consistently
persuasive but is
discernible;
writing
demonstrates an
awareness of the
purpose to
persuade;
vocabulary in
some places may

18. be simplistic or
ineffective.
Writing tends to be
mechanical in tone;
writer’s voice is not
discernible in the
paper; writing
demonstrates
inconsistent
awareness of the
purpose to persuade;
vocabulary tends to be
simplistic, marked by
instances of informal
or imprecise diction.
Writing is
mechanical in tone;
writer’s voice is not
discernible; writing
demonstrates no
awareness of the
purpose to
persuade;
vocabulary is
simplistic and/or
inappropriate.
Fails to fulfill the
requirements of the
assignment.
Grammar &
Mechanics

19. Paper includes
sentence variety;
effective syntax and
grammar;
demonstrates a
mastery of writing
conventions and
serves the author’s
purpose; consistent
adherence to MLA
guidelines; accurate
Works Cited page;
absence of
grammar, syntax,
and punctuation
errors.
Paper’s sentences
generally effective
but may lack
appropriate
variety (some
repeated opening
words and
structure); syntax
and grammar may
be awkward in
places (but not
distracting); a few
grammar and
mechanical errors
(but not
distracting);
consistent
adherence to MLA
guidelines;

20. accurate Works
Cited page.
Essay sentences lack
variety (frequently
repeated opening
words and sentence
structure); awkward
syntax and grammar
confuse writer’s point
and distract reader;
misspellings,
contractions,
fragments, referring
to “you” which
diminishes the
academic nature of
the writing;
inconsistent
adherence to MLA
guidelines (but does
not compromise
integrity of essay);
Works Cited page may
contain inaccuracies
(but does not
compromise the
integrity of essay).
Frequent syntax,
grammar, and
misspelling errors
that distract the
reader; lack of
adherence to MLA
guidelines which

21. undermines the
integrity of paper;
inaccurate Works
Cited page
compromises
integrity of essay.
No adherence to
MLA guidelines
(missing citations,
lack of proper
format); missing
Works Cited page;
paper is
incomprehensible.