English 12A Persuasive Essay Writing Exercise

Unit 3 Portfolio: Persuasive Essay
It has been stated that, “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men
are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority.”
Prompt: Does power corrupt automatically? Apply this question to the events and characters in
Shakespeare’s Macbeth. You can focus on a single character or several. You may take the position that
power always corrupts, sometimes corrupts, or never corrupts.
❖ Based on the characters in Shakespeare’s Macbeth, does power corrupt people
automatically?
1. First Step: Develop your opinion! (When a character is given power or the opportunity for
power, does it corrupt their morals? Always? Sometimes? Never?)
2. Second Step: Choose one or more characters from Macbeth and discuss whether power always
corrupts, sometimes corrupts, or never corrupts.
Characters to Consider:
Macbeth Lady Macbeth Banquo Macduff Fleance The Witches
3. Third Step: Use the outline below to help create the structure of the paper before
writing your essay.
Five Paragraph Essay Outline
Introduction Paragraph
● Hook:
● Background info:
● Thesis: (see note and example below)*
Body Paragraph 1
Main Idea 1 –
● Topic Sentence:
● Supporting Details:
● Textual evidence:
● Transition Sentence:
Body Paragraph 2
Main Idea 2 –
● Topic Sentence:
● Supporting Details:
● Textual evidence:
● Transition Sentence:
Body Paragraph 3
Main Idea 3 –
● Topic Sentence:
● Supporting Details:
● Textual evidence:
● Transition Sentence:
Conclusion Paragraph
● Transition to final ideas
● Restate thesis
● Summarize main points
● Powerful last sentence
*Thesis statement: A thesis statement tells the main points of what you will write about. For this
essay, it should be the last sentence in the introduction paragraph.
Example Thesis Statement: In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, power always corrupts as
seen in Character 1, Character 2, and Character 3, whose desire to gain and retain power
destroys their lives.
NOTE: CheckMyWork Report MUST be included with your essay. Remember to also use MLA
format!
Unit 3 Persuasive Essay Rubric
Quotes from the text should always be introduced and then stated, “The quotation from text is placed here in
quotation marks and then cited immediately afterward the act number, scene number, and line number”
(2.4.16). 2 = Act. 4 = Scene. 16 = Line Number
Criteria
Yellow = specific area of concern
Score Comments
Ideas and
Evidence
❏ Thesis statement takes a position on
power corrupting influence on one or
more characters in the play.
❏ The ideas in the essay are clear and
effectively support the thesis.
❏ Evidence from the play is well-selected to
support the thesis (1-2 cited quotations
per body paragraph) See red text above
the chart.
❏ No plot summary.
/10
❏ There are no logical fallacies (flaws in
reasoning).
Voice ❏ Literary present tense is used.
❏ Third person is used (no use of I, me, my,
or you).
❏ Language is academic.
❏ Language is appropriate for a persuasive
essay.
/4
Organization ❏ Outline utilized to organize essay.
❏ Topic sentences are clear and reflect the
thesis statement.
❏ Clear and abundant transitions are used
throughout the essay.
/3
Mechanics &
Conventions
❏ English 12 (600-900 words) Honors E12
(900-1200 words).
❏ Punctuation, capitalization, usage, and
spelling are correct.
❏ Sentences are varied, grammatically
correct, and flow smoothly.
/3
MLA Format ❏ MLA format is followed throughout the
essay: Heading, Times New Roman 12 pt
font, double-spacing, 1 inch margins.
/2
CheckMyWork ❏ CheckMyWork report is included (not
included, automatic zero until submitted).
/2
Self-Evaluation
BONUS
❏ You have thoroughly evaluated your own
work (including adding comments in the
comment box for each section).
/2
Total Points /24
Note: Your self-evaluation must include reflection notes in the “comments” box to earn credit. Turning
in a blank rubric does not constitute evaluation of your created work.