English 1100

Transparent Writing Assignment:
In ENGL 1100, a first-year composition course that fulfills general education requirements at ECU, students are introduced to the fundamentals of academic writing, rhetorical analysis, and research. To support their success on the Rhetorical Analysis of a Cultural Artifact assignment, this artifact includes a suite of visual teaching tools: four instructional slides and one infographic. The slides help students frame the assignment by connecting it to course goals, outlining key steps, identifying writing skills involved, and illustrating how rhetorical analysis applies in real-world contexts. The infographic reinforces core concepts by defining the key features of strong rhetorical analysis in accessible, student-friendly language. These materials work together to make the assignment’s purpose and expectations more transparent.

This assignment typically begins in Week 6 of the semester and serves as the second major writing project. The instructional slides are introduced at the start of the unit to guide initial engagement and help students understand the broader context of the task. The infographic is shared after students have completed a working draft and serves as a reference tool during peer review and revision. All materials are posted on the course’s Canvas site and are reinforced through class discussion. By explicitly connecting rhetorical analysis to transferable skills (like interpreting persuasive texts, analyzing audience and purpose, and making informed rhetorical decisions) these visual tools aim to demystify the genre and build student confidence. When students understand both the “how” and the “why” behind a writing task, they are more likely to engage deeply, reflect critically, and carry those skills into future academic and professional writing situations.

---

Explore the Materials

---

Examples of Applying Grading Criteria:
To support success on the Rhetorical Analysis of a Cultural Artifact assignment in ENGL 1100, this submission includes three integrated components: a sample rhetorical analysis essay of Sufjan Stevens’s Carrie & Lowell album cover (provided in both clean and annotated versions), a structured peer review activity, and a self-assessment memo prompt. The annotated essay highlights rhetorical strategies and structural elements—such as thesis development and organization—using comment language aligned with the assignment rubric and Key Features infographic. This consistency across materials helps students clearly see the criteria for success. In class, students first engage with the clean version of the sample during a peer review workshop, applying the peer review handout collaboratively. The annotated version is introduced afterward as a model of both strong writing and effective feedback, and remains available as a reference throughout the unit.

The peer review activity is first practiced in a whole-class setting, then used in small groups to guide students through reviewing each other’s drafts. The 12-question framework focuses on critical areas such as structure, clarity, evidence, and rhetorical strategies, encouraging students to think as both writers and readers. After submitting their final drafts, students complete a self-assessment memo using the rubric, citing specific evidence from their paper to justify their evaluation. This reflection is discussed during a one-on-one post-conference, where students may also make an evidence-based case for revising individual scores. Together, these materials foster a transparent, student-centered writing environment that promotes metacognitive awareness, skill transfer, and writing confidence. By aligning models, feedback tools, and self-reflection activities with the same core language and expectations, the approach helps students internalize learning goals and apply them across writing contexts.