Essays‌  ‌
Rubrics‌  ‌

The‌‌mark‌‌given‌‌to‌‌part‌‌3‌‌is‌‌based‌‌on‌‌the‌‌following‌‌criteria:‌   ‌ ‌
1. Task‌‌achievement/‌‌fulfillment‌‌(10‌‌points)‌   ‌ ‌
a. All‌‌requirements‌‌of‌‌the‌‌task‌‌are‌‌sufficiently‌‌addressed.‌‌   ‌
b. Ideas‌  ‌are‌  ‌adequately‌  ‌supported‌  ‌and‌  ‌elaborated‌  ‌with‌  ‌relevant‌  ‌and‌  ‌reliable‌‌  
explanations,‌‌examples,‌‌evidence,‌‌personal‌‌experience,‌‌etc.‌‌    ‌
2. Organization‌‌(10‌‌points)‌‌    ‌
a. Ideas‌‌are‌‌well‌‌organized‌‌and‌‌presented‌‌with‌‌coherence,‌‌cohesion,‌‌and‌‌unity.‌‌   ‌
b. The‌‌essay‌‌is‌‌well-structured:‌‌    ‌
● Introduction‌  ‌is‌  ‌presented‌  ‌with‌  ‌a ‌ ‌clear‌  ‌thesis‌  ‌statement‌  ‌introducing‌  ‌the‌‌  
points‌‌to‌‌be‌‌developed.‌‌    ‌
● Body‌‌   paragraphs‌‌   develop‌‌   the‌‌
  points‌‌
 introduced‌‌  with‌‌ unity,‌‌
 coherence,‌‌
 and‌‌
 
cohesion.‌‌   Each‌‌  body‌‌
  paragraph‌‌   must‌‌
  have‌‌  a ‌‌topic‌‌ sentence‌‌ and‌‌
 supporting‌‌
 
details‌‌and‌‌examples‌‌when‌‌necessary.‌‌    ‌
● Conclusion‌  ‌summarises‌  ‌the‌  ‌main‌  ‌points‌  ‌and‌  ‌states‌  ‌personal‌  ‌opinions‌‌  
(prediction,‌  ‌recommendation,‌  ‌consideration,…)‌  ‌on‌  ‌the‌  ‌issue.‌  ‌
Recapitulated‌‌the‌‌essay‌  ‌
3. Language‌‌use‌‌(5‌‌points)‌‌    ‌
a. Demonstration‌‌of‌‌a‌‌variety‌‌of‌‌topic-related‌‌vocabulary‌   ‌ ‌
b. Excellent‌‌use‌‌and‌‌control‌‌of‌‌grammatical‌‌structures‌‌    ‌
4. Punctuation,‌‌spelling,‌‌and‌‌handwriting‌‌(5‌‌points)‌‌    ‌
a. Correct‌‌punctuation‌‌and‌‌no‌‌spelling‌‌mistakes‌‌    ‌
b. Legible‌‌handwriting‌  ‌

Lesson‌‌1:‌‌Opinion‌‌essays‌  ‌

First‌‌paragraph:‌‌introduction‌  ‌

● Opening:‌  ‌Begin‌  ‌the‌  ‌essay‌  ‌by‌  ‌engaging‌  ‌your‌  ‌reader’s‌  ‌interest‌  ‌with‌  ‌a ‌‌
question,‌  ‌a ‌ ‌surprising‌  ‌statistic,‌  ‌a ‌ ‌famous‌‌
  quote,‌‌
  an‌‌
  anecdote,‌‌
  or‌‌
  expert‌‌
 
testimony.‌  ‌
● Context:‌‌
  Establish‌‌
  the‌‌
  importance‌‌
  of‌‌
  the‌‌
  topic.‌‌
  Use‌‌
  phrases‌‌
  like‌‌
  these:‌‌
 
a‌  ‌vital‌  ‌factor‌‌
  in,‌‌
  the‌‌
  leading‌‌
  cause‌‌
  of,‌‌
  widely‌‌
  considered‌‌
  to‌‌
  be,‌‌
  set‌‌
  to‌‌
  become,‌‌ 
undergoing‌‌a‌‌revolution,‌‌is‌‌responsible‌‌for‌. ‌ ‌
● Thesis:‌  ‌End‌  ‌your‌  ‌introduction‌  ‌with‌  ‌a ‌ ‌thesis‌  ‌statement‌  ‌that‌  ‌makes‌  ‌a ‌‌
strong‌‌claim‌‌about‌‌a‌‌controversial‌‌issue.‌  ‌
2‌‌or‌‌3‌‌Body‌‌paragraphs:‌‌supporting‌‌arguments‌‌
   ‌

● Topic‌  ‌sentence:‌‌
  Begin‌‌
  each‌‌
  body‌‌
  paragraph‌‌
  with‌‌
  a ‌‌topic‌‌
  sentence‌‌
  that‌‌
 
summarizes‌‌
  the‌‌
  main‌‌
  idea‌‌
  of‌‌
  the‌‌
  paragraph‌‌
  and‌‌
 supports‌‌
 the‌‌
 claim‌‌
 you‌‌
 
made‌‌in‌‌your‌‌thesis‌‌statement.‌  ‌
● Argue:‌  ‌Refer‌‌
  to‌‌
  facts,‌‌
  statistics,‌‌
  logic,‌‌
  what‌‌
  is‌‌
  reasonable,‌‌
  what‌‌
  follows‌‌
 
from‌‌the‌‌evidence,‌‌and‌‌conclusions‌‌one‌‌can‌‌draw.‌  ‌
● Evidence:‌  ‌Give‌  ‌evidence‌  ‌from‌  ‌your‌  ‌reading‌  ‌and‌  ‌research‌  ‌using‌  ‌these‌‌
 
types‌  ‌of‌  ‌words:‌  ‌according‌  ‌to,‌  ‌to‌  ‌quote‌  ‌from,‌  ‌tells‌  ‌us‌  ‌that,‌  ‌shows‌  ‌us‌  ‌that,‌‌ 
referring‌  ‌to,‌  ‌argues‌  ‌that,‌  ‌stated,‌  ‌wrote,‌  ‌argued,‌  ‌discussed,‌  ‌expressed‌  ‌the‌‌ 
concern‌‌that,‌‌as‌‌written.‌  ‌
● Support:‌  ‌Give‌  ‌examples‌  ‌to‌  ‌support‌  ‌your‌  ‌claims‌  ‌using‌  ‌words‌  ‌and‌‌
 
phrases‌‌
  such‌‌
  as‌‌
  these:‌‌
  ‌for‌‌
  example,‌‌
  for‌‌
  instance,‌‌
  suppose‌‌
  that,‌‌ take‌‌ the‌‌ case‌‌ 
of,‌  ‌that‌  ‌is,‌  ‌to‌  ‌be‌  ‌exact,‌  ‌to‌  ‌explain,‌  ‌to‌  ‌illustrate,‌  ‌to‌  ‌put‌  ‌another‌  ‌way,‌  ‌to‌  ‌show‌‌ 
what‌‌I‌‌mean.‌  ‌

Final‌‌Paragraph:‌‌conclusion‌‌
   ‌

● Reformulation‌‌
  of‌‌
  the‌‌
  thesis:‌‌
  Restate‌‌
 the‌‌ thesis‌‌
 in‌‌ different‌‌
 words‌‌
 from‌‌
 
the‌‌introduction.‌  ‌
● Build‌  ‌cohesion:‌  ‌Use‌  ‌expressions‌  ‌such‌  ‌as‌  ‌To‌  ‌sum‌  ‌up,‌  ‌To‌  ‌conclude,‌  ‌In‌‌ 
closing,‌‌or‌‌For‌‌these‌‌reasons.‌  ‌
● Recommendation:‌  ‌Make‌  ‌a ‌ ‌recommendation.‌  ‌Use‌  ‌one‌  ‌expression‌‌
  such‌‌
 
as‌s‌ hould,‌‌ought‌‌to,‌‌recommend,‌‌suggest,‌‌propose.‌‌   ‌
● Prediction:‌  ‌Make‌  ‌a ‌ ‌prediction.‌  ‌What‌‌
  will‌‌
  happen‌‌
  if‌‌
  the‌‌
  reader‌‌
  follows‌‌
 
your‌‌
  recommendation?‌‌
  Use‌‌
  one‌‌
  expression‌‌
  such‌‌
  as‌‌
  ‌should,‌‌ ought‌‌ to,‌‌ will,‌‌ 
or‌‌going‌‌to,‌‌or‌‌likely.‌‌   ‌

What‌‌is‌‌the‌‌key‌‌takeaway‌‌for‌‌paragraph‌‌2‌‌and‌‌3?‌  ‌
In‌‌opinion‌‌essays,‌‌put‌‌the‌‌point‌‌you‌‌agree‌‌less‌‌first,‌‌supporting‌‌(for)‌‌argument‌‌later.‌  ‌
 ‌
Structure‌‌for‌‌the‌‌body‌‌paragraphs:‌  ‌
Paragraph‌‌1:‌  ‌
1. Begin‌‌with‌‌a‌‌topic‌‌sentence‌  ‌
 On‌  ‌the‌  ‌one‌  ‌hand,‌‌
  vocational‌‌
  training‌‌
  can‌‌
  be‌‌
  inclusive‌‌
  for‌‌
  all‌‌
  socioeconomics‌‌
 
levels,‌‌
  allowing‌‌
  for‌‌
  greater‌‌
  employability‌‌
  for‌‌
  diverse‌‌
  social‌‌
  sectors.‌‌
 =>‌‌
 Simple,‌‌
 
to‌‌the‌‌point.‌  ‌
2. Supporting‌‌statement‌‌1 ‌ ‌
One‌  ‌of‌  ‌the‌  ‌main‌  ‌reasons‌  ‌can‌  ‌be‌  ‌that‌  ‌practical‌  ‌apprenticeship‌  ‌can‌  ‌allow‌  ‌for‌‌ 
direct‌  ‌education‌  ‌of‌  ‌a ‌ ‌particular‌  ‌skill‌  ‌set,‌  ‌leveraging‌  ‌those‌‌
  who‌‌
  cannot‌‌
  afford‌‌
 
the‌‌expenses‌‌and‌‌time‌‌of‌‌tertiary‌‌pedagogy.‌  ‌
3. Expansion‌‌1 ‌ ‌
In‌‌
  sequence,‌‌
  those‌‌
  who‌‌
  would‌‌
 otherwise‌‌
 be‌‌
 unemployed‌‌
 due‌‌
 to‌‌
 lacking‌‌
 ability‌‌
 
can‌‌now‌‌enjoy‌‌a‌‌stable‌‌job‌‌acquired‌‌from‌‌those‌‌hands-on‌‌learning.‌  ‌
4. Supporting‌‌statement‌‌2 ‌ ‌
Another‌  ‌pivotal‌  ‌factor‌  ‌for‌  ‌this‌  ‌is‌  ‌that‌  ‌learners‌  ‌of‌  ‌this‌‌
  type‌‌
  of‌‌
  institution‌‌
  can‌‌
 
quickly‌  ‌identify‌  ‌their‌  ‌professional‌  ‌weaknesses‌  ‌through‌  ‌a ‌ ‌series‌  ‌of‌‌
 
trials-and-errors.‌  ‌
5. Expansion‌‌2 ‌ ‌
To‌‌
  further‌‌
  illustrate‌, ‌‌during‌‌ an‌‌
 internship/practical‌‌ training,‌‌
 a ‌‌student‌‌
 can‌‌ be‌‌
 
quick‌‌
  to‌‌
  recognize‌‌
  their‌‌
 lack‌‌
 in‌‌ customer‌‌
 service‌‌
 skills;‌‌
 hence,‌‌
 the‌‌
 student‌‌
 can‌‌
 
engage‌‌in‌‌an‌‌appropriate‌‌course‌‌to‌‌hone‌‌his‌‌or‌‌her‌‌skill.‌  ‌
6. Recapitulate‌  ‌
In‌  ‌short,‌  ‌this‌  ‌can‌  ‌provide‌  ‌higher‌  ‌employability‌  ‌for‌  ‌people‌  ‌from‌  ‌all‌  ‌walks‌  ‌of‌‌
 
life.‌  ‌
 ‌
Paragraph‌‌2:‌  ‌
1. Topic‌‌sentence‌  ‌
On‌‌
  the‌‌
  other‌‌
  hand,‌‌
  it‌‌
  can‌‌
  be‌‌
  argued‌‌
  that‌‌
  higher‌‌
  education‌‌
  can‌‌ allow‌‌
 students‌‌
 
to‌‌accomplish‌‌greater‌‌depths‌‌in‌‌their‌‌professions.‌  ‌
2. Supporting‌‌1 ‌ ‌
At‌  ‌a ‌ ‌formal‌  ‌institution,‌  ‌students‌  ‌are‌  ‌required‌  ‌to‌  ‌employ‌‌
  greater‌‌
  professional‌‌
 
insights‌‌during‌‌their‌‌studies.‌  ‌
3. Expansion‌‌1 ‌ ‌
By‌  ‌having‌  ‌specialized‌  ‌courses,‌  ‌learners‌  ‌are‌  ‌able‌  ‌to‌  ‌more‌  ‌comprehensively‌‌
 
navigate‌  ‌through‌  ‌problems‌  ‌as‌  ‌they‌  ‌have‌‌
  rigorous‌‌
  research‌‌
  on‌‌
  them.‌‌
  As‌‌
  such,‌‌
 
 they‌  ‌can‌  ‌better‌  ‌analyze‌  ‌and‌  ‌propose‌  ‌optimal‌  ‌solutions‌  ‌over‌  ‌solving‌  ‌them‌  ‌by‌‌
 
pure‌‌brute‌‌force.‌  ‌
4. Supporting‌‌2 ‌ ‌
A‌  ‌second‌‌
  point‌‌
  is‌‌
  that‌‌
  universities‌‌
  can‌‌
  allow‌‌
  students‌‌
  to‌‌
  formalize‌‌
  and‌‌
  foster‌‌
 
networks.‌  ‌
5. Expansion‌‌2 ‌ ‌
At‌  ‌a ‌ ‌higher‌  ‌pedagogical‌  ‌system,‌  ‌networks‌  ‌encompass‌  ‌those‌  ‌of‌  ‌their‌  ‌peers,‌‌
 
those‌  ‌like-minded,‌  ‌and‌  ‌most‌  ‌importantly,‌  ‌key‌  ‌figures‌  ‌in‌  ‌industries.‌  ‌For‌  ‌the‌‌
 
former‌  ‌two,‌  ‌interpersonal‌  ‌and‌  ‌teamwork‌  ‌skills‌  ‌can‌  ‌be‌  ‌greatly‌  ‌ameliorated,‌‌
 
giving‌  ‌them‌  ‌a ‌ ‌competitive‌  ‌edge‌‌
  in‌‌
  the‌‌
  ever-challenging‌‌
  vying‌‌
  labor‌‌
  force.‌‌
  As‌‌
 
for‌  ‌the‌  ‌latter‌  ‌point,‌  ‌companies‌  ‌can‌  ‌empower‌  ‌many‌  ‌with‌  ‌white-collar‌‌
 
positions,‌‌propelling‌‌students‌‌to‌‌higher‌‌positions‌‌in‌‌life.‌  ‌
6. Recapitulate‌  ‌
As‌  ‌such,‌  ‌university‌  ‌education‌  ‌will‌  ‌foster‌  ‌a ‌ ‌student’s‌  ‌professional‌  ‌as‌  ‌well‌  ‌as‌‌
 
vocational‌‌growth.‌  ‌
 ‌
Conclusion‌  ‌
In‌  ‌recapitulation,‌  ‌it‌  ‌can‌  ‌be‌  ‌seen‌  ‌that‌  ‌each‌  ‌model‌  ‌will‌  ‌benefit‌  ‌their‌  ‌own‌‌
 
appropriate‌  ‌demographics.‌  ‌As‌  ‌such,‌  ‌adequate‌  ‌allocation‌  ‌of‌  ‌investment‌  ‌must‌  ‌be‌‌
 
channeled‌  ‌evenly,‌  ‌so‌  ‌as‌  ‌to‌  ‌cultivate‌  ‌the‌  ‌workforce‌  ‌to‌  ‌a ‌ ‌common‌  ‌goal:‌  ‌increased‌‌
 
efficiency.‌  ‌
 ‌
Complete:‌  ‌
Many‌  ‌contend‌‌
  that‌‌
  budgets‌‌
  for‌‌
  vocational‌‌
  training‌‌
  should‌‌
  be‌‌
  prioritized‌‌
  over‌‌
 
formal‌  ‌university‌  ‌education.‌  ‌This‌  ‌is‌  ‌due‌  ‌to‌  ‌a ‌ ‌common‌  ‌conception‌  ‌that‌  ‌university‌‌
 
education‌‌   is‌‌
  impractical‌‌
  and‌‌
  time-consuming.‌‌   However,‌‌
 I ‌‌believe‌‌
 that‌‌
 each‌‌  has‌‌
 ‌their‌‌
 
own‌  ‌merits‌  ‌and‌  fitting‌  ‌for‌  ‌different‌  ‌people,‌  ‌hence‌  ‌deserving‌  ‌of‌  ‌equal‌  ‌investment.‌‌
 
Thus,‌‌I‌‌disagree‌‌with‌‌this‌‌notion.‌  ‌
 ‌
On‌  ‌the‌  ‌one‌  ‌hand,‌‌
  vocational‌‌
  training‌‌
  can‌‌
  be‌‌
  inclusive‌‌
  for‌‌
  all‌‌
  socioeconomics‌‌
 
levels,‌  ‌allowing‌  ‌for‌‌
  greater‌‌
  employability‌‌
  for‌‌
  many‌‌
  groups.‌‌
  One‌‌
  of‌‌
  the‌‌
  main‌‌
  reasons‌‌
 
can‌  ‌be‌  ‌that‌  ‌practical‌  ‌apprenticeships‌  ‌can‌  ‌allow‌  ‌for‌  ‌direct‌  ‌education‌  ‌of‌  ‌a ‌‌particular‌‌
 
skill‌  ‌set,‌  ‌leveraging‌  ‌those‌  ‌who‌  ‌cannot‌  ‌afford‌  ‌the‌  ‌expenses‌  ‌and‌  ‌time‌  ‌of‌  ‌tertiary‌‌
 
pedagogy.‌‌ This‌‌ means‌‌
 that‌‌
 those‌‌
 who‌‌
 would‌‌
 otherwise‌‌
 be‌‌
 unemployed‌‌
 due‌‌
 to‌‌
 lacking‌‌
 
ability‌  ‌can‌  ‌now‌  ‌enjoy‌  ‌a ‌ ‌stable‌  ‌job‌  ‌acquired‌  ‌from‌  ‌those‌  ‌hands-on‌‌
  learning.‌‌
  ‌Another‌‌
 
reason‌  ‌for‌  ‌this‌  ‌is‌  ‌that‌  ‌learners‌  ‌of‌  ‌this‌  ‌type‌  ‌of‌  ‌institution‌  ‌can‌  ‌quickly‌  ‌identify‌  ‌their‌‌
 
professional‌  ‌weaknesses‌  ‌through‌  ‌their‌  ‌difficulties‌  ‌and‌  ‌failures.‌  ‌To‌  ‌further‌‌
 
illustrate/As‌  ‌a ‌ ‌case‌  ‌in‌  ‌point‌, ‌ ‌during‌  ‌an‌  ‌internship/practical‌‌
  training,‌‌
  a ‌‌student‌‌
  can‌‌
 
be‌  ‌quick‌  ‌to‌  ‌recognize‌  ‌their‌  ‌lack‌  ‌in‌  ‌customer‌  ‌service‌  ‌skills;‌  ‌hence,‌  ‌the‌  ‌student‌  ‌can‌‌
 
engage‌  ‌in‌  ‌an‌  ‌appropriate‌  ‌course‌  ‌to‌  ‌hone‌  ‌his‌  ‌skill‌. ‌ ‌In‌‌
  short,‌‌
  this‌‌
  can‌‌
  provide‌‌
  higher‌‌
 
employability‌‌for‌‌people‌‌from‌‌all‌‌walks‌‌of‌‌life.‌  ‌
 ‌
On‌‌
  the‌‌
  other‌‌
  hand,‌‌
  it‌‌
  can‌‌
  be‌‌
  argued‌‌
  that‌‌
  higher‌‌
  education‌‌
  can‌‌ allow‌‌
 students‌‌
 
to‌  ‌accomplish‌  ‌greater‌  ‌depths‌  ‌in‌  ‌their‌  ‌professions.‌  ‌At‌  ‌a ‌ ‌formal‌  ‌institution,‌‌
  students‌‌
 
are‌  ‌required‌  ‌to‌  ‌employ‌  ‌greater‌‌
  professional‌‌
  insights‌‌
  during‌‌
  their‌‌
  studies.‌‌
  By‌‌
  having‌‌
 
specialized‌  ‌courses,‌  ‌learners‌  ‌are‌  ‌able‌  ‌to‌  ‌more‌  ‌comprehensively‌  ‌navigate‌  ‌through‌‌
 
problems‌  ‌as‌  ‌they‌  ‌have‌  ‌rigorous‌  ‌research‌  ‌on‌  ‌them.‌  ‌As‌  ‌such,‌‌
  they‌‌
  can‌‌
  better‌‌
  analyze‌‌
 
and‌‌
  propose‌‌
  optimal‌‌
  solutions‌‌
  over‌‌
 solving‌‌
 them‌‌
 by‌‌
 pure‌‌
 brute‌‌
 force.‌‌
 A ‌‌second‌‌ point‌‌
 
is‌  ‌that‌  ‌universities‌  ‌can‌‌
  allow‌‌
  students‌‌
  to‌‌
  formalize‌‌
  and‌‌
  foster‌‌
  networks.‌‌
  At‌‌
  a ‌‌higher‌‌
 
pedagogical‌‌
  system,‌‌
  networks‌‌
  comprises‌‌
  those‌‌
 of‌‌
 their‌‌
 peers,‌‌
 those‌‌ like-minded,‌‌
 and‌‌
 
most‌  ‌importantly,‌  ‌key‌  ‌figures‌  ‌in‌  ‌their‌  ‌respective‌  ‌industries.‌  ‌For‌  ‌the‌  ‌former‌  ‌two,‌‌
 
interpersonal‌  ‌and‌  ‌teamwork‌  ‌skills‌  ‌can‌  ‌be‌  ‌greatly‌  ‌ameliorated,‌  ‌giving‌  ‌them‌  ‌a ‌‌
competitive‌  ‌edge‌  ‌in‌  ‌the‌  ‌ever-challenging‌  ‌vying‌  ‌labor‌  ‌force.‌  ‌As‌  ‌for‌  ‌the‌  ‌latter‌  ‌point,‌‌
 
companies‌  ‌can‌  ‌empower‌  ‌many‌  ‌with‌  ‌white-collar‌  ‌positions,‌  ‌propelling‌  ‌students‌  ‌to‌‌
 
higher‌  ‌positions‌  ‌in‌  ‌life.‌  ‌As‌  ‌such,‌  ‌university‌  ‌education‌  ‌will‌  ‌foster‌  ‌a ‌ ‌student’s‌‌
 
professional‌‌as‌‌well‌‌as‌‌vocational‌‌growth.‌  ‌
 ‌
In‌  ‌recapitulation,‌  ‌it‌  ‌can‌  ‌be‌  ‌seen‌  ‌that‌  ‌each‌  ‌model‌  ‌will‌  ‌benefit‌  ‌their‌  ‌own‌‌
 
appropriate‌  ‌demographics.‌  ‌As‌  ‌such,‌  ‌adequate‌  ‌allocation‌  ‌of‌  ‌investment‌  ‌must‌  ‌be‌‌
 
channeled‌  ‌evenly,‌  ‌so‌  ‌as‌  ‌to‌  ‌cultivate‌  ‌the‌  ‌workforce‌  ‌to‌  ‌a ‌ ‌common‌  ‌goal:‌  ‌increased‌‌
 
efficiency.‌  ‌

   ‌