Informative Essay on Poetry

Directions: ​You will be practicing your explanation skills by writing an informative essay explaining the meaning or message of a
poem. Please read and choose one of these poems for this assignment:
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/50271/amoretti-xxx-my-love-is-like-to-ice-and-i-to-fire
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45706/i-felt-a-funeral-in-my-brain-340
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44272/the-road-not-taken
https://poets.org/poem/do-not-go-gentle-good-night
https://onbeing.org/poetry/ode-to-dirt/
https://poets.org/poem/miracles
https://poets.org/poem/when-giving-all-we-have
https://poets.org/poem/manifesto-lyric-selfie
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44691/america-56d223e1ac025
http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/seamus_heaney/poems/12699

Once you pick your poem, you will want to analyze the message using the steps we went over in class. Find out what the author is
trying to say in the piece. ​The purpose of this paper is to explain to your reader what this poem is about and how the author
builds their message within the poem.​ To do this, discuss what poetic elements the author uses to help convey their message. Do
they use figurative language like symbolism, metaphor, allusion, simile, personification, or imagery to build their message and how?
Does the structure of the poem contribute to the meaning? Do the sound devices affect the meaning? You will need to quote the
poem and define any poetic elements you discuss to aid in your explanation.

This paper should be five paragraphs and at least two pages double spaced. ​Include an introduction paragraph that
summarizes the poem and states your thesis. Then identify three main points you want to talk about to explain the meaning and write
a paragraph on each. Finish with a conclusion that summarizes your explanation and touches on the importance of the topic. Make
sure you order your three points logically and include a topic sentence for each body paragraph. More information can be found
below on outlining your paper.

Citations should be in APA like we went over previously. There is a link in the assignment on Google Classroom to Owl at Purdue to
help you with in-text citations and reference lists. I do want an APA title page, but the abstract is not necessary. Also in the
assignment link is a sample essay to help with APA formatting. ​This will be a test grade and is due 3/10. You will get two grades,
one for completion this quarter and then another based on the actual content as your first test grade for fourth quarter.
Informative Essay Skeleton

The purpose of an informative essay is to explain something to your reader or share information on a specific topic.

Introduction​ - the head, the brains, the essential parts of your argument
● Hook: Say something to interest your reader in the topic. Perhaps you use a surprising fact or statistic or a strongly worded
quotation. You could also ask a related question or get creative with a metaphor or simile.
● Take a few sentences to provide context. In this case, you want to summarize the poem you’ve chosen.
● Conclude with your thesis. State clearly the topic of the paper and summarize your main points. “The message/meaning of
this poem is __________ which the author conveys by ___________.”

Body Paragraphs​ - the meat of your paper, your development of the topic. Each body paragraph should include:
● A topic sentence: Summarize your point.
● Evidence: Provide quotes, facts, definitions of poetry elements, etc. to support your main point of this paragraph.
● Explanation: Whenever you provide evidence, you must also explain its importance and significance.
● Transition: Take a sentence to lead into your next idea.

Conclusion​ - the legs, what your paper stands on.

5 4 3 2 1

Focus Writer includes Writer includes Writer includes Writer includes Writer includes
details that are on details that are on details that are on details that are on details that are on
topic 100% of the topic 80% of the topic 60% of the topic 40% of the topic 20% of the
time. No unrelated time. Body time, however a fair time, however a time, however most
information is paragraphs include amount of the majority of the of the paper is off
included. Body a topic sentence paper does not paper does not topic and does
paragraphs include that mostly address the thesis. address the thesis. nothing to address
a clear topic summarizes the One body Two body the thesis. No topic
sentence to point being made. paragraph is paragraphs are sentences are used
effectively introduce missing the topic missing a topic in the body
the point being sentence to sentence. paragraphs.
made. introduce the point.

Evidence and Related evidence is Evidence is Some evidence is Some body All body
Development provided to back up provided to back up provided to back up paragraphs are paragraphs are
each point in each each point in each each point in each missing evidence to missing evidence to
body paragraph. body paragraph, body paragraph, back up the point or back up the point or
Students do not just but some may not but it is not clearly the evidence is the evidence is
quote material but fully relate to the related to the unrelated. Quoted unrelated.No
explain the thesis. The writer thesis. The material is included quoted material is
evidence and its attempts to explain connection to the but lacks an included. Only one
impact. A number the importance of thesis for some explanation for strategy is are used
of strategies are quoted material. A quoted material is why. Only two to elaborate the
used to expand a number of not explained. Few strategies are used author’s points and
point and inform the strategies are used strategies are used to elaborate the inform the reader.
reader including to expand a point to expand a point author’s points and
explanations, and inform the and inform the inform the reader.
definitions, reader including reader including
quotations, etc. explanations, explanations,
definitions, definitions,
quotations, etc. quotations, etc.
Organization Writer uses a Writer uses a Writer uses Writer uses one or Writer does not use
variety of transition variety of transition transition words but two transition transition words
words or phrases to words or phrases to they are not varied. words. The ideas and the ideas are
effectively introduce introduce new The order of ideas are not ordered in a not ordered in a
new ideas. The ideas. The ideas is a bit difficult to logical manner. The logical manner. The
ideas are presented are presented in a follow. The introduction needs introduction needs
in a logical order mostly logical order introduction further context to further context to
which is easy to which is easy to provides little explain the topic to explain the topic to
follow. The follow. The context and the the reader and the the reader and the
introduction introduction thesis could use thesis could use thesis is absent or
provides context provides context clarification. The clarification. The unclear. The
and introduces a and introduces a conclusion conclusion conclusion fails to
strong thesis while clear thesis while summarizes and summarizes and summarize or
the conclusion the conclusion somewhat somewhat address the
summarizes and summarizes and addresses the addresses the importance of the
addresses the addresses the importance of the importance of the topic.
importance of the importance of the information. information.
information. information.

Language Writer uses Writer uses some Writer uses few No use of The sentences are
relevant vocabulary relevant relevant vocabulary vocabulary specific basic in
specific to the topic. vocabulary. Some words. Few to the topic. Most of construction and
Sentences are sentences are sentences are the sentences the language is
varied in length and varied in length and varied in length and follow the same simple. There are 5
complexity. There complexity. There complexity. There construction pattern or more run-on
are no run-on are up to 2 run-on are up to 3 run-on and are simple sentences or
sentences or sentences or sentences or sentences. There fragments present.
fragments. fragments. fragments. are up to 4 run-on
sentences or
fragments.
 Grammar There are 3 or There are 4 or There are 5 or
fewer significant fewer significant more significant
errors in errors in errors in
punctuation, punctuation, punctuation,
capitalization, capitalization, capitalization,
spelling, and spelling, and spelling, and
sentence sentence sentence
organization. The organization. The organization. The
meaning is still meaning is meaning is unclear
clear. somewhat unclear due to the errors.
due to the errors.

Style An APA title page, The APA formatting The APA formatting
reference list, and is done incorrectly is done incorrectly
all in-text citations or the paper is and the title page,
are present. missing one of the reference list, or
following: the APA in-text citations are
title page, reference missing.
list, or in-text
citation.

Total out of 26 points ______________