Category: Writing

project.
1. Evaluation is the process of accessing the value of something, that is, determining the importance, worth, value, or effectiveness of something. It can be as simple as saying “that meal was delicious.” Evaluation can have simple criteria:
if the movie makes me laugh it is a good comedy
. An evaluation can also have many complex criteria too.
2. Part of the process of evaluation often includes developing criteria to use (for instance, a set of characteristics that distinguish a successful essay from an unsuccessful one). Sometimes, however, a set of criteria is already available; sometimes some entity (a boss, a committee, an institution) gives it to you. (If you wanted to buy a house, a bank or mortgage company has a complex set of criteria they have established that they use to evaluate you as a potential borrower. These criteria are set and underwriters use them to evaluate potential borrowers.) Another example is that I establish criteria for evaluating essays, such as the one you will write based on the work from this project.
3. In this particular case, as you will see in the immersion element, you are given a set of criteria. (The immersion element is just a tool to help create a sense that you are actually writing something for a real occasion. In this case, the scenario is as follows: you “work” for a company that publishes a periodical called
Living in America.
That scenario and the periodical is all a fiction developed merely to create this sense of reality. Many students find this helpful and enjoyable–as much as writing an assignment can be.)
4. In many cases of complex evaluation, you may not be asked just to make a claim of value (something meets some specified criteria effectively), but you may be asked also to make a claim of policy (something should be done). That is actually the case here.
5. You are being asked to evaluate three speeches based on a given set of criteria. Then, you are actually making an argument about which should be published.
a. Let me say that right now to keep things simple, I want you to think of three basic kinds of claims. The first is a claim of fact. This is the type of claim in which you are saying something is the case or something is true or even something is not the case or not true. If someone says, “Global Warming is a hoax,” he or she is making a claim of fact–he or she is saying that X is ( or is not) the case. (Two sub-categories of claim of fact are claims of definition (something fits into a definition or not) and claims of cause/effect (something causes something or is an effect of something).
b. The second of these basic types of claims is a claim of value. This is a claim that says something is good or bad, better or worse, the best choice, the worst choice, and so forth. (Beethoven was a better composer than Bach.)
c. The third of these basic types of claims is a claim of policy. This is a claim that says something should be done or should not be done or should be stopped. (We should build a colony on Mars. We should not waste money on space exploration.)
5. I want to make something very clear: the BURDEN OF PROOF is on the claimant. That means
if you make a claim
,
YOU are responsible for providing sufficient convincing reasons (proof)
; otherwise, no one has to believe you. Just because you make a claim is not reason enough. So, if you make a claim of fact (global warming is not causing worldwide havoc), you are responsible for providing enough proof (things that convince) for a critical audience to accept. (Thus, if you end up in an argument and someone makes a claim, ask them to provide proof. If they cannot do so, then you can say, I have no reason to believe that claim!)

Part A: Scavenger Hunt—Origin Myth Image
Find a unique image on the Internet that depicts either 1) a category of creation myths (sacrifice, earth diver, the cosmic egg, etc.) or 2) a creator motif from the Required Learning Materials.
Avoid using one of the first images that come up in your search. Dig deeper for something unique.
Following these instructions, embed the image in your post, provide a citation for the image, and a one-sentence caption for the image which identifies which category or motif the image depicts.
Part B: Discussion Question
Choose one of the following options.
Option 1—Creation Myth
First, choose one of the creation myths from the Required Learning Materials and discuss in which category or categories of creation myth you think this myth belongs, using specific examples from the myth. If there is a creator in the story, you can talk about which creator motif applies, using specific examples.
SECOND, do some research on the society or culture this cosmological myth is from
in the UMGC library or on a reliable website
and identify and explain two to three forms of nonmaterial culture (norm, belief, practice, tradition, ritual, or conception of humanity) specific to that culture that may have been influenced by this myth. Explain why you are making this connection.
Option 2—Categories of Creation Myth
First, choose the category of creation myth that you find most compelling and explain why. Select three creation myths from the Required Learning Materials that you think fit into this category and, using specific examples from each myth, explain how they relate to this category.
SECOND, compare and contrast the three myths, describing their similarities and differences, and explain their differences using specifics from the myths or information you learn from researching the myths’ cultures or societies
in the UMGC library or on a reliable website.

Include a minimum of five words that describe technical proficiency.
?      Consider words that describe hard technical proficiency skills.
?      Consider words that describe soft technical proficiency skills.

Vampires have represented multiples fears over the centuries, the most prominent being fear of disease. In Anne Rice’s novels of the 80s and 90s vampires represent fears regarding AIDS and homosexuality. We have also reviewed how science has tried to explain the folkloric origins of vampires. I have introduced you to two theories Tuberculosis and Pellagra. Do some research on your own and find a scientific case for vampirism you find compelling and discuss which theory or theories you feel is more credible.