The final examination is a take home examination consisting of an essay.
Type up your essay and either leave it on my computer at my office desk OR email it to me at dleeling@comfsm.fm by 5:00 P.M. on Wednesday 14 May 2005. Some of your email addresses are unrelated to your name, so if you send your paper via email make sure your name is on your paper!
On the essay question keep your writing clear and legible. Take your time and do your best to use correct spelling and grammar. Think carefully and plan your essay. Be reflective, support your statements with specific examples where appropriate. Refer to the grading rubric at the end of this paper for guidance on the grading scheme which will be used. The essay should be on the order of 300 or more words.
Agree or disagree: Learning the names and uses of plants by other cultures other than one's own culture is important and useful.
This essay asks you to take a position on a fundamental feature of this course, the learning and occasional testing on the names and uses of plants by cultures other than your own culture. Is there any value in studying local names in another language, local uses on another island, for plants that may not even be on your home island? Be specific, give examples where appropriate, and support your position.
You can choose to agree or disagree. Do not, however, start your essay with a sentence such as, "I agree to this idea..." or "I do not agree to this idea." Grammatically the "this idea" has no antecedent, that is, the reader has no idea to what you are agreeing. Your essay should "stand alone" and make sense to any reader. The same should be true throughout the essay, if you give an example explain the example as if the reader had no knowledge of what happened during the course.
The essay will be worth up to 25 points.
| Syntax | |
|---|---|
| 5 | No errors of grammar or word order. |
| 4 | Some errors of grammar or word order but communication not impaired. |
| 3 | Errors of grammar or word order fairly frequent; occasional re-reading necessary for full comprehension. |
| 2 | Errors of grammar or word order frequent; efforts of interpretation sometimes required on reader's part. |
| 1 | Errors of grammar or word order very frequent; reader often has to rely on own interpretation. |
| 0 | Errors of grammar or word order so severe as to make comprehension virtually impossible. |
| Vocabulary | |
| 5 | Appropriate terms used consistently, clear command of vocabulary, no misspelled words. |
| 4 | Occasionally uses inappropriate terms or relies on circumlocution; expression of ideas not impaired; or a few misspelled words. |
| 3 | Uses wrong or inappropriate words fairly frequently; expression of ideas may be limited because of inadequate vocabulary. |
| 2 | Limited vocabulary and frequent errors clearly hinder expression of ideas. |
| 1 | Vocabulary so limited and so frequently misused that reader must often rely on own interpretation. |
| 0 | Vocabulary limitations so extreme as to make comprehension virtually impossible. |
| Organization | |
| 5 | Material exceptionally well organized and connected including introduction, body, and conclusion structure. |
| 4 | Material well organized; links could occasionally be clearer but communication not impaired. |
| 3 | Some lack of organization; re-reading required for clarification of ideas. Missing structures such as an introduction or conclusion. |
| 2 | Little or no attempt at connectivity, though reader can deduce some organization. |
| 1 | Individual ideas may be clear, but very difficult to deduce connection between them. |
| 0 | Lack of organization so severe that communication is seriously impaired. |
| Cohesion | |
| 5 | Consistent choices in cohesive structures. |
| 4 | Occasional lack of consistency in choice of cohesive structures and vocabulary but overall ease of communication not impaired. |
| 3 | 'Patchy', with some cohesive structures or vocabulary items noticeably inappropriate to general style. |
| 2 | Cohesive structures or vocabulary items sometimes not only inappropriate but also misused; little sense of ease of communication. |
| 1 | Communication often impaired by completely inappropriate or misused cohesive structures or vocabulary items. |
| 0 | A 'hodgepodge' of half-learned misused cohesive structures and vocabulary items rendering communication almost impossible. |
| Content | |
| 5 | Fully complete and thorough answer to the task set. |
| 4 | Relevant and adequate answer to the task set. Answers of less than 250 words will be penalized by dropping the score by one point from what would be appropriate for a full-length script. In extreme cases of brevity more points can be deducted. |
| 3 | For the most part answers the tasks set, though there may be some gaps or redundant information. |
| 2 | Answer of limited relevance to the task set. Possibly major gaps in treatment of topic and/or pointless repetition. |
| 1 | The answer bears almost no relation to the task set. Inadequate answer. |
| 0 | No evidence of assigned task. |
You must cite any sources used. Failure to cite sources, or copying and pasting information and not putting it in quotes with a citation will cause one to receive zero points for this test.