WRD 110: Composition and Communication I–Fall 2024
Major Assignment 2: Evidence Board Rhetorical Analysis Presentation
Why are we doing this?: For this project, we are gathering sources you can draw upon when
you write your argumentative essay at the end of the semester. In addition to helping you
develop research skills, this project should give you practice with rhetorical analysis, a practice
in which we examine how people who create sources make choices that impact audiences.
What exactly are we doing?:
Deliver an in-class presentation that, in short, shares and analyzes evidence you have found so
far relating to your semester-long research question. Prepare a visual aid that can resemble an
evidence board as shown in crime shows (as shown here), or could simply be a slideshow where
evidence is shown on the slides. If you choose to make your visual aid look like a traditional
evidence board, you are welcome to create a physical board out of posterboard/cork board
(submit a photo of it on Canvas), or a digital board using software such as Lucidchart or Canva.
Minimum 1250 words of text on the board, minimum 6 minute presentation. Evidence Board
and Works Cited from everyone regardless of presentation date due on Canvas by class time
Oct. 7, presentations will occur in-class on Oct. 7, 9 and 11.
Here is a breakdown of what you should do for this project:
○ Begin your presentation by briefly introducing your research question to your
classmates (this should take 1 minute or less)
○ Then spend the remainder or the presentation talking through the evidence
board. Your visual aid must include evidence from at least three sources (and you
are welcome to pull out multiple pieces of evidence from the same source), which
can include any online sources and personal interviews.
○ Analysis of Evidence: You should pair each piece of evidence with a written
explanation of what the evidence is, how the evidence informs your investigation,
Major Assignment 2: Evidence Board Rhetorical Analysis Presentation
Why are we doing this?: For this project, we are gathering sources you can draw upon when
you write your argumentative essay at the end of the semester. In addition to helping you
develop research skills, this project should give you practice with rhetorical analysis, a practice
in which we examine how people who create sources make choices that impact audiences.
What exactly are we doing?:
Deliver an in-class presentation that, in short, shares and analyzes evidence you have found so
far relating to your semester-long research question. Prepare a visual aid that can resemble an
evidence board as shown in crime shows (as shown here), or could simply be a slideshow where
evidence is shown on the slides. If you choose to make your visual aid look like a traditional
evidence board, you are welcome to create a physical board out of posterboard/cork board
(submit a photo of it on Canvas), or a digital board using software such as Lucidchart or Canva.
Minimum 1250 words of text on the board, minimum 6 minute presentation. Evidence Board
and Works Cited from everyone regardless of presentation date due on Canvas by class time
Oct. 7, presentations will occur in-class on Oct. 7, 9 and 11.
Here is a breakdown of what you should do for this project:
○ Begin your presentation by briefly introducing your research question to your
classmates (this should take 1 minute or less)
○ Then spend the remainder or the presentation talking through the evidence
board. Your visual aid must include evidence from at least three sources (and you
are welcome to pull out multiple pieces of evidence from the same source), which
can include any online sources and personal interviews.
○ Analysis of Evidence: You should pair each piece of evidence with a written
explanation of what the evidence is, how the evidence informs your investigation,
and what specifically stood out to you about the piece of evidence (a rhetorical
element).
○ Surprising Evidence: At least one of your pieces of evidence should “send the
investigation in a whole new direction”; in other words, it should go against or
complicate your initial assumptions about your topic of investigation.
○ Citations: Use MLA 9 in-text and Works Cited citations for all sources and images
that are not from stock image websites that allow free use without attribution
(such as Pexels). There should both be in-text parenthetical citations at the end of
each sentence that contains info from a source and an MLA 9 Works Cited list.
○ Feedback Question: Ends with a question requesting feedback on a specific aspect
of the assignment. For example, you could ask “Did my visual aid enhance your
understanding of my presentation?” or “Did my introduction capture your
attention?”
Important Dates:
11:59 PM Wednesday, Oct. 2- Benchmark #2 Due [Rough draft of visual aid or outline of
talking points]
11:59 PM Monday, Oct. 7- Major Assignment #2 Due
Length: Minimum 6 minute presentation
Rubric: Your Major Assignment #2 is worth 20 pts, 20% of your course grade.
● 4 pts- Assignment Length and Due Date: One point will be deducted for presentations
less than 6 minutes in length, one point will be deducted for boards that include less than
1250 words of text, and one point will be deducted for late assignments submitted within
one week of the due date.
● 2 pt- Introduction of Research Question: Receive the full 2 pts. for briefly introducing
your research question.
● 3 pts- Includes Evidence from at least 3 Sources: Receive the full 3 pts if the presentation
includes evidence from at least 3 sources.
● 4 pts- Analysis of Evidence: Receive the full 4 pts. for including a written blurb
explaining what each piece of evidence is, how the evidence informs your investigation,
and what specifically stood out to you about the piece of evidence (a rhetorical element).
● 2 pt- Surprising Evidence: Receive the full 2 pts. for investigating at least one piece of
evidence that goes against or complicates your initial assumptions about your topic of
investigation.
● 3 pt- Citations: Receive 3 pts. for including an MLA 9 Works Cited page. A point will be
deducted if these citations differ substantially from MLA 9 style.
● 2 pts- Feedback Question: Receive the full 2 pts. for including a specific question about
the quality of your work for me to respond to in your feedback.
element).
○ Surprising Evidence: At least one of your pieces of evidence should “send the
investigation in a whole new direction”; in other words, it should go against or
complicate your initial assumptions about your topic of investigation.
○ Citations: Use MLA 9 in-text and Works Cited citations for all sources and images
that are not from stock image websites that allow free use without attribution
(such as Pexels). There should both be in-text parenthetical citations at the end of
each sentence that contains info from a source and an MLA 9 Works Cited list.
○ Feedback Question: Ends with a question requesting feedback on a specific aspect
of the assignment. For example, you could ask “Did my visual aid enhance your
understanding of my presentation?” or “Did my introduction capture your
attention?”
Important Dates:
11:59 PM Wednesday, Oct. 2- Benchmark #2 Due [Rough draft of visual aid or outline of
talking points]
11:59 PM Monday, Oct. 7- Major Assignment #2 Due
Length: Minimum 6 minute presentation
Rubric: Your Major Assignment #2 is worth 20 pts, 20% of your course grade.
● 4 pts- Assignment Length and Due Date: One point will be deducted for presentations
less than 6 minutes in length, one point will be deducted for boards that include less than
1250 words of text, and one point will be deducted for late assignments submitted within
one week of the due date.
● 2 pt- Introduction of Research Question: Receive the full 2 pts. for briefly introducing
your research question.
● 3 pts- Includes Evidence from at least 3 Sources: Receive the full 3 pts if the presentation
includes evidence from at least 3 sources.
● 4 pts- Analysis of Evidence: Receive the full 4 pts. for including a written blurb
explaining what each piece of evidence is, how the evidence informs your investigation,
and what specifically stood out to you about the piece of evidence (a rhetorical element).
● 2 pt- Surprising Evidence: Receive the full 2 pts. for investigating at least one piece of
evidence that goes against or complicates your initial assumptions about your topic of
investigation.
● 3 pt- Citations: Receive 3 pts. for including an MLA 9 Works Cited page. A point will be
deducted if these citations differ substantially from MLA 9 style.
● 2 pts- Feedback Question: Receive the full 2 pts. for including a specific question about
the quality of your work for me to respond to in your feedback.