Evans​ 1

Table of Contents:
Table of Contents………………………………….……………1
Why Do I Need to Take English 11?...........................................2
Puritan Literature Literary Analysis…………………………..11
Maus I​ Literary Analysis……………………………………...15
Maus II​ Literary Analysis……………………………………..19
Evaluating How Standard-Based Grading Affects Students
Studies: A Research Proposal …………………….....……..…24
Standards-Based Grading Annotated Bibliography…….……..28
The Fault In Our Stars​ Critical Reading Response #1……......35
The Fault In Our Stars​ Critical Reading Response #2……......37
The Perfect Storm ​Critical Reading Response #1…...……..….40
The Perfect Storm​ Critical Reading Response #2….…….........44
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Diane Evans

English 11 Summer Test Out

31 July 2019

Why Do I Need to Take English 11?

Your junior year of high school is a crucial part of your high school career as a whole. It

is the first year you are no longer an underclassman and is most likely the first time you will

enroll in Advanced Placement classes. You’re studying for the SAT, ACT and other standardized

testing and finally filling out college applications. You are on some of the final steps to

becoming an adult, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re done learning yet. You are still

taking rigorous courses to meet the requirements for graduation, including English 11. To be a

successful student in English 11 or any other class for that matter, you must display

characteristics like being a hard worker, having good time management, being able to see the big

picture and think broadly, having solid reading, writing, and analysis skills while overall being

very self-driven. This includes having the ability to: write critical analysis essays, explain the

significance between art and writing in a graphic novel like in ​Maus II​ and ​Maus II​, write an

academic research proposal using MLA documentation and purpose driven writing, give a

persuasive speech using visual presentation, and be able to identify context, author background,

structure, style, character analysis, conflict, and thesis or claim within an author’s writing. I am

able to display these characteristics of a successful student learner and am able to demonstrate

my abilities as a writer by completing the English 11 test out requirements. I have the skills,
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knowledge, and experiences needed in order to be a successful student in English 12 or AP

English Language & Composition. I do not need to take the English 11 class offered at SHS.

One of the requirements for completing Englsih 11 here at Stockbridge High School is

having the capability to write a critical analysis of a novel. According to ​Merriam-Webster

University,​ “A critical analysis is a systematic analysis of an idea, text, or piece of literature that

discusses its validity and evaluate its worth. A critical analysis usually includes a summary and

an evaluation. A critical analysis in literature, for example, might examine the style, tone, or

rhetorical appeals of a text, while an analysis of a scientific paper might examine the

methodology, accuracy, and relevance of the research.” Having written a critical analysis essay

about Puritan Literature, I have done all of these things. I gave a summary of Puritan literature,

“Religion was very important to the Puritans and is almost always included in their writing, and

oftentimes is the reason for their writing. Because the Puritans writing was mainly about their

religion, which they took very seriously, their writing was almost never for entertainment.

Another very important part of Puritan Literature was that it was always straight to the point. A

lot of Puritan Literature was also just about the Puritans everyday lives.” Also included in my

analysis of Purtian Literature, I spoke of the different aspects shown within most Purtian writing,

“...we don’t see a lot of literary devices in Puritan literature..”, “Puritans were very specific with

their writing, and never thought to use it for entertainment.”, “It was not uncommon for Puritan

literature to be in the form of sermon, as religion was of great significance to them while also

being the reason they came to America.” Within my essay, I used examples from different pieces

of Puritan writing, including ​The Crucible,​ and ​City Upon A Hill.​

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Another important skill any English 11 student must have is the ability to explain the

significance of the relationships between illustration and writing in a graphic novel. I did this

several times when writing my literary analysis essays about ​Maus I​ and ​Maus II.​ One example

of this from my ​Maus I​ essay is when I said, “Usually a narrative or a novel tells a story by

vividly describing every little detail, but in ​Maus I,​ it’s quite unlike the normality. The author

instead uses the illustrations to help describe ongoing scenes throughout the novel and proceeds

to let his actual writing focus around characters actions and thought processes which may not be

obvious in the pictures to assist in telling the story, and this gives the reader a better picture and

understanding about what it happening.” I was trying to point out and describe how the

Spiegelman uses the illustrations to clarify the writing and vise versa to ultimately give the

reader a better mental picture about what is happening throughout the story. I did this again in

my literary analysis for ​Maus II​, where I pointed out how Spigelman’s pictures help give the

reader a better understanding of what depression feels like and more specifically what Art’s

depression meant for him. “This line carries more weight than what most people would

originally think, especially if they didn’t look deeper into it. Everyday people in different parts of

life get depressed, and I think that this drawing is a representation of that. People may interpret

depression in different ways, and Spiegelman is trying to show us what his depression feels like

through these pictures. Maybe everywhere he looks he sees the huge fences from the

concentration camps, locking him away, and everywhere he goes he feels the weight of the

bodies piled up beneath his feet. He is truly haunted by his father’s experiences and I believe his

father's death was the breaking point for him. This is one of the greatest examples of how both

his writing and his drawings are immensely important parts of this book as a whole. He couldn’t
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put into words what his depression felt like, so he showed you instead.” In this section of my

literary analysis, I explained how the pictures may have expressed the emotions that words could

not do justice for and ultimately couldn’t explain.

English 11 students also must learn how to write driven by purpose. I did this

several times when writing my annotated bibliography, research proposal and persuasive speech.

Here’s one example from my research proposal, “I propose a research paper that examines the

effects that standard-based grading can have on students' academics in today's modern education

system. There are multiple different grading systems used all over the country, all with the same

common goal of furthering student academic success. One of the most common and traditional

forms of grading systems found in the United States uses overall percentages with corresponding

letter grades (90%-100% = A, 80%-89% = B, 70%-79%=C, 60%-69%=D, <60%=F). However,

many schools across the country are beginning to accommodate a standard-based grading system

that utilizes academic reporting that is based on students demonstrating their understanding or

mastery on the standards they are expected to learn as they progress through their education. This

paper will discuss the benefits and drawbacks of a standard-based grading, and the effects it can

have on student success.” In this quote, I discussed how different types of grading systems could

ultimately impact students and their academics, and overall presented a purpose of my proposal

which was looking into the fact that students benefit immensely from standards-based grading,

especially when compared to more traditional grading practices.

Along with having to write an academic research proposal, I had to create an annotated

bibliography which contained at least ten sources that ultimately support the claim stated in my

proposal. According to ​Purdue’s Online Writing Lab​, “...an annotated bibliography includes a
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summary and/or evaluation of each of the sources within the bibliography.” I demonstrated these

abilities when writing “Evaluating How Standard Based Grading Affects Students Studies”.

After listing a number of sources, I then summarized these sources while also giving some

background on the author and pulling out key information from the article to support my claim.

When giving practice SAT essays, the ​College Board​ asks, “As you read the passage below,

consider how Paul Bogard uses evidence, such as facts or examples, to support claims.

Reasoning to develop ideas and to connect claims and evidence. Stylistic or persuasive elements,

such as word choice or appeals to emotion, to add power to the ideas expressed.” Basically what

this boils down to is how exactly does the author strengthen their argument and claim and do

they have research or facts to support it. I then looked for use of these techniques throughout my

sources, and analyzed the way the author used them throughout their writing. An example of this

from my annotated bibliography is, “This research paper was written by Amy N. MacCrindle

who has earned a doctoral degree in education (Ed.D) and is currently employed at Concordia

University in Chicago Illinois. MacCrindle’s work has been overseen by highly respected college

professors, Dr. Barbara Phillips, Ph. D., Dr. Joan McGarry, Ed. D., and Dr. Lynette Zimmer,

Ed. D.. MacCrindle analyzes the effects that standards-based grading has on teachers mindsets

from across the United States. Research found that with the use of standard based grading, many

teachers are feeling less overwhelmed as students are able to master more of the curriculum and

pass their classes, even with other issues in the mix like attendance and a negative attitude

towards learning.” In this case, I discuss how the author uses logical thinking to persuade the

reader to agree with their point of view. I also mention achievements from the authors education

and background as a way to strengthen their credibility as a reliable source. In these ways, I
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understand how to write a research proposal and an annotated bibliography which contains

reliable sources discussing the rhetorical techniques that are used by the College Board which

fulfills another requirement of Stockbridge High School’s English 11 class.

According to ​Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary,​ the definition of context is, “the parts of a

discourse that surround a word or passage and can throw light on its meaning.” Context is used

to help readers exactly what an author is writing about. I mentioned specific context Sebastian

Junger uses in my essay ​The Perfect Storm: A True Story Of Men Against The Sea Critical

Reading Response #1 and #2. In this case it was giving a cultural background on the

swordfishing industry. “Throughout the biography, Junger would take breaks while in the middle

of telling the story. Most of the time to help give the reader a better understanding of the

commercial fishing industry. ‘Sword boats are also called longliners because their mainline is up

to forty miles long. It’s baited at intervals and paid out and hauled back every day for ten or

twenty days. The boats follow the swordfish population like seagulls after a day trawler, up to

the Grand Banks in the summer and down to the Caribbean in the winter, eight or nine trips a

year. They’re big boats that make big money and they’re rarely in port more than a week at a

time to gear up and make repairs. Some boats go as far away as the coast of Chile to catch their

fish, and fishermen think nothing of grabbing a plane to Miami or San Juan to secure a site on a

boat. They’re away for two or three months and then they come home, see their families, and

head back out again.’ This excerpt allows the reader to see what the life of a commercial

fisherboat is actually like. The crews of these boats are out at sea for months on end with small

breaks between trips.” This example from ​The Perfect Storm: A True Story Of Men Against The

Sea​ Critical Reading Response #1 talks how these descriptions play a vital part in understanding
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the ​Andrea Gail’s ​crew daily lives as most of the readers likely have no kind of prior knowledge

or background in the fishing industry, let alone swordfishing.

Another important aspect of an English 11 student is the ability to write a

character analysis and make connections from the author’s background to their novel. A

character analysis is basically just analyzing a character’s thoughts and actions and what makes

them such a relatable and great character. I did a character analysis of Hazel Grace Lancaster

from the book ​The Fault In Our Stars​, and also talked a little bit about her conflicts of her life.

“John Green’s best selling novel ​The Fault In Our Stars​ revolves around the main protagonist

and narrator, sixteen year old Hazel Grace Lancaster's inner struggle to come to terms with her

terminal form of Stage 4 Metastasized Papillary Thyroid Cancer which has spread to her lungs,

and the possibility of dying young. To this end, Hazel attends Cancer Support Group at the

request of her parents and doctor, which she secretly loathes but continues to visit because it

makes her parents feel better about how she is coping with her illness. … Hazel Grace has

accepted the fact that she would ultimately die from her cancer. It wasn’t a matter of if but a

matter of when it would happen. Hazel wanted to distance herself from her parents with the hope

that it would make her death easier for them to bear with when the time came. It wasn’t just her

parents Hazel tried to distance herself from, but everyone in the outside world.” In this case I

described how Hazel was ultimately very negative yet accepting when it came to her life and her

cancer battle. Hazel wanted to cause as little harm as possible to the people in her life having to

deal with her death.

As you can hopefully see, I possess all the abilities of an English 11 student without

having to participate and take the class. I am able to write in MLA format and complete all the
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required work for the English 11 class. I have the ability to analyze and discuss the analysis of

books, rhetorical devices, and essays. I am self-driven, responsible and willing to take time out

of my summer to do school work and overall accomplish my goals. I have the skills, knowledge,

and experiences that I need in order to be a successful student in English 12 and beyond. I do not

need to take the English 11 class.

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Works Cited

​College Board​. collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sample-questions/essay/1. Accessed 10 July

2019.

​Merriam-Webster Dictionary​. www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/context. Accessed 11 July

2019.

​Purdue Online Writing Lab.​ owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/614/01/. Accessed 10 July

2019.

​Webster University

webster.edu/academic-resource-center/writingcenter/writing-tips/analysis.html. Accessed

10 July 2019.
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Diane Evans

English 11 Summer Test Out

31 July 2019

Puritan Literature Literary Analysis

Travelling over to the Americas in 1630, after the Pilgrims, the Puritans were some of the

first people in North America. While Pilgrims sought to break from the Church of England, the

Puritans wanted to purify it. Religion was very important to the Puritans and is almost always

included in their writing, and oftentimes is the reason for their writing. Because the Puritans

writing was mainly about their religion, which they took very seriously, their writing was almost

never for entertainment. Another very important part of Puritan Literature was that it was always

straight to the point, there was never time to waste. A lot of Puritan Literature was also just about

the Puritans everyday lives.

It was not uncommon for Puritan literature to be in the form of sermon, as religion was

the reason they came to America. It was the very principle which brought the group together, and

was shown all throughout their writing. Even in the book, ​The Crucible​, we find the whole book

is based around religion and whether or not the devil has condemned the townspeople. We spend

the entire book trying to figure out who the true followers of God are, and those who have

participated in witchery. We find that all of the conflict in the book is about religion, even the

little conflicts, an example is that Proctor resents Reverend Parris because of his preaching, or

lack thereof. He will truly find anyway to bring this man down, “Proctor: Mr.Parris, you are the
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first minister ever did demand the deed to this house- Parris: Man! Don’t a minister deserve a

house to live in? Proctor: To live in, yes. But to ask ownership is like you shall own the meeting

house itself; the last meeting I were at you spoke so long on deeds and mortgages I thought it

​ as not told just to be a story, but a warning

were an auction.” Though a true story, ​The Crucible w

to those who turn on God; tracing back to religion.

Puritans never wasted time trying to get their point across, they knew what they had to

say and they weren’t afraid to say it. Because of this, we don’t see a lot of literary devices in

Puritan literature, they clearly didn’t want us to have to think hard about what we were reading.

This is seen widely across Puritan literature, but I think one of the best examples comes from

John Winthrop’s sermon, ​City Upon a Hill. ​Winthrop doesn’t even wait until the second sentence

to tell you what you need to succeed in life. The first sentence goes like this, “Now the onely

way to avoyde this shipwracke, and to provide for our posterity, is to followe the counsell of

Micah, to doe justly, to love mercy, to walk humbly with our God,” (Winthrop). Right away he

tells us exactly what is essential to your life, and I don’t see any literary devices. Because there

aren’t many literary devices and the writing usually gets right to the point, Puritan literature as

often seen as simple, not in the contents of the writing, but the way it is written.

Puritans were very specific with their writing, and never thought to use it for

entertainment. They talked almost always of God and their religion, and they never joked about

this. We find in ​The Crucible​ that even when two young girls dance, that if they turn themselves

in, they shall be whipped, “Mary Warren: Abby, we’ve got to tell. Witchery’s a hangin’ error, a

hangin’ like they done in Boston two year ago! We must tell the truth, Abby! You’ll only be

whipped for dancin’ and the other things! Abigail: Oh, ​we’ll​ be whipped!” (Miller 147). And
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because of how serious they take their religion and writing about their religion, we find that most

Puritan literature is in the form of diaries, sermons, and narratives. ​The Crucible​ is told through a

play to inform people of and about the Salem Witch Trials, although some may see it as

entertainment, Miller intended to inform the people of what actually happened and to warn

against the government’s propaganda.

Puritan literature is very important to our society as it is very historical, diaries, sermons

and narratives from early America tell a story of the beginning of America and all its ideals.

Puritan writing is very religious, and you could want to read literature like this for your spiritual

needs, and if not very religious, Puritan literature has a good story of history to tell. We’ve found

that Puritan literature is often very religious and not something to joke of. The Puritans took their

religion very seriously, as well as their writing of their religious beliefs. Because religion was the

staple of their lives, when writing about it, they didn’t waste time with literary devices and build

up to the main point; this in return, makes the writing simpler. Puritan literature is an important

part of our world’s history and is perfect for those who like simplistic writing and/or religion and

the Christian ideals of a Puritan.

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Works Cited

Miller, Arthur. ​The Crucible​. Oxford University Press, 2019.

Winthrop, John. “City Upon A Hill,” 1630.

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Diane Evans

English 11 Summer Test Out

31 July 2019

Maus I​ Literary Analysis

Maus I​, written and illustrated by Art Spiegelman, is quite an engrossing graphic novel

that takes quite a unique twist on telling such an important part of our world’s history. It is

unique in the sense that it is a comic book, yet also happens to be a narrative and a biography.

This book can not be put into one specific category nor can it have one label. Not only is this

book very unique in its style, but the author uses this style to enhance the reader’s experience

with the novel. Spiegelman uses the writing to define the pictures, but then they also use the

pictures to help illustrate the writing in a vivid way.

Throughout the book we find that the mice represent the Jews, the cats represent the

Nazis and the pigs represent the Polish civilians. It’s a good analogy to the point that even young

kids may be able to understand the almost obvious metaphor of the Jews and Nazis participating

in an elaborate game of cat and mouse, but there was so much more to Spiegelman’s thought

process behind everything. When Anja and Vladek are yet again, looking for a place to hide out

from the callous Nazis and are walking down the street, Spiegelman shows Vladek’s thoughts

throughout the process, “I was a little safe. I had a coat and boots, so like a Gestapo wore when

he was not in service. But Anja-her appearance-you could see more easy she was Jewish. I was

afraid for her,” (Spiegelman 136). In the picture corresponding to Vladek’s thoughts, you find
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that they are both wearing pig masks to hid their Jewish nature, so not only does the author

describe in the text that they were trying to look less like Jews and act less like Jews, he also

specifically shows this in his illustrations in the picture with these figurative pig masks; because

if you looked like a mouse, this meant you were a Jew and being a Jew automatically put a huge

target on your back.

Usually a narrative or a novel tells a story by vividly describing every little detail, but in

Maus I​, it’s quite unlike the normality. The author instead uses the illustrations to help describe

ongoing scenes throughout the novel and proceeds to let his actual writing focus around

characters actions and thought processes which may not be obvious in the pictures to assist in

telling the story, and this gives the reader a better picture and understanding about what it

happening. An example of this is when Vladek is returning home from the Prisoners Of War

(P.O.W) camp, he says about his home, “It was still very luxurious. The Germans couldn’t

destroy everything at one time,” (Spiegelman 74). Now the term luxurious to one reader might

mean something completely different to another. Spiegelman clears this up though, and helps the

reader create a better understand of what luxurious means to Vladek specifically with his

drawing of the dining room. The long table, big windows, and beautiful curtains are all things in

a narrative that would’ve had to be described in depth for you to make an image in your head of

what the dining room looked like are already right there on the page.

Although comic books and graphic novels are depicted to be for children, Spiegelman

uses them to tell a much deeper and meaningful story meant for everyone. By using talking

animals, Spiegelman allows his readers just enough emotionally distance to be able to follow a

story about the gruesome ordeals that takes place during the Holocaust. Addiotionally, the
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combination of the pictures and writing make it simpler for a reader to understand, but it also

does so much more than tell a story of a man’s history, it shows us the importance of why what

had happened was so wrong. On page 122, when Anja and Vladek discussed living in a bunker,

we see the pure emotional agony and distress on Anja’s face, but we also hear her voice and

thoughts. This makes the event much more real, human, and emotionally investing which

gravitates more meaning to the reader. We hear her cries for death and watch her fall to the

ground, and we are able to empathise and truly feel the pain that so many Jews went through

during this time period. With just the dialogue and writing we can maybe imagine what is

happening, but with the pictures, we are able to experience and see exactly what ordeals these

people had to go through.

Art Spiegelman's ​Maus I,​ would not be the book it is without its strong connection

between art and writing. Spiegelman uses this connection to enhance the reader's experience,

explicitly showing exactly what the writing talks describes, and show exactly what some of the

Jews had to go through during the Holocaust. ​Maus I​ truly is an emotionally engrossing read, a

comic book, a novel, a documentary, a memoir and a true eye opener. Written as just a novel the

book would’ve been amazing within itself, but the art adds a whole new perception to the book

as a whole and in turn makes the graphic novel and absolutely phenomenal read.
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Works Cited

Spiegelman, Art. ​Maus I: a Survivors Tale / My Father Bleeds History.​ Pantheon Books, 1997.
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Diane Evans

English 11 Summer Test Out

31 July 2019

Maus II​ Literary Analysis

Maus II​, the continuation of the groundbreaking book ​Maus I,​ finishes telling Vladek

Spiegelman’s World War II story. Although they are two different books, Art Spiegelman

continues to use his artistic gifts to tell his father’s story in such a meaningful and creative way.

This story has a very important part in telling a significant part of our world's history, but you

have to tell it in just the right way otherwise it wouldn’t have the same weight and meaning to

readers. Art Spiegelman tells of his father’s experiences in the perfect way. With his superb

writing skills and his exceptional drawing skills, he uses each one to help describe the other,

making this more than your average memoir.

As we continue to follow Vladek’s story through Nazi occupied Germany, we find that

Spiegelman often times gives us as readers examples of what he describes in his writing through

his many illistrations. Instead of writing and describing a specific example, he has a drawing

accompanied with dialogue. When Vladek talks about the Kapo in the barracks. “In the barracks

was a kapo-a supervisor-he was screaming and kicking, whatever he could,” (Spiegelman 30).

After this written text, we see a series of five pictures physically showing the cruelty the

prisoners went through with the dialogue, “Line up in rows of five, you shits! Now lie on your

bellies. Quick! Stand up! Lie down! Stand up! Faster! Lie down!” These illustrations show the
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prisoners standing up and lying down as fast as humanly possible in their condition, but if it’s not

fast enough for the Kepo’s liking, the prisoners would be punished severely and beaten with a

stick. Spiegelman does this to help show what he was trying to describe in his writing while also

giving the reader a better picture in their of what the Jewish people actually went through while

stuck inside concentration camps like Auschwitz.

Not only does this graphic novel show what Vladek’s life was like, it shows what his son,

Art Spiegelman’s life was like as well. It covers the times his father was describing his ordeals

during the Holocaust, but also the events after his father's death when he’s dealing with the fame

and the aftermath of writing ​Maus I.​ You would have thought Spiegelman’s life would have been

easier after publishing such a groundbreaking novel, but it wasn’t. On page 41 we find a young

Art, sitting at his desk in a room that looks out onto a concentration camp like the one his father

was in, and instead of his desk standing on the floor, it’s on a pile of Jew’s bodies. His head is in

his hands while he’s looking down on his desk and he has a mouse mask on, he didn’t portray

himself as a mouse as he usually did, but a human with a mouse mask on. Throughout the page,

there are many things written about his feelings after writing ​Maus I​, but even with everything

mentioned on the page, there is one line that sticks out to me. “Lately I’ve been feeling

depressed,” (Spiegelman 41). This line carries more weight than what most people would

originally think, especially if they didn’t look deeper into it. Everyday people in different parts of

life get depressed, and I think that this drawing is a representation of that. People may interpret

depression in different ways, and Spiegelman is trying to show us what his depression feels like

through these pictures. Maybe everywhere he looks he sees the huge fences from the

concentration camps, locking him away, and everywhere he goes he feels the weight of the
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bodies piled up beneath his feet. He is truly haunted by his father’s experiences and I believe his

father's death was the breaking point for him. This is one of the greatest examples of how both

his writing and his drawings are immensely important parts of this book as a whole. He couldn’t

put into words what his depression felt like, so he showed you instead.

Coincidently, on page 42 is another great example how his writing and pictures

combination are a very important part of the book. In these drawings there are soon tons of

reporters and publicists swarming the desk as described in the last paragraph, proposing ideas,

asking questions, and driving Art out of his mind. The significance of these reporters has little to

do with their physical actions, but what they happen to be wearing. Not their professional suits

and bow ties or their shoes, but their masks. Everyone in the room is human but is shown

wearing a mask of some sort of animal. Throughout both ​Maus I​ and ​Maus II,​ as a reader we’ve

come to realize the mice represent the Jew’s and the cats represent the Nazi’s, but in this picture

we see tons of different animal masks. Now this could mean that this book was getting a ton of

attention from all nationalities, Spiegelman doesn’t specifically tell the reader. He does this to

show the reader’s something without having to tell us it, although some people may not pick up

on it. These pictures are used to move the reader and help them realize the importance of his

story and how it has reached people all across the world.

Art Spiegelman has done it again with ​Maus II,​ another groundbreaking book to help

change the status quo revolving around writing. He unites his writing with illustrations in a way

that enhances the reader’s experience, moves the reader, and shows the world exactly how horrid

this significant part of our world’s history truly was. Art has poured his heart and soul into this
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book, and it shows. History can be scary and hard to understand, but Art has found a simpler and

less frightening way to tell this story.

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Works Cited

Spiegelman, Art. ​Maus I: a Survivors Tale / My Father Bleeds History.​ Pantheon Books, 1997.
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Diane Evans

English 11 Summer Test Out

31 July 2019

Evaluating How Standard Based Grading Affects Students Studies:

A Research Proposal:

I propose a research paper that examines the effects that standard-based grading can have

on students' academics in today's modern education system. There are multiple different grading

systems used all over the country, all with the same common goal of furthering student academic

success. One of the most common and traditional forms of grading systems found in the United

States uses overall percentages with corresponding letter grades (90%-100% = A, 80%-89% = B,

70%-79%=C, 60%-69%=D, <60%=F) (Iamarino). However, many schools across the country

are beginning to accommodate a standard-based grading system that utilizes academic reporting

that is based on students demonstrating their understanding or mastery on the standards they are

expected to learn as they progress through their education (Townsley). This paper will discuss

the benefits and drawbacks of a standard-based grading, and the effects it can have on student

success. Through this research, we will also look at how the authors of these sources use

rhetorical devices to help support their discoveries.

Throughout this paper, we will be covering and discussing questions like, “How do

students benefit from standard-based grading?”, “What are the downfalls to standard-based

grading?”, and “Does standard-based grading affect a students test scores?” We will also discuss

what techniques the authors used to persuade the reader to answer the above questions leaning
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towards their claim including the use of pathos, logos, or ethos, and connecting to the reader

through their own personal experiences. To answer all these questions, we will be breaking down

the literary devices an author uses to persuade a reader to support their claim, and analyzing the

frequency of using different methods.

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Work Cited

MacCrindle, Amy Effective Change: A Case Study of Implementation of a Standards Based

Grading Initiative. Research report no. 10276786, ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, 25

Apr. 2017.

Iamarino, D. “The Benefits of Standards-Based Grading: A Critical Evaluation of Modern

Grading Practices”. Current Issues in Education, Vol. 17, no. 2, May 2014

Feldman, Joe. "Beyond standards-based grading: Why equity must be part of grading reform."

Sage Publications, 29 Apr. 2019.

Townsley, Matt, and Varga, Matt. ​Getting High School Students Ready for College: A

Quantitative Study of Standards Based Grading Practices.​ Journal of Research in

Education

Wilcox, J. (2011). ​Holding ourselves to a higher standard: Using standards-based grading in

science as a means to improve teaching and learning.​ Iowa Science Teachers Journal,

38(3), 4-11.

Hochbein, Craig, and Marty Pollio. “Making Grades More Meaningful.” ​Phi Delta Kappan,​ vol.

98, no. 3, 31 Oct. 2016, pp. 49–54., doi:10.1177/0031721716677262.

 Evans 27

Scarlett, Michael H. “‘Why Did I Get a C?": Communicating Student Performance Using

Standards-Based Grading.” ​InSight: A Journal of Scholarly Teaching,​ Park University,

Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.

Katherine E. Stange (2018) Standards-based Grading in an Introduction to Abstract Mathematics

Course, PRIMUS, 28:9, 797-820, DOI: 10.1080/10511970.2017.1408044

Battistone, William “A Phenomenological Study on the Lived Experience of First and Second

Year Teachers in Standards-Based Grading Districts.” ​ProQuest LLC,​ 30 Nov. 2016.

​ ducation
Lehman, Erin, et al. ​Investigating the Relationship of Standards-Based Grades ...E

Leadership Review of Doctoral Research, Vol. 6, 2018

 Evans 28

Diane Evans

English 11 Summer Test Out

31 July 2019

Standards-Based Grading Annotated Bibliography

MacCrindle, Amy Effective Change: A Case Study of Implementation of a Standards Based

Grading Initiative. Research report no. 10276786, ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, 25

Apr. 2017.

This research paper was written by Amy N. MacCrindle who has earned a

doctoral degree in education (Ed.D) and is currently employed at Concordia University in

Chicago Illinois. MacCrindle’s work has been overseen by highly respected college

professors, Dr. Barbara Phillips, Ph. D., Dr. Joan McGarry, Ed. D., and Dr. Lynette

Zimmer, Ed. D.. MacCrindle analyzes the effects that standard based grading has on

teachers mindsets from across the United States. Research found that with the use of

standard based grading, many teachers are feeling less overwhelmed as students are able

to master more of the curriculum and pass their classes, even with other issues in the mix

like attendance and a negative attitude towards learning. This supports my argument that

standard based grading is more beneficial to students and better prepares them for their

future as the paper discusses how even the “normally troubled and difficult” students are

able to successfully pass their classes and retain the information they learn.

Iamarino, D. “The Benefits of Standards-Based Grading: A Critical Evaluation of Modern

 Evans 29

Grading Practices”. Current Issues in Education, Vol. 17, no. 2, May 2014

The author, Danielle L. Iamarino is a proponent and researcher of alternative and

holistic approaches to education. She currently resides in Flagstaff, Arizona and teaches

English composition at Northern Arizona University. This paper explores the

methodology and application of standards-based grading, in a critical comparison of

standards-based grading to other forms of assessments commonly employed at the

elementary, secondary, and post-secondary levels of education. Evidenced by examples

of increased student engagement and more thorough comprehension of course materials,

standards-based grading is illustrated as an effective replacement for conventional

points-based grading. The analysis also identifies and responds to common issues and

concerns inherent in the application of standards-based grading, and includes a review of

relevant literature and research in support of standards-based grading as a progressive and

successful alternative to more traditional forms of assessment.

Feldman, Joe. "Beyond standards-based grading: Why equity must be part of grading reform."

Sage Publications, 29 Apr. 2019.

Most justifications for standards-based grading and similar practices focus on the

pedagogical reasons for the shift, such as the fact that such grading practices more

accurately reflect student mastery than traditional points-based grading. Joe Feldman

argues that grading practices should also be viewed as a way to promote equity and that

standards-based approaches are a vast improvement over traditional practices. An

equity-based approach to grading reduces disparities between students who have

 Evans 30

resources and those who do not. This is beneficial to students who may not have the

opportunity to take time out of their day to focus on homework and extra credit

opportunities to boost their grades.

Townsley, Matt, and Varga, Matt. ​Getting High School Students Ready for College: A

Quantitative Study of Standards Based Grading Practices.​ Journal of Research in

Education

The authors of this article, Matt Townsely and Matt Varga, are two well respected

professors at the University of West Georgia, both of whom have multiple Ph.D’s and

Ed.D’s. Townsley heavily supports the idea of standard based grading and has published

multiple articles and research papers on it in the past. The article goes into depth about

how high schools across the country are moving towards standards-based grading in an

attempt to produce consistent grading practices. However, many people worry about how

the shift in grading practices could affect students standardized test scores and grade

point averages. Townsley and Varga address this issue, and research shows that

standardized test scores and grade point averages are not negatively affected in anyway

and that test scores have been shown to improve as students are able to retain more

information based upon state standards.

Wilcox, J. (2011). ​Holding ourselves to a higher standard: Using standards-based grading in

science as a means to improve teaching and learning.​ Iowa Science Teachers Journal,

38(3), 4-11.
 Evans 31

Throughout the article, Wilcox reinforces his opinion of why he supports a

standard based grading system in today’s education system. He believes that in a genuine

standards-based assessment system, teachers need to assess and record what a student can

actually do. Educators have to decide if we want to they students’ compliance or what

students’ know and are able to do. This supports my argument for standard based grading

as further through the article Wilcox informs the reader of how in a traditional grading

system, may times students can pass a class with an A and still have not understood the

curriculum taught in class.

Hochbein, Craig, and Marty Pollio. “Making Grades More Meaningful.” ​Phi Delta Kappan,​ vol.

98, no. 3, 31 Oct. 2016, pp. 49–54., doi:10.1177/0031721716677262.

Dr. Craig Hochbein is a faculty member of Lehigh University's College of

Education in Bethlehem Pennsylvania. Dr. Martin Pollio has been a teacher for over

twenty five years and is currently the superintendent at Jefferson County Public Schools

in Louisville, Kentucky. Both are more than qualified to research and give their opinion

on student education. Throughout the article, the authors restate the idea of standards

based grading and its benefits on student education. Their research showed that compared

to traditional grading, standards-based grading practices demonstrated stronger

correlations between grades and standardized test scores, including among minority and

economically disadvantaged students.

Scarlett, Michael H. “‘Why Did I Get a C?": Communicating Student Performance Using
 Evans 32

Standards-Based Grading.” ​InSight: A Journal of Scholarly Teaching,​ Park University,

Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.

The author Michael H. Scarlett Ph.D is an associate professor in the education

department at Augustana College in Rock Island Illinois. This article presents an example

of how standards-based grading was implemented in two sections of an undergraduate

course on assessment to add clarity to the meaning of students’ grades. The author

reflects on lessons learned from implementation including the benefits and challenges

posed by adopting the practice. Throughout the article, Scarlett references multiple

studies focused around standards based grading that have been conducted within the last

twenty years.

Katherine E. Stange (2018) Standards-based Grading in an Introduction to Abstract Mathematics

Course, PRIMUS, 28:9, 797-820, DOI: 10.1080/10511970.2017.1408044

Standards-based grading, in which grading should be designed to communicate to

students their current level of mastery with regards to well-articulated standards, is

becoming popular at the K-12 level. As yet, the literature addressing standards-based

grading at the university level is scarce. In this paper, Katherine E. Strange, a math

professor at the University of Colorado documents her attempts to put into practice the

principles of standards-based grading in a lower-level undergraduate mathematics course

that aims to introduce mathematical proof and the basic definitions of sets, logic, and

functions.
 Evans 33

Battistone, William “A Phenomenological Study on the Lived Experience of First and Second

Year Teachers in Standards-Based Grading Districts.” ​ProQuest LLC,​ 30 Nov. 2016.

This research paper was written by William A. Battistone Jr. who has earned a

doctoral degree in education (Ed.D) and is currently employed at Drake University in Des

Moines, Iowa. Battistone’s work has been overseen by highly respected college

professors, Dr. Randal Peters, Ed. D., Dr. Thomas Buckmiller, Ph. D., Dr. Jill Urich, Ph.

D., and Dr. Janet M. McMahill, Ph. D.. Within his paper, Battistone focuses on the

teacher’s education more than the students. Battistone believes that the way a teachers

grades and how their expectations are formed for assignments is based upon their

experiences in the past as a student themselves. This is a problem for modern education

today as Battistone mentions that schooling has evolved over the years and to

accommodate for those changes, the grading practices need to change as well.

​ ducation
Lehman, Erin, et al. ​Investigating the Relationship of Standards-Based Grades ...E

Leadership Review of Doctoral Research, Vol. 6, 2018

Educators are unclear on whether standards-based grades or traditional-based

grades do a better job of accurately reflecting what students have learned, so the purpose

of the study the author conducted was to understand the relationship between classroom

grades and scores on the Scholastic Math Inventory (SMI) assessment. The individuals

were sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade mathematics students from five different middle

schools in the same district as they took the SMI assessment. There were about 500

students in the standards-based grading system and about 1,900 students in the traditional
 Evans 34

grading system. The authors investigated the relationship that exists between a traditional

or standards-based grading system and achievement on the SMI assessment.

 Evans 35

Diane Evans

English 11 Summer Test Out

31 July 2019

The Fault In Our Stars​ Critical Reading Response #1

John Green, author of seven #1 bestsellers, has outdone himself with one of his most well

known books, ​The Fault In Our Stars, ​which was published back in 2012. Green currently lives

in Indianapolis, Indiana with his wife, Sarah and two children, Henry and Alice. He has been a

finalist for the LA​ Times ​Book Prize on two separate occasions, has received a Printz Medal, a

Printz Honor, and the Edgar Award. He was selected by TIME magazine as one of the most

influential people in the world, and also hosts the YouTube channel, Crash Course, with his

younger brother, Hank.

John Green is beloved by millions of readers, and is the kind of novelist every literary

agent and publisher would dream of having on their list. Green is seen as a “down to earth”

author who attempts to really connect with his fanbase whom dawn the name Nerdfighters. One

of the original nerdfighters, Esther Grace Earl, befriended author John Green, who credited her

for the inspiration for his best selling 2012 novel ​The Fault in Our Stars.​ Esther was diagnosed

with Metastasized Papillary Thyroid Cancer which was later discovered to be terminal, much

like the novel’s Hazel Grace Lancaster whom the novel revolves around. Esther Earl inspired the

character Hazel Grace in Green's 2012 novel, but Grace is not intended to portray Esther

specifically. Green wrote on his Tumblr blog, "I don’t want people conflating Esther with Hazel

(they’re very different), and it’s extremely important to me that I not claim to be telling Esther’s
 Evans 36

story." Green dedicated the novel to Esther but also found inspiration for his novel through other

experiences in his life, including becoming a father to his son Henry.

A significant piece of ​The Fault In Our Stars,​ it is about the parents and their

relationships with their children, in a way that hasn't happened in Green’s other books or in most

YA novels in general. The relationship between parent and child was more prominent with

Green’s 2012 novel ​The Fault In Our Stars​ compared to his earlier novels like ​Looking For

Alaska,​ which was published in 2005, is a direct result of the fact that Green became a father

himself in 2010 and had a newfound respect and connection to the importance of parenting. In a

way, it seems like one of the first problems a YA writer has to solve is how to find some freedom

for the characters. Many times authors do it by getting rid of the parents somehow. However,

The Fault In Our Stars​ strays from the norm, and the parents are heavily present but also very

permissive in their parenting. Hazel and Gus were in an unusual position, in that they would be

more reliant on an adult due to their illnesses, but they also make mature decisions, and their

parents empower them to because they're a little less concerned about the long-term. They want

their kids to have the biggest life that they can have.
 Evans 37

Diane Evans

English 11 Summer Test Out

31 July 2019

The Fault In Our Stars​ Critical Reading Response #2

John Green’s best selling novel ​The Fault In Our Stars​ revolves around the main

protagonist and narrator, sixteen year old Hazel Grace Lancaster's inner struggle to come to

terms with her terminal form of Stage 4 Metastasized Papillary Thyroid Cancer which has spread

to her lungs, and the possibility of dying young. To this end, Hazel attends Cancer Support

Group at the request of her parents and doctor, which she secretly loathes but continues to visit

because it makes her parents feel better about how she is coping with her illness.

Hazel Grace was remarkably negative during her battle with Stage 4 cancer. While in the

middle of a conversation with her mother, Hazel begins to compare herself with a grenade. “I’m

like, like, I’m like a grenade, Mom. I’m a grenade and at some point I’m going to blow up and

obliterate everything around me. I just want to stay away from people. There’s nothing I can do

about hurting you. I don’t want to hurt you,” (Green 99). At this point in the novel, Hazel Grace

has accepted the fact that she would ultimately die from her cancer. It wasn’t a matter of if but a

matter of when it would happen. Hazel wanted to distance herself from her parents with the hope

that it would make her death easier for them to bear with when the time came. It wasn’t just her

parents Hazel tried to distance herself from, but everyone in the outside world. Hazel doesn’t go

to school and never left the house, with the exception of leaving to go to her support group. She
 Evans 38

stays in her room, lays in her bed and constantly rereads her favorite novel, ​An Imperial

Affliction,​ written by Peter Van Houten.

When she meets Augustus Waters at one of the cancer support group meetings, his

positive and unique outlook on life, the effects of cancer and death influences her perspective on

life and her situation. One of his biggest philosophies in life is that you don’t get to choose if you

get hurt in this world, but you do have some say in how you let it affect your. It’s all about the

choices you make. Augustus didn’t let his Stage 4 Osteosarcoma Cancer or his artificial leg stop

him from trying to live his life to the absolute fullest. These kinds of outlooks on life changed the

way Hazel Grace looked at her life as a whole. She no longer saw herself with one foot in the

grave, but was imagining a future with Augustus Waters, a boy she came to love. Hazel allowed

herself to get close to other support group members like Isaac and began to leave her house more

frequently, to the point where she made a trip to Amsterdam to meet her favorite author.

Hazel Grace is such a dynamic character because as a reader you can see her blossom and

grow as a person is such a beautiful way. In the beginning, Hazel distances herself from

everyone in her life and doesn’t want to get close to Augustus when they met, as she was afraid

everyone would be shattered when she dies. Ultimately at the end of the novel, Hazel Grace

discovers that it doesn’t matter if you die young or in the middle of a relationship, it’s about the

time you spend with the people you love and the memories you make. This is primarily shown

when Hazel Grace is speaking at Augustus’s funeral. “Only now that I loved a grenade did I

understand the foolishness of trying to save others from my own impending fragmentation: I

couldn’t unlove Augustus Waters. And I didn’t want to,” (Green 214).
 Evans 39

Work Cited

Green, John. ​The Fault in Our Stars.​ Dutton Books, 2014.

 Evans 40

Diane Evans

English 11 Summer Test Out

31 July 2019

The Perfect Storm: A True Story Of Men Against The Sea​ Critical Reading Response #1

Twenty-seven years ago on September 20th, 1991, the New England swordfishing boat

the ​Andrea Gail​ set sail for what would be its last voyage out to sea after it got caught in a

nor'easter storm. Sebastian Junger’s ​The Perfect Storm: A True Story Of Men Against The Sea

gives the reader a glimpse into the devastation of the Halloween Nor’easter of 1991 while also

focusing on the hard-drinking, fatalistic lives of commercial fishermen and the family and

friends they leave behind, more specifically the lives of the ​Andrea Gail’s ​crew.

One of the most unique aspects of this biography has to be the structure of the novel

itself. Rather than follow the more traditional approach of focusing on one subject to write about,

Junger decided to not only write about the lives of the ​Andrea Gail c​ rew and their families, but

the swordfishing industry, its heavy influence on Gloucester Massachusetts, and previous

boating disasters in Georges Banks, which was the area the ​Andrea Gail​ sank. Junger builds his

story around the vessel; he starts with biographies of the deckhands and the captain and gives as

complete of an account of the boat's time at sea as he can dredge up. Since it is unknown exactly

what exactly went down when the ​Andrea Gail​ sank, and because Junger wanted to know what it

was like for the men during their last hours, he details the horrific tribulations of a sailboat

caught in the storm, the rescue of the three crew members aboard it by the Coast Guard, and the
 Evans 41

ditching of an Air National Guard helicopter after it ran out of fuel during another rescue

operation. An example in the text that the reader can draw from is when a member of the

National Guard rescue team falls into the Atlantic during the storm, “When John Spillane hits the

Atlantic Ocean he is going about fifty miles an hour. Water is the only element that offers more

resistance the harder you hit it, and at fifty miles an hour, it might as well be concrete. Spillane

fractures three bones in his right arm, one bone in his left leg, four ribs in his chest, ruptures a

kidney, and bruises his pancreas. The flippers, the one-man raft, and the canteen all are torn off

his body. Only the mask, which he wore backward with the strap in his mouth, stays on as it is

supposed to. Spillane doesn’t remember the moment of impact, and he doesn’t remember the

moment he first realized he was in the water. His memory goes from falling to swimming, with

nothing in between. When he understands that he is swimming, that is all he understands—he

doesn’t know who he is, why he is there, or how he got there. He has no history and no future; he

is just a consciousness at night in the middle of the sea,” (Junger 186). Junger is able to paint

such a vivid picture for the reader regarding Spillane and his traumatic experience as he hits the

ocean to the point that the reader feels like they are actually Spillane himself, as he is stranded in

the middle of the Atlantic. This is exceptionally effective in telling the story of the ​Andrea Gail

crew as no one knows for sure what happened to them at sea, but the readers can make very vivid

assumptions by using the descriptions from other survivors experiences.

Throughout the biography, Junger would take breaks while in the middle of telling the

story. Most of the time to help give the reader a better understanding of the commercial fishing

industry. An example of this right at the beginning of the book, “Sword boats are also called

longliners because their mainline is up to forty miles long. It’s baited at intervals and paid out
 Evans 42

and hauled back every day for ten or twenty days. The boats follow the swordfish population like

seagulls after a day trawler, up to the Grand Banks in the summer and down to the Caribbean in

the winter, eight or nine trips a year. They’re big boats that make big money and they’re rarely in

port more than a week at a time to gear up and make repairs. Some boats go as far away as the

coast of Chile to catch their fish, and fishermen think nothing of grabbing a plane to Miami or

San Juan to secure a site on a boat. They’re away for two or three months and then they come

home, see their families, and head back out again,” (Junger 9). This excerpt allows the reader to

see what the life of a commercial fisherboat is actually like. The crews of these boats are out at

sea for months on end with small breaks between trips. These descriptions play a vital part in

understanding the Andrea Gail’s crew as most of the readers most likely have no kind of prior

knowledge or background in the fishing industry, let alone swordfishing. Junger understands this

and gives the reader some insight into the struggles of being a fisherman.
 Evans 43

Work Cited

Junger, Sebastian. ​The Perfect Storm: A True Story Of Men Against The Sea.​ W.W. Norton,

1997.
 Evans 44

Diane Evans

English 11 Summer Test Out

31 July 2019

The Perfect Storm: A True Story Of Men Against The Sea​ Critical Reading Response #2

Sebastian Junger grew up in suburban Massachusetts, not far from the town of

Gloucester, the fishing port depicted in The Perfect Storm that was home to the ​Andrea Gail​ and

its crew. He graduated from Wesleyan University with a degree in cultural anthropology in 1984

and has been a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in such magazines as Outside,

Men's Journal, American Heritage, and The New York Times Magazine. Drawn to stories of

adventure, Junger has delivered radio reports from the war in Bosnia, covered smoke jumpers in

Idaho's wilderness wildfires, and written about the smallest border town in Texas. In addition, he

has for many years worked as a high climber and trimmer for tree removal companies. He

currently lives in New York City and Cape Cod. The Perfect Storm was his first book.

During an interview about his book ​The Perfect Storm, J​ unger revealed the reasoning

behind what drove him to write his bestselling book. “I was thinking about writing a book on

dangerous jobs. I had hurt myself pretty badly doing tree work and it got me thinking that people

don't pay much attention to jobs that are really dangerous... it would be interesting to write a

book about that. So, originally I was going to write a chapter on the Andrea Gail. She went down

in an area of one hundred foot seas. It was one of the biggest storms ever recorded off the east

coast. Eventually, that chapter turned into a whole book.”

 Evans 45

Junger accomplishes his goal of spreading more awareness for the less than pleasant jobs

like commercial fishing. Junger gives the reader a glimpse of a swordfishing boat and how they

go about trying to catch swordfish, “sword boats are also called longliners because their mainline

is up to forty miles long. It’s baited at intervals and paid out and hauled back every day for ten or

twenty days. The boats follow the swordfish population like seagulls after a day trawler, up to

the Grand Banks in the summer and down to the Caribbean in the winter, eight or nine trips a

year. They’re big boats that make big money and they’re rarely in port more than a week at a

time to gear up and make repairs. Some boats go as far away as the coast of Chile to catch their

fish, and fishermen think nothing of grabbing a plane to Miami or San Juan to secure a site on a

boat. They’re away for two or three months and then they come home, see their families, and

head back out again,” (Junger 9). This is eyeopening to the reader as many of them probably

don’t have any kind of understanding or background knowledge on swordfishing and how it

works. It isn’t a leisurely job where you go out on the water for a few hours, catch a few fish if

you’re lucky and then mosey on home at the end of the day. These men are out at sea for months

on end just to make ends meet. After reading ​The Perfect Storm ​readers will hopefully become

more appreciative of all the dirty jobs out there.

 Evans 46

Work Cited

Junger, Sebastian. ​The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against The Sea.​ W.W. Norton, 1997.