ENGL 50: Unit #3—Reflecting on Cultural and Gender Identity
1.) What It Means to Be American 2.) What It Means to Be Masculine / Feminine
Unit #3 is divided into two related parts: a midterm and Essay #3.
The midterm will be on what it means to be an American, and Essay #3 will be on what it means to be either
masculine or feminine (you can choose to write on either gender, regardless of your own). The two assignments
work well together because they ask you to work toward similar goals but with different topics. While the
midterm asks you to reflect on cultural identity (what it means to be an American) in specific ways, Essay #3
will ask you to reflect on gender in similar ways. Our midterm preparation will help you structure Essay #3.
Here’s the assignment for Essay #3: Write an organized, well-developed essay that answers the question
“What does being masculine or feminine mean to you?” In your response, give focus to what forces (such as the
media, school, parents, peers, experiences, etc.) have influenced your thoughts on this subject. Include detailed,
specific examples. Also, in your response, make it clear how and why your thoughts on this subject have
changed since you were a kid (in other words, consider what forces have helped add greater maturity to your
thinking on this topic).
Here are some phrases that may help stimulate your thinking on this assignment:
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A thesis might run something along these lines:
o “While masculinity obviously means lots of things to different people, to me being masculine
especially means being X, having Y, and doing Z.”
 A topic sentence might run something like this:
o “Having Y is another especially masculine trait.”
 To address other goals of the assignment, some sentences might start something like this:
o “When I was a kid…”
o “As I’ve grown older, I’ve come to discover that…”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Main Objectives: For these assignments, your key goals are to:
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Introduce the topic in an engaging way.
Present a clear claim (thesis) in your introduction. (Tip: Underline your thesis and topic sentences.)
Describe examples with detail and vividness.
Provide good support for your claims by focusing on various forces of influence.
Develop your support by providing sufficient examples to back up main points.
Include at least three quotes from MOA to help add support to your essay.*
Provide clear organization (with focused, unified paragraphs) and smooth transitions.
Use formal diction, avoiding slang and “you” and “I” where such words are not appropriate.
Follow MLA format, and include a Works Cited page. *
*Unlike Essay #3, the midterm does not need quotations or a Works Cited page.
Grading Criteria: Papers will be evaluated upon the effectiveness and clarity with which they address the
tasks of the assignment and meet its stated objectives. More specifically, papers will be evaluated according to
our Essay #3 grading rubric (online under Unit 3), which is guided by the more general Literature and
Language Arts Division Grading Rubric for English 50 (posted on our class website under “Resources”).
Due Date: See the Course Reading & Assignment Schedule
Percentage of Course Grade: Midterm = 15%; Essay #3 = 15%
Format: Midterm = In-class w/Greenbook; Essay #3 = MLA style, typed, edited and proofread
Page Length for Essay #3:
 For Peer Review & Editing, bring two copies of a typed, 3-page draft.
o The draft needs to reach at least the top of page 3 to avoid a 3.5 point deduction.
 The final draft should be 4 pages.
o It must complete the 4th page to fulfill the essay’s minimum length requirement.