Virginia Commonwealth University TED Talk Critique Qualities and Skills Discussion For this assignment, you will select and view this TED Talk https://www.

Virginia Commonwealth University TED Talk Critique Qualities and Skills Discussion For this assignment, you will select and view this TED Talk https://www.ted.com/talks/will_macaskill_what_are_the_most_important_moral_problems_of_our_timeYou will then plan and write an essay in which you critically analyze the TED Talk by pointing out its strengths and weaknesses.

Follow the steps listed here to do your assignment.

1. First, go to the TED talk and view it without taking notes.

2. After you have watched the TED Talk for this essay assignment, go ahead and watch the TED Talk again, taking notes as you view it. As you watch, critically think about the presentation’s effectiveness.

3. Consider the following questions:

a. What is the main point of the speaker’s presentation?

b. What qualifications does the speaker have to present on the topic?

c. What facts and other evidence does the speaker provide to support his/her claims?

d. Who is the intended audience for this presentation (i.e. who would benefit the most from listening to this presentation)?

e. What is the larger conversation on the subject matter?

f. What other viewpoints should be considered?

g. What are the major strengths of this talk? What are it’s weaknesses?

h. What can I learn about public speaking from this talk?

Your essay should focus on the last two questions (g and h)

4. After viewing your TED Talk several times and taking notes on it, you should be ready to begin organizing your raw ideas into an outline for an analysis essay on it. To start your outline, you must first decide on a thesis (central idea) to convey to your readers. Your goal is to draft a thesis sentence that includes your general evaluation of the Talk and also forecasts how you plan to support your evaluation. As you create your outline, keep in mind that your analysis essay must include an introductory paragraph (at the end of which you will state your thesis), at least three (3) body paragraphs in which you support your thesis with evidence, and a concluding paragraph.

5. Refer to your outline as your write your first draft. Make sure your introduction begins by capturing your readers’ attention and ends with a clear thesis statement. Also make sure each of your body paragraphs begin with a clear topic sentence. Each paragraph should analyze the talk, not just repeat what the speaker said. I want you to make arguments about what was good,

bad or just meh about the presentation. Make a claim (a statement to be proved), provide reasons and evidence as to why your claims are true. This is a persuasive essay. I don’t care what position you take as long as you are supporting it.

6. Read over your revised essay several times to proofread for mistakes in grammar, word choice, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation. Try reading your essay out loud or from the conclusion up to catch all mistakes. Be warned: Essays that are not carefully proofread and edited will receive some penalties. The essay should be 1200 to 1400 words long.

7. The essay should be approximately Once you are satisfied with your final draft, you should upload it to Moodle by the due date.

TED TALK RUBRIC

Criteria

Excellent

Above Average

Average

Below Average

No Proficiency

SCORE

Introduction Conclusion

5

4

3

2

1

-The essay has an introduction with an effective attention getter

-A clear, interesting and insightful thesis sentence is provided

The conclusion effectively restates the thesis and ends with an effective impact statement

-The essay has an introduction with an adequate attention getter

– Promising, but may be slightly unclear, or lacking in insight or originality.

-The conclusion restates the thesis and ends with an adequate impact statement

-The essay has an identifiable introduction with an attention getter

– Thesis is stated but lacks concreteness

-The conclusion only restates the thesis and provides an impact statement

-The essay has a vague introduction with a similarly vague attention getter

– Reader cannot determine the thesis & purpose OR thesis has no relation to the writing task

-The conclusion is vague and undefined

-The essay lacks any real introduction or attention getter

– No thesis presented

-The essay ends abruptly without any sense of finality.

Organization

5

4

3

2

1

-Fully & imaginatively supports thesis & purpose.

-Sequence of ideas is effective.

-Transitions are effective

-Organization supports thesis and purpose.

-Transitions are mostly appropriate

-Sequence of ideas could be improved

-Some signs of logical organization.

– May have abrupt or illogical shifts

-ineffective flow of ideas

-Unclear organization

-organizational plan is inappropriate to the thesis.

-No transitions

-No organization is evident.

-Paragraphs have no connection to each other

– No transitions

Content

5

4

3

2

1

-Substantial, logical, & concrete development of ideas.

-Assumptions are made explicit.

-Details are germane, original, and convincingly interpreted

-Offers solid but less

original reasoning.

-Assumptions are not always recognized or made explicit.

-Contains some appropriate details or examples

-Offers somewhat obvious support that may be too broad.

-Details are too general, not interpreted, irrelevant to thesis, or inappropriately repetitive

-Offers simplistic, undeveloped, or cryptic support for the ideas.

-Inappropriate or off-topic generalizations, faulty assumptions, errors of fact

-No support offered for ideas

Style

5

4

3

2

1

-Sentences are varied, complex, & employed for effect

. -Diction is precise, appropriate, using advanced vocabulary.

-Tone is mature, consistent, suitable for topic and audience

-Sentences show some variety & complexity.

-Diction is accurate, generally

appropriate, less advanced.

-Tone is usually appropriate

-Sentences show little variety

-Simplistic.

-Diction is somewhat immature; relies on clichés.

-Tone may have some inconsistencies in tense and person

-Superficial and stereotypical language.

-Oral rather than written language patterns predominate

-No unique style or language is used

-extensive stereotypical language or inappropriate usage

Grammar and Mechanics

5

4

3

2

1

-Essentially error free.

-Evidence of superior control of diction

-Mechanical and usage errors that do not interfere with meaning

-Repeated weaknesses in mechanics and usage.

-Pattern of flaws

-Mechanical & usage errors so severe that writer’s ideas are hidden

-Essay lacks any evidence of proof reading

Comments: Ted Talk Critique Assignment #1
For this assignment, you will select and view this TED Talk
https://www.ted.com/talks/will_macaskill_what_are_the_most_important_moral_problems_of_o
ur_time You will then plan and write an essay in which you critically analyze the TED Talk by
pointing out its strengths and weaknesses.
Follow the steps listed here to do your assignment.
1. First, go to the TED talk and view it without taking notes.
2. After you have watched the TED Talk for this essay assignment, go ahead and watch
the TED Talk again, taking notes as you view it. As you watch, critically think about the
presentation’s effectiveness.
3. Consider the following questions:
a. What is the main point of the speaker’s presentation?
b. What qualifications does the speaker have to present on the topic?
c. What facts and other evidence does the speaker provide to support his/her
claims?
d. Who is the intended audience for this presentation (i.e. who would benefit the
most from listening to this presentation)?
e. What is the larger conversation on the subject matter?
f. What other viewpoints should be considered?
g. What are the major strengths of this talk? What are it’s weaknesses?
h. What can I learn about public speaking from this talk?
Your essay should focus on the last two questions (g and h)
4. After viewing your TED Talk several times and taking notes on it, you should be
ready to begin organizing your raw ideas into an outline for an analysis essay on it. To start your
outline, you must first decide on a thesis (central idea) to convey to your readers. Your goal is to
draft a thesis sentence that includes your general evaluation of the Talk and also forecasts how
you plan to support your evaluation. As you create your outline, keep in mind that your analysis
essay must include an introductory paragraph (at the end of which you will state your thesis), at
least three (3) body paragraphs in which you support your thesis with evidence, and a concluding
paragraph.
5. Refer to your outline as your write your first draft. Make sure your introduction begins
by capturing your readers’ attention and ends with a clear thesis statement. Also make sure each
of your body paragraphs begin with a clear topic sentence. Each paragraph should analyze the
talk, not just repeat what the speaker said. I want you to make arguments about what was good,
bad or just meh about the presentation. Make a claim (a statement to be proved), provide reasons
and evidence as to why your claims are true. This is a persuasive essay. I don’t care what
position you take as long as you are supporting it.
6. Read over your revised essay several times to proofread for mistakes in grammar, word
choice, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation. Try reading your essay out loud or from the
conclusion up to catch all mistakes. Be warned: Essays that are not carefully proofread and
edited will receive some penalties. The essay should be 1200 to 1400 words long.
7. The essay should be approximately Once you are satisfied with your final draft, you
should upload it to Moodle by the due date.
TED TALK RUBRIC
Criteria
Excellent
Above Average
Average
Below Average
No Proficiency
Introduction
Conclusion
5
4
3
2
1
-The essay has
an introduction
with an effective
attention getter
-The essay has
an introduction
with an adequate
attention getter
-The essay has
an identifiable
introduction with
an attention
getter
-The essay has a
vague
introduction with
a similarly vague
attention getter
-The essay lacks
any real
introduction or
attention getter
-A clear,
interesting and
insightful thesis
sentence is
provided
– Promising, but
may be slightly
unclear, or
lacking in insight
or originality.
– Thesis is stated
but lacks
concreteness
The conclusion
effectively
restates the thesis
and ends with an
effective impact
statement
-The conclusion
restates the thesis
and ends with an
adequate impact
statement
– Reader cannot
determine the
thesis & purpose
OR thesis has no
relation to the
writing task
5
4
3
2
1
-Fully &
imaginatively
supports thesis &
purpose.
-Organization
supports thesis
and purpose.
-Some signs of
logical
organization.
-Unclear
organization
-No organization
is evident.
-Transitions are
mostly
appropriate
– May have
abrupt or
illogical shifts
-organizational
plan is
inappropriate to
the thesis.
-Paragraphs have
no connection to
each other
-Transitions are
effective
-Sequence of
ideas could be
improved
-ineffective flow
of ideas
-No transitions
5
4
3
2
1
-Substantial,
logical, &
concrete
development of
ideas.
-Offers solid but
less
-Offers
somewhat
obvious support
that may be too
broad.
-Offers
simplistic,
undeveloped, or
cryptic support
for the ideas.
-No support
offered for ideas
-Assumptions
are made
explicit.
-Assumptions
are not always
recognized or
made explicit.
-Details are too
general, not
interpreted,
irrelevant to
thesis, or
inappropriately
repetitive
-Inappropriate or
off-topic
generalizations,
faulty
assumptions,
errors of fact
Organization
-Sequence of
ideas is effective.
-The conclusion
only restates the
thesis and
provides an
impact statement
– No thesis
presented
-The essay ends
abruptly without
any sense of
finality.
-The conclusion
is vague and
undefined
– No transitions
Content
-Details are
germane,
original, and
convincingly
interpreted
original
reasoning.
-Contains some
appropriate
details or
examples
SCORE
Style
5
4
3
2
1
-Sentences are
varied, complex,
& employed for
effect
-Sentences show
some variety &
complexity.
-Sentences show
little variety
-Superficial and
stereotypical
language.
-No unique style
or language is
used
-Oral rather than
written language
patterns
predominate
-extensive
stereotypical
language or
inappropriate
usage
. -Diction is
precise,
appropriate,
using advanced
vocabulary.
Grammar and
Mechanics
appropriate, less
advanced.
-Diction is
somewhat
immature; relies
on clichés.
-Tone may have
some
inconsistencies
in tense and
person
-Tone is mature,
consistent,
suitable for topic
and audience
-Tone is usually
appropriate
5
4
3
2
1
-Essentially error
free.
-Mechanical and
usage errors that
do not interfere
with meaning
-Repeated
weaknesses in
mechanics and
usage.
-Mechanical &
usage errors so
severe that
writer’s ideas are
hidden
-Essay lacks any
evidence of
proof reading
-Evidence of
superior control
of diction
Comments:
-Simplistic.
-Diction is
accurate,
generally
-Pattern of flaws

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