SDV 101: How to Be Successful in College Assignment

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Drug and Alcohol Awareness Assignment

Choose one of these two options and write a reflection essay.

Option 1:

Research information on the following substances: Alcohol, Marijuana, Cocaine and Crack, Narcotics,

and Inhalants. Cite your sources using MLA or APA format. Examples of reliable resources include the

National Institute for Drug Abuse https://nida.nih.gov/ and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and

Alcoholism https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/ If you are unsure about a resource, contact your instructor.

Option 2:

Watch Drugs: The Straight Facts Series. It includes the following videos: Alcohol, Marijuana, Cocaine and

Crack, Narcotics, and Inhalants.

This series can be found at this link:

http://digital.films.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?seriesID=16409&wID=15254 and on the IHCC Library

website. If you have any trouble with the link, you can also get to it from the IHCC Library home page.

From there, click on Library Databases, scroll half way down the page, and click on Films on Demand. If

you are off campus, you will be asked for a username and password. You can find this information on

the MyHills homepage by clicking on the “Library Database Passwords” link and scrolling down to “Films

on Demand.” After viewing the episodes, read the first 10 pages covering the history of opioids from the

article provided.

Essay Directions

Then, write a reflection composed of your insights, opinions, and/or observations. Your reflection should

be 500-700 words in length and relatively free of grammatical errors. It should have an introduction

(with a thesis statement), body, and conclusion. No title page is needed and you only need to include a

reference page if you are choosing option 1. Make sure to add specific examples from your research or

the film series to support your thoughts and conclusions in your reflection.

To include in your reflection as paragraphs:

1. Begin the introduction with a thesis statement.

2. Provide a brief summary of the research you did or the film series you viewed.

3. What did you learn that you did not know prior to researching information or watching the film

series? Explain. Give examples. Finish this part of your discussion with the statement:

From this research/series, I learned how important it is to…

4. How has this research/film series moved you from point A to point B in your thinking regarding

drugs and alcohol? Make sure to use specific examples from your research or the series to

support your conclusions.

5. Add a strong conclusion that provides closure to this essay.

SDV 101: How to Be Successful in College Assignment

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Rubric

Criteria A
Exceeds Expectations

B
Meets Expectations

C
Needs Improvement

D-F
Inadequate

Content/Information
Clarity of purpose

Critical and original
thought

Use of examples to
support conclusions

Central idea is well
developed; clarity of
purpose clearly exhibited
throughout paper.
Abundance of evidence of
critical, careful thought to
support main ideas,
evidence and examples are
vivid and specific, while
focus on topic remains
tight, ideas work together as
a unified whole.

Central idea and clarity of
purpose are evident
throughout the paper,
evidence of critical, careful
thought, good, relevant
supporting examples and
evidence.

The central idea is
expressed though vague
or too broad; some sense
of purpose is maintained
throughout the paper.
Some evidence of
critical, careful thought,
some examples and
evidence though general.

Central idea and clarity of
purpose are absent or
incompletely expressed
and maintained.
Little evidence of critical,
careful thought, there are
too few examples and
evidence is mostly
irrelevant.

Vocabulary
Word usage

Tone
Audience

Point of view

Vocabulary is sophisticated
and correct, as are
sentences, which vary in
length.
Word uses and vocabulary
manipulates subject for
maximum effect.
Writer’s tone is clear,
concise, consistent, and
appropriate for intended
audience. Point-of-view is
appropriate for assignment.

Vocabulary is varied,
specific and appropriate.
Frequently uses subject
specific vocabulary
correctly.
Writer’s tone emerges and
is generally appropriate to
audience.
Point of view is
satisfactory.

Vocabulary is used
properly though
sentences may be
simple, ordinary
Infrequently uses subject
specific vocabulary
correctly.
Writer’s tone exhibits
some level of audience
sensitivity.
Point of view not refined
or consistent.

Vocabulary is
unsophisticated, not used
properly in very simple
sentences.
Uses subject specific
vocabulary too sparingly,
lacks audience sensitivity.
Point of view somewhat
inappropriate or very
inconsistent.

Structure
Organization

Flow of thought
Transitions

Paper is logically organized.
Easy to follow.
Effective, smooth-flow with
logical transitions.

Paper has a clear
organization, some points
misplaced, vagueness or
irrelevances in some
thought. Easily followed.

Paper lacks organization,
some points remain
misplaced.
In addition, stray from
topic.

There is no apparent
organization.
Difficult to follow.
No or poor transitions.
No flow-clumsy.

SDV 101: How to Be Successful in College Assignment

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Follows assignment
criteria

Professional format-meets
all requirements including
intriguing introduction,
body, strong conclusion,
attention to detail. Shows
high degree of attention.
Correct number of pages.

Transition helps create
coherence of thought.
Meeting formatting,
interesting introduction,
body, conclusion. Correct
number of pages.

Too many punctuation
and/or mechanical errors
to allow for flow-clumsy.
Parts of paper meet
formatting, introduction
lacks originality, body,
basic conclusion or no
conclusion, addressed all
or some of assignment
requirements.

Formatting clearly not
followed, very little or no
introduction, body lacks
direction, simple
conclusion, if present.
Some or few of
assignment requirements
followed. College level
writing is not apparent.

Grammar/Mechanics
Sentence structure

Punctuation/mechanics
presentation

Manipulates complex
sentences for effect or
maximum impact.
Free of punctuation or
mechanical errors.

Uses complex sentences,
effective and varied.
Few or occasional
punctuation or mechanical
errors.
May need to proofread
carefully.

Uses compound
sentences.
Contains many
punctuation and/or
mechanical errors.
Few run-on sentences
Needing to proofread.

Contains multiple or
serious errors of sentence
structure, frequent errors
in punctuation, spelling
capitalization, mechanics,
or inaccurate
punctuation, run on
sentences, obviously no
proofreading,
communication is
hindered. College level
writing is not apparent.

A ____pts
Exceeds Expectations

B ____pts
Meets Expectations

C ____pts
Needs Improvement

D-F ____pts
Inadequate

© Deb Vos, Heather Davison and Indian Hills Community College