Essay 1: Analysis of HOW

Topic: How Los Angeles functioned in the 1950’s and 1960’s as a place of queer possibility: erotic possibility, career possibility, social possibility, activist possibility.

Assignment: Write an essay in which you demonstrate your understanding of our topic: how mid-‐century Los Angeles could be seen as a haven, a mecca, a promised land, a queer “City on the Hill.” [See note below.] Consider carefully what readers may already know and how your essay can effectively add to their knowledge. Please keep your focus narrow by exploring and writing about detailed and specific instances of LA queer culture. Also, please consider the social impact involved in this topic. Why should it matter to your reader? In what ways are you as the writer advancing our knowledge of queer Los Angeles and in effect contributing to a greater synergy of queer individuals and their surroundings?

“City on the Hill:” A City upon a Hill is a biblical phrase from the parable of Salt and Light in Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 5:14, he tells his listeners, "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden."

Objectives: As the writer, you will be able to—

-‐-‐Gain insight into a concept or issue

-‐-‐Gain experience in conducting academic research

-‐-‐Analytically examine subject matter, think critically about your topic, and apply these skills to future assignments

-‐-‐Write thoughtfully with thorough detail and supporting examples to substantiate the claims you state

-‐-‐Write with purpose and direction that demonstrates mastery in the rhetorical technique of process analysis

-‐-‐Inform a reader of something new and/or surprising that they may not have previously known about

-‐-‐Persuade the reader of the need to consider altruism as a viable profit strategy

-‐-‐Affect the reader emotionally through use of compelling situational examples and case studies

-‐-‐Use language cleverly and charmingly, with an eye to sustaining reader interest throughout the length of your essay

Research:

This essay is 100% research-based. (See suggested sources list below.)

Planning and drafting:

Make a plan for your essay subtopics and begin the work: research, outlining and drafting. To get the best result, writing often requires 60% revision; you’ll need time to rethink and redo. Start early. (See suggested sub-topics list below.)

Critical Reading Guide:

What are your draft’s strengths and weaknesses? For example, does your focus seem too broad? Would more case study examples or quotations or better transitions make your explanation clearer? Get a classmate, a friend, a writing center consultant, or someone else to read and respond in detail to your essay sections, focusing especially on the parts where you are most unsure of your writing.

Editing and Proofreading:

As you consider your essay draft again in light of your readers' comments, decide how you can improve it. If the beginning failed to engage the reader’s interest, how else could you begin? How could you integrate quotations more smoothly into your own text? Go through your draft systematically, making changes wherever necessary.

Revising:

Have you checked for errors that pertain to grammar, style, specificity, logic, etc.? Look for and correct these and any other errors.

Formatting and length: Your paper should be:

-‐-‐ 1000+ words, not including Works Cited page

-‐-‐Typewritten, double-‐spaced, and use 12-point, Times New Roman font

-‐-‐Contain one inch margins on all four sides

-‐-‐Be thoughtfully titled

-‐-‐Adhere to current MLA formatting standards for heading a paper and citing sources (in-text citations and Works Cited page are required)

-‐-‐Cite at least five reliable, scholarly sources. You may not use Wikipedia or blogs as a source for this essay.

Due Dates:

-‐-‐Thesis: Upload prior to WK 3 class meeting. Be ready to read to group. Get feedback from classmates.

-‐-‐Outline: Upload prior to WK 4 class meeting. Share copies before class with each student in your group via e-‐mail. Get feedback.

-‐-‐Draft One: Upload prior to WK 5 class meeting. Share copies before class with each student in your group via e-‐mail. Get feedback.

-‐-‐Peer Reviews of partner essays upload by Thursday 11:59 pm WK 5. (Follow process essay peer review template posted on Canvas.)

-‐-‐Final Drat Essay #1: Upload prior to WK 6 class meeting. Include proof of your having worked with a Learning Resource Center (LRC) tutor.

Grading: You earn points for timely and professional submissions of each essay component. Late work = not accepted and grades as zero points.

Graded Item	Points Possible	Your Points
Thesis	0-5
Outline	0-5
Peer review of partner’s essay (must be included in final packet)	0-5
First draft (must be included in final packet)	0-15
Final draft (must be included in final packet)	0-70

Suggested sub-topics Here are some sample circumstances / situations that can be described as contributing factors (choose 3 you can confidently research further....or come up with three of your own):

LA economic development / urban expansion / population growth before & after WW2
Growth of military defense and aerospace industries in LA
Growth of LA trade and service sectors (Ex: #1 oil equipment & service center in country)
Hollywood: a very special ambiance, special mores and terrific job opportunities for creative folk….When?Why?Who?How?Impact?
Large number of queer bars catering to a range of identities
Established and known cruising spots
Exodus of very distinguished artists from Europe to Los Angeles, based on Nazism and its threats to personal safety. Boho community
Impact of military service on queer identity; connection to LA
Communist Party in LA > Civil Rights Congress; Citizens’ Committee to Outlaw Entrapment
Sleepy Lagoon incident and Zoot Suit Riots
Alfred Kinsey and The Kinsey Report: impact on LA homophile movement
Lavender Scare: federally sanctioned and state-led oppression of queers under House Committee of Un-American Activities (HUAC)and Cold War ethics of “correct citizen,” “correct gender”, 1950s...How LA pushed back
LA Protest events / Civil Rights Advocacy within LA queer community
Lesbian Press: e.g., Sister, Lesbian Tide, Lesbian News, Vice Versa
LGBT organizations of color: e.g., Asian Pacific Lesbians and Gays, Gay and Lesbian Latinos Unidos, United Lesbians of African Heritage, Lesbian Black Leadership Forum, Lesbianas Unidas
Homophile Effort for Legal Protection (HELP) 1968
Queer motorcycle clubs in LA....Best example: The Satyrs Club
LA Gay Community Services Center
ONE Archives and ONE Magazine
Bob Mizer and Physique Pictorial
Mattachine Society

Useful sources Please be aware there are a number of comprehensive and helpful e-books available via CSUN Oviatt library. Here are 3 that may prove useful:

1. Gay LA: a history of sexual outlaws, power politics, and lipstick lesbians

https://csun-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/12066q5/01CALS_ALMA71371589780002901 (Links to an external site.)

2. Pre-gay L.A.: a social history of the movement for homosexual rights

https://csun-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/12066q5/01CALS_ALMA71375924740002901 (Links to an external site.)

3. Gay bar: the fabulous, true story of a daring woman and her boys in the 1950s

https://csun-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/12066q5/01CALS_ALMA71380913060002901 (Links to an external site.)

4. Behind the screen : how gays and lesbians shaped Hollywood, 1910-1969

https://csu-un.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01CALS_UNO/1uh4jr6/alma991008239309702914

Rubrics

Grading Standard for essays:

“A” Range: The piece is outstanding. Your argument is persuasive and original. It addresses the topic with remarkable insight and intelligence. It is impressive in terms of style, use of language, and depth of thought. The writing is sophisticated, graceful, and rich; the thought is compelling and deep, often provocative or exciting. Moreover, you have mastered the fundamentals of English composition: your spelling, punctuation, and grammar are virtually flawless. I am so excited as I read it, I may even forget that I’m a professor.

“B” Range: The piece is good. It goes beyond merely fulfilling the assignment. The writing is clear, with well-developed ideas, good supporting material, and logical transitions. It shows evidence of significant thought and planning. It may contain some errors in usage or mechanics, but nothing that inhibits comprehension. I am pleased as I read it.

“C” Range: The piece is acceptable. It fulfills the assignment, though in a routine way. It shows evidence of engagement with the topic and makes what I consider an adequate response to it. It may contain some significant grammatical errors and/or mistakes in word choice. I can follow and understand the argument without difficulty, but also without much pleasure. The writing is labored, and the ideas are fair to weak. Overall, it’s okay; it meets the requirements of the assignment, but does so in the most routine way.

“D” Range: The piece is very weak. It relates to the assignment but shows no evidence of real engagement with the topic. It has serious, frequent errors in syntax and mechanics—enough to distract me seriously as I read it. It also suffers from vague, ambiguous writing that makes it difficult for me to understand the content or the direction of the argument. I am disappointed as I read it.

“F” Range: The piece is a disaster. It is so poorly constructed and so carelessly written that I cannot follow the sequence of ideas. Additionally, it is marred by so many errors in mechanics and usage that the message is difficult to decipher. I am dismayed as I read it. A note on presentations: An excellent presentation is one that is focused, organized, engaging, and to the point. It has heart, smarts, and sparkle. A reminder re: what is excellence for Final Projects: What constitutes excellence? Doing more than simply completing the terms of the assignment. An excellent final project is sophisticated, nuanced, engaging, and insightful. It is technically polished and free of any kind of errors. It shows evidence of a substantive, thoughtful engagement with the course materials. It is, above all, interesting, designed to draw the reader/viewer/user into full engagement with its content and its form.

Point-based rubric:

Essay # 1, 2 & 3
Student Name: ________________________________________

CATEGORY	Above Standards	Meets Standards	Approaching Standards	Below Standards	Score
Response to Assignment: Prompt, MLA format, adhering to all the criteria outlined in the assignment prompt. (20 possible points)	The paper responds to the assignment in depth, thoroughly exploring the topic and the issues and meets the requirements of the prompt. (19-20 pts.)	The paper responds to the assignment and addresses the topic and the issues (14-18 pts.)	The paper does not respond to the assignment or treats the assignment in a superficial, simplistic, or disjointed manner. (7-13 pts.)	Does not meet requirements, little effort evident (0-6 points)
Style (10 possible points)	The sentence-structure, word-choice, fluency, and tone of the paper enhance its effectiveness and reinforce its purpose (9-10 pts.)	The sentence-structure, word-choice, fluency, and tone of the paper contribute to effectiveness and adequately support its purpose (7-8 pts.)	The sentence-structure, word-choice, fluency, and tone of the paper limit its effectiveness and only supports its purpose in a limited manner (5-6 pts.)	The sentence-structure, word-choice, fluency, and tone of the paper detract from its effectiveness or are inappropriate to its purpose (0-4 points)
Support for Main Claim (20 points possible)	The thesis is fully supported with good reasons, examples, and explanations. (17-20 pts.)	The thesis is supported with reasons, examples and explanations. (13-16 pts.)	The thesis is not adequately supported. Support is not applicable or complete, or incomplete in certain areas of the essay. (8-12 pts.)	The thesis is not adequately supported. Support is not applicable or complete, or incomplete in certain areas of the essay. (0-7 pts.)
Structure/Organization of Argument (10 points possible)	The essay is well-structured; its form contributes to the argument. Paragraphs are well-organized and carefully linked to the main claim (9-10 pts.)	The essay is generally well-organized with only a few flaws in overall organization (7-8 pts.)	The essay's structure is confusing; little thought has gone into the organization of the essay as it relates to the argument. (5-6 pts.)	The essay is poorly structured; organizational flaws undermine its effectiveness. Paragraphs lack clarity or are not linked to the thesis. (0-4 points)
Main Claim/Thesis (10 points possible)	The thesis statement is clear, insightful and thought-provoking. It is sustained throughout the essay (9-10 pts.)	The thesis statement is clear and plausible. It is sustained consistently throughout the essay. (7-8 pts.)	The thesis is weak or vague. The thesis is not easily recognizable, or does not offer enough structure for a proper argument. (5-6 pts.)	The thesis is missing or is not maintained throughout the essay. (0-4 pts.)
Spelling/Grammar/Punctuation (10 points possible)	The essay is correct in terms of syntax, grammar, spelling, and punctuation (9-10 pts.)	The essay has minor errors in syntax, grammar and punctuation that do not seriously detract from the overall effectiveness (7-8 pts.)	The essay has errors in syntax, grammar and punctuation which at times detract from the overall effectiveness (5-6 pts.)	The errors in syntax, grammar and punctuation make the paper inefficient and detract from the readers understanding of the overall ideas (0-4 pts.)
Validity of Outside Sources/ minimum 5 new sources (10 points possible)	The sources are well-researched and effective for the argument being presented. (9-10 pts.)	The sources are effective for the argument presented. (7-8 pts.)	The sources are inefficient or obviously biased and might undermine the argument (5-6 pts.)	There is little thought placed in quality of sources, sources may be incomplete (0-4 pts.)
Works Cited (10 points possible)	Proper in-text citations and works cited (9-10 pts.)	Citations are mostly correct, with only a few errors (7-8 pts.)	Citations are attempted but incomplete or incorrect (5-6 pts.)	Little or no effort to cite sources (0-4 pts.)

Total:

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