Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia

Vicerrectoría Académica y de Investigación

Course: Academic Writing
Code: 551016

Activity Guide and Evaluation Rubric - Task 1 - Starting

1. Activity Description

Type of activity: Independent

Evaluation moment: Initial
Highest score of the activity: 25 points
The activity starts on: Monday, The activity ends on: Sunday, February
February 7, 2022 20, 2022
With this activity, you are expected to achieve the following learning
outcome:
Interpret direction words and questions in different types of writing prompts and
assignments.
The activity consists of:
Step 1
- Go to the Learning Environment and in the Course Contents and Bibliographic
References for Unit 1, watch the video Opinion Paragraph to learn about the
use of the OREO Table in writing opinion paragraphs.
- Go back to the Course Contents and Bibliographic References for Unit 1 and
revise the document A short guide to understanding your assignments from the
Academic Skills Centre (n.d.). Use the principles of active reading to
understand and evaluate the information for its relevance to your needs.
- Write an Opinion Paragraph by using the following OREO Table with the
information you gathered from the previous reading:
Title for your Opinion Paragraph
Your opinion sentence goes here introducing the topic, it is also
called a topic sentence or the main idea of your paragraph.
OREO Table

First, you will write your leass Then you will have to explain
important reason for the your reason 1 by giving
opinion using a complete evidence or examples of the
sentence. reason, hopefully with
information from the reading.
One sentence is enough.

1
 Second, you will write your Then you will have to explain
reason 2 for the opinion using a your reason 2 by giving
complete sentence. evidence or examples of the
reason, hopefully with
information from the reading.
One sentence is enough.
Third, you will write your most Then you will have to explain
important reason for the your reason 3 by giving
opinion using a complete evidence or examples of the
sentence. reason, hopefully with
information from the reading.
One sentence is enough.
Finally, you will conclude your paragraph by restating your
opinion with different words and giving a take-away message or a
possible solution.
- Share in the forum your Opinion Paragraph about the document A short guide
to understanding your assignments in a well-written paragraph.
Title for your Opinion Paragraph
Your opinion sentence goes here introducing the topic, it is also called a
topic sentence or the main idea of your paragraph. First, you will write your
reason 1 for the opinion using a complete sentence. Then you will have to
explain your reason 1 by giving evidence or examples of the reason, hopefully
with information from the reading. Second, you will write your reason 2 for the
opinion using a complete sentence. Then you will have to explain your reason 2
by giving evidence or examples of the reason, hopefully with information from
the reading. Third, you will write your reason 3 for the opinion using a
complete sentence. Then you will have to explain your reason 3 by giving
evidence or examples of the reason, hopefully with information from the
reading. Finally, you will conclude your paragraph by restating your opinion
with different words and giving a take-away message or a possible solution.
Step 2
- Go to the Learning Environment and open the folder Activity Guide and
Evaluation Rubric - Task 1 - Starting, and download the document named
Assignment 1.
- Go to the Learning Environment and in the Course Contents and Bibliographic
References for Unit 1, download the textbook A Practical Guide to Writing and
actively read Lesson 1, pages 6 to 11.
- Once you understand the concepts from this Lesson, solve Assignment 1. Do
not share this step in the forum.

2
Step 3
- Go to the Learning Environment and in the Course Contents and Bibliographic
References for Unit 1, watch the video I am a Writer from Comer, D. (2016).
Activate the subtitles to make it easier for you to take notes. Interpret the
prompt/assignment given in the video by breaking it into its three (3) subjects
and five (5) direction words and share it in the forum.
SUBJECT DIRECTIONS
Brief essay of around 300 words.

Draw and Explain

Step 4
- Send a PDF document in accordance to APA rules (7th Edition in English) with
Steps 1, 2 and 3 to the Evaluation Environment.
For the development of the activity consider that:
In the Initial Information Environment, you must:
- Check the Course Agenda to organize your time.
- Check all available forums, introduce yourself in the General Forum.
- Verify the dates of the Web Conferences so that you can plan your participation
accordingly.
- Verify your tutors’ synchronous attention by Skype.
In the Learning Environment, you must:
- Download the Syllabus, the Activity Guide and Evaluation Rubric - Task 1, and
Assignment 1.
- Go to the discussion forum for the task and get familiar with your collaborative
group.
- Participate in the forum as requested in Steps 1 and 3.
In the Evaluation Environment, you must:
- Upload a PDF file with the task’s individual evidence. Identify your file as
follows: 551016 - Task 1 - Your Full Name.pdf
Evidence of independent work:
The independent evidence to be submitted is:
A PDF file named 551016 - Task 1 - Your Full Name.pdf with the following pages:
1. Cover Page
2. Table of Contents
3. Step 1 - OREO Table and Opinion Paragraph
4. Step 2 - Assignment 1
5. Step 3 - Screenshot of answer in forum
6. APA References following the 7th Edition guidelines
Evidence of group work:
No collaborative evidence is required in this activity.

3
2. General Guidelines for the Development of Evidence to Submit

For Independent evidence, consider the following:

▪ Be sure to write proper citations and references for other sources you might
use.
▪ Be sure to answer all the questions with your own words.
▪ Be sure to revise content, structure and mechanics in everything you post in
the forums and/or sent for evaluation.
▪ Before submitting the requested product, student should check that it meets
all the requirements mentioned in this activity guide.
Please keep in mind that all individual or collaborative written products must comply
with the spelling rules and presentation conditions defined in this activity guide.
Regarding the use of references, consider that the product of this activity must
comply with APA style.
In any case, make sure you comply with the rules and avoid academic plagiarism.
You can review your written products using the Turnitin tool found in the virtual
campus.
Under the Academic Code of Conduct, the actions that infringe the academic order,
among others, are the following: paragraph e) Plagiarism is to present as your own
work all or part of a written report, task or document of invention carried out by
another person. It also implies the use of citations or lack of references, or it
includes citations where there is no match between these and the reference and
paragraph f) To reproduce, or copy for profit, educational resources or results of
research products, which have rights reserved for the University. (Acuerdo 029 - 13
de diciembre de 2013, artículo 99)
The academic penalties students will face are:
a) In case of academic fraud demonstrated in the academic work or evaluation, the
score obtained will be zero (0.0) without any disciplinary measures being derived.
b) In case of proven plagiarism in academic work of any nature, the score obtained
will be zero (0.0), without any disciplinary measures being derived.

3. Evaluation Rubric

Type of activity : Independent

Evaluation moment: Initial
The highest score in this activity is 25 points
First evaluation High level: The student actively participated in the forum by
criterion: posting opinion paragraph and Step 3 on time.

4
Participate actively If your work is at this level, you can get between 4
on task. points and 5 points

This criterion Average level: The student participated in the forum by

represents 5 posting opinion paragraph and Step 3 three days prior to the
points of the total closing of the task.
of 25 points of
the activity. If your work is at this level, you can get between 3
points and 4 points

Low level: The student participated in the forum by posting

opinion paragraph, but not Step 3, or vice versa during the last
3 days of the task. The student did not participate in the
forum.

If your work is at this level, you can get between 0

points and 3 points
Second evaluation High level: The writing shows that the student explored,
criterion: understood and analyzed the provided reading to give an
opinion. It follows the structure provided in the activity guide
Use active reading and it is well written.
to give an opinion.
If your work is at this level, you can get between 4
This criterion points and 5 points
represents 5
points of the total Average level: The writing partially shows that the student
of 25 points of explored, understood and analyzed the provided reading to
the activity. give an opinion. It hardly follows the structure provided in the
activity guide and there are a couple of writing mistakes that
might interfere with meaning.

If your work is at this level, you can get between 3

points and 4 points

Low level: The writing does not show that the student
explored, understood and analyzed the provided reading to
give an opinion. It does not follow the structure provided in the
activity guide. Too many writing mistakes.

5
 If your work is at this level, you can get between 0
points and 3 points
Third evaluation High level: The student answered assertively and relevantly to
criterion: all questions in assignment 1.

Answer assertively If your work is at this level, you can get between 4
and relevantly to points and 5 points
assignment 1.
Average level: The student answered assertively and
This criterion relevantly to most of the questions in assignment 1.
represents 5
points of the total If your work is at this level, you can get between 3
of 25 points of points and 4 points
the activity.
Low level: The student answered assertively and relevantly to
some of the questions in assignment 1.

If your work is at this level, you can get between 0

points and 3 points
Fourth evaluation High level: The student was able to correctly interpret the
criterion: directions given in the prompt/assignment from the provided
video.
Interpret the
directions given on If your work is at this level, you can get between 4
a video. points and 5 points

This criterion Average level: The student had a hard time interpreting the
represents 5 directions given in the prompt/assignment from the provided
points of the total video.
of 25 points of
the activity. If your work is at this level, you can get between 3
points and 4 points

Low level: The student was not able to correctly interpret the
directions given in the prompt/assignment from the provided
video.

If your work is at this level, you can get between 0

points and 3 points

6
Fifth evaluation High level: The document meets the criteria for presentation
criterion: and references according to APA standards. The document sent
for evaluation is on a PDF format.
Present a PDF file
according to APA If your work is at this level, you can get between 4
standards. points and 5 points

This criterion Average level: The document partially meets the criteria for
represents 5 presentation and references according to APA standards. The
points of the total document sent for evaluation is on a PDF or a Word format.
of 25 points of
the activity. If your work is at this level, you can get between 3
points and 4 points

Low level: The document does not meet the criteria for
presentation and references according to APA standards.

If your work is at this level, you can get between 0

points and 3 points