English Department
Nile University
ENGL003/102
Fall 2024
Critical Commentary Assessment (18%)
A. Assessment Objectives:
While working on this assessment, you need to show that you have achieved the following
objectives:
1. Critically read a text and annotate it, highlighting the structure of the argument and the use of
rhetorical devices.
2. Identify and evaluate the rhetorical situation and the use of elements of argument in a given
text.
3. Identify and evaluate the use of appeals and fallacies in a given text.
4. Write a commentary, conveying how you see the text and evaluating it, supporting your
evaluation with evidence.
5. Use proper English to express yourself at an academic level.
6. Effectively present your commentary in a video presentation.
7. Demonstrate an understanding of the course material and an ability to think critically.
8. Show time management and team working skills in collaborating with your partner on all
three stages of the assessment.
9. Show diligence and keenness to learn.
B. AI-Use Rules:
1. The use of AI is allowed in this assessment in finding meanings of difficult words or getting
general information about a concept/issue/person/thing in the text only.
2. The use of AI is NOT ALLOWED if you use it to analyze the text for you, write for you or
prepare a script for the presentation for you. Your instructor needs to see YOUR level of
understanding and effort not a perfectly done assessment by a bot. It is ok to make mistakes;
that’s how we learn.
C. Assessment Description:
This assessment is divided into three parts:
1. Part 1: Annotating the text and writing two commentary paragraphs on: the rhetorical
situation and elements of argument (6%)
2. Part 2: Annotating the text and writing two commentary paragraphs on: appeals and fallacies
(6%)
3. Part 3: Presenting your full commentary in a video presentation (6%)
Part 3: Commentary Essay Video Presentation (6%)
D. Submission Instructions:
1. This assignment should be done in pairs.
2. You must ensure that each one has done half the work and speaks half the duration
of the presentation.
3. Both of you will get the same grade. Hence, if you decide to help your partner and
allow him/her to get away with slacking, then please bear the consequences of your
choices.
4. Only one student needs to submit the video on behalf of the pair. IT IS YOUR
RESPONSIBLITY AS TEAMMATES TO CHECK THAT THE SUBMISSION HAS BEEN MADE
ON TIME. NO EXCUSES WILL BE ACCPETED, AND NO INDIVIDUAL SUBMISSIONS WILL
BE ACCEPTED.
5. Video duration: 5-7 minutes
6. Video format: recorded In-person presentation (record yourselves giving the
presentation together. Both of you need to appear in the video. No PPT is needed.
You can only use notes; however, reading or reciting makes you lose lots of marks).
7. Submission: The video should be submitted on Moodle. Submissions made via email
will not be accepted. Start a Microsoft Teams meeting, record yourselves giving the
presentation (standing in a classroom or anywhere you like) and then share the link in
the submission box.
Name: ID:
1.
2.
Use the following guiding questions to help you prepare for the presentation:
1. Introduce yourselves and the article (title and author).
2. How did you feel about the article? Did you like it? Why? Why not?
3. Did you enjoy working on this assignment? What did you find easy/difficult?
4. Explain the rhetorical situation (the author’s credentials, date and place of publication, context,
purpose, audience).
5. Provide a short summary (2 or 3 sentences) of the article.
6. How did the author use the elements of argument (claim, reasons, evidence and sources) to
convey his/her ideas? Provide one example for each.
7. Comment on how the author used the three appeals (ethos, logos and pathos). Provide one
example for each.
8. Did the author use any logical fallacies? Explain.
9. Explain how all of these aspects of the argument strengthened or weakened the argument and
give a final evaluation of the article.
N.B: you need to look at your teacher’s Feeback on parts 1 and 2 and add/correct any
missing/incorrect points/elements/items.
Commentary Assessment Video Presentation Rubric (5%)
Criteria 3 2 1-0
Task Response
Ss abide by the Ss exceed/fail to Ss exceed/fail to
allotted time. reach the reach the
Ss submit the allotted time by allotted time by
presentation in 3-4 minutes. 5-6 minutes.
the required Ss submit the Ss do not submit
format. presentation in the presentation
the required in the required
format. format
Content
Ss discuss all the Ss discuss most of Ss barely discuss the
guiding questions in the guiding guiding questions in
the presentation. questions in the the presentation.
Ss demonstrate a presentation. Ss demonstrate a
strong Ss demonstrate a poor understanding
understanding of good understanding of the concepts and
the concepts and of the concepts and fails to present their
effectively present present their work, work in a proper
their work, explaining most way.
explaining all aspects of the
aspects of the commentary they
commentary they worked on.
worked on.
Organization
Ss’ speech follows a Ss’ speech follows a Ss’ speech is
logical sequence logical sequence but disorganized and
with an may seem hard to follow.
introduction, body incoherent in some Ss fail to use
and conclusion. instances, missing transitions.
Ss use proper one
transitions all Ss use proper
through. transitions in some
instances.
Delivery
Ss manages to Keep Ss somehow Ss’ presentation is
the audience manages to Keep extremely
engaged through the audience unengaging and fails
appropriate pacing, engaged through to convey the
and effective use of appropriate pacing, message.
nonverbal and effective use of Ss seem to be
communication. nonverbal reading or reciting
communication, but rather than
may lack some presenting.
energy or
enthusiasm at some
times.
Language
Ss use excellent Ss use good Ss use poor
language all through language with some language all
with few minor errors. through.
errors.
Total /15
/6
