Purdue OWL Website

The Purdue OWL website is a credible source in assisting you in understanding and improving your writing. I feel this webpage should act as a huge role in your writing whether you need to write a ten-page research paper or a simple five-paragraph essay for your history class. It clearly states what your thesis should look like, what is too broad or what is too narrow. Warrants, claims, and rebuttals are all factors to support your thesis.

So should Gallaudet University follow this website? Yes. Not just Gallaudet University but every other university there are in this world. It should be the unwritten rubric for every single piece of writing. This website should be used as a guide because it inevitably applies to every writing rubric ever made.

The Gallaudet University’s Writing Rubric covers only five aspects of writing; assignment formatting and citing, written English conventions, critical thinking, organization of ideas, and author’s personal tone and audience awareness. Purdue University’s Writing Rubric includes all of those aspects and provides an explicit explanation for each one. Whereas the Gallaudet University’s Writing Rubric looks weaker in comparison: there is no mention of warrants, evidence, or rebuttals. They are crucially critical when it comes to writing.

In my experience, I always have had a difficult time writing mainly because I never know if my thesis is good enough or if my arguments are strong enough to support my claim. I was never taught to use a counterclaim or rebuttals to make my thesis stronger. After reading this website, I feel more confident in my writing as I will continue to use the Purdue University’s Writing Rubric, as well as Gallaudet University’s Writing Rubric.

Another aspect of the Purdue University’s Writing Rubric that I liked was that it included logos, ethos, and pathos (as mentioned in the Lunsford book). I feel it is extremely critical to have those three factors incorporated in every piece of writing. In the Purdue University’s Writing Rubric is the perfect combination of Gallaudet University’s Writing Rubric and Chapters Two to Four in the Lunsford et al. 2007 book. When logos, ethos, and pathos are used, the writing automatically become a stronger piece and it will connect with the readers more intimately. The readers will grasp a better concept with your writing.

Frankly, I am envious of the students at Purdue University because they must be writing their papers with such ease while the students of the rest of the world are struggling. Purdue University deserves to be praised for their Writing Rubic because it is transparent that a lot of thought and time were dedicated in making this perfect rubric.