The Crucible was famously written in 1953 as an allegory for McCarthyism, though Arthur Miller claimed to have based it on the actual happenings in the Massachusetts Bay colony. For this assignment,...

The Crucible was famously written in 1953 as an allegory for McCarthyism, though Arthur Miller claimed to have based it on the actual happenings in the Massachusetts Bay colony. For this assignment, you will be comparing and contrasting the historical Salem Witch Trials with the way that they are portrayed in The Crucible. What did Miller portray accurately? What did he get wrong?Remember the essentials for a good paper. You will need a strong thesis statement, at least two solid compare/contrast points, research from credible historic sources, evidence from your text, and a well-constructed conclusion. Each compare/contrast topic you choose should be supported by both textual evidence and cited research. If you don’t have either one of these, you will not be able to effectively make your point. Remember that your research should be summarized and cited, avoid plagiarism at all costs. See the rubric in the lesson for how you will be graded and adjust your writing appropriately. Your paper must be at least 750 words and no more than 1500.


Graders: When grading this assignment, do not award partial credit. A student must meet all criteria in a category to receive the allotted points. Introduction/Thesis Length The introduction is no more than 6 sentences. 1pt Content The introduction clearly establishes the context and purpose of the paper. 1pt Thesis A clear thesis outlines the major compare/contrast topics to be addressed. 1pt Total: _ / 3 X6 = __ Compare/Contrast Content Organization (choose one) Each singular comparison or contrasting example is clearly delineated into its own section. There is no overlap or confusion of specific points and transition words are used effectively 2pt There is a small amount of overlap between topics when transition words are not used appropriately or paper structure causes confusion. 1pt Examples (choose one) For each compare/contrast topic, the student supplies two or more pieces of evidence from the text to reinforce their point. 2pt For each compare/contrast topic, the student supplies only one piece of evidence from the text to reinforce their point. 1pt Research (choose one) The student has two or more clear uses of research (short 1-2 line quotes or inline citations) for each compare/contrast topic. 2pt The student has one clear use of research (short 1-2 line quotes or inline citations) for each compare/contrast topic. 1pt Focus (choose one) The student stays on topic throughout the paper. All of the content deals with The Crucible and the witch trials with no additional content or anecdotes. 2pt Student includes some writing that is off-topic and does not involve The Crucible or witch trials, but the main topics are still clear. 1pt Total: _ / 8 X10 = __ Mechanics Organization The student’s paper is divided clearly into introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. 1pt Grammar & Punctuation (choose one) The student’s use of grammar and punctuation is impeccable and free of any immediately obvious issues. The reader is always aware of the student’s reasoning and train of thought. 2pt The student’s use of grammar and punctuation contains some noticeable errors, but these errors do not hinder the reader from understanding the student’s reasoning at any point. 1pt Academic Language The student uses academic language appropriate from a research paper and never inserts opinion or personal pronouns. 1pt Total: _ / 4 X9 = __ Conclusion Length The conclusion is no more than five sentences 1pt Content The student clearly summarizes their main ideas and does not introduce new information in their conclusion. 1pt Total _ / 2 X8 = __ Sum of Multiplied Totals = ___