Consider this statement: Successful politicians are motivated more by practical considerations than by moral values. Write a unified essay in which you perform the following tasks. Explain what you think the abovestatement means. Describe a specific situation in which successful politicians might be motivatedmore by moral values than by practical considerations. Discuss what you think determines whethersuccessful politicians are motivated more by practical concerns or by moral values.

Sample Essay #1The above statement means that rational considerations motivate effective politiciansmore than moral values. Therefore, if one seeks political success, he or she should seekmotivation from practical considerations rather than values or ethics. In the event of a local disaster, such as a tornado or hurricane, that leaves many peoplehomeless and lacking food and water, a successful politican might be motivated more bymoral values than by practical considerations. For instance, he or she may recommendallotting money from the highway fund, which is a practical project, to that of charitieshelping those victims of the natural disasters. Following such a moral course of actionwould likely lead to increased support from the public as a whole. The community mostlikely desired wider highways, but would rather see its fellow people recovering fromsuch a catastrophic event. Situations regarding human welfare should be governed by astrict moral code. However, decisions regarding strictly logistics, should be driven bypractical considerations that benefit the majority of people. For instance, the decisionto build a new highway or a new park should be examined with practical considerationsconcerning the necessary monetary sources, probable future benefit, and current stateof affairs within the specific locale. Score = 2 Explanation of score:The writer understands the rhetorical assignment, but does not provide a clear, well-developedresponse. For example, the task of explaining what the prompt statement means is addressed, but withonly two repetitive, undeveloped sentences. What does this writer mean by “political success” or“rational considerations”? The first paragraph introduces these potentially relevant ideas, but makesno attempt to define or discuss them. In addressing the second task, the writer provides a specific hypothetical example involving a highwayproject and a natural disaster. While this discussion is an improvement over the essay’s treatment oftask 1, it still falls far short of adequacy. The writer provides no context for the illustration and notransitional discussion that would help make clear its relationship to the other parts of the essay.Neither does the writer attempt to link the specific example to general ideas that would apply more

broadly to the question of political motivations. Finally, the writer has not thought through thisexample very thoroughly. After all, what could be more practical than providing assistance to peopledevastated by a natural disaster? The essay does arrive at a means for determining the successful politician’s motivations, stating thatthe solution is situational: when “human welfare” is involved, then decisions should be based onmorals; when the issue is “logistical,” practical considerations take precedent. Once again, the writerfails to provide enough discussion and explanation to make the point clear. In what way is “humanwelfare” not also a matter of practicality? Why should “logistical” decisions be immune to apolitician’s moral values? Though mostly vague and general, language use is not this essay’s central problem. Rather, it is theabsence of fully developed ideas that keeps this essay from earning a higher score.

Sample Essay #2In order to fully define the statement, we must distinguish between practicalconsiderations and moral values. The latter are most easily defined. Moral values dealwith ethical beliefs (i.e. what we believe to be right and wrong), which for many peoplemay rely on religious teachings. Practical considerations include the likelihood that apolitician will be re-elected based on his track record, how decisions will influence hisinteractions with other politicians, and the economic incentives that come with certainchoices. If we define “success” as the degree of political cout a politician earns alongwith the longevity of his career, then it is true that successful politicians are guidedmore by practical considerations than by moral values. Since the general public tends tobe fickle, it is often more important to gain the respect of fellow politicians and bigbusinesses than it is to impress the people. Yet, there are certain situations in which successful politicians are motivated more bymoral values than by practical considerations. In order for this to occur, the politicianmust be of high moral character. They must have values deeply instilled within them orbe devoutly religious. This ensures that they will adhere to a specific set of beliefs asopposed to vacillating due to the general public’s opinion or pressure from fellowpoliticians. Such a pattern of steady decision-making will cause the politician to appearconsistent, which will cause him to be viewed favorably by a certain sect of thepopulation and the government. Such consistency will therefore ultimately result in“success”. Let us suppose that Government Jones is deeply against abortion. Throughoutthe enirely of his career, he has defended and rallied for government policies thatprohibit abortion. When the upcoming election approaches, he is the preferredcandidate because his contingency is impressed by his adherence to beliefs. Theycongratulate him on his firm value system. They are impressed because he does notvacillate from one opinion to another. In this way, he becomes the preferred candidate

and is re-elected. Moral values can therefore be considered a motivating factor whenthey result in consistency and the subsequent respect it garners. Whether successful politicians are motivated more by practical concerns or moralvalues is dependent on a number of factors. These factors include how popular they arewithin their zones of leadership. More popular leaders can afford to adhere to moralvalues while least popular ones need to pay more attention to public opinion. A secondconcern involves how respected they are by fellow politicians. If they are highlyregarded, they may be able to make decisions based more on personal beliefs thanwhich decision will garner more respect. The last factor is entirely personal. One’scharacter is the largest determinant of what decision they will make. If they are out toachieve success and only success, they will most probably adhere to practicalconsiderations. If they are of high moral character and consider this an importantpersonal characteristic, they will be more motivated by moral values. Score = 4 Explanation of score:This response exhibits adequate clarity, development, and language control. In contrast to the essaythat earns a score of 2, this one explains precisely what it means by the key terms it analyzes:“practical considerations,” “moral values,” and “success.” This definition of terms gives clarity andfocus to the writer’s address of the first task. The task 2 discussion of a counter situation is likewiseclear, focused, and developed. The example of a politician earning respect by sticking to his beliefsnicely illustrates the central point. The final paragraph draws some general conclusions from the discussion that went before, giving theessay a sense of unity, direction and closure. The writer’s conclusions are clearly expressed and arefocused on the central question posed by the prompt. However, the writer does not provide the kind ofsustained discussion of complex ideas that is needed for a score of 5 or 6. Nevertheless, this responseto the writing assignment, though simple, is entirely adequate. The writing here is generally clear, but some minor flaws detract from the overall quality of the effort.Occasional confused word choices (such as “contingency” when the writer probably means“constituency”) are one indication of how this essay falls short of the precise, effective use oflanguage found in most responses that earn a higher score. Sample Essay #3The statement that “successful politicians are motivated more by practicalconsiderations than by moral values” refers to politicians acting out of concern for whatwill advance her or him in their careers, regardless of moral scruples and injury to thepolitician’s constituency. The statement presents politicians as primarily driven by thegoals of getting votes, getting elected, making money, and staying elected by whatever

means necessary. The opposite view would be a poitician motivated by moral values andacting in the best interests of the public, the world, and the earth. A politicianmotivated more by moral values than by practical concerns would tend to make decisionsthat might not always bring them votes and money, but would be the “right, moral, andethical thing to do.” A specific situation in which the successful politician might be more motivated by moralvalues than by practical considerations is one in which the politician’s religious viewsdirect her toward political goals that line up with the mandates of her faith. Anexample might be a senator who votes against going to war on grounds that her religiousbeliefs counsel against it. She might risk the scorn of collegues, the press, andultimately her own constituents if the desired war is popular and advantageous. However, a politician acting on the advice and urging of her faith is not necessarilyentirely motivated by moral values alone. It is difficult to separate the moral andpractical when the politician’s constituency includes followers of the same beliefs asthe politician. In such a case, a decision seemingly made on strictly moral grounds at thesame time serves to advance the politician’s practical goals of pleasing her constituentsand ensuring re-election. Voting against the war, in this case, might be both a moral actand a politically calculated act at the same time. The difficulty of answering this question is apparent, for example, when a country goesto war to overthrow a tyrant (a moral act), but also stands to gain economic and political(i.e. practical) benefits. Likewise, moral versus practical or self-interested motivationsare not easily distinguished when a politician with a gay son or daughter votes to upholdthe rights of gay people to marry. A successful politician, one who both stays in office and accomplishes good things forhis constituens, is aware that many decisions have both a practical and ethicaldimension. A politician with strong religious moral values might rationalize voting againstthose values from time to time by telling himself that compromise is part of politics,and that, in the long run, he serves his values and his constituents best by doing whathe must to stay in office. It’s the rare politician who is willing to sacrifice his career bystubbornly rejecting the will or interests of his constituents in the name of his ownmoral integrity. And in any case, few circumstances are so clear-cut as to say apolitician isn’t motivated by both moral and practical considerations at the same time. Score = 6

Explanation of score:Unlike the 4 essay that explains the prompt statement by defining its terms, this 6 explains the promptby uncovering a central tension at its heart: does success in politics depend on doing whatever isneeded to stay in office, or does it rely on following a set of moral beliefs and doing the right thing,regardless of the practical costs? In recognizing so acutely the conflict inherent in the prompt, thewriter begins opening up possibilities for a complex discussion. And, indeed, what follows task 1 is a sustained, complex discussion, centered on the idea that politicalmotivations are inevitably impure, to some extent. This writer makes the case that, in politics,practical implications tend to accompany, and to compromise, a politician’s claims of purely moralmotivation. She gives some specific examples by way of developing the point – voting against apopular war, voting for gay marriage. The writer doesn’t simplistically condemn this ambiguity, butrather depicts it as a complicated reality in the life of a successful politician. The essay’s ideas are clearly expressed and substantially developed. They follow logically from one tothe next, in such a way that the essay never lapses in unity, focus or coherence. Subtle ideas aredependent on the deft use of language, as this sentence demonstrates: “A politician with strongreligious moral values might rationalize voting against those values from time to time by tellinghimself that compromise is part of politics, and that, in the long run, he serves his values and hisconstituents best by doing what he must to stay in office.” Overall, superior writing and fully-developed, complex ideas earn this essay its 6.

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