essay

WRIT 1

Fall 2017

Essay 1: Work and Love

One can live magnificently in this world, if one knows how to work and how to love, to work for the person one loves and to love one’s work.—Leo Tolstoy.

Your first essay will be on the topic of work and love. In your essay, I’d like you to integrate passages from the course readings and (as much as possible) to imitate the style of (some of) the authors: Ascher, Eighner, Singer, Russell, Tokumitsu, Woolf, and de Botton. Finally, before submitting your final draft, I’d like you to add notes in the margins explaining why you made some of the choices you did.

Here are the major elements I will be looking for:

Development of Ideas: Your essay thoughtfully builds on the points you raise in your introduction, adding nuance and structure to your argument throughout the body paragraphs and conclusion.

Integration of Course Material: Your essay addresses three or more of the course readings in a meaningful way; your response to the authors is carefully considered.

Style & Annotation: Your writing has benefitted from a close study of the style of the authors. And, the annotations you provide help guide your reader (me) in understanding how your essay is organized and why you made the choices you did. You might think of this part as The Making of Essay 1. You are the director taking your audience “behind the scenes” and revealing how the magic works. As you annotate your essay, try to be as explicit and as detailed as possible in explaining why you made the choices you did and how these choices fit with the overarching plan for your essay. And, as much as possible, draw on your annotation bank for inspiration.

Your final draft should be 5-6 pages in length, double-spaced, 12 point font, with one-inch margins and MLA formatted citations.

Important Dates:

Oct. 10 Hard-copy draft due at the beginning of class for peer exchange

Oct. 12 Peer review day

Oct. 15 Submit final draft electronically (with annotations) on Canvas by midnight