Unit 1 Assignment - Personal Essay (ENG110) & Unit 2 Assignment - Supporting Paragraph (ENG110)

Due Date: 11:59 p.m. EST, Sunday, of Unit 1 Points: 100 Overview: In the introduction to the unit, you learned about the elements of a personal essay. Now, you will write that essay. The experience you write about does not have to be monumental. It just has to be significant to you. Your essay should be a true story, or narrative, focusing on a place. Within that story, you will need to determine what happened at this place, who were the important people there, what was said, and what you learned. Instructions:

• Create a personal essay about a specific place that is the most memorable for

you and where you had a positive experience. (Please be aware that if you share

information that is distressing, then your instructor is mandated to share that

information with our counseling center.)

• Consider the following questions when starting your essay:

o What is a specific place that is particularly memorable to you?

o What happened at this place that makes it so important to you?

A personal essay is a combination of the description of the action or plot, details about the people/location of the essay, and reflection on what happened:

• Begin by describing the place. Try using each of the five senses to show the

reader what the place is like.

• Consider the best conversations you had at the place and include that dialogue

in your message.

• Finally, be sure to offer your thoughts on the experience and what you learned

from it.

Requirements:

• Please submit a Microsoft Word document or PDF.

ENG110 – College Writing

Unit 1 Assignment: Personal Essay

• The assignment should be two to three pages in length and should include the

following:

o An APA-style title page (see Unit 1 documents for a sample)

o 1–2 pages for the full essay content

o Double-space the assignment and use 1-inch margins.

o You should use an APA-recommended font; 12 Times New Roman font is

suggested (see Unit 1 documents under the Title page for a list of other

acceptable fonts).

• You need an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion for this essay.

o The introduction should set up what specifically the reader needs to know

before you get into the main action of the essay. You can also include a

thesis, or a controlling idea statement, that lets the reader know your

purpose for writing the essay.

o Your body paragraphs should focus on one specific part of the experience

each. Please do not try to include too much information in each

paragraph.

o Finally, the conclusion will wrap up the essay and show how the action in

the essay was resolved.

• Your writing should be free of punctuation, spelling, and grammar errors and

should contain appropriate word choice for an academic setting with a clear

sentence structure.

• Utilize the senses (sight, sound, taste, touch, smell) to help you tell the story.

Be sure to read the criteria by which your work will be evaluated before you write and again after you write.

Evaluation Rubric for the Personal Essay Assignment

CRITERIA Novice Needs Improvement Proficient Exemplary

Introduction and Conclusion

(0–11 Points) (12–15 Points) (16–17 Points) (18–20 Points)

The introduction and/or conclusion are not present. The introduction/conclu sion is very hard to understand and significantly missing details.

The introduction and conclusion are attempted. The introduction and conclusion may be lacking details to properly set up and then wrap up the essay. The introduction/ conclusion is not related.

The introduction and conclusion nicely set up and wrap up the essay. The introduction/conc lusion could relate better.

The introduction and conclusion effectively set up and wrap up the essay. The introduction/conclusion relates well to each other.

Organization and Structure

Many details are not in a logical or expected order. The paper does not use paragraphs, or they do not each focus on one part of the experience each.

Writing may have some discernible organization, but some details are not in a logical or expected order. The paper uses paragraphs ineffectively by lacking some focus on one part of the experience each.

Writing is organized, and details are placed in a logical order. Paragraphs are mostly used effectively and generally focus on one part of the experience each.

Writing is effective, purposeful, and well organized. Paragraphs are used effectively and focus on one part of the experience each.

Story There is no clear story because of a lack of development of the plot, people/location within the narrative, and reflection provided.

Some aspects of a story exist through the development of the plot, people/location within the narrative, and reflection provided.

Many aspects of a story exist through the development of the plot, people/location within the narrative, and reflection provided.

A clear story exists through the development of the plot, people/location within the narrative, and reflection provided.

CRITERIA Novice Needs Improvement Proficient Exemplary

Description and Details

Content does not include any description or details that utilize the senses.

Content includes very little description or details that utilize the senses.

Content includes some description or details that utilize the senses.

Content includes descriptions or details that effectively utilize the senses.

Paper Length

(0–5 Points) (6–7 Points) (8 Points) (9–10 Points)

Significantly less than 1 page or significantly more than 2 pages.

Only half a page in length.

Only three quarters of a page in length.

One to two pages in length.

Clear and Professional Writing and APA Format

Writing is hard to understand because of errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Word choice is inappropriate for an academic setting. Sentence structure is often unclear. APA format is not followed.

Writing is sometimes difficult to understand because of several errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Word choice is sometimes inappropriate for an academic setting. Sentence structure is sometimes unclear. APA format is sometimes followed.

Writing is easy to understand despite minor errors in punctuation, spelling, and grammar. Appropriate word choice is used for an academic setting. Sentence structure is mostly clear. APA format is mostly followed.

Writing is free of almost all punctuation, spelling, and grammar errors. Appropriate word choice is used for an academic setting. Sentence structure is clear. APA format is followed.