Personal Essay draft

ENG 115

ASSIGNMENT 1: PERSONAL ESSAY REVISION

Due Week 5 and worth 150 points

Now that you have completed a first draft of this essay, it is time to carefully review the feedback your instructor has provided. Then, make revisions and submit a final draft of your personal essay. What is a personal essay? It’s one of many types of formal essays. All formal essays maintain the same basic structure: Introduction with a thesis statement, supporting paragraphs, and conclusion. The personal essay is a narrative in which the author writes about an experience that was highly meaningful (usually a lesson was learned). For this assignment, choose a topic and discuss three reasons why the topic is important to you. The topic choices are presented in your WebText. To make this a personal essay, it’s important to include one or more stories from your life that demonstrate why your selected topic is meaningful to you. Important note: Personal Essays DO NOT incorporate any type of research from the WebText or outside sources. If you have written a Personal Essay in a previous course, please reach out to your professor to see if you can re-use it. You are not permitted to use ANY paper from an unrelated current or past course.

INSTRUCTIONS:

You are required to use your WebText to draft your essay in the templates! Compose a two (2) page paper in which you do the following:

A. Structure Your Paper: Story, Introduction, Supporting/Body, Conclusion

1. Incorporate a story from your life into one or more of the following sections: introduction, supporting/body paragraph(s), or conclusion.

a. Is your personal story relevant to your topic? b. Is your personal story structured effectively, with a clear progression of events? c. Is your language descriptive and precise? d. Do you include an appropriate level of detail in your story – just enough to help the reader understand

your main points? 2. Write an introduction paragraph, which includes your thesis statement. It is suggested that this paragraph contain

5-7 sentences. a. Does your introduction include an attention grabber or hook, and/or some background information on

the topic? b. If you are using a personal story in your introduction, is it relevant to your topic? c. Does your thesis statement include three distinct and personal reasons why the topic is meaningful to

you? d. Is your thesis statement clear and concise? e. Does your introduction provide a preview of the rest of your essay?

3. Write a supporting/body paragraph for each of the three (3) points/reasons from your thesis statement. It is suggested that each paragraph contain 5-7 sentences.

a. Do your body paragraphs support each point of your thesis with relevant examples, observations, or experiences?

b. If you are using a personal story in a body paragraph, is it relevant to your topic? 4. Write a conclusion paragraph. It is suggested that this paragraph contain 5-7 sentences?

a. Did you paraphrase or restate the thesis in a new way? b. If you are using a personal story in your conclusion, is it relevant to your topic? c. Did you leave a lasting impression, so that your readers continue thinking about your topic after they have

finished reading? B. Use Effective Writing Elements: Point of View, Logic/Transitions, Grammar/SWS

1. Use first person point of view (POV) and the appropriate voice and tone throughout your paper. a. Did you use first person pronouns? (I, we, me, us, my/mine, our/ours)

b. Does your personality carry over in your writing? Are your word choices personal and consistent? c. Is the tone casual/informal? Does it express your attitude about the topic?

2. Write with logic and with transitions throughout your paper. a. Are your ideas consistent and well-organized, i.e., chronological order or order of importance? b. Have you used appropriate transition words and phrases so that your ideas flow from one sentence to the

next and one paragraph to the next, in the order presented in your thesis statement? 3. Apply proper grammar, mechanics, punctuation, and SWS formatting throughout your paper.

a. Did you check your grammar? i. The way words are put together to make units of meaning: Sentence structure, pronoun-

agreement, etc. b. Did you check your essay for mechanics?

i. All the “technical” stuff in writing: Spelling, capitalization, use of numbers and other symbols, etc?

c. Did you check the punctuation? i. The “symbols” used to help people read/process sentences the way you want them to be heard

and understood: Periods, question marks, commas, colons, etc.

d. Did you format according to SWS style? (See requirements below.)

SWS FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS:

Your assignment must follow these general SWS formatting requirements:

 Be typed, double-spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides. It should also have numbered pages and indented paragraphs.

 Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. Note: The cover page is not included in the required assignment page length.

 Refer to the Soomo WebText or check with your professor for any additional instructions.

POINTS: 150 Assignment 1.2: Personal Essay Revision

Criteria

Unacceptable

Below 60% F

Meets Minimum Expectations

60-69% D

Fair

70-79% C

Proficient

80-89% B

Exemplary

90-100% A

1. Essay Format (Introduction, Thesis, Body Paragraphs, Conclusion) Weight: 15%

Essay format missing or incomplete. There are questions about the relevance of the essay per the assignment guidelines.

One or more areas incomplete or missing (introduction, supporting/body paragraphs, and/or conclusion). Structure issues exist and cause issues with the purpose (introduction missing thesis or similar concern). There are multiple concerns about the quality of one or more format area(s).

Includes introduction, supporting/body paragraphs, and/or conclusion. All areas generally well- structured and achieve purpose. There are some concerns about the quality of one or two format area(s).

Includes introduction, supporting/body paragraphs, and/or conclusion. All areas generally well- structured and achieve purpose. There are some minor concerns about the quality of one format area.

Includes introduction, supporting/body paragraphs, and/or conclusion. All areas effectively structured and achieve purpose.

2. Clarity and effectiveness of content Weight: 15%

Writing has consistent issues with clarity, efficiency, and effectiveness. The content has little or no relevance to the assignment requirements.

Writing has issues with clarity, efficiency, or effectiveness. The content has considerable problems with relevance or supporting the thesis or essay’s key points.

Writing is somewhat clear, efficient, and effective. The content attempts to meet assignment requirements (though there may be multiple errors) and there may be additional content that does not support or develop the thesis and essay’s key points.

Writing is mostly clear, efficient, and effective. The content is aimed at meeting assignment requirements (though there may be minor errors) and there may be additional content that does not support or develop the thesis and essay’s key points.

Writing is clear, efficient, and effective. The content is aimed at meeting or exceeding assignment requirements and there is no additional content that does not support or develop the thesis and essay’s key points.

3. Quality of Revision (Considered suggestions to improve essay areas, effectively expanded essay, and added content to increase quality of one or more key areas) Weight: 40%

Little or no effort to revise draft. Essay may be resubmission of previous assignment draft.

Revised draft has significant issues in one or more of the following areas: consideration of instructor suggestions, expanding the essay, and/or adding content to one or more key areas. .

Revised draft attempted the following areas: consideration of instructor suggestions, expanding the essay, and/or adding content to one or more key areas.

Revised draft generally did well in the following areas: consideration of instructor suggestions, expanding the essay, and adding content to one or more key areas.

Revised draft excelled in the following areas: consideration of instructor suggestions, expanding the essay, and adding content to one or more key areas.

4. Overall Quality of Essay Weight: 15%

Essay fails to meet requirements, the goal(s) are unclear or unmet, and there are issues with appropriate tone or connection to the audience.

Essay does not meet all requirement, somewhat achieves its goal(s), and/or has major issues with either appropriate tone or connection with the audience.

Essay meets requirements, generally achieves its goal(s), and/or has minor issues with either appropriate tone or connection with the audience.

Essay meets requirements, mostly achieves its goal(s), has a generally appropriate tone, and mostly connects with the audience.

Essay meets (or exceeds) requirements, achieves its goal(s), has an appropriate tone, and connects with the audience.

5. Grammar, Mechanics, Punctuation, and SWS Formatting Weight: 15%

There are more than 8 mechanics, grammar, and punctuation errors. The paper is not double-spaced; font is incorrect; margins are not one-inch on all sides, and, there may not be a cover page. It does not have page numbers, and indented paragraphs.

There are 7-8 mechanics, grammar, and punctuation errors. The paper is double-spaced; font is correct; margins are one-inches on any sides, and, there is a cover page. It only includes 1 of the following elements: page numbers and indented paragraphs.

There are 5-6 mechanics, grammar, and punctuation errors. The paper is double-spaced; font is correct; margins are one-inches on any sides, and, there is a cover page. It includes both of the following elements: page numbers and indented paragraphs.

There are 3-4 mechanics, grammar, and punctuation errors. The paper is double-spaced; font is correct; margins are one-inches on any sides, and, there is a cover page. It includes both of the following elements: page numbers and indented paragraphs.

There are 0-2 mechanics, grammar, and punctuation errors. The paper is double-spaced; font is correct; margins are one-inches on any sides; and, there is a cover page. It includes both of the following elements: page numbers and indented paragraphs.