WEEK 1 ENG115

ENG 115 ASSIGNMENT 1: PERSONAL ESSAY Due Week 3 and worth 100 points

You have a wealth of experiences, knowledge, and opinions that make you who you are. For your first assignment you will share your opinions and/or experiences to write a 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) or about a topic that they have an opinion about. 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.

INSTRUCTIONS:

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 under-

stand 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 meaning-

ful 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-agree- ment, 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 of two (2) pages.

• Refer to the Soomo webtext or check with your professor for any additional instructions.

Points: 100 Assignment 1: Personal Essay

Criteria Unacceptable

Below 60% - F

Meets Minimum Expectations

60-69% - D

Fair

70-79% - C

Proficient

80-89% - B

Exemplary

90-100% - A

1. Personal Story

Weight: 15%

Personal story missing or incom- plete. There are questions about the relevance of the story and how it connects to the main idea of the essay.

Includes an incom- plete personal sto- ry in the introduc- tion, supporting/ body paragraphs, and/or conclusion. Story has major structure and/or language issues that influence the way the audience understands the story. There are concerns about the level of details and how the story supports the main points.

Includes a per- sonal story in the introduction, supporting/body paragraphs, and/ or conclusion. Story has minor structure and/or language issues that influence the way the audience understands the story. There are some concerns about the level of details and how the story supports the main points.

Includes a per- sonal story in the introduction, supporting/body paragraphs, and/ or conclusion. Story is generally well structured and language is descriptive and mostly precise. There are some minor concerns about the level of details and how the story supports the main points.

Includes a per- sonal story in the introduction, supporting/body paragraphs, and/or conclusion. Story is effectively struc- tured and language is descriptive and precise. Appropri- ate level of details supports the main points.

2. Introduction and Thesis

Weight: 15%

Introduction does not include a hook and/or back- ground informa- tion on the topic. Thesis statement does not include 3 personal reasons why the topic is meaningful, it is not clear, and/or it is wordy. It does not give a preview of the rest of the essay.

Introduction attempts to hook and/or to pro- vide background information on the topic. Thesis statement includes 3 reasons why the topic is meaningful but they are all general rather than personal, it is not entirely clear; and/ or it is wordy. It barely previews the rest of the essay.

Introduction in- cludes a sufficient hook and/or back- ground informa- tion on the topic. Thesis statement includes 3 reasons why the topic is meaningful but 1-2 are general rather than personal, it is clear, and/or con- cise. It somewhat previews the rest of the essay.

Introduction in- cludes an effective hook and/or most- ly relevant back- ground information on the topic. Thesis statement includes 3 personal reasons why the topic is meaningful, and is sufficiently clear and concise. It gives an adequate preview of the rest of the essay.

Introduction includes a compel- ling hook and/or relevant back- ground informa- tion on the topic. Thesis statement includes 3 personal reasons why the topic is meaningful, and is completely clear and concise. It gives a complete- ly effectual preview of the rest of the essay.

3. Supporting Paragraphs

Weight: 15%

Did not write or in- completely wrote supporting para- graphs for each point from the thesis statement. No examples are provided to sup- port each point of the thesis.

Insufficiently wrote supporting paragraphs for each point from the thesis state- ment. Examples are not relevant and do not sup- port the thesis.

Partially wrote supporting para- graphs for each point from the thesis statement. Relevant exam- ples are some- what provided to support each point of the thesis.

Satisfactorily wrote supporting paragraphs for each point from the thesis state- ment. Relevant examples are mostly supportive of each point of the thesis.

Clearly wrote supporting para- graphs for each point from the thesis statement. Relevant exam- ples fully support each point of the thesis.

Points: 100 Assignment 1: Personal Essay

Criteria Unacceptable

Below 60% - F

Meets Minimum Expectations

60-69% - D

Fair

70-79% - C

Proficient

80-89% - B

Exemplary

90-100% - A

4. Conclusion

Weight: 15%

Conclusion does not paraphrase or rephrase the thesis in a new way. It does not leave a lasting impression.

Conclusion at- tempts to para- phrase or rephrase the thesis in a new way. It attempts to leave a lasting impression.

Conclusion paraphrases or rephrases some of the thesis in a new way. It sufficiently left a lasting im- pression.

Conclusion ade- quately paraphras- es or rephrases the thesis in a new way. It was some- what effective in leaving a lasting impression.

Conclusion effectu- ally paraphrases or rephrases the the- sis in a new way. It left a powerful lasting impression.

5. Point of View (POV), Voice, and Tone

Weight: 10%

Did not use first person POV at all in the paper. Voice is inconsistent and lacks personality or identity throughout the paper. Tone is not informal and attitude is unrecog- nizable throughout the paper.

Uses first person POV in a couple sentences of the paper. Voice may be inconsistent and lacks person- ality or identity throughout most of the paper. Tone is mostly formal and attitude is mostly unrecog- nizable throughout most of the paper.

Uses first person POV throughout some of the paper. Voice is somewhat consistent and personality or iden- tity is somewhat evident throughout the paper. Tone is fairly informal and attitude is some- what recognizable throughout most of the paper.

Uses first person POV throughout most of the paper. Voice is mostly consistent and personality or identity is evident throughout most of the paper. Tone is adequately infor- mal and attitude is recognizable throughout the paper.

Uses first person POV throughout the paper. Voice is consistent and per- sonality or identity is evident through- out the paper. Tone is completely infor- mal and attitude is easily recognizable throughout the paper.

6. Transitions and Logic

Weight: 15%

Ideas are incon- sistent and/or are not presented in a logical order. Tran- sition words are not used effectively to move from one idea, paragraph, and/or sentence to the next through- out the paper. Body paragraphs are not in the order pre- sented in the thesis statement.

Ideas may not be consistent and/or are inadequately presented in a logical order. Tran- sition words are used ineffectively to move from one idea, paragraph, and/or sen- tence to the next throughout most of the paper. Body paragraphs may not be in the order presented in the thesis statement.

Ideas are fairly consistent and/ or are partially presented in a logical order. Tran- sition words are used somewhat effectively to move from one idea, paragraph, and/ or sentence to the next throughout some of the paper. Body paragraphs are partially in the order presented in the thesis state- ment.

Ideas are mostly consistent and/or are presented in a logical order. Tran- sition words are used adequately to move from idea, paragraph, and/ or sentence to the next throughout most of the paper. Body paragraphs are mostly in the order presented in thesis statement.

Ideas are com- pletely consistent and/or are clearly presented in a logical order. Transition words are used effectively to move from idea, paragraph, and/ or sentence to the next throughout the paper. Body paragraphs are in the order pre- sented in thesis statement.

Points: 100 Assignment 1: Personal Essay

Criteria Unacceptable

Below 60% - F

Meets Minimum Expectations

60-69% - D

Fair

70-79% - C

Proficient

80-89% - B

Exemplary

90-100% - A

7. Grammar, Me- chanics, Punctu- ation, 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 all 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 all 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 all of the following elements: page numbers and indented paragraphs.