Critical Essay/discussion/draft/final paper

Introduction and Outline Worksheet

Fifteen Takes on California

Tara Thompson

Ashford University

Course Code: ENG 121: English Composition I

Laura Kilmartin

September 14th 2020

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[no notes on this page]

Think about the library reading you have selected and your critical response to it. Write an introductory

paragraph that includes background information, you’re working thesis statement, and your plan to

develop that thesis statement.

Background information and plan:

Do you think when things happen in your life that are not planned, it’s an accident or are you living in

your purpose? There are several takes on California based on the experiences you face, the opportunities

that you obtain, the people you meet, and memories you share. Some things in life are planned, but don’t

always turn out the way we plan them. This doesn’t mean that things happen on an accident but can very

well be your purpose in life. Sometimes we must experience certain situations before we can grow in our

purpose. I feel it’s a reflection of change in our life, the fifteen takes on California is a metaphor of

“change” and ‘new opportunities’ in your life. I moved to Atlanta, Ga about 10 years ago, and I was

uncertain that I was making the right decisions. After looking back it helped me grow, I gain a greater

sense of confidence, and strength. Accident are not always the end; they can become your beginning.

Thesis Statement: _Accidents can be compared to something magical in your life. When you are feeling

yourself becoming ‘accident-prone’ and have a big imagination you will find yourself living in your

purpose and adapting to change.

____________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

Complete the rest of your outline in the section below; brief notes for each section will suffice. Think

about the key points you are going to discuss in your essay and use this informal outline to organize those

thoughts. Ideally, your bullet points will develop into supporting paragraphs and a conclusion. Feel free to

add more bullet points than listed below. Be sure to note any quotes or paraphrases from the article that

will support these points.

• The writer has fifteen viewpoint that describes how he feels about California

• Was moving to California an accident or did he move to California to become a Poet

• Does becoming a poet require discipline

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2

3

1. you

Remember not to use second

person point of view in your

essay. Avoid using "you" and

"your." [Laura Kilmartin]

2. I moved to Atlanta, Ga

about 10 years ago, and I

was

uncertain that I was making

the right decisions.

This is personal reflection.

Remember in a critical

response essay that you will

remain in third person point of

view and not include "I"

statements. [Laura Kilmartin]

3. Thesis Statement:

This is a good thought to get

you started. Your essay will

be stronger if you incorporate

the essay title in your thesis

and how it directly relates to

the story you are responding

to. [Laura Kilmartin]

Introduction and Outline Worksheet

• What is your purpose, what is change?

• “The muse ‘hits’ unpredictably, almost like an accident. An artist keeps herself/himself ‘accident-

prone’ (Ulin, 2015, pg. 28)

• “The discipline of poetry requires that you keep yourself available.” Snyder on about is

imagination, the idea of possessing an imaginative landscape which California has never

been. (Ulin, 2015, pg. 28&29).

References

(Ulin, 2015, pg. 28)

(Ulin, 2015, pg. 28&29)

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1

2

1. purpose, what

This is a comma splice. The

comma is not strong enough

to join these two independent

clauses. It is correct to write,

"Samantha wrote a paper,

and Anne worked on her

math homework," rather than

"Samantha wrote a paper,

Anne worked on her

homework." See this Writing

Center page for help with

comma splices:

http://writingcenter.ashford.ed

u/run-ons-comma-splices

[Laura Kilmartin]

2. References

The list of sources does not

follow current APA Style

guidelines. See this Writing

Center page for help with

your references list:

http://writingcenter.ashford.ed

u/format-your-reference-list

[Laura Kilmartin]