I Believe "500 word"

Your work will be evaluated using the competencies listed below.

1.1: Organize document or presentation clearly in a manner that promotes understanding and meets the requirements of the assignment.

1.2: Develop coherent paragraphs or points so that each is internally unified and so that each functions as part of the whole document or presentation.

1.4: Tailor communications to the audience.

1.5: Use sentence structure appropriate to the task, message and audience.

1.6: Follow conventions of Standard Written English.

This I believe resource

This I Believe was begun by Edward R. Murrow in the 1950s and revived by National Public Radio (NPR) several years ago. The program highlights the inspiring beliefs of both famous and ordinary people. This project continues today in an online forum. Listeners of NPR are encouraged to submit a 500-word essay on a topic of significant personal belief and the essay could be chosen for airing or for inclusion into anthologies of essays with similar themes. For example, there are collections of essays on the topics of family, pets, home, jobs, holidays, civic duty, and role models, and several other areas. Writers are directed to keep their essays to 500 words, just as you are instructed for this first project.

Feel free to peruse examples at the This I Believe website. There are thousands! You can browse by theme, age of writer, or featured essay. Some of my favorites include “Always Be Cool to the Pizza Dude,” “Satisfaction for a Job Well Done,” and “Teacher.”

Consider how you might choose a subject that is deeply important to you about your profession as an internal auditor (accountant). What are the specific reasons that this issue is important to you? In preparation for drafting your essay, jot down some thoughts, put them in order, then create an outline, with primary elements first. Next, add the supporting facts, and finish with a concise conclusion.

Write Your 500-Word Essay

Following the APA formatting, set up your paper defaults and create a cover sheet. You will double-space this essay. You will not cite external sources in this personal essay, so you will not have a References page. You also do not need an abstract for this project.

Your task is to explain what you value and what's important to you about your profession, your industry, your career, or your education. This requires a level of introspection that no one else can reach for you.

In a 500-word essay, write a statement of personal and professional belief. Answer these questions:

What motivates you?

What's your professional passion?

What do you believe?

 Use the following suggestions, adapted from This I Believe (n.d.), as a guide:

Name your belief—If you can't name it in a sentence or two, your essay might not be about your belief. You are writing an essay, not a list, so focus on one core belief. You will define, explain, and develop ideas about this belief through the essay.

Tell a story—Be specific. Ground your belief in specific events of your life. Consider moments when your belief was formed, tested, or changed. Think about your own experiences in work and life and share things you know that no one else does. Make sure your story ties to the essence of your professional or educational philosophy and the shaping of your beliefs. Tell how you reached your beliefs, and if they have grown, what made them grow. Your story need not be heart-warming or gut-wrenching—it can even be funny—but it should be real.

Be positive—Please avoid preaching, editorializing, or finger-pointing.  This essay should explain what you live by and what you believe, not what you don't believe.

Be personal—Avoid speaking in the editorial "we," the projecting "you," or the accusing "they." Make your essay about you. This essay should not be about your views on society or the world; it should be personal to you and your professional or educational journey. Speak in the first person. Read your essay aloud to yourself several times, and each time, edit it and simplify it until you find the words, tone, and story that truly reflect your belief.

References

This I Believe. (n.d.). This I believe essay writing suggestions. https://thisibelieve.org/guidelines/