Personal Essay Assignment

Write a personal essay on a topic or experience of your choice (either narrative or reflective.) Review the handout on personal essays and the examples we studied. Remember:

➢ a narrative essay deals with an experience of some importance to you. You must convey not just the play-by-play of events, but the meaning of tose events. What did you learn from the experience? What might others learn? Choose the details that will support this perspective. ➢ a reflective essay deals with a topic/issue of importance to you. Your aim is to present the reader with a glimpse inside your mind as you consider that subject.

❖ The difference: narrative essays tell “what happened” to the writer; reflective essays tell what the writer thinks/feels about a subject

Take note:

1. Use the English Essentials for both assignment formatting and essay guidelines (note: because this is a personal essay you may use personal pronouns (I, we) and some contractions (I’m, don’t) if it is appropriate.

2. You are not bound by the “five paragraph essay” format. Use new paragraphs as you see fit.

Requirements:

1. Writing Variables 2. Outline 3. Rough draft (with evidence of peer editing and revision) 4. Final typed copy

Suggested length: 2 – 3 pages (typed, double-spaced)

Due date:
PERSONAL ESSAY OUTLINE

1. Topic or experience:

2. Main point about topic or experience (implied thesis)

3. Sequence of ideas:

Paragraph I. A. Focus/sub-point B. Details to include i. ii. iii.

Paragraph II. C. Focus D. Details to include i. ii. iii.

Paragraph III. E. Focus F. Details to include i. ii. iii.

Continue for as many paragraphs as needed…

4. Concluding paragraph/note to end on (what’s the point? What’s been learned? What idea do you want to leave your reader with?)

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Editing focuses:

1. Word choice 2. Figurative language (metaphor, simile, allusion) 3. Varied sentence length and structure 4. Concrete and specific nouns