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Assignments Englifh composition 1.rtfd/TXT.rtf
ASSIGNMENT#1
Assignment Guide: The Personal Narrative
Assignment Prompt
For this assignment, you will be writing a personal narrative–a story–illustrating an event, moment (or series of moments), or experience exemplifying gratitude. In other words: share a story about a moment, experience, or event where you experienced gratitude either during the experience itself or after the experience took place.
Assignment-Specific Requirements:
Length: This assignment should be at least 550 words.
Thesis
: Underline your descriptive thesis statement or the point of your story.
Sources/Evidence Needed: No outside/secondary sources are needed.
Page Formatting: See Appendix C – Formatting and Submitting Your Work
MLA
Requirements: See Formatting your Essay: MLA 8th Edition
Rhetorical Mode
A personal narrative is a story about you. Narrative, from the Latin narrare, means to narrate a tale or a story. The narrative you will write will be a “personal” narrative. Thus, the story will be written by you, about you, and in a lot of ways, for you. What makes a personal narrative so interesting is that it’s a story with a point or purpose. In other words, a personal narrative is detailed, descriptive, dialogue-driven, and determined to make a point.
Rhetorical Considerations
Purpose:
There needs to be a reason, not only for writing the narrative, but also for why the reader should read it. The purpose of the personal narrative is to share a meaningful experience and the lesson learned from the experience. Specifically, the purpose of this essay is to share a story about a time you experienced gratitude.
Audience:
In many ways, we write a personal narrative for ourselves to reflect upon an experience, to grow from an event. However, we want you to imagine that your audience is not only you but someone else. The writer needs to know who their audience is and how their needs will affect the way the narrative is composed and presented. For example, in addition to writing this story as an opportunity for personal reflection, you may also choose a family member or friend group as your real or imagined audience. Selecting a real or imagined audience will help you develop your essay with the right tone. The tone for a personal narrative can be formal or informal; it really depends on your chosen audience.
Form:
This piece of writing will be presented using a story format. It will have a beginning, middle, and end. The story will be written with a clear introduction paragraph, a body of story-development paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. While a personal narrative is less “formal” than traditional academic writing, your story should have a thesis statement. Thus allowing the reader to truly understand the point of your story.
Six Features of a Personal Narrative
Essay Organization: The Personal Narrative is organized with a clear beginning, middle, and end. It should read like a story–with an exposition, a rise action, a climax, a falling action and a resolution or denouement. While the Personal Narrative is certainly less formal than other academic essays, the point or moral of the story (i.e. the thesis) should be very clear to the reader.
Transitions: The Personal Narrative utilizes paragraph breaks and transitional words and phrases that help the audience (or reader) flow in and around the story. Read more about paragraph transitions in Appendix A.
Character Description: Develop the characters in the story so that the reader has a clear understanding of the people in the story–even if the one person in the story is YOU. Help your reader learn about the characters both by what they say and by what they do.
Sensory Details: Develop a sense of imagery within the story using sensory-driven details. In other words, create a vivid story by helping the reader to see, hear, taste and touch just as the characters in your story do. Sensory details bring your readers into the story–into the experience you are sharing with them.
Dialogue: Use internal and/or external dialogue to connect the characters and help propel the story forward. Dialogue helps the writer to “show” rather than “tell” the story to the reader. Tips for formatting dialogue can be found in Appendix C.
The Thesis
(the message driving your story): Your story’s point or purpose should be structured as a thesis statement. And this statement should be underlined. As the direction of your story must be made clear to the reader, it would naturally make sense that the point of your story or thesis appear somewhere within the first paragraph.
Grading Guide: The Personal Narrative
ENG 101 Rubric: Personal Narrative
Points
0-1
Points
2
Points
3
Points
4
Points
5
Introduction
&
Theme
/Thesis
20%
Opening “hook”
Thesis/Main Point
The opening “hook” is not present. The main point/theme of the essay is not evident and/or distracts from the story.
The opening “hook” is not apparent.
The main point/theme (thesis) of the essay is difficult to discern.
The opening “hook” is attempted, but it may/may not be successfully engaging.
The main point/theme (thesis) of the narrative is somewhat evident, though it may lack strength.
The opening “hook” is present and may/may not enhance the reader’s interest in the narrative.
The main point/theme (thesis) of the story is clear and while it does not NEED to appear in the first paragraph, it is included and clear to the reader.
The opening “hook” grabs the reader’s attention.
The main point/theme (thesis) of the story is both clear and captivating, and while it does not NEED to appear in the first paragraph, it is thoughtfully included and clear to the reader.
Details and Essay Development (Body Paragraphs)
20%
Describe the experience.
Sensory Details
Order of events
Dialogue
The author does not portray the narrative in a manner or format that effectively helps the reader to understand the point of the story, and nor does the story have a succinct and/or clear beginning, and/or middle and/or end. Character and plot details are minimal.
The author does not infuse enough sensory details into the narrative to clearly extrapolate the point of the story or characters. In fact, some details may be irrelevant to the author’s conveyed experience. The story’s beginning, and/or middle and/or end may lack development and/or clarity.
The author does not use enough sensory details to outline the point of the story or the characters within it. As well, the noted details may not always be relevant to the author’s conveyed point of the experience. The story’s beginning, and/or middle and/or end may lack development and/or clarity.
The author uses some sensory details to outline the point of the story and the characters within it. These details may occasionally lack specificity; however, they are relevant to the experience. Dialogue may be attempted to drive the plot. The story has a clear beginning, middle and end.
The author uses vivid sensory details to outline the point of the story as well as the characters within it. Meaningful dialogue drives the plot. The author shares details that are specific and relevant to this experience. The story has both a thoughtful and clear beginning, middle and end.
Closing
20%
Impact statement re: gratitude
Thesis readdressed
The closing/concluding paragraph does not explore the writer’s said experience of gratitude. The point of the story, or thesis, is not readdressed adequately or is missing completely.
The closing/concluding paragraph does not successfully illustrate that the author’s said experience was one illustrating gratitude. The point of the story, or thesis, needs to be reinforced and further clarified.
The closing/concluding paragraph illustrates elements that the author’s said experience was one illustrating gratitude, but further development is needed. The point of the story, or thesis, is somewhat reinforced and readdressed, but further clarity may be needed.
The closing/concluding paragraph somewhat illustrates that the author’s said experience was one illustrating gratitude. The point of the story, or thesis, is readdressed.
The closing/concluding paragraph explicitly illustrates that the author’s said experience was one illustrating gratitude. The point of the story, or thesis, is reinforced and readdressed in a meaningful way.
Language
and Style
13.3%
Sentence Structure (Grammar)
Word Choice/Vocabulary
(Redundancy, repetition, awkwardness)
The writer has given very little or no apparent consideration to language and style. Word choice is sloppy and/or incorrect.
The writer’s use of language and style diminishes the nature and strength of the essay. Writer’s language/style choices make the essay less cohesive and/or difficult to understand.
The writer’s use of language and style, at times, deters from his/her/their overall argument. The writer’s word choice and style sometimes detracts from the overall message.
The writer’s use of language and style helps convey the author’s point(s). The writer almost always uses language and style as a tool to enhance the personal narrative.
The writer’s use of language and style accentuates the nature of the essay. Writer wields language and style as a tool to enhance the personal narrative.
Punctuation, Capitalization
13.3%
Comma errors, comma splices, apostrophe errors, capitalization errors, semicolon errors, colon errors, typos/misspellings
Contains more than 6 different punctuation/capitalization errors.
The identical or similar errors may be repeated throughout.
The errors help to significantly deter from the writer’s overall narrative.
Contains many (more than 4) different punctuation/capitalization errors. The identical or similar errors are repeated throughout.
The errors deter from the writer’s overall narrative.
Contains more than 3 different punctuation/capitalization errors. The identical or similar errors may be repeated throughout. At times, the errors deter from the writer’s overall narrative.
Contains 1-2 types of punctuation/capitalization errors, which may be repeated throughout the essay. The errors do not deter from the writer’s overall narrative, but they serve as a distraction.
Contains either no punctuation/capitalization errors, or no more than 2 different errors with no repetition, and/or the errors do not deter from the writer’s narrative.
Attention to Directions/ Format
13.4%
Essay Formatting requirements, as noted for the course.
Minimum word count:
550 words
Doesn’t meet formatting and/or word count requirements, and as a result, the writing is difficult to read or unreadable.
Meets very few formatting requirements, and those missing deter from the readability of the writing. Word count minimum may not be met.
Meets some formatting requirements: the lack of appropriate formatting may lead to a lack of readability or to a distraction while reading.
Word count minimum may not be met.
Meets most formatting requirements; the formatting does not discourage readability. Word count minimum is met.
Meets all of the suggested essay formatting requirements; formatting enhances the readability of the writing. Word count minimum is met.
Color-Coded Personal Narrative
Last Name 1
First Name Last Name
English Composition 1
Personal Narrative
4 March 2020
The Obstacles of My Childhood Taught Me to be The Example I Never Had
As a bi-racial girl raised in a small, non-diverse town in a lower social class, I was faced with racism and a lack of support.(1) These obstacles impacted my career aspirations, as I struggled with self-identity, confidence, and direction. I believed my future was limited. I maintained that thought even into high school, until one fateful day when I received a proposition from an unlikely source.(2) I am incredibly grateful to my high school guidance counselor for recognizing my talents and encouraging me to purse a student teller position; this piece of confidence was all I needed to excel in my career.(3)
In 1976, we moved from Japan to a very(4) rural and poor, rundown town(6) on the west coast. Just off the tail of the Vietnam War, we encountered ignorance with no warm receptions to “Orientals.” My father was White, but my mother, brothers, and I were the only Asian persons in a dominant White community. As a mixed-race individual, I did not have anyone to look up to as an example or understand my identity challenges (which part of me do I identify with?).(5) This perception I had of myself was so strong that I believed being Asian was a hindrance.(8)
As a(4) small, scrawny child,(6) I had dreams of being a performer, despite my lack in confidence overall; I was sure that the masses would be entertained with my singing, dancing, and acting.(4) However, by the time I started middle school, the harsh reality of not being on the stage or big screen began to set in. I had minimal to no resources to help me achieve that vision. I did not have access to a legitimate theater/studio or have the financial means of traveling outside of my town to watch a show or take lessons. I also did not have the support from my family or the belief from those around me that I could be this performer.(5) That dream dissipated, and I floated around lackadaisically, only focusing on my desperation for acceptance.(8)
When I was 15 years old, I had been doing well in my office technology class and was enjoying my role as the school’s primary office aide.(4) My guidance counselor noticed how apt I was in this role, and she stopped me one day in the hallway.(5)
“You’re doing quite well as the school office aide. Might you consider one of the student teller positions?” she asked.(7)
Surprised by her compliment, I said, “I am open to learning more about it and will stop by your office later in the day.”(7)
Intrigued by the compliment and offer, I did, indeed stop into the school counselor’s office, who greeted me with a huge smile, which I am guessing meant that she was surprised that I held up my word.(5)
“I have this packet of information all ready for you,” she said as she handed me a folder of(7) heavy papers.(6) Before I knew it, months of learning about the position and filling out(5) dizzying paperwork(6) landed me in a student teller position at a local bank that my school had a partnership with. I quickly realized that I thrived in an administrative and service-oriented type of role—my counselor was right.(5) I was now determined to move forward in my life, and that step into the workforce gave me the confidence and knowledge to build a foundation for the future.(8)
Although I held many job positions since high school, I never established a career that I felt destined for.(4) I focused my efforts on raising my children and working sporadically to keep my skillset relevant in the administration field. Unfortunately, in 2012, I found myself weathering a(5) painful divorce,(6) single parenting, and recreating myself. Little did I know that the challenge from my high school guidance counselor and the resulting student teller position would ultimately come back around full circle after I sat to think one day.(5)
What did I enjoy doing most in all of my working years, I considered.(7)
Lo and behold, I found out that they were restructuring and looking for someone to further their student branch program’s growth—it felt like destiny when I was offered the position.(8)
I still sometimes wonder how a girl who was very unsure of herself and her place in the world could be so involved in making positive differences in other children’s lives by jumpstarting their work experience. All I needed was just one person, who turned out to be someone so unassuming—my high school guidance counselor—to recognize my talent, clue me in on this skill, and encourage me to pursue it further. That seemingly(9) small, tasty morsel(6) of confidence propelled me to places I only dreamt of. My gratefulness and good fortunes have me dreaming of how I might some day help other small children unsure in their upbringings and heritages maintain a life’s direction that is positive and hopeful so that they, too, might one day recognize a life-changing opportunity when it presents itself.(9)
1. Hook
2. Story Setup
3. Thesis Statement/Theme
4. Topic Sentence
5. Narration
6. Sensory Details
7. Dialogue
8. Concluding Sentence
9. Wrapping up Main Point
Annotated Personal Narrative
Step 8: Submit Your Work for Grading
Writing Assignment: Personal Narrative Turnitin Assignment
•
A second attempt will unlock once your first attempt is accepted and graded.
Second attempts will only become available if you scored less than 90%.
If you submit a second attempt, the best score of your two attempts will be used.
2nd Attempt Personal Narrative Turn it in Assignment
Want to brag about the revisions you’ve made to this draft?
Submit an OPTIONAL reflection at the end of your revised draft.
Suggestions on what to include in your reflection:
1. What draft are you presently submitting?
2. What feedback were you previously given?
3. What modifications to your writing did you make? (Consider the rubric’s criterion: Intro/thesis or claim, details and essay development, closing, language & style, punctuation & capitalization, attention to directions & formatting.)
ASSIGNMENT #2
Assignment Guide: The Persuasive Letter
Assignment Prompt
For this assignment, you will be writing a letter compelling a friend or family member to change either a behavior or a belief with which you disagree. Choose your own topic, but for example, this letter could petition an enthusiastic neighbor to scale down his blinding Christmas decorations, an immature cousin to take a gap year between high school and college, a grandparent to vote to pass the new school district budget, a friend to stop drinking, or a spouse to reconcile with an estranged sibling. Because the letter will be written to an individual of your choosing, you must tailor your language and logic to the person to whom you are writing.
Assignment-Specific Requirements:
Length: This assignment should be at least 750 words.
Thesis: Underline your thesis statement or the main claim of your letter.
Sources Needed: None required. Cite if used, following MLA guidelines.
Page Formatting: Use MLA guidelines. Also add an opening salutation (e.g. Dear Sarah, or Hello, Jon.), and a closing salutation & signature (Best regards, Tom or Sincerely, Liza)
MLA Requirements: See Formatting your Essay: MLA 8th Edition
Rhetorical Mode
The goal of persuasive writing is to get a reader (your audience) to agree with your point of view. Persuasive writing blends facts and emotion to convince the reader that the writer is right. This genre relies on opinion and emotion to a greater extent than argumentative writing, but in moving a reader, the successful persuasive letter also deploys logically sound argumentation and quite often researched support and fact.
Rhetorical Considerations
Purpose:
The purpose of drafting a persuasive letter is to move your reader to agree with your point of view. Persuasion is single-minded; it is based on a conviction that a particular way of thinking or acting is the only way to go; all of the energy of the letter works toward this end. As a writer, you will present one side–your side. While an opposing point should be mentioned, it is only mentioned to be refuted or dismissed in the service of your position.
Audience:
Persuasive writing is almost always written with a particular audience in mind. For this piece of writing, you will direct your persuasive letter to one person. Thus, your audience is not imagined, but rather very real, and that person and their characteristics will inform many of the choices you make as a writer. The persuasive letter requires constant negotiation with another person’s mind. At every phase of the writing process, as you prewrite, draft, and revise, this assignment will ask you to imagine and anticipate how your reader feels, responds, and thinks.
Form:
This piece of writing will be presented using a letter format. Thus, while you still need an MLA-style heading to format your work for submission, you will address your letter directly to your reader with a formal letter salutation.
Five Features of a Persuasive Letter
Rhetorical Situation: Persuasive Writing vs. Argumentative Writing: Persuasive writing, in a way, is a form of argumentative writing; however, the goal of persuasive writing is to get a reader or group of readers to agree with you/your point of view on a particular topic, and the goal of argumentative writing is to get the reader to acknowledge that your side is valid and is worth considering. Persuasive writing blends facts with emotion in an attempt to convince the reader that the writer is “right,” while in argumentative writing, the writer cites relevant reasons, credible facts, and sufficient evidence in order to convince the reader to consider a particular perspective. The nuances are subtle but important to consider. (Later in this course you will be crafting an argument and will see the differences in these genres of writing with greater clarity. The letter makes balanced use of the three rhetorical appeals to persuade a reader to change a behavior or belief. The three appeals, which come to us from that consequential deceased Greek, Aristotle, are:
Ethos: a writer’s or speaker’s credibility. In your letter, therefore, ethos is you, sort of. It’s the “you” that your writing transmits to your reader, the sum total of your tone and language choices, and also the values and intelligence that your writing communicates. Therefore, be vigilant with your work because ethos is the appeal that’s most immediately harmed by faulty word choices, punctuation mistakes, and lapses in tone.
Pathos: the appeal to a reader’s emotions and values. Get your reader to feel. Play (in a non-evil way) on their emotions–their compassion, their fears, their sense of community.
Logos: the appeal to a reader’s logic or reason. Ensure your claims are logical, free of fallacies, and backed with specific support.
Organization: Organize using argumentative structure: an introduction with a thesis/main claim, body paragraphs that advance points in support of the thesis/main claim, and a conclusion.
Transitions: Uses transitional phrases to connect your ideas and move the reader forward smoothly and logically between sentences.
Known Audience: The letter’s appeals are personalized to the reader’s characteristics–their professional role and its obligations, as well as their values and emotions.
Formal or Informal Writing? The tone of the letter depends upon the recipient and your relationship and also upon subject matter. The tone should enhance the letter’s persuasive efforts, not undermine them. Always strive for a respectful approach.
Mini-Lesson on ETHOS – PATHOS – LOGOS
Plan to use these appeals heavily throughout your Persuasive Letter.
Ethos
This is an ethical appeal. It relies on your reliability and credibility as the author.
Includes reliable sources
Is written from an unbiased perspective
Shows the writer’s expertise through the presentation of careful insight and research
Pathos
This is an emotional appeal. It relies on the construction of careful connection between the claims presented and the emotions of the readers.
Includes the writer’s values and beliefs
Uses stories or examples that convey emotion
Contains broader appeal and focus
Logos
This is an appeal to logic and reason. It relies on facts and figures that can convince the reader of the claims.
Relies on fact and opinion
Focuses on reasonable claims and organization of ideas
Only includes relevant material with a narrow focus
Step 6: Step-by-Step Checklist: Crafting the Persuasive Letter
Submit an OPTIONAL reflection at the end of your draft.
Suggestions on what to include in your reflection:
1. What draft are you presently submitting?
2. What was the writing process like for you?
3. Where did you stumble, and where do you need additional guidance?
__MACOSX/Assignments Englifh composition 1.rtfd/._TXT.rtf
PERSONAL NARRATIVE 2ND ATTEMPT.rtfd/TXT.rtf
Turnitin Assignment Name
2nd Attempt: Personal Narrative
Summary
Want to brag about the revisions you’ve made to this draft?
Submit an OPTIONAL reflection at the end of your revised draft.
Suggestions on what to include in your reflection:
1. What draft are you presently submitting?
2. What feedback were you previously given?
3. What modifications to your writing did you make? (Consider the rubric’s criterion: Intro/thesis or claim, details and essay development, closing, language & style, punctuation & capitalization, attention to directions & formatting.)
****HI I NEED TO DO THE 2ND ATTEMPT FOR THIS WHICH IS THE PERSONAL NARRATIVE****
__MACOSX/PERSONAL NARRATIVE 2ND ATTEMPT.rtfd/._TXT.rtf
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