Skills/Abilities: The successful completion of each of the
following four essay assignments requires that the writer
Defines purpose and audience and adapts material to the audience
Explores and limits a subject
Develops a distinctive and appropriate writer's voice
Focuses on and develops a thesis
Derives organization of material from purpose and thesis
Provides adequate transitions among ideas
Uses effective paragraphing
Uses specific and appropriate language
Uses a variety of sentence types
Revises, edits, and proofreads
Reminder: Review "Computer Classroom Protocol," "Basic Requirements,"
"12 Steps," and "General Guidelines." After completing the first draft of the
essay, the writer needs to review these requirements to insure all guidelines
have been met. Also be sure to familiarize yourself with the detailed guidelines
and requirements for each assignment accessed by clicking on the essay title at
the top of each of the major sections below. You will probably want to print
these out!
Description: An expressive min. 1000-word essay that focuses on
the writer's experience (one event in the writer's life) for the purpose of
telling a story and reflecting on its meaning. The emphasis of the personal
experience essay is on the insight the writer gained from the incident.
Topic Choices: Axelrod & Cooper's sections "Considering Topics
for Your Own Essay" and "Listing Remembered Events" in Chapter 2.
Suggested Invention Strategies: Listing, Looping, Reporter's
Formula
Additional Skills/Abilities:
Draws on experience for
material
Develops ideas with vivid details,
examples, and illustrations
Arranges the narrative in climactic
chronological order
Reflects on the effects of the
event on the writer and/or others, the meaning of the event, or the insight the
writer gained from the experience
Essay Menu
Description: A min. 1000-word essay that provides readers with
new information or enlarges readers' knowledge about a place or activity. The
information given in the essay is based on the writer's firsthand research
(observation and interview).
Topic Choices: The profile of a campus or community
club, organization, program, or place. See Axelrod and Cooper's sections
"Considering Topics for Your won Essay" and "Finding a Subject to
Write About" in Chapter 3, but omit suggestions for profiling people.
Suggested Invention Strategies: Looping, Reporter's Formula,
Reading and Researching, Classical Invention
Additional Skills/Abilities:
Uses at least one interview and
observation to gather material for writing
Creates a dominant impression of the
place or activity
Presents lively and interesting
detail that engages the reader's interest
Documents secondary sources
appropriately using MLA guidelines
Essay Menu
Description: A min. 1000-word essay that evaluates a subject,
such as a movie, television program, book, magazine, computer game, music album,
or performance. The judgment must be supported with a convincing argument based
on standards of value that readers will be likely to agree are appropriate for
judging this kind of subject.
Suggested Topic Choices: See Axelrod and Cooper's sections
"Considering Topics for Your won Essay" and "Finding a Subject to Write About"
in Chapter 8, but the subject must have a "text" that you can document.
Suggested Invention Strategies: Brainstorming, Looping,
Reporter's Formula, Cubing, Track Switching
Additional Skills/Abilities:
Uses firsthand observation and/or
critical reading to gather material for writing
Thinks critically and logically to
reach sound judgment
Develops the judgment with a
well-supported argument
Presents a reasonable tone
Documents secondary sources
appropriately using MLA guidelines
Essay
Menu
Description: A min. 1000-word essay that summarizes and responds
to a position in a selected reading
Topic Choices: An essay of the student's choice from assigned
readings in Who Are We?
Suggested Invention Strategies: Looping, Classical Invention,
Cubing, Reporter's Formula
Skills/Abilities:
Reads selected reading critically by
questioning and understanding
Analyzes, interprets, and evaluates
another's position
Quotes, paraphrases, and summarizes
another's position accurately
Presents a logical and well thought
out response
Documents secondary sources
appropriately using MLA guidelines
Essay
Menu 
Questions and Comments
Dr. Maria A. Clayton
English Department
P.O. Box 70
Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37132