writing assignment guidelines

Double spaced First page has Student Name, Class, Course Title, Date, and Essay Title Every page has header with Essay Title, Student Name, and Page Number APA-style citations 300 – 500

WRITING ASSIGNMENT

Guidelines & Expectations

Format & Length

Typewritten on A4 Paper

2.5 cm Margins

Times New Roman 12 pt

Double spaced

First page has Student Name,

Class, Course Title, Date, and

Essay Title

Every page has header with Essay Title, Student Name, and Page Number

APA-style citations

300 – 500 words

Essays that do no meet this requirement will be returned for revision.

Format & Length

Step 1: Choose a topic.

Because this is a short essay, your

topic should be well-focused

Selecting the topic is one of the

most important parts of the

assignment If your topic is too

broad, you will have difficulty

writing a complete essay within

the 500-word limit.

What interests you?

What works do you know the most about?

If necessary, narrow the topic further.

Example: “Shakespeare” is too

broad Focus on particular part of his work, such as the themes of fate or love.

Step 2: Choose an essay type—

reflection or exposition.

Reflection

Discuss your own feelings,

beliefs, and attitudes about the

topic.

Support your viewpoint with:

factual evidence your own experience

Exposition

Investigate an idea, evaluate evidence, and make a clear argument.

Use compare/contrast, cause and effect, definition, or

example to clarify and support your argument.

Step 3: Write a thesis statement.

For a reflective essay, the thesis is your personal viewpoint on the

topic

Example: Romeo & Juliet pits love against duty to family, but I believe

that fulfilling my obligations to my family is itself a form of love.

For an expository essay, the thesis is the argument you will make

regarding the topic

Example: Shakespeare’s views on fate were molded by Neoplatonic

philosophy.

Step 3: Write a thesis statement.

Develop a “working thesis,” which will guide your research and thinking.

One way to develop a thesis is to ask yourself questions about the topic, focusing on a central issue or problem Your answer to this question will be your thesis.

If you have difficulty forming a thesis, you may need to narrow the topic.

Your thesis may change as you research and think about the topic.

Once you have refined your ideas, try to write a one-sentence thesis statement.

Step 4: Organize

Think about the best order to present your ideas.

Chronological

Compare and contrast

Cause and effect

Classification

The organization of your ideas should be coherent, which will help clarify your thesis to the reader Disorganized writing will leave readers confused and lost.

Step 5: Write a first draft.

When we write, we do not take fully-formed ideas and write them out in complete form Writing is also a form of thinking, and it helps us to

develop our thoughts For that reason, the best essays are drafted and revised several times

The first draft is the raw material of the essay, which you will slowly

refine and shape into the finished product

Step 5: Write a first draft.

Don’t worry about spelling or grammar

Don’t worry about the 500-word limit

Don’t worry about making it beautiful

Just try to put all your ideas into words

Your first draft will probably focus on the Body of the essay, leaving the Introduction and Conclusion for later

Essay Structure | Introduction

Essays have three parts: Introduction, Body, and Conclusion

The Introduction is usually one or two paragraphs, and it will contain:

Topic

Essay type (reflection or exposition)

Thesis statement

Essay Structure | Body

The Body is the main part of the essay

It may contain many paragraphs

It will provide evidence to support your thesis

Each paragraph will address one general idea

The ideas must be presented in an appropriate order for the topic The reader should be able to see you ideas unfold throughout the Body

Essay Structure | Conclusion

The Conclusion is the end of the essay.

It may summarize (but not repeat) the main points.

It may remind the reader of the thesis (don’t repeat it), and relate the evidence to it.

It may explain how the ideas in the essay are relevant to the reader.

It should not include new evidence, unless it is closely related to the rest of the

essay and fits best with your final thoughts.

Step 6: Revise | Clarity

Grammar & spelling (pay close attention to verb tenses & subject-verb agreement)

Avoid awkward or repetitive sentence structures

Be concise

Step 6: Revise | Coherence

Do your ideas follow one another naturally?

Does each sentence flow from the previous one?

Consider whether there is a better way to arrange your paragraphs

Step 6: Revise | Unity

Does every idea contribute to the thesis?

Irrelevant or redundant ideas should be removed Consider the

requirement of 300 – 500 words and select only your best ideas

Does each sentence move the essay forward? Sentences that don’t help progress the essay should be changed or removed

When you use anyone else’s work in your essay, you must cite it

Follow APA Style for citations, including both in-line citations and a reference list

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/1/

In-line citation: after the quotation, include the author’s last name, the

year the work was published, and the page number

An example:

She stated, "Students often had difficulty using APA style" (Jones, 1998,

p 199), but she did not offer an explanation as to why.

Using someone else’s work

without proper citation is

plagiarism.

Any essay containing plagiarism will receive no credit.

EMAIL: AARON.KARR@ELIC.ORG