Paper #1:  A Blog Post Essay

Due  September 15

 

DESCRIPTION

Your first paper should be a 3-5 page paper, formatted according to MLA guidelines, that is part narrative essay, part analytical essay.  You must use at least three outside sources for the paper. This can include direct quotes, summaries, or paraphrases. Remember that using sources requires a Works Cited page.

 

TOPIC

In this paper you will choose a story or anecdote fro your own life and use this as a way into an analytical topic. This is a useful essay-style to know how to navigate because often you will have need to take  academic information and make it relevant to a general audience.

We read David Foster Wallace’s “Consider the Lobster” this week, which was an example of the type of blog post essay I am looking for. Another fun example is Tim Urban’s blog  Wait but Why. “Why Procrastinators Procrastinate” is a classic. In both these examples, the author is both personal as well as analytical and in-depth.

This is a less formal essay, so please feel free to use a relaxed writing style, add visual elements or otherwise spice it up. However, this is not free license to be sloppy. Sometimes, creativity and risk taking mean that your audience is less willing to tolerate spelling or grammar mistakes.

Topics that are religious or ethical in nature are NOT allowed. Religious and/or ethical arguments are a special category of academic writing that will be covered in an upper division philosophy course.  If you are having trouble deciding on a topic, please contact your instructor or the UAF Writing Center. “I couldn’t think of a good topic’ is in no way, shape, or form, a viable excise for a late or missing assignment.

 

YOUR GRADE

An A+ paper will display the following qualities:

• 3-5 properly formatted pages
• a minimum of three sources plus a Works Cited page
• nearly perfect grammar and spelling
• a comparison of two ideas, experiences, or things that are similar enough or different enough to warrant an essay
• A clear thesis statement with organized paragraphs that support that thesis
• See rubric for details

 

*Once you’ve turned your paper in, I will grade your draft, and advise you on changes that need to be made. Should you choose to revise, your instructor will replace your first grade with the revised grade.  The revision is due on Sept 29.