ESLL25 ESSAY ONE ASSIGNMENT

JAMES CUMMINS, INSTRUCTOR

Prompt:  Write a two –page essay double spaced (about 750 words) on one of the readings in Chapter One of New Directions.  Identify the main point of the reading and explain it to your reader.  Assume the reader has not read the piece you are writing about.   Discuss the most important supporting evidence, such as examples and illustrations from the writer’s personal experience.  and explain them to your reader.  Interact with the reading explaining whether you agree or disagree with the author’s ideas.  Also, you should make comparisons to your own experience and other readings you may have done on the subject.  You should use an ample range of vocabulary in this essay preferably from the vocabulary exercises in Chapter One.  We will focus on infinitives of purposes during this first cycle, and you should use at least two of those structures in your essay. Your essay should contain an introductory paragraph, 4-6 body paragraphs, and concluding paragraph.

Your introduction should, of course, contain a thesis statement, i. e, the main point of your essay.  Your TS should be typed in bold and so should your new vocabulary and your 2+ infinitives of purpose.  Although most of you are already familiar with the basic structure on an essay, during the course of the Essay One cycle, I will be giving you information about how to structure this type of essay, which is more commentary and analysis as only partly about personal experience. All drafts must be typed on a word processor and there will be a penalty for late drafts.  Remember: your first draft is a work in progress, so it doesn’t need to be perfect. You will have plenty of opportunities to improve it. Good luck with this first writing assignment!

First Draft due:  Monday, April 21

Second Draft:  Wednesday, April 23

Third Draft due:  Monday, April 28

Fourth Drafts as needed; no fifth drafts will be allowed!