ENGL101 – Jewell – Timed Writing Practice
For this final writing exercise of the quarter, you may have a printed dictionary (not electronic) on your desk, but nothing
else. I will be grading you essay based on how well you respond to the prompt, whether you make and support an
arguable claim, the specificity of your references to the text, and the clarity of your writing.
Stephanie Ericsson’s “The Ways We Lie” categorizes various different kinds of lies and their consequences. Are her
examples effective? Why or why not? What is Ericsson’s main point about lying? What is her primary purpose in writing
this essay? How does the way she introduces the essay contribute to her purpose? How does the conclusion help
illuminate her main point? Is she ultimately effective in achieving her purpose and communicating her main point?
Your answer should be approximately 400 words long – about four to five sides of a handwritten page, double-spaced. Be
sure to address the question directly and to keep your focus on it throughout your essay. (A good idea is to quote
important words from the question in the beginning of your essay.) Always support what you say with specific details.