DUE DATE: _________________________ English Two –Definition Essay/Interview Write an essay on the meaning of the word “prejudice”. Interview a person to get their perspectives about this word and its meaning. Include their reactions in the essay. What do I include? 1. Focus/Ideas *Denotation of the word including the name of the dictionary used. For example, “According to Merriam Webster’s School Dictionary, prejudice means……… *Connotation of the word with examples, details and personal thoughts, reactions, and feelings from those whom you interview *Your own personal understanding of the word and its effect/use 2. Organization *Organize the essay into three basic parts: introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion. *Begin with a strong lead. The lead for this writing should be more fact/opinion oriented than if you were writing creatively. *Conclude by leaving the reader something to think about. A provocative fact, statistic, or quote would work well. *Transitions from the main ideas to examples should occur smoothly, allowing readers to follow your points. **Eliminate statements that do not directly apply to your topic. Steer clear of any working that strays such as , “I don’t agree with these people, but they have a right”, or “I’m not really a prejudiced person, and I think all prejudiced people should go to jail.” These sorts of statements distract the reader from the overall effect of your writing. 3. Point of View/Voice and Tone *This is a serious topic and demands a serious tone. Your voice should reflect such a tone. This is achieved by avoiding clichés and inappropriate statements. Your personality will come through in the strength of the ideas. 4. Diction/Word Choice *Do not overuse any words. The vocabulary should be exact and consistent with the voice 5. Syntax/Sentence Fluency *You should align your sentence patterns with your audience. Use a variety of simple, compound, and complex patterns. 6. Conventions *Grammar and mechanics will be assessed. 7. Publication/Presentation *I prefer the final draft to be typed. Follow MLA format. *Do not skip extra lines between paragraphs.
