My Turn Essay
According to Newsweek magazine, the My Turn essay is an example of a personal, persuasive essay in which the
writer presents an opinion and tries to persuade the reader to agree with it. It’s similar to a Letter to the Editor;
however, it’s longer, more detailed, and often contains personal experience and observation. The introduction
includes the thesis which clearly presents your point of view; the body which consists of arguments, main ideas
and supporting details, support for your opinion, and factual information to build the writer’s case; and a
conclusion which sums up and emphasizes the main or controlling idea of your essay. Often times, the My Turn
essay presents a problem and a clear solution.
In a well-written My Turn essay:
 The opening (or lead) is engaging and gets your reader’s attention
 The CLAIM (your position) is crystal clear and clearly stated
 The body is well-organized and provides EVIDENCE/ANALYSIS for each of your sub-points
 Transitional words are used within the paragraph and between paragraphs to connect ideas
 Details about the writer’s experience (that’s you), observations, and reflections personalize the
essay.
 If you use an outside source, it is identified in the text (you do not need to use outside sources)
 The conclusion is personal, convincing, and persuasive. It summarizes your main arguments and
restates your point
 The layout has two columns, a title and subtitle, lines to set things off, a byline (that’s your name),
a picture of you, and a brief biographical identification at the bottom of the article. I suggest using
a program like Publisher, but Word will work fine too.
This is not a research assignment. It is your opportunity to “spout off,” to present your own, passionately held
opinion about any topic appropriate. You can use “I” and “me”…in fact, it is encouraged.
I have included some topics that have been used in the past by students here at South. You do not need to pick a
topic from the list. I simply thought it might be helpful to see the topics students have used in the past. If it is
helpful, you can create a prompt to go with your topic [I can help].
 Sports participation
 Respecting cultural
backgrounds from a
personal perspective
 The life of a teen
 Various school
policies
 Teen drivers
 Standing up for what
you believe
 PE classes
 Parenting
 Senioritis
 Dress Code
 Parking
 Homework













Immaturity
TV shows
Being an only child
Fine arts
High School jobs
Starting school so
early
War in Iraq
Current state of
politics
Music
Technology
Computer games
Being an American
Religion
 Handicapped
students
 Manners
 R-rated movies
 Going to college
 Being a part of a
group in school
 Volunteering/comm
unity service
 Gangs
 Drugs in high
school/society
 Friendship
 Terrorism
 Bullying
 School Funding
Suggested length: 1 page in Publisher newsletter format. I will show an example in class.
*This assignment is a combination of the types of writing we have learned (narrative, argument, analysis...)
Have fun with this. Be passionate but appropriate.
*Below is information about “My Turn” Essay submission to Newsweek Magazine:
Submitting “My Turn” Essays
“My Turn” submissions should be sent to:
My Turn Editor, Newsweek
251 West 57th Street
New York, NY 10019-1894
e-mail: myturn@newsweek.com
fax: 212-445-4120 (attn: My Turn Editor)
The essay should be: a) An original piece, b) 850-900 words, c), Pasted into the body of your email, d)
Personal in tone, and e) About any topic, but not framed as a response to a Newsweek story or another
My Turn essay. Please do not include photographs or other attachments. Submissions must not have been
published elsewhere. Please allow two months for your submission to be considered; if your story is time
sensitive, it may not be appropriate. Please include your full name, phone number and address with your
entry. The competition is very stiff-we receive over 800 entries per month-and we can only print one a
week. We are fully aware of the time and effort involved in preparing an essay, and each manuscript is
given careful consideration. Due to the volume of submissions we receive, we will only contact you if we
want to run your essay. If you haven't heard from us in two months, feel free to submit your essay
elsewhere.
For an automated message with further details about My Turn, please call: 212-445-4547.
*Below is information about a “My Turn” Scholarship Contest through Kaplan:
Writing a Personal Essay
An essay is a short exposition on a single topic, usually presenting the writer's personal point of view. A
personal essay gives the reader an intimate glimpse of the author's experience, thoughts or feelings.
Your "My Turn" essay should be similar in format to the weekly "My Turn" column in Newsweek, in which
a member of the public shares an opinion, experience, or personal feeling. In some "My Turn" essays, the
writers try to persuade readers to take action or agree with a point of view. Other "My Turn" essayists
simply share experiences, feeling, or reflections. The personal experience or observation draws readers into
the essay and helps them make a connection with the writer and the ideas.
"My Turn" Essay Contest judges look for direct personal experience and observation with a fresh, original
point of view. They want engaging, moving, or thought-provoking essays that appeal to a national
readership.
When writing your essay, you should follow a three-part format: the introduction, which includes an
engaging lead; the body, which contains the central idea; and a conclusion, which sums up and expands on
the main or central idea of the essay.
Within a well-written essay, each paragraph is a group of related sentences that make one major point or
express a single idea. Well-written paragraphs share three essential characteristics:
 Unity: An effective paragraph sticks to the topic. All sentences develop one main idea, which
should support the central idea of the entire essay.
 Coherence: The sentences are presented in a logical order and are linked together in a way that
makes it easy for the reader to follow the writer's train of thought.
 Adequate development: The paragraph includes enough development, such as supporting detail
or explanation, for the reader to easily understand its main idea.