English 101
Essay Cycle # 1
Personal Narrative
Essay 1: You & Nature
Stephen Jay Gould writes about how we, as humans, have invented and told
stories about nature that serve to teach us. He argues that nature, though, is nonmoral,
and should not be used as a tool to understand concepts such as god, morality, good vs.
evil, etc. Whether or not you agree with Gould, his essay provides a good starting point
to think about your own sense of who you are, and how you fit into this idea of nature.
For this essay, you are invited to write a personal narrative—that is, a story about
yourself. You may choose to describe a particular experience you have had, or you may
write about what you think, based on certain experiences you may have had. This is an
informal essay. That means that you can use your own voice (slang, the word “I”,
whatever feels natural for you) and that you won’t be using other sources: this is not a
research paper. And remember, it is important to always be as detailed as possible.
Choose ONE of the following options:
1)
Think about what the term “nature” means to you. How do you see yourself
fitting into this idea of nature? Do you use nature in some ways as a tool for your own
life, your own spirituality, or your own understanding of yourself as a biological being?
How have you used things (animal behavior, evolutionary theory, etc) from the natural
world to define yourself—i.e. your behavior, certain characteristics, etc.
2)
Describe a profound experience you have had in nature. What was it? Why was
this experience profound for you and how did ‘nature’ affect or define this experience?
Big Important Things to Remember:
Choose one the options to write about. Remember, you don’t have to cover every
single question I ask—these are just guidelines to help get you thinking on your topic,
you may choose one or two, or some other variation of the question. You can be creative
and have fun with it! This essay needs to fit certain requirements:
1.) It must have a clear thesis statement in the first paragraph. A thesis is the main
idea that guides the essay. It is a single, specific sentence. It narrows the topic
to a single, central idea that you want your readers to gain from your essay. All
of the paragraphs in the essay will develop and support your thesis. The thesis
asserts something specific and significant about the topic, thus conveying your
opinion.
2.) You must have a “so, what?”—put your observations in a larger context.
3.) Transitional phrases that link one paragraph to another need to be used.
4.) Your essay must be 2-3 pages (app. 500-720 words), typed, and stapled. You
must have a title, your name and the date on it, and it needs to be in 12 pt. And
double-spaced.
5.) Remember…. I don’t accept late work.
Overview:
F 8/27: Outline due
M 8/30: Peer Response, bring 3 copies of draft to class
W 9/1: Grammar workshop, revision.
F 9/3: Essay Due
Grading Criteria:
Remember: grades are not given by me, they are earned by you. . .
A (100-90)—Excellent work; the assignment has been completed in a professional and
timely manner. The written assignments are clearly organized, choose compelling
evidence to substantiate the analysis, and demonstrate critical thought and sophistication
in an original, creative, and thought-provoking manner. Written work requires no
substantive or stylistic revision.
B (89-80)—Good work; the assignment has been completed in a professional and timely
manner. The written assignment shows intellectual engagement with the subject, but the
analysis may be partially incomplete, use weak evidence, or manifest some
organizational difficulty. Written work requires mostly substantive revisions, perhaps a
few stylistic ones.
C (79-70)—Average work; the assignment has been completed, but not necessarily in a
professional or timely manner. The written assignment shows effort, but the analysis
may be incomplete, lack critical engagement with the subject, lack supporting evidence
(or use inappropriate evidence), or show difficulties with organizing ideas into writing.
Written work requires significant substantive and/or stylistic revision.
D (69-60)—Less than average work; the assignment has not been completed in a timely
or professional manner. Written work shows a lack of effort and a lack of engagement
with the subject. Written assignment lacks analysis, evidence, critical organization, and
organization—extensive revision necessary.
F (59>)—Inadequate work; assignment has not been completed. Written assignment,
when submitted, shows a significant lack of effort and a significant lack of engagement
with the assignment and with the subject. “F” work is marked by the absence of analysis,
evidence and organization—engagement with the course material is needed before
extensive revisions are even possible. Plagiarized work is also considered “F” work.