WRITING ASSIGNMENT Guidelines & Expectations Format & Length Typewritten on A4 Paper 2.5 cm Margins Times New Roman 12 pt. Double spaced First page has Student Name, Class, Course Title, Date, and Essay Title Every page has header with Essay Title, Student Name, and Page Number APA-style citations 300 – 500 words Essays that do no meet this requirement will be returned for revision. Format & Length Step 1: Choose a topic. Because this is a short essay, your topic should be well-focused. Selecting the topic is one of the most important parts of the assignment. If your topic is too broad, you will have difficulty writing a complete essay within the 500-word limit. What interests you? What works do you know the most about? If necessary, narrow the topic further. Example: “Shakespeare” is too broad. Focus on particular part of his work, such as the themes of fate or love. Step 2: Choose an essay type— reflection or exposition. Reflection Discuss your own feelings, beliefs, and attitudes about the topic. Support your viewpoint with: factual evidence your own experience Exposition Investigate an idea, evaluate evidence, and make a clear argument. Use compare/contrast, cause and effect, definition, or example to clarify and support your argument. Step 3: Write a thesis statement. For a reflective essay, the thesis is your personal viewpoint on the topic. Example: Romeo & Juliet pits love against duty to family, but I believe that fulfilling my obligations to my family is itself a form of love. For an expository essay, the thesis is the argument you will make regarding the topic. Example: Shakespeare’s views on fate were molded by Neoplatonic philosophy. Step 3: Write a thesis statement. Develop a “working thesis,” which will guide your research and thinking. One way to develop a thesis is to ask yourself questions about the topic, focusing on a central issue or problem. Your answer to this question will be your thesis. If you have difficulty forming a thesis, you may need to narrow the topic. Your thesis may change as you research and think about the topic. Once you have refined your ideas, try to write a one-sentence thesis statement. Step 4: Organize Think about the best order to present your ideas. Chronological Compare and contrast Cause and effect Classification The organization of your ideas should be coherent, which will help clarify your thesis to the reader. Disorganized writing will leave readers confused and lost. Step 5: Write a first draft. When we write, we do not take fully-formed ideas and write them out in complete form. Writing is also a form of thinking, and it helps us to develop our thoughts. For that reason, the best essays are drafted and revised several times. The first draft is the raw material of the essay, which you will slowly refine and shape into the finished product. Step 5: Write a first draft. Don’t worry about spelling or grammar. Don’t worry about the 500-word limit. Don’t worry about making it beautiful. Just try to put all your ideas into words. Your first draft will probably focus on the Body of the essay, leaving the Introduction and Conclusion for later. . WRITING ASSIGNMENT Guidelines & Expectations Format & Length Typewritten on A4. is one of the most important parts of the assignment. If your topic is too broad, you will have difficulty writing a complete essay within the 500-word