Instruction
Writing is an essential part of college, and it will also be important to your success in many other courses and in the future. Because writing is so important, your success as a writer is important. Today you will be writing an impromptu essay on an assigned topic. This essay will help me understand your skills as a writer and plan activities and assignments that will help you improve those skills. The essay will count as part of your final grade in this course.
Because this is a formal essay, it should include an introductory paragraph that states your thesis or main idea, several body paragraphs that contain specific details and examples that support your thesis, and a conclusion that provides a sense of closure. Although the essay has no length requirement, it should demonstrate your ability to focus on the topic, develop an idea in an organized manner, and use language appropriately, including correct grammar and punctuation
Before beginning to actually write your essay, you might want to do some prewriting—brainstorming, outlining, etc. If you make any handwritten changes after you finish your essay, just cross out the word or section and write in the change you want—there is no need to print another copy of the essay. However, please do submit ALL your writing with your essay, including any prewriting, notes, outlining, etc. that you might have done.
You have 60 minutes to complete the writing.
ESSAY PROMPT:
In the course of our lives, we have all been influenced by “significant others”—family, friends, teachers, ministers, etc. Think about people who had a particularly significant or outstanding effect on you and your life. Choose ONE person who has been a significant influence in your life and write an essay in which you describe the characteristics of this ONE person, what you learned from this person, and how he/she shaped who you are today. Remember that this could be someone whom you like very much, or it could be someone whom you don’t necessarily like but from whom you learned a great deal, perhaps, even what you don’t want to do or be like.