Essay Available:
Pages:
3 pages/≈825 words
Sources:
-1
Style:
APA
Subject:
Literature & Language
Type:
Essay
Language:
English (U.S.)
Document:
MS Word
Date:
Total cost:
$ 10.8
Topic:
English composition 1
Essay Instructions:
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For this task, please develop an original story about one small moment in time from your personal life. Please read the directions and grading rubric carefully before resubmitting.
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Touchstones are projects that illustrate your comprehension of the course material, help you to refine skills, and demonstrate application of knowledge. You can work on a Touchstone anytime, but you can't submit it for grading until you have completed the unit’s Challenges. After you've submitted a Touchstone, it will be graded and counted towards your final course score.
Touchstone 1: Narrative Essay
BEFORE YOU START
Consider revisiting the tutorial Determining Your Purpose and Audience. You might find it helpful to outline your purpose and audience for this Touchstone in 2-3 sentences to kick-start writing this personal narrative essay.
ASSIGNMENT: Write a 2-3 page (approximately 500-800 words) narrative essay about a single event using the techniques and elements of narrative writing that you have learned in this unit. In addition, you must answer the "Think About Your Writing" questions, described below, beneath your essay.
Sample Narrative Essay
In order to foster learning and growth, all work you submit must be newly written specifically for this course. Any plagiarized or recycled work will result in a Plagiarism Detected alert. Review Touchstones: Academic Integrity Guidelines for more about plagiarism and the Plagiarism Detected alert. For guidance on the use of generative AI technology, review Ethical Standards and Appropriate Use of AI.
CopyLeaks Originality Checker: All writing will be checked for originality. Do not use any outside text from third party sources to complete Touchstone 1. Focus on showcasing your own creativity and storytelling skills in your personal narrative.
A. Directions
Step 1: Choose a Topic
Choose a topic that enables you to tell a short, interesting personal narrative essay. Your narrative can be funny, suspenseful, meaningful, or exciting, but it must focus on one event.
EXAMPLE If you decide to write about traveling to Washington DC, you should not write about the entire trip. Choose one event (e.g., an afternoon you spent visiting the National Portrait Gallery, or shopping in Georgetown, or taking a tour of the White House) and tell a detailed story that focuses on that single event.
The following are some ideas that can help you to select a topic for your story:
Firsts: Think of a "first" in your life and describe that moment in detail.
Proud moment: Choose a moment when you felt proud about an accomplishment.
Adversity: Describe a time when you had to think or act quickly to overcome a challenge.
Travel: Recall a memorable experience you had while visiting an interesting place.
HINT
Topic Choice Guidance: We encourage you to choose any one event from your life that you feel comfortable sharing in an academic context with a classroom audience in mind.
Step 2. Write a Narrative Essay
Write a narrative essay that meets the following criteria:
Presents a focused, meaningful narrative: The composition is consistently focused, and details are relevant and specific.
Tells the story using a logical, smooth sequence of events: The sequence of events and details is logical and easy to follow throughout the composition.
Develops a clear beginning, middle, and end: The composition has a clear and well-developed beginning, middle, and end. The opening paragraph(s) thoroughly introduce the setting, characters, and situation. The middle paragraphs thoroughly describe the progression of events. The closing paragraph(s) provide a thorough resolution to the narrative.
Uses narrative language and techniques competently: Uses narrative language and techniques (e.g., concrete and sensory details, figurative language, vivid description, dialogue, pacing, and plot development) effectively throughout the composition.
Demonstrates command of standard English grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, and usage: There are few, if any, negligible errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, formatting, and usage.
Step 3. Think About Your Writing
Below your completed narrative, include answers to all of the following reflection questions:
Which narrative techniques did you use to bring your narrative to life? (2-3 sentences) Sophia says: Did you use vivid description, sensory details, and/or dialogue to engage readers? Provide two examples from your essay in which you “show” readers rather than “tell” them. EXAMPLE: A sentence such as "I glanced at the clock, grabbed my briefcase, and sprinted for the elevator" uses more descriptive language than simply saying, "I was running late for the meeting."
How did your purpose and audience shape the way in which you wrote your narrative? (3-4 sentences) Sophia says: Your hypothetical audience extends beyond the people who will evaluate your narrative. Which individuals or groups were you addressing when you wrote your narrative, and how did consideration of your audience and your purpose influence the way in which you wrote it?
Provide a concrete example from your narrative that shows how you have written specifically for this audience and purpose. (3-5 sentences) Sophia says: Consider including a quotation from your essay and explaining how it was written to appeal to your audience and to accomplish your purpose. Alternatively, you might describe a theme, tone, or narrative technique that you used and explain how it was intended to appeal to your audience and achieve your purpose.
Step 4. Review Rubric and Checklist
Your composition and reflection will be scored according to the Touchstone 1 Rubric, which evaluates the narrative focus, narrative flow, narrative structure, narrative language and techniques, use of conventions (grammar, punctuation, etc.), and your answers to the “Think About your Writing” questions above.
Refer to the checklist below throughout the writing process. Do not submit your Touchstone until it meets these guidelines.
Narrative Focus and Flow
❒ Have you written about a single event over a short period of time rather than several events over an extended period of time?
❒ Are all of the details in your story relevant to your purpose?
❒ Is the narrative action presented in a logical order that is easy to follow?
❒ Is your narrative 500-800 words in length? If not, which details do you need to add or subtract?
Narrative Structure
❒ Is there an opening paragraph that introduces the setting, characters, and situation?
❒ Are there middle paragraphs that describe the progression of narrative action?
❒ Is there a closing paragraph that provides a thorough resolution to the event or experience?
Narrative Language and Techniques
❒ Have you incorporated narrative language and techniques (e.g., figurative language, concrete and sensory details, dialogue, and vivid description)?
❒ Can examples of narrative language and techniques be found throughout your narrative essay, or are they only evident in some places?
Conventions
❒ Have you double-checked for correct grammar, punctuation, spelling, formatting, and capitalization?
❒ Have you proofread to find and correct typos?
Before You Submit
❒ Have you included your name, date, and course in the top left corner of the page?
❒ Have you answered all of the “Think About Your Writing” questions?
❒ Is your essay between 500 and 800 words in length
Submission must include both your narrative essay and your answers to the "Think About Your Writing" questions.
Include all of the assignment components in a single .doc or .docx file.
Essay Sample Content Preview:
English Composition 1
Student Name
Institutional Affiliation
Date
English Composition 1
As I stood backstage, my heartbeat increased considerably against my chest. This was a moment I had dreaded and anticipated for a long time. This was not an ordinary day; it was the day of my public speech. The air crackled with anticipation, as every eye in the room focused on me, magnifying my nerves a hundredfold. For a moment, I felt like running away instead of facing this monster. But I tried to calm down my thoughts as I counted the seconds to my speech. As the announcer called my name, I stepped onto the stage with confidence. As the fluorescent lights hummed above me, it dawned on me that there was no turning back, despite my feet desperately wanting to escape.
My eyes glanced across the auditorium which was filled with anticipation. The faces of the audience blurred together, forcing me to blink a few times to adjust my vision. I could hear the murmur of their voices, eager to hear what I had to say. In the days leading up to the competition, I had spent countless hours preparing my arguments. I had written my speech trying to balance between facts and persuasion. I would stand in front of a mirror and practice the speech, hoping to get every detail right. Sometimes I would be embarrassed that my delivery was so poor and wonder what people would say about me. I decided to listen to remarkable speeches to identify their mode of delivery. When I felt that my progress was great, I proceeded to send a recording of the speech to a friend to gauge my articulation of words. The feedback was positive, which gave me confidence to proceed to the next stage. However, as I stood on the stage, all that preparation seemed to fly out of my mind. “Oh my God, I need you now!” I told myself.
I took a deep breath and began to speak, trying to project my voice so that everyone in the room would hear well. At the sta...
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