Expository Writing
POINTS POSSIBLE: 50 points
AIM:
The goals of this papers are to help you:
use the essay as a way to apply for a job or a program
further develop your narrative writing skills
create an honest, vivid approximation of yourself on paper in a manner
that engages your reader and provides a deeper understanding of you
as an individual
reflect on yourself as a person, and tap into creative thoughts to find the
right voice for your audience
compose a well-organized, clear, concise, personal statement that uses
everything we’ve practiced thus far regarding specific detail, description,
writing lean prose, organization, and structure.
construct a three-dimensional portrait of yourself in eloquent, convincing
language.
DIRECTIONS:
Choosing from one of the prompts below, write a 500-word, 12-point font, Times
New Roman, double spaced essay where you focus on start with what you
know, focus on what’s important to you, and include
changes/events/relationships that have been truly meaningful to you. The
subject of the essay is you. APA is not required.
This essay is fairly short, so be cause to stay focused, direct, and only include
relevant pieces of information that help to answer the prompt.
PROMPTS:
1) Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or
ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.
2) Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern, and
its importance to you.
Personal Statement
SSCI 306: Expository Writing DUE: 26 August 2018 Summer Session 2018
3) Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe
that influence.
4) Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in
art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that
influence.
5) A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences
adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe
an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college
community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to
you.
6) If you are applying to a graduate program, briefly state your reason for
wanting to attend and how you came to select your major.
SAMPLE PERSONAL STATEMENTS
The following are examples of personal statements. All of the examples are
personal statements geared towards graduate programs, which is not required,
but it gives you a good idea of the organization, style, and ways to leave the
reader with a compelling and memorable narrative.
PDF of Sample Personal Statement 1 – Japanese Studies PDF of Sample Graduate School Personal Statement 2 – Musical Composition PDF of Sample Graduate School Personal Statement 3 – Public Health
Area Exemplary
(40-50)
Proficient
(30-39)
Developing
(20-29)
Insufficient
(10-19)
Poor
(0-9)
Controlling
idea
Student
presents a
controlling
idea that
makes a
persuasive,
insightful
claim about
his/her
preparation,
qualification
Student
presents a
controlling
idea that
makes a
claim about
his/her
qualifications
and goals,
but its
persuasivene
ss is
Student’s
controlling idea
may be
somewhat
difficult to
identify. Its
relevance to the
student’s
qualifications/go
als may be
questionable.
Little to
almost no
identifiable
controlling
idea or the
controlling
idea is not
persuasive.
No
identifiable
controlling
idea at all.
https://www.prepscholar.com/gre/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/08/PrepScholar-Personal-Statement-Sample-One.pdf
https://www.prepscholar.com/gre/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/08/PrepScholar-Personal-Statement-Sample-Two.pdf
https://www.prepscholar.com/gre/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2017/08/PrepScholar-Personal-Statement-Sample-Three.pdf
SSCI 306: Expository Writing DUE: 26 August 2018 Summer Session 2018
s, and future
goals
occasionally
questionable.
Selection of
evidence
Evidence is
selected
from a
diverse
range of
experiences
(or with
depth and
range from
a single
experience)
and its
discussion is
consistently
appropriate
to
advancing
the
controlling
idea.
Evidence is
selected
from a range
of
experience
and its
discussion
advances
the
controlling
idea.
Evidence is
usually included
but its discussion is
not always
appropriate to
advancing the
controlling idea.
Evidence is
inconsistentl
y present or
does not
advance
the writer’s
controlling
idea.
Little to no
evidence
present.
Analysis of
evidence
Consistent,
precise
examination
of detailed
evidence
persuades
the reader
of the
writer’s
controlling
idea.
Consistent
examination
of details
supports the
writer’s
controlling
ideas.
Inconsistent or
shallow
examination of
evidence.
Little
examinatio
n of
evidence.
No
examination
of evidence
whatsoever.
Organizatio
n
Ordering of
paragraphs is
generally
logical and
generally
supports the
development
of ideas.
Transitions
are used,
though with
less
effectiveness
than an “A”
statement.
Ordering of
paragraphs is
somewhat
logical, but may
also be formulaic
or sporadic in
helping to
develop ideas.
Lacking
organizatio
n, ordering
of
paragraphs
does not
help
develop
ideas.
No
organization
al structure
or pattern
evident.
Style and
Language
Error-free,
idiomatically
correct
prose that
Generally
error-free,
idiomatic
prose that
Errors and non-
idiomatic
sentence
constructions
Errors and
non-
idiomatic
sentence
So many
errors and
non-
idiomatic
SSCI 306: Expository Writing DUE: 26 August 2018 Summer Session 2018
advances
writer’s
rhetorical
purpose
usually
advances
writer’s
rhetorical
purpose.
intermittently
impede the
writer’s rhetorical
purpose.
constructio
ns impede
the writer’s
rhetorical
purpose
sentence
structure
make it
impossible to
read.
