Today you took the first step to your Master Essay assignment! Your goal by

theend of the semester is to write the best

2000-2500 words in your life.

Where you go from here is up to you…Please keep this initial “rough draft” – you may use it as a starting point or

decide tochange your topic & direction.

Throughout the semester we will take steps to give you new writing tools to

includeto stretch yourself as a writer.

To improve you will need to evaluateyour writing & your skills as well asinclude your new tools/strategies.

The question for the moment is whether you believe your current rough draft willgive you suitable raw material to craft

your master essay…

Or if you wish to go in a different direction and start from scratch. Topics can include important memories, people who have made a difference in your life, interviews, or other options as agreed

upon with your teacher. Start pondering now…

At times, memories may flow back in an instant triggered by an aroma or

familiar scent. Other triggers include special toys or mementos, letters,

souvenirs, & photos.

Make your memory “story” vivid. Use descriptive words. Think about the Who, What, Where, When, How and

Why of the memory. Use your senses to tell your story. Eliminate unimportant

details.

To be continued…

Master Essay Final Assignment

Guidelines

Beginning in January – your assignment was to capture a special

memory important in your life. In January, we started with a rough draft

& later you were asked to word-process it into a MS Word document.

Your final draft is due by the end of the school Friday. You will have all the class

time between now & then to complete your “master essay” writing project! I

need to have your final copy in my hand to correct over the weekend!

The paper should be set up in the usual MLA format with headings, one-inch margins and double-spaced text.

Paper should begin with a creative title specific to your own creation – not “My Special Memory” or the like.

Your paper should be between 500 & 800 words. Please list the word count on the body of the paper at the end of

your memory essay.

The goal of this paper is to incorporate the many different writing techniques we have emphasized during the year…

Variety of sentence length Variety of sentence intros Strong diction Punctuation skills

commas semi-colons colons dashes & ellipses

To receive an A grade, your paper will…

exhibit variety in sentence length exhibit variety in sentence intros use strong, active verbs & specific nouns avoid weasel words (“very” - “a lot” – “thing”) contain less than two comma errors include one correct sentence example using

1. a semi-colon – yellow highlight

2. a colon – orange/red highlight

3. a dash (not a hyphen) – blue highlight

4. an ellipsis – pink highlight

Write to Remember

Writing can help you remember. Once you begin to write, many details long forgotten will flood back. Those memories will bring back the heartaches &

good times: the experiences that have shaped you.

Write to Learn

Writing those memories may also raise questions that leads you to dig into your family history. This added information may enhance your memory story with

greater detail.

Where do I start?The Outline Method – suggested by Emily Aulicino

1. Write your memory topic in sentence form. Be sure it’s not too big for the assignment. A clear thesis unifies the piece and lets you determine what should be included.

Example: The time I rescued the runaway boys.

2. Now list at least three points that you will use.

Example: The time I rescued the runaway boys. 1. Sunday walk to church 2. Boys & their attire 3. Finding help

3. Add details to each point.

Example: The time I rescued the runaway boys. 1. Sunday walk to church – early morning – no traffic – bright, sunny, cool 2. Boys & their attire – pillows – pajamas – runaway clues 3. Finding help – convincing them to go with me – park worker – police officer

4. Build the outline until you have the detail needed to fulfill the word count.

5. Translate the outline into sentence form using the outline – revise & proofread.

Where do I start?The Write First Method – suggested by Emily Aulicino

1. Write one sentence or, at most, a paragraph about what you want to convey.

Example: I never expected that God would use me to rescue runaway boys.

2. Write your first draft. (It might be helpful to see the Writing Tips section of this PPT.) It works better not to revise it at this time. Set the draft aside for a while.

3. Now it’s time to revise – re-read and ask yourself…

- Did I clearly communicate the “story” of my memory?- Is it apparent what tone I am conveying?- Does the writing flow smoothly in a clear, logical order?- Are the details sufficient to communicate my message?- Is the meaning clear? Are there ways I could say it better?

4. Proofread and make corrections to the essay.- Does it match format & instructions?- Are all the punctuation conventions included & used correctly?- Have I avoided the “weasel words”?

Writing Tips1. Begin with a creative first paragraph.

2. Remember it’s not only the memory, it’s how you “craft” the “story” of this memory. Focus on the meaning & “feeling” of the memory, not only on the scenery & participants.

3. Focus on the most significant details: engage the five senses – taste, touch, sight, hearing, & smell.

4. The skillful use of alliteration, allusion, metaphor, simile & other literary devices are tools to help make your words come alive.

5. Write in the active voice with exciting verbs. This makes your writing clear & direct.

6. Set a clear tone. Tone stems from your word choice, sentence structure, and organization pattern.

7. Use appropriate humor to engage the reader.

Great Advice from a talented

Christian Writer…

http://www.maxlucado.com/articles/topical/the_write_stuff

Master Essay Examples

Check out these examples from students whose projects

from this class were published.

Click this link to go to their page on the Honors English Web