4.0 Example ENG 101‐XX - Prairie State College

[Pages:13]4.0Example XXXXXX ENG101-XX ShortEssay DearReader, MynameisXXXXXX,andIamacollegefreshmanhereatPrairieStateCollege.Iam19yearsoldanda recentgraduateof[alocal]HighSchool,whereIwasanhonorstudent.ItookseveralAdvanced Placementclasseswhileenrolledthere,mostnotablyAPlanguageandcompositionandAPliterature andcomposition.IbelievethatthelanguageandcompositionclasspreparedmeforEnglish101atthe collegiatelevelthemost,andIfeelthatthisiswhereIhonedmywritingcraft.AlthoughIfeelthat creativeclassessuchasEnglisharenotmyforte(I'maverytechnicalandscientifickindofperson),Istill feelthatmywritingskillsareaboveaverage. Writingtheshortessaywasnotaproblemforme.Sincetheessaywasacriticalresponse,Ifeltrightat home,becauseIliketoargue.Formydraft,IwrotealengthyparagraphwithallthepointsthatIwanted tomake,justwithoutthedetails.Convertingthedraftintothefinalpaperwasabreeze.SinceIbasically hadaskeletonofmyfinaldraftalreadycompleted,allIreallyneededtodowasputdetailssucha quotes,segues,andtopicsentencesintheirplace. Timedwritinghasalwaysbeenastrongpointofmine,soIdidnotfeelthatthein-classessaywastoo muchofaburden.TheonlynegativefeelingIcarriedtowar4timedwritingwasduetothehandcramps thatwouldaccompanyanessaywrittenbyhand,afeelingIwasaccustomedtoinhighschool.Those feelingsweredoneawaywithinEnglish101,sincethetimedwritingwasdoneoncomputers.Theonly feelingsthataccompaniedmeduringthetimedwritingportionsoftheclasswerepositive,andIbelieve thisfacthelpedmeconcentratemoreandfocusonwritingawellthoughtout,detailedpieceof scholarlywork.TheonethingIcouldreviseaboutmyin-classessaywouldbetheminorgrammatical foiblesthatsometimessnucktheirwayintomywork. Ihaveenjoyedwritingeverysingleessayinthiscourseexceptforthelongessay,thoughitiscompletely myfaultthatIdidnotenjoywritingthisessay.I'lladmitthatIhardlypreparedtowritethisessay,and thatsetmymoodfortherestoftheassignment.Ibelievethatmyinitialdraftshowedthatlackof preparation,forexample,IhadafewcitationsthatIjustthrewintotheessaysimplytomeetthefive sourceminimum.However,duringtherevisionprocess,IalteredwhatIoriginallyhadtomakethepaper moreacademic.IcitedbettersourcesandfixedtheargumentativeproblemsIhad,aswellasthefew problemswithgrammarandspellingthatmanagedtosneakintomyworkonceagain. IhaveenjoyedmyruninEnglish101,andIfeelthattheclassaswellastheprofessorhaspreparedme forfutureventuresintotherealmofacademicwriting.IfeelthatorganizationistheoneareathatIwill continuetoworkoninthefuture.MostofmyinitialdraftseitherhadMLAformattingerrors,aworks citedpagethatwasnotuptopar,mistakeswithin-textcitations,oranycombinationofthesefaults. However,Ifeellikethiscoursehasreallyhelpedmesharpenotheraspectsofmywriting,mostnotably mystyle.Ifeelthatmystyledefinesmeandsetsmeapartfromotherwriters,andforhelpingme improveonmystyle,aswellasotheraspectsofmywriting,Ithankyou. Sincerely, XXXXXX

4.0Example XXXXXX ENG101-XX ShortEssay

FormerSpeakerSpeakingForMoreInjustice

America,accordingtoourChristianfoundingfathers,isknownas"thelandofthefree." Thesesamefoundingfathersalsosetforthasystemofgovernmentthatisstillbeingusedtoday. NewtGingrichservedinthisgovernment,astheSpeakeroftheHouseofRepresentativesfrom 1995to1999.GingrichhasweighedinontheconflictoverPark51,theproposedIslamiccultural centernearthesiteofgroundzero.Gingrich,inastatementhemade,opposessettingupan IslamicsymbolneartheWorldTradeCentersite,"whereagroupofjihadistskilledover3000 Americansanddestroyedoneof[America's}mostfamouslandmarks"(par.1).

Gingrichappearstosupportthefoundingfathers'choiceingovernment,buthedoesnotseem tobuyintothenotionthatAmericareallyisthe"landofthefree."InAmerica,faith-basedcommunity centersarefreetobeestablished.Islamiccommunitycentersareincludedtoo.Gingrichdoesn'tseemto agreewiththatstatementthough.Gingrich'sstatementactuallyfurthersthestereotypethatAmericans arethemostarrogantpeopleintheworld.Also,hisstatementprovesthateventhehighestmembersof societyaremisinformed,somethingthatnoso-calledleadershouldeverbe.

IsAmericasoarrogantastosaysomethingalongthelinesof"Muslimscannotbuildamosquein theUnitedStatesuntilwecanbuildachurchorsynagogueinSaudiArabia?"Well,ifAmericaisjudged onthebasisoftheirleaders,thenyes,theUnitedStatesisfurtheringthatstereotype,dueinpartto whatGingrichhasstated.InregardstotheMuslimstryingtobuildPark51,hestates"Thereshouldbe nomosquenearGroundZerosolongastherearenochurchesorsynagoguesinSaudiArabia"(jar.1). Additionally,hesaysthat"[Muslims]ignorethefactthatmorethan100mosquesalreadyexistinNew YorkCity.Meanwhile,therearenochurchesorsynagoguesinallofSaudiArabia"(par.4).Inthissection ofhisstatement,GingrichisimplyingthatMuslimscannotbuildanothermosqueinNewYorkCityuntila churchorsynagogueisestablishedintheMuslim'sholyland.Asanation,wehavecomealongwayin

thetolerancedepartment.FromtheinfluxofEasternEuropeansduringtheindustrialrevolution,tothe JewsfleeingNaziGermany,tothecivilrightsmovementofthesixties,theUnitedStateshasovercome itsfairshareoftoleranceissues.NewtGingrich,inmakingsuchaboldandegotisticalstatement,is turningthemeltingpotintoafoodstrainer.Byaleadermakingaveryill-conceivedandconceited statementsuchasthis,Americaisshowingaratheruglyfacetooutsiders.AccordingtotheCIAworld factbook,theMuslimpopulationoftheworldisanestimated1.42Billion,withonly1.86Millionlivingin theUnitedStates.Americaisrearingitsuglyheadtoanimmensepopulationofoutsiders,duetoone manwhowasonceinapositionofpowerinthecountry(CIAworldfactbook).

Arrogancecancomeatacost,aspeoplewhoexhibitarroganceusuallyfeelliketheyknowitall. Manyleadersandpoliticianssufferfromthisdisorder,andtheirattitudeshinesthroughbecauseofit. Forexample,thetalkingheadBillO'Reillyrecentlywentonadaytimetalkshowandstated"Muslims killeduson9/11."Thatcouldn'tbefurtherfromthetruth(aradicalsectofislamistextremistplanned andcarriedouttheattacksontheWorldTradeCenterandthePentagon),butitisabeliefthatmany peoplecarry,evenMr.Gingrich.InhisstatementregardingtheproposedIslamicCommunityCenter,he takesaveryfrighteningtonethatsuggeststhathefeelsthesameway.Hedoesstatethat"agroupof jihadists"hurtAmericaon9111(par.2).Whilethisistrue,andheismoreaccurateinhisassessmentof whodamagedAmericaon9/11thanmanyleadingfigures,statementslike"Nomosque.Noself deception.Nosurrender"impliesanattitudeofsuperiority.Thissuperioritycarrieswithitfalse knowledge,asmanyegotisticalleadersoftenthinktheyknowmorethanisactuallytrue.Iftheseleaders didactuallyknoweverything,andtheydidpossestrueknowledge,thentherewouldbenowars, revolutions,coups,oranyotherconflictwithinanation.

Whennation'sleadersaremisinformedandarrogant,thepeoplewithinthenationare misinformedandarrogant.Or,atleast,thepeopleareviewedasmisinformedandarrogantbyothers outsideofthatparticularnation.IfwewanttofurthertheUnitedStatesofAmericaasanation,weneed

topromotetoleranceandrespectforyourfellowman.IfmenandwomenlikeNewtGingrichgettheir way,thetolerancemovementisonlybeinghindered.ThisisverydetrimentaltoAmericansocietyaswe boast(again,withthearrogance)thatweareoneofthemosttolerantcountriesintheworld,because weareknownasameltingpot.However,itisnotthenationthatdeterminesitsownrenown,butrather theonlookers.IfAmericaclaimstobetolerant,butothersdonotviewthemassuch,thentheywillgain areputationofintolerance.

NewtGingrichsaysthatthe"Islamiccultural-politicaloffensive[is]designedto...destroyour civilization"(par.9).Well,becauseofGingrichandotherslikehim,thisoffensiveseemstowork,justnot inthewaysthattheextremistsplanned.

 WorksCited

Gingrich,Newt."NewtGingrichStatementonProposedMosque/IslamicCommunityCenternear GroundZero.".21July2010.Web.30November2010

O'Reilly,Bill.Interview.TheView.ABC.NewYorkCity,NewYork.14October2010.Television. "UnitedStates."CIAWorldFactbook.July2010.Web.30November2010.

4.0Example XXXXXX ENG101-XX In-ClassEssay

PeterSinger,inhisessay"TheSingerSolutiontoWorldPoverty"isadvocatingtheuseofmoney thatwouldnormallybespentonluxuriestoinstead,bespentonimprovingtheconditionoftheworld. Singerprovidesexamplesoftwosimilar,butdifferentscenarios,whereonescenarioincludesbeingface tofacewiththesymbolofpoverty,andonescenariowherethesubjectdoesnotcomeintocontactwith thesymbolofpoverty.HestatesthatallAmericanhouseholdsonlyneedaround$30,000ayearfor necessities,andthatalltherestofthemoneyshouldbespentonhelpingthepooraroundtheworld. SingerdoesnotrealizethatinAmericansociety,aninherentlycapitalisticsociety,thatthiswouldbe nearimpossibletodo.Thesurvivalofthefittestmentalityissodeeplyembeddedwithintheaverage American'spsychethatanythoughtoridearesemblingcommunismisfrownedupon.Singerisasking everysinglepersoninAmericatorelyonthesameamountofmoney.Theresultofthiswouldinevitably benear-equalitythroughoutallfacetsoflife.EveryAmericanwouldliveinasimilarsizeandquality house,drivingsimilarcars,haveasimilarstandardofliving,etc.InAmericansociety,wherecapitalism andsocialDarwinismreignsupreme,attemptingtopersuadethepeopletodonatealargeportionof theirincometohelpimproveconditionsoverseasisafutileeffort. InSinger'sessay,heprovidesascenarioincludingthecharacterBob,Bob'sprizedBugattiluxury car,achildindistress,andarunawaytrain.Bob'scarisparkedononetrack,whilethechildistrapped ontheothertrack,withthetrainheadedforoneortheother.Bobcancontrolwhichonethetrainwill hit,becausehecanflipaswitchthatforcesthetraintoswitchtracks.Hecaneitherhavehiscar,whichis thestockthatallhislifesavingsarein,getdemolishedtorescuethechild,or,hecansavehisfinances andhavethetrainkillthechildinstead.Bob'sdilemmaisthescenariothatSingerusestocharacterize the"typicalAmerican."Bobeventuallyendsupsavinghiscar,whichisSinger'sanalogytoAmericans spendingmoneyonluxuriesratherthanspendingmoneytoimprovethelivesofchildrenoverseas.

However,itisnotagoodscenariofordescribingthesituationthatAmericansarein.Itiscompletelyand entirelyBob'sfaultthatthechildgotrunoverbythetrain.However,ItisnotAmerica'sfaultthat povertyexiststhroughouttheworld.SingerclaimsthatAmericansareresponsibleforimprovingthe qualityoflifeforchildrenoverseas.Therefore,SingerisimplyingthatallofAmerica'sproblemsare unnecessary,andtherearebiggerproblemstoworryaboutinothercountries.Americastillhastheir shareofproblems:peoplestillliveunderthepovertyline,peoplestillcannotaffordhealthcarein Americansociety,andchildrenarestillgoinghungryeverydaybecausetheirparentshavetochoose betweenputtingfoodonthetableorpayingthebillsforthatmonth.Singersaysthattheaverage Americanmakes$50,000ayear,andwhilethatmaybetrue,statisticslie.AcoupleAmericanswithanet worthofover$40billioncouldeasilyskewthatnumber.Ratherthanlookingattheaverage,Singer shouldfocusonpersuadingtheAmericanswithridiculousamountsofmoneysavedup(suchas$40 billion)togivetooverseascountriesinthehopesofimprovingthesituationsofthechildrenwhocannot beheldresponsiblefortheirfinancialproblems.

TheproblemsregardingmoneyandpovertyinAmericansocietycanonlybefixedbyAmericans too.Asmentionedbefore,theconceptofcapitalismandthesurvivalofthefittestisdeeplyrootedinthe Americanpsyche.SowhywouldanyAmericantakepartinimprovingothernationsbeforeimproving theirown?Don'tgetmewrong,I'mnotattemptingtopromoteanti-philanthropyideologies,andifyou participateingivingtocharitythenmorepowertoyou,butgivingtocharityisnotrightforeveryone. SingerwasnotborninAmerica,andsohehasnotbeenmoldedtothinklikeanAmericancapitalist. Therefore,hedoesnotexactlyknowjusttowhatextentortowhatdegreeofsocialDarwinism Americansbelievein.IagreethatSingeristryingtodohisshareandpromotegoodnessinAmerica.But toattempttopersuadeeveryoneinAmericansocietytogivemostoftheirpaychecktooverseasnations isludicrous,andwillneverwork,giventhecapitalisticsocietyamajorityofAmericansareborn,raised, andcurrentlylivein.

PeterSingeressentiallytakesawrongapproachtoarightidea.Noonewouldarguethatgiving tothepoorisabadthingtodo.Buttargetingtheentirepopulationofasinglecountry(nottomention, targetingonlyasinglecountry)isanineffectivewaytogetapointacross.Instead,Singershouldtarget Americanswhocanspendatleast$100,000withoutspendingmorethantenpercentoftheirtotal income.

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