Engl 1101 – Essay 1 “The Personal Pamphlet”



“What’s in a Name?”

English 101, Spring 2011

Essay 1 -- “Diagnostic Essay”

Mrs. Matayabas

Due Date: January 24, 2011

Rationale:

As a new member of this class you have joined a community, much like the immigrants who came to America to form a new country. Like America, this new classroom community needs to discover as much as possible about its members in order to learn together and to be respectful of one another.

Task:

Write a 2-page, typed, personal introduction of yourself based on the etymology or history of your name (also known as “onomatology”) using an essay format, including a recent photo of yourself. The essay may focus on your first or last name (or both) and may include any family stories of why or how your parents chose your name.

Organize your ideas well and follow rules of Standard English and good expository form. In addition to getting to know you better, I will be using this assignment to give you feedback about your writing. Make it interesting, be creative, have fun with your writing, and show me what you can do!

Some ideas to help you get started:

*Many families take pride in their surnames (last names) and research its country of origin and its historical roots. Please feel free to include these stories.

*Explain what you believe your name, in full or shortened, says about you or how your name defines you.

*If applicable, explain why a nickname was given to you, and why it is preferable (or why not!).

*Do you have any travel experiences that helped you learn about your family’s name and origin?

*What feelings do you have about your name, your connection to its origin, or others’ perceptions (or misconceptions) of your name?

*Consult with family members who may have more knowledge of the family history. What do they say about your name or heritage?

Required:

1. Be sure to follow the instructions given in the Course Description and Policies Handout for the rules of presentation of all work turned in, however, there is no rough draft or folder required for this first assignment. Like all essay assignments, remember to use the “Do Not Use List” posted on the website to help edit your work. A part of your grade is based on your ability to follow these instructions.

2. Bring enough copies of your essay to share with your classmates and one for the Professor--approximately 26 or 27 copies.

Not Required:

Color copies or expensive two-sided techniques. There are no extra points for extra expenses.

Recommended, but Not Required:

Often, classmates need to contact each other in case of absence or to confer with each other regarding their understanding of assignments. If you feel comfortable doing so, include some form of contact information directly after your heading. Again, this is for your convenience and connection to others in the class, not a requirement.

Resources:

Keyword advice – Enter “Free name etymology websites”



Students can find the gender, meaning, and origin, of more than 10,500 first names at this site.



Visitors to this site can find the origin and meaning of British, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Latin, and other European surnames.

Students who wish to research names from other countries and cultures should use . This site has a list of name sites from around the world.

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