The final essay is due 5/4. You will write a 5-paragraph essay with the following organization.
Paragraph 1. Introduction paragraph
Paragraph 2. What have you learned this semester/what improvement have you made? Provide specific details.
Paragraph 3. What aspects of reading and writing do you still need to improve on? Provide specific details. How will you continue to build your skills in reading and writing?
Paragraph 4. What topics or aspects of the semester most interested you and why? Provide specific details.
Paragraph 5. Conclusion paragraph
Note: paragraphs must each have at least 8 sentences. Format your essay for MLA style, which we’ve used this semester. Proofread carefully.
See the example, with suggested subtopics, below
Examples for the Final Essay
Your intro paragraph should be a preview of what you will talk about in paragraphs 2, 3, and 4. Keep it general (you get specific in the body paragraphs). Let the reader know what to expect.
Sample of Introduction Paragraph:
I signed up for Foundations of Reading and Writing because I wanted to get a good review of reading and writing before I started college. When I spoke with an advisor, she agreed. We both felt this was necessary because I had been out of school for so many years. I was nervous about starting something completely new. However, I quickly found out that class was comfortable, and I could follow easily what the professor and other students were saying. I learned a lot, but there are still things I need to continue to work on. Many topics we covered are subjects I hope to learn more about in the future.
Things that could be paragraph 2 (what I learned) or paragraph 3 (what I still need to work on):
How to write a complete sentence
How to avoid sentence fragments
How to avoid comma splices and run ons
Correct use of pronouns
What is plagiarism and how to avoid it
How to use punctuation
Brainstorming ideas
How to read actively
How to use context clues
How to summarize
How to write a summary
Paraphrasing vs. quoting
How to write a paragraph
How to write an essay
Thesis statements and topic sentences
How to revise
How to proofread
Using resources like Grammarly
Subject-verb agreement
Choosing the correct pronoun
Essential vs. nonessential clauses
Which/that
Options for joining ideas
Conjunctions (for example, FANBOYS)
Identifying the main idea
Paragraph organization
Essay organization
How to write a paragraph outline of a reading
Notetaking
Shorthand for notetaking
Study Strategies
Vocabulary
Using the dictionary
Word origins
Prefixes, suffixes, and word roots
MLA Format
For paragraph 4, consider describing what interested you from the semester. Here are some topics we covered:
Character traits
Learning Styles
Multiple Intelligences
The Hate U Give, fiction about police shootings of black men
Concepts that contribute to a Liberated Education
Code-Switching
Civil rights movement
Black history
Language and Anti-Racism (Inclusive language)
Contemporary black issues (Black Lives Matters)
African-American artists
Language of Inclusion
Racial disparities in the prison system in this country
What is Intelligence?
Intro to Psychology
About Memory
Your conclusion paragraph should loosely summarize your main ideas and tell the reader what you take away from the experiences you wrote about in paragraphs 2, 3, and 4.
Sample of Conclusion Paragraph:
In fifteen weeks, I’ve really learned a lot. My writing is clearer, and my reading is stronger. I’m more able to understand and remember the main ideas. I learned a lot about contemporary and historic black culture in America. I’ve identified some areas I would like to learn more about. However, I think the biggest takeaway from this class is that I find I am capable of succeeding in a college course, and I measure that success by improvement in my skills. As I go into college-level classes in my major, I will be able to express myself more clearly and understand the course content more easily. I no longer have fear about going to college.