Writing prompt:
In our readings for this essay, Malcolm X and Ivette Dubiel explore aspects of their educational experiences. Dubiel focuses on the effects of poverty, language, and culture on her educational journey, whereas Malcolm X talks about a specific experience on his path to literacy. Reflect upon the ideas presented in The Autobiography of Malcolm X, by Alex Haley and Malcolm X, “My Educational Experience,” by Ivette Dubiel, and a self-chosen experience from your personal educational journey.
Write an essay in which you summarize each of the reading selections and explore a significant experience from your own educational journey. To do this, you’ll need to find a common theme between the readings and your personal experiences. This common theme should appear in your thesis statement and then echoed in your topic sentences.
For this essay, we will all have the same thesis statement that reflects the educational struggle and ultimate success that each of the authors experienced. Then you will write about an educational struggle and success that you have experienced.
Here is our shared thesis statement:
Most students face challenges during their educational journey, but overcoming those obstacles can help them become more successful.
Technical Information
Correct spelling and grammar
For MLA format, please click the following link: MLA format(name and class information in upper left corner)
Typed and double-spaced
12-point font (please use Times New Roman or Arial as a guideline for size)
3 – 4 pages (800-1000) word count
Please keep the following in mind as you write:
Essay Structure
Introduction paragraph
FIRST, Start with a Hook
A “hook” gets the attention of your audience.
It can be an interesting fact, a short anecdote (or story), or a quote related to your topic.
SECOND, Include background information about your topic
Generally, introduce the topic of this essay, which is educational journeys.
Define your topic. Assume your audience doesn’t know the definition.
Answer the following questions: Why is this topic important and significant to so many? Why is it important to write about?
THIRD, end this paragraph with a thesis statement (umbrella statement) to express the overall point you are making in this essay. This should be what the two articles and your educational experience have in common. Most students choose overcoming educational obstacles.
Topic + your message about that topic for your entire paper. What is the common theme, and your overall message about, the topic of educational journeys, the two reading selections that we read, and your personal example of an educational journey?
For this essay, we will share the same thesis sentence. Here is our shared thesis statement:
“Although most people face struggles in their educational experiences, overcoming those struggles leads to empowering success.”
Body paragraph 1: The Autobiography of Malcolm X, by Alex Haley and Malcolm X
FIRST, begin with a strong topic sentence for this paragraph that echoes the message in your thesis statement. (Topic + a message for this paragraph. Include title and author.)
SECOND, include a background information in the form of a summary of the reading selection.
Be sure to name the article you are referring to and the author. (“In the article
___________________, by ____________________ the author talks about ______________________.)
Focus on the information in the reading and DO NOT include your opinions.
Be sure to provide enough information so that your reader, who may or not be in this class, gets an accurate picture of what the author is trying to communicate to us.
State the ideas in your own words.
Use consistent third person point of view. No I, we, our, us, you, or your. (After all, you are not writing about yourself, so the “I” point of view is not appropriate. Using the indefinite pronoun “you” is too casual and misleading in academic writing.)
THIRD, connect back to your message for this paragraph by explaining WHY the relevant details are a good example of idea presented in your topic sentence. (This is a good example of _________ because it shows ___________.)
Body paragraph 2: “My Educational Experience,” by Ivette Dubiel
FIRST, begin with a strong topic sentence for this paragraph that echoes the message in your thesis statement. (Topic + a message for this paragraph. Include title and author.)
SECOND, include a background information in the form of a summary of the reading selection.
Be sure to name the article you are referring to and the author. (“In the article
___________________, by ____________________. . .
Focus on the information in the reading and DO NOT include your opinions.
Be sure to provide enough information so that your reader, who may or not be in this class, gets an accurate picture of what the author is trying to communicate to us.
State the ideas in your own words.
Use consistent third person point of view. No I, we, our, us, you, or your. (After all, you are not writing about yourself, so the “I” point of view is not appropriate. Using the indefinite pronoun “you” is too casual and misleading in academic writing.)
THIRD, connect back to your message for this paragraph by explaining WHY the relevant details are a good example of idea presented in your topic sentence. (This is a good example of _________ because it ___________ shows.)
Body paragraph 3: Your Educational Journey or Experience
FIRST, begin this paragraph with a strong topic sentence for this paragraph that echoes the message in your thesis statement and states your educational experience. (Topic + a message for this paragraph)
SECOND, describe your personal educational experience in full detail and show its significance. (This is your Background Information)
For description of your experience: Be sure to explain your experience clearly.
For significance: How did this one experience shape your attitudes or behaviors after that time? For example, did it prove that you could conquer a difficult task if you put in the time and effort? Did it come easily and set you up to fail later when other tasks were more difficult? Did it create a pattern that continued? (You don’t have to respond to all of these prompts, and you can include other relevant details as needed.)
THIRD, connect back to your message for this paragraph by explaining WHY the relevant details are a good example of idea presented in your topic sentence. (This is a good example of _________ because it ___________ shows.)
FOURTH, somewhere in the paragraph refer to one of the reading selections that you summarized in body paragraphs one and two. (See examples of how to do this below)
You may use the 1st person point of view in this paragraph because it’s about YOU
Examples of How to Refer to the Texts:
Example: Like Malcolm X, discusses in his article, “Learning to Read,” I had to practice every day and memorize little bits at a time. Like him, I repeated the material over and over . . .
Example: I relate to Dubiel’s article, “My Educational Journey,” because I also find that although speaking two languages is a strength for me now, but in my early education, not speaking English well kept me from . . .
Concluding Paragraph
FIRST, restate your thesis statement in a different way.
SECOND, briefly summarize your main points.
THIRD, consider leaving your audience with a final thought, but this should be in the form of a comment on what you just discussed in your essay, Do not bring up new information
The two annotated articles are the Malcom x the essay is about just strictly those two pages and the my educational experience is another article by Ivette .
