these are the instructions from my professor-
Your final essay assignment is to reflect on what you have accomplished this semester and how you have improved as a student, professional, and/or person. The final essay must reflect on your experience throughout the semester and evaluate your perception of your strengths and weaknesses a student. The essay must include a thesis statement (ex. “I have/have not improved as a ___ this semester in these areas”), remain focused, and consistently support and defend the thesis with specific examples (assignments, lessons, time management, etc.). The essay is intended to prove that you have the skills to write a thesis-driven essay. The essay must include at least one quotation from a course text, and it must be cited correctly. Failure to do so will result in a zero for the assignment.
There are few rules to this assignment, so try to follow them, but be creative. This is your opportunity to say something, so take advantage. Remember, only you can show the why and how in the unique way that you see it.
The essay should be 1000 – 2000 words long. Aim for the higher number in your planning. It’s much easier to cut things from a paper than to try to stretch it out. This prompt is a model of proper format. Your essay must have 1-inch margins all around. Your heading on the first page should look like the one on this paper with your name; my name; the course, day, and time; and “Essay 3 Theme.” Include a creative title that is relevant to your story. Include a header with your last name and the page number in the top right margin. Use Times New Roman 12pt font, double spaced. See your course syllabus and course calendar for due dates.
( i have accomplished better writing skills and communication, i definitely improved as a student, and weaknesses i might of had were finding what to write about for our journals we had to do but it also strengthened me as a writer to keep journaling my thoughts each week, i should of had better time management such as taking more time to complete my essays instead of waiting the last week to do it because of my writers block, but i overall enjoyed the class and learned so much, i learned writing can be fun and a way to ease the mind. although school this semester has been very stressful and my biology class was a lot of work but overall this semester wasn’t terrible i was going to take two classes instead of 3 in the beginning of the semester but i chose to do 3 which is almost full time, it felt like a lot but i pushed myself and now theres one week left of school and im very proud of myself, i quit my job to focus on school because my parents are able to support me while i finish school, we read a lot of stories and one quote that really stuck with me was “that there’s no way not to suffer. Isn’t it better, then, just to-take it?” from the story Sonny’s Blues by James Baldwin it stuck with me because everyone suffers and i think it is better to just take it because suffering helps you grow, before i started college here at lakeland i wasn’t expecting loads of work but through the suffering i learned to embrace it and know that its going to pay off in the end, all the work ive been putting in will feel so good when i earn my certificate)
Final Essay Checklist
____ 1. Follows the Modern Language Association Handbook (MLA) guidelines.
____ 2. Relates the title to the topic of the essay.
____ 3. The introduction includes a strong thesis statement.
____ 4. Does not cite in the introduction or conclusion.
____ 5. Refrains from numbering examples.
____ 6. Makes appropriate word choices for a formal essay.
____ 7. Offers support using the text.
____ 8. Spells out contractions.
____ 9. Avoids abbreviations.
____ 10. Proofread for commas splices, run-on sentences, and fragments.
____ 11. Refrains from including unnecessary information.
____ 12. Stays with one verb tense throughout.
____ 13. Uses a variety of sentence openings.
____ 14. Avoids ending sentences with prepositions.
____ 15. Does not introduce new information in a conclusion.
____ 16. Does not argue through questions.
____ 17. Avoids slang and clichés.
____ 18. Provides specific examples to support all of the statements.
____ 19. Uses at least one quote from a course text
____ 20. Provides transitions in and between paragraphs.
____ 21. Remains focused on the topic. Each point proves the thesis.
____22. Proofread the essay from the end to the beginning (and read aloud!).
