Essay writing

Essay WritingPersonal Essays

Essentials of a good Essay

O A good scholarship essay willO Highlight your strengths in an

interesting, brief wayO Have a strong introductionO Describe at least three reasons why

you are a good choice for the scholarship

O End with a satisfying conclusion

Don’t PlagiarizeO No matter what don’t be tempted to

plagiarize.O You must write your own essay.O If you are found to copy the essay or

have someone write it for you without their name on the essay, you will lose face and that organization won’t be able to trust you or offer you a future scholarship.

Day 1: BrainstormingO Begin by making a list of all the important

accomplishments you have.O Consider

O AwardsO JobsO Volunteer work, even one day projectsO Special school projectsO Extracurricular activities and leadership

rolesO Skills – languages, technical skills, special

expertise or knowledge

Before You BrainstormO Read Purdue's OWL on Personal

EssaysO It offers excellent adviceO You can use the brainstorming

worksheet found xyz.

Day 2: Sorting O Review your brainstorming notes and add to

themO Sort through your list of accomplishments

O Only mention accomplishments starting with high school

O Unless you did something exceptional before age 14, it isn’t relevant

O Note which accomplishments fit this scholarship wellO A sports achievement may not be that helpful

for an academic award – though it could be

Day 3 - 4: Rough DraftO Review the directions for the essayO Begin writing a rough draft

O Don’t worry about details like grammar, you will fix those later.

O Don’t try for perfection, just write. Getting started rather than getting discouraged is essential. Even if you don’t use the ideas in the draft you need to start.

Day 5: Working on the Draft

O Start to rewrite the draftO Make sure you have a compelling introduction.O Make sure the body paragraphs are clear and

easily understoodO Include stories in your paragraphs that show

your talents and abilitiesO Don’t try to use big words you don’t know well.O Conclude by summing up your strengths. Use

strong, energetic words. Don’t be apologetic or passive.

Day 6: RestO Ideally, you’ll have one day to just

forget the essay and let your brain rest.

Day 7: Edit

O Look over your essay and check for mistakes.

O Ask a friend or teacher to review the essay. Often another person’s fresh eyes will notice some weaknesses you’ve overlooked.

O Correct all errors. Spell check.

RememberO Many students consider the essay

the hardest part of an application. It will stand out and the judges will learn a lot about you through the essay.

O However, it is a big mistake to wait till one or two days before you must finish your application.

O Start early, you won’t regret it.

AssignmentO Read O Answer the questions ---