GCU UNV104 21st Century Skills: Communication and Information Literacy Week 4 Assignment

First Draft: Expository Essay

Now that you have written the outline for your essay, it is time to write the first draft. Please access your resources by clicking the drop-down menu, selecting path, and then click course materials.

Review the attached “Writing a Five-Paragraph Essay” resource to help guide you through the structure of a five-paragraph essay.

Review the media piece The Writing Process to help you prepare your first draft.

Review your outline feedback from your instructor to help you prepare your first draft.

Write the first draft of your five-paragraph expository essay, which should be 750-1,000 words.

Review the First Draft Rubric to help you make sure all elements are present in your essay. This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

Review the attached “Essay Checklist” to help you review and make sure your essay includes the following:

An introductory paragraph with a thesis statement.

Three body or supporting paragraphs.

A concluding paragraph.

In-text citations and a reference page. (Remember to reference and cite any supporting information you are taking from your articles-if it is not your original thought, there needs to be a citation and reference.)

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the GCU Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

Submit the completed First Draft to LopesWrite and review your report BEFORE submitting to your instructor. Access the additional instructions on how to understand your report in your resources.

Once you know your first draft is ready to submit to your instructor, submit the completed assignment to the final assignment drop box by the end of Topic 4 (Sunday, by 11:59pm, Arizona Time).

Writing a Five-Paragraph Essay Resource

Format & Organization:

• Use a Times New Roman font, unless given permission from instructor to use another font choice.

• ALL lettering should be sized at 12 point; the title included

• Do NOT use bold in any wording.

Heading and Title:

• Make sure you have the proper heading in the upper-left-hand corner; you should have the following and in the order: name, course, date, and instructor.

• If you use APA, make sure your cover page is in proper format; you may wish to discuss with your instructor if they would prefer this or the heading as mentioned in the above bullet point.

• Your title should be centered and capitalized appropriately per GCU Style Guide or APA format.

Introduction Paragraph:

• The first paragraph of your essay is the introductory paragraph.

• In this first paragraph of your essay, you should review your topic in a general fashion. You should also tell the reader why they might care to read more.

• The final sentence of your introductory paragraph will be your thesis statement. Your thesis statement will guide the reader as to what will follow.

Body Paragraphs: (Middle Paragraphs of the Essay)

• Each paragraph should be limited to one idea.

• Each paragraph should be connected in some way to your thesis statement.

• Within your body paragraphs, include the information from the resources you found.

• Do not forget to cite information from outside sources.

• Your final body paragraph may look at opposing views. For a well-rounded point of view, it is important to consider multiple perspectives.

• The body of your essay should include detailed, accurate, and relevant information that aims to support your thesis statement.

Concluding Paragraph:

• Your last paragraph is your conclusion. Rather than simply restating your introduction, try and brand your reader with your closing statements.

• Tell the reader again about your topic, thesis, and main point(s) of your essay.

• End with a strong stance on the topic to make the reader think about what they just read; leave an impact.

Using Transitions:

• Transitions are very important to your essay. Transitions are the glue that holds the paragraphs of your paper together.

• Examples of transitions are: next, furthermore, moreover, however, on the other hand, no doubt, and finally.

• You should be using these from transitions in thought and in ending and/or beginning new paragraphs.

Using Citations:

• Citations are used to reference material from another source.

• Using citations to give credit to others whose ideas or words you have used is an essential requirement to avoid issues of plagiarism.

• To avoid potential problems, always be sure to cite your sources by referring to the author’s last name and the year of publication in parentheses at the end of the sentence, such as (Johnson, 2008) and page or paragraph numbers if you are using word-for-word materials, such as “ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country” (Kennedy, 1960, p. 34).

Reference Page:

• The reference list should appear at the end of a paper.

• It provides the information necessary for a reader to locate and retrieve any source you cite in the body of the paper.

• Each source you cite in the paper must appear in your reference list; likewise, each entry in the reference list must be cited in your text.

• For examples of references, please refer to the GCU Style Guide, located in the Writing Center portion of the Student Success Center.

Essay Checklist

____Organization: Proper heading in the upper left hand corner, five separated paragraphs, Reference Page

____ Research: Proper Topic that is supported with a peer reviewed article (research is included through in-text citations/paraphrased information from article(s).

____ Conventions/Mechanics: Proof-read entire paper, no spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors; double-spaced throughout entire paper; paragraphs indented; references are listed correctly on reference page; minimum word count has been met and maximum word count has not been exceeded.

____ Ideas/Content: Your topic and three main arguments are clear to the reader; there is a structured idea behind your essay; your arguments and research are aligned to one another; your essay meets the Turnitin (TII) requirements for submission.

____ Word Choice: Academic writing is met, correct words used in context; essay contains a variety of sentence structures and uses complete, detailed expressions within the writing. *No incomplete, incoherent, or fragment sentences are found.

____ Voice/Tone: Essay is written in 3rd Person Point of View (there is no “I” statements in the writing); message is clear and original in thought from the writer’s perspective on the topic and arguments (research is only there to support these claims).

____ Sentence/Paragraph Fluency: There is a smooth transitioning between paragraphs; sentences within the body paragraphs flow and are easy to read and follow; there is an unison of the topic chosen and the arguments presented in the essay; research enhances the paragraphs, and does not take the majority of the paragraph itself-again, research is to support, not create the essay.