4QE: The Final Individual Essay

Thus far this semester, we have examined several forms and genres and have analyzed, from a rhetorical perspective, the way each presents a unique argument—or, perhaps more accurately, how different forms or genres offer unique opportunities, unique presentations, of specific claims and thus employ different types of appeals. This assignment, your final Quarterly Essay, offers you the opportunity to apply everything we’ve discussed about language, rhetoric, and public argument and craft an original argument of your own. In order to tailor the assignment to your own personal and professional interests and needs, please choose from one of the following options:

Option 1: Creative Nonfiction Essay
The work you have done thus far this semester has been analytical, formal, academic; this assignment offers you the opportunity to ‘play’ a little by exploring writing as a craft rather than as a mere vehicle for communication. The writing you will do for this option does not depart entirely from the practice you've had through the first two quarterly essays nor from the work you have been doing in your cohorts toward the research project; in fact, writing creative nonfiction relies on or draws from many of the principles that guide formal academic writing and research. The difference lies in the subject matter, approach, style, and delivery—in brief, the writer=s rhetorical situation and purpose.

This option, therefore, asks that you attempt (essayer) a creative nonfiction essay of you own and offers you the opportunity to merge the discipline of research and analysis with the aesthetic qualities of creative writing and to write about a subject from a perspective and in a style that is entirely your own. As Gutkind advises, “Ultimately, the primary goal of the creative nonfiction writer is to communicate information, just like a reporter, but to shape it in a way that reads like fiction.” In this regard, our work with rhetorical tropes and schemes, types of appeals, kairos, and forms of public argument should serve you well; in short, rely on your rhetorical awareness when crafting your essay.

Your creative nonfiction essay should be focused and economical, and it should also be well developed and immediate. The approximate length for this assignment should be 7 to 10 pages, but let your subject be your guide.


Option 2: The Academic Expository Essay
Exposition is, in many ways, an academic institution in and of itself. Encompassing a variety of forms, or rhetorical modes—including narrative and description, process-analysis, comparison/ contrast, illustration, and, of course, the traditional argumentative or persuasive paper—expository writing seeks to examine, highlight, inform, and/or reveal something about a topic, issue, or problem. Most of you have used the form consistently in your blogs, and it is the genre you employed in your first two Quarterly Essays.

For this option, then, you have the opportunity to choose a topic and issue that you find relevant, timely, and interesting, and advance a unique public argument that explores, provides commentary about, or informs your audience about the subject.

This essay should provide a thorough examination of a subject from a unique and informed perspective; it should evidence a clear rhetorical purpose (as we have discussed throughout the semester). The approximate length for this essay should be 7 to 10 pages, but (as always) honor content over page length requirement.

Option 3: The Statement of Purpose/Personal Statement
This option is specifically designed for those of you who plan to go on to graduate or professional school, apply for internships or study abroad programs, et al. As part of the application process, most programs will ask that you craft a statement that represents your character and goals and gestures toward your interest and/or investment in their program. The key is understanding that the Statement of Purpose is your opportunity to not only introduce yourself to an admissions committee, but also to argue that you are a valuable potential candidate for the program, one that must not be overlooked.

The conventions for Statements vary from organization to organization; if you intend to continue your education, it is well worth your time to investigate the expectations of your chosen profession or desired program with regard to the application process—even if this is just a practice run. If you do not yet have a specific path in mind, then you may elect to write a general statement that you can later revise and tailor to meet the specific expectations of your application. The thing to remember is that this form, perhaps more than any other, is explicitly about ethos—your ethos. What will make you stand out as a unique and promising candidate among a large population of qualified, experienced, and enthusiastic competitors? The Statement of Purpose affords you some measure of control. A well-crafted Statement should run about two-pages, but bear in mind that these two pages will likely be the most economical, labor-intensive two pages you may ever write, and that the length expectations and limits will vary from program to program. For the purposes of this assignment, if you have no specific application guidelines, two pages is a reasonable metric.