Prompt: Long-form Essay
For Project Space you’ll be writing a “long-form essay” of four to five pages. A long-form essay has many definitions, but we’ll think about the essay as a way of combining research and storytelling. To get started, choose an object or a person that has been influential in your life. This may include household objects, murals, art, family, friends, or someone famous. Once you’ve chosen someone or something you’d like to focus on, think about what could possibly be the larger implications—the larger stories—tied to your topic.
For Project Space you’ll be writing a “long-form essay” of four to five pages. A long-form essay has many definitions, but we’ll think about the essay as a way of combining research and storytelling. To get started, choose an object or a person that has been influential in your life. This may include household objects, murals, art, family, friends, or someone famous. Once you’ve chosen someone or something you’d like to focus on, think about what could possibly be the larger implications—the larger stories—tied to your topic.
For example, let’s say you’re writing about your father. Your first step is trying to understand why your father has been influential to you and in what ways. Then take a step back and think about what he does for a living, or what others see in him that contributes to the family or the community in some way. So if your father is a trucker, you can choose to investigate (yes, this is where the research comes in) what it’s like to be in his shoes. What is it like to drive cross-country for weeks at a time? Or if he drives locally, what is it like to start a work day at 2 am? Etc.
Another example: Let’s say you’re writing about the stuffed panda your aunt gave to you when you were a child. Again, the first step is to think about why it was meaningful to you in the first place. Then take a step back and investigate where it came from. So let’s say your aunt took you to the carnival and she won the panda for you. Questions you might want to consider: When did stuffed animals become prizes? What is the history of carnivals? What are the connections between the stuffed toys and the people or the workers or the owners? Where was the panda made and is it available anywhere else?
Tip: Follow the story! You won’t know what you want to say about your object or person until you start investigating the stories they’ll lead to. So have fun with it! The majority of this essay will be expository writing. The research part includes dates, times, facts, and so on that you investigate by either interviewing people or reading information online and in the library.
Deadlines:
Thursday, February 20, complete first draft. (Bring two printed copies.)
Thursday, February 27, complete revision of second draft. (Bring two printed copies.)
Thursday, March 6, fully revised final draft posted on the Project Space page.
Another example: Let’s say you’re writing about the stuffed panda your aunt gave to you when you were a child. Again, the first step is to think about why it was meaningful to you in the first place. Then take a step back and investigate where it came from. So let’s say your aunt took you to the carnival and she won the panda for you. Questions you might want to consider: When did stuffed animals become prizes? What is the history of carnivals? What are the connections between the stuffed toys and the people or the workers or the owners? Where was the panda made and is it available anywhere else?
Tip: Follow the story! You won’t know what you want to say about your object or person until you start investigating the stories they’ll lead to. So have fun with it! The majority of this essay will be expository writing. The research part includes dates, times, facts, and so on that you investigate by either interviewing people or reading information online and in the library.
Deadlines:
Thursday, February 20, complete first draft. (Bring two printed copies.)
Thursday, February 27, complete revision of second draft. (Bring two printed copies.)
Thursday, March 6, fully revised final draft posted on the Project Space page.