The goal of this essay is to give me some idea of what you’re able to do as a writer. You’re asked to read an article and respond to a question (often called a “prompt” because it prompts you to write).
When you write, you should aim to make your essay stay closely related to what the text itself says. In other words, in your essay, you’re offering your views of what the writer of the text has said. So be sure to use what the author says to make your own points. Don’t ignore the reading.
First, read the essay “Do People Complain Too Much?” by Shannon Doyne. You’ll find this reading in Week One Module.
Next, type a paper of about 500 words in which you respond to the following question (or prompt):
In what ways is complaining bad OR good for those who do it and those who listen to other people complain?
A good essay will have the following:
an introduction,
a sentence at the end of the introduction that makes clear your view/argument (this is called the thesis),
body paragraphs that support your thesis,
and a conclusion paragraph.
Type your paper in a writing program such as Microsoft Word, and after you’ve revised, edited and proofread it, submit it using the link you’ve been provided.
Paper Format:
All papers you write for this class (and almost every other class during your academic career) will need to be formatted correctly.
Heading: Name, date, class, and professor’s name should be in the upper left hand corner
Title should be centered under the heading
12 point font
Times New Roman
Double-spaced
1″ margins
Check out this video on how to do it:
