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English Composition 2
Expectations for All Essays
- A required minimum
length is given for each essay. This is a required minimum. The grade of
an essay not meeting the required minimum length will be reduced
substantially, and an essay will receive a failing grade if it is
significantly below the minimum required length.
- Each essay should be formatted according to the guidelines on The
Proper Format for Essays Web page.
- Each essay should have at
least five paragraphs, including an introduction and a conclusion.
- Each essay should include
a one-sentence thesis statement in the introduction that (1) identifies the topic, (2)
identified the main ideas presented in the paper, (3) clarifies how the ideas are
logically related, and (4) conveys the main point of the paper.
- Each body paragraph should include a clear topic sentence,
preferably as the first sentence, that identifies the main point to be developed or argued
in the paragraph.
- Each body paragraph should be at least half of a page long (double
spaced). In
general, introductions and conclusions are not as long as body paragraphs.
- A formal writing voice should be used in each essay. This means
the writer should avoid the use of first-person pronouns ("I," "me,"
etc.), the use of contractions ("can't," "won't," etc.),
and the use of slang or informal expressions (such as "guy" and "hanging
out").