English Composition 1

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 use of first-person pronouns ("I," "me," etc.), should avoid the use of contractions ("can't," "won't," etc.), and should avoid the use of slang or informal expressions.