Hi Everyone,

Thanks for a great discussion today. Remember to hold on to the short poem exercise that we started today!

For our next meeting, read closely over our second formal writing assignment (available here). Then, please write a one-paragraph rough proposal for this essay. Though you do not have to use it, here is a template that might help:

In my exploratory narrative essay, I want to examine_______________. (topic statement) Though I do not know exactly which source I want to explore, I think________________or________________might be an ideal source because________________. (potential sources) I think this topic is particularly important because it addresses_____________________, which not enough people are aware of these days. (topic rationale).

Even if you don’t use this exact template, this flow from topic statement to potential sources to topic rationale should be useful to you. You’ll present your proposal to a partner in class, not to me (though I will go around to check to make sure everyone wrote theirs), so it does not have to be especially formal.

Finally, a word about your topic. Two of you asked me after class if you could write about “small” topics like the creative dynamics of the Beatles or the curren social/political crisis in Venezeula rather than “big” topics like “immigration” or “abortion.” My answer was, absolutely! Write about a topic that excites you, a topic that you want to write about, a topic that you want others to know about. Remember also that your exploratory essay will be about 4 pages and your final research essay will be about 7-8 pages. So ask yourself, what story can I tell about my topic in this relatively short amount of written space?