2004 College Writing 1

Goal:
This paper is to help me get to know you and your writing a little, as well as to give you a chance to get used to writing in this class. I will not comment on or grade this paper. But I will read it, in part to get to know you as a writer and student, and in part to see where you are with your writing at this moment, to see what you know how to do already. Please do your best on this paper so I can get an accurate sense of your writing skills as they stand.

This paper also marks a beginning point for you; it serves as a reminder of how you wrote at the beginning of this course. I will return your paper to you near the end of the course so you may see the kind of progress you have made.

Assignment:
Write a multi-paragraph paper of 2-3 double spaced pages (500-750 words) in which you do two things:

• Introduce yourself briefly in a paragraph.
• Who are you?
• Where are you from?
• What are your interests or major?
• And what has brought you to BSU?
  
  Compose a writing history. You might start this section by giving an overview of your experience in writing, considering such things as the reasons why you write, the kinds of writing you do, and how your writing has developed or changed over the years. You may have written primarily for classes in school. Or you may write in other situations outside of school. Perhaps you write poetry, short stories, essays, or novels. Perhaps you write memos or reports for your job. You may not have written much lately, but don't let that stand in your way. In any case, everyone has a history.
  
  In this history, you might consider in some detail how you got to go about writing. Do you have a process to go through? Does that process change as the situation for writing changes? Any myths about writing you trust in? Any rituals you engage in? What for you, makes for successful writing? And what do you do to compose successful writing?
  

Due Date:
Have this essay ready to be turned in on Friday in class.