Personal Essay: Definition

1. Personal Essay: Definition Personal Essay – first person, reflective piece about a personal topic connected to world experiences

2. Personal Essay: Structure Paragraph #1 - Introductory Paragraph States the central idea in the form of a thesis statement. Paragraph #2 – Supporting Paragraph Content that supports the thesis Paragraph #3 – Supporting Paragraph Content that supports the thesis Paragraph #4 – Supporting Paragraph Content that supports the thesis Paragraph #5 – Concluding Paragraph Restates the thesis statement

3. Here are some examples: Taken from http://thewritesource.com/studentmodels/#exp

4. Personal Essay: Example #1 My Mother Do you have someone who is great, spends time with you, cares for you, and is an important person? Well, I do, and she has black hair, brown eyes, and a caring touch. That’s my mom. My mom talks to me about many things. One of the things she talks to me about is what will happen when I grow up. She tells me what to do in case of an emergency. And one day I had a really bad day with my friends, and she told me what to do about it. My mom and I spend a lot of time together. We play games, bake cookies, make necklaces, and draw doodle tricks. But our favorite thing to do is read. Our favorite book is If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Mom takes me shopping at the mall. We buy toys and clothes, and we eat at the café. We usually get Chinese food or go to a McDonald’s restaurant. When we ride the escalator, my mom pretends to fall back and says, “My shoestring’s stuck!” My mom always laughs, and when she laughs she sounds like a hyena gone crazy! She doesn’t laugh every day, but when she does, it’s hilarious, and I have to laugh, too! My mom is the greatest. I love how she jokes around. She is always fun no matter what, and she gives me great advice. My mom is more than a mom; she is like my best friend! Fourth-grader Abigail wrote an essay that describes how great her mother is. She includes both serious and fun reasons!

5. Personal Essay: Example #2 Ann Do you have a friend who loves you? Well, I did. Her name was Ann. She was a very close friend of mine. She was almost like family to me. Ann was very kind, and she had bright blue eyes and curly gray hair. I loved her very much. She invited me to go swimming every summer. We had a lot of fun all those summers. But she could not get in the water most of the time because she was sick. Sometimes my sisters would come swimming, too. But it was better with just Ann and me because I just wanted to spend time with her. Ann always listened to me when I had a problem. She was always there for me when I needed help on homework or had problems at school. Sometimes she would let me come in her house, and she would give me something to eat. Most of the time it would be an orange and a soft drink. Last summer that all changed. Ann was diagnosed with cancer. Two weeks after Ann was diagnosed with cancer, she died. Her funeral was not too long after that. My mom did not let me go to the visitation at the funeral home or to the funeral ceremony. My heart broke. Ann was no longer there with me. Now, it’s been a year since Ann’s death, but I still dream about her. Now it’s hard without her. My whole life has changed without Ann, and I really miss her. I know that everywhere I go there will always be a spot in my heart for Ann! Kendra, a fourth grader, submitted this model in which she shares a very personal experience.

6. Personal Essay: Example #3 Grandpa, Chaz, and Me It was a few months before my brother was born. My grandpa was perfectly fine, but then he went to the doctor for a checkup. The doctors found something wrong. They said they had to run some tests. Then they said he had colon cancer. The doctors wanted to run more tests, so Grandpa had to stay in the hospital for a while. After he got home, I played with him. He would always play with me and do all sorts of stuff. I loved my grandpa. I liked to hear him play his harmonica. He even tried to teach me how to play it. Then he had to go back to the hospital for surgery. He stayed there for a while. When he went back home, we went to his house. When we got there, my grandpa was lying on the couch. A couple of hours later, he died. I was scared, but I was only three years old. I was glad that I could see him and say good-bye. My grandpa died August 27, 1994. Four months later, on December 31, 1994, my brother Chaz was born. I wish Grandpa could have lived to see my brother. I really miss Grandpa, and so does my brother, even though he never met him. My grandpa did know that the new baby would be a boy because the doctor secretly gave him a note, and it made Grandpa smile. Cody, a fourth grader, writes about his wish that his little brother could have known their grandfather.

7. Personal Essay: Example #4 Rules One day, on the way home from school, my mom told me she was going to make up some new rules for me and my brothers and sisters. Before this, we knew she wanted us to be good, but we really didn’t have any rules. Well, Mom took care of that. On Sunday, she started giving us the “house rules.” Clean your rooms every other day. Be ready for dinner at 7:00 p.m. (that means sitting at the table, with clean hands). If Mom is having a meeting in the house, be very quiet (that means turn down the music and the TV). Be ready for bed at 9:30 p.m. (that means lying in bed, with clean faces). Get up at 7:30 a.m. to get ready for school (that means your feet are on the floor, not just hanging off the bed). Take the garbage cans to the curb on Monday morning before school. Clean the bathroom on Thursday. Following these rules isn’t too hard, and sometimes it’s even fun. Other times, it can be tough. For instance, if your room is really dirty, and you can’t finish cleaning it on that day, you have to finish it on the next day, along with anything else you have to do. That can be hard. Mom made these rules because she loves us a lot. She wants us to learn how to be on time, be clean and neat, and be polite. Every day, we try to follow her rules. This model is based on an essay submitted by fourth-grader Isabel. In the second paragraph, Isabel adds interest and humor to her writing by including her personal comments in parentheses.

8. Describe a significant interest or experience that has special meaning for you.Describe one of your grandparents. What has he/she accomplished in life? Would you like to be like him/her?What are your long-term career goals?Does any specific attribute, quality or skill distinguish you from everyone else? How did you develop this attribute? What are the reasons for your interests? Analyze your childhood. How were your interests shaped from your upbringing?How would your friends characterize you? Look at yourself from the side of other people and analyze your character in such a way. Have you experienced a moment of epiphany, as if your eyes were opened to something you were previously blind to? Describe this moment and your percepts about it. What are your dreams of the future? Now looking back at everything you have done what you would to change?Where do you see yourself, career wise, 10 years from now?Of everything of the world what would you like to be doing right now? Where would you like to be the most? Who would you prefer to be with at this moment? What is a mission you are accomplishing on the earth?

9. Personal Essay TopicsThese personal essay topics can become very good background and basis for your work. You are welcome to get acquainted with these personal essay topics and to sort out one them to you reveal yourself and your thoughts.The list of personal essay topics presented will assist you in writing your essay.http://www.goodessaytopics.com/personal-essay-topics.html

10. Who was the most influential person in your life? How did this person make you want to become better? Talk about how a person can change his direction.Have you ever wanted something so badly that you would do anything to get it? How did you feel after you received or attained the thing that you desired? Did it make your life happier or more miserable? Tell about such an experience. What is your approach to life? Reveal your life philosophy.What is your receipt of stress management?What was the most difficult time in your life? How did you overcome these difficulties? How did your perspective on life change as a result of the difficulty?Describe your most rewarding experience. How have all your acquired experiences shaped your career goals?An intellectual experience that has mattered to you.The first day I travel abroad.

11. Have you ever experienced a moment of solitude? How was it like?An E-mail from the Year 2105.Have you ever met with "Triumph and Disaster"? How did you meet those two impostors? Can you tell that you have faced them in a worthy manner? Have you ever struggled for something and failed? How did you respond? Have you experienced a feeling of disappointment and dissatisfaction of yourself?Imagine yourself being an actor/actress. Tell about your feelings before the opening night of the performance where you play the title role. Evaluate a significant experience, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you. What are your career aspirations?Have you ever struggled mightily and succeeded? Describe what you have felt at the glorious moment of victory? What does a winner feel?

12. What is the major contribution you've made in any field of your life?Discuss your academic background and achievements. Choose a prominent person (living, deceased, or fictional) that you would like to interview and explain why.Identify a person who had a significant influence on you and explain the influence.What author, musician, actor influenced on shaping your ideology? Why especially this person is so significant to you. Did he/she help you to see another side of the world?Write a speech for delivery before some group or write an article or editorial for a publication.What is a major achievement in your life? Who and what assisted you in reaching your aim? Hiking to Understanding the Self.

13. Tell about a family outing or vacation. What did you learn from the experience?Reveal your personality by naming all the positive and negative features you possess. Which of them you'd like to get rid of and which you'd like to promote and enhance.What is your strongest and most determined trait of character? Do you maintain strong beliefs and adhere to philosophy?Is there anything in your past that you would like to change? How would you change it if you could?Tell about the most unforgettable experience you've ever had.

14. Discuss your most interesting research experience. Write about a book that has special significance for you.

15. What are the most important extracurricular or community activities? What made you join these activities?Tell about a terrifying experience that you had when you were young.

16. Describe an important social event that you took part in. (wedding, church party, sports event, etc.)

17. Relate an exciting experience from which you developed a particular talent or interest. All of us learn from our failures as well as successes. What is something you gained from an unsuccessful experience?