130 / Types of Writing
In order to respond effectively to these kinds of essay questions, you should
- Study the catalogs, brochures, courses of studies, and any other printed or
online information available regarding the school, its curriculum, and its
activities. - Talk to students currently enrolled and ask about the courses, instructors, and
school in general. Ask about extracurricular activities, campus life, and areas
of special interest to you. Recent alumni may also provide good insight. - Visit the campus, if possible, before you develop your essay or report for an
interview. References to your visit will help you include specific details.
With your homework behind you, you can get on with the essay.
Avoid general kinds of responses:
Blank University will provide the best education for me because it has fine
courses in the area in which I hope to major.
Instead, aim for details, for showing, not telling:
Blank University attracted my attention as soon as I saw the cyclotron and
talked with two of the professors doing independent research with it.Essays responding to a thought-provoking statement, a book, or a contempo-
rary problem look for personal reaction to thought-provoking topics and probably
allow you to tell more about yourself—albeit indirectly—than the topics that ask for
specific responses. The questions may read something like these:
Compose a letter to your U.S. Congressional Representative in which you
express your opinion on a public policy issue of current importance. In your
letter you should include a brief factual description of the issue, your views on
the issue, and the reasons why you believe as you do. Remember that the influ-
ence your letter will carry depends on the clarity of your views and the sound-
ness of your argument. (Earlham College)
What book or author has particularly impressed you? Please explain the sig-
nificance of your choice. We encourage you to incorporate plot elements only
as necessary to support your thesis. (DePauw University)
Imagine the year is 1881. You may expect to live for another thirty-five years.
What person would you most want to know well during that time? For what
reasons? (Swarthmore College)Topics such as these require essay responses similar to those already developed. The
first example, for instance, asking for a persuasive letter, should use the method of
development detailed in Chapter 13, Persuasion. The second example is a type of
literary analysis and should follow the format and process set out in Chapter 27,