Essay #1 Assignment: Language

Name:
Essay 1 at a
Glance                                                                                                                                     
              
For this assignment, you will select one text from this unit to develop your ideas through an
essay. This essay should include introduction, body, and conclusion paragraphs.
Length:  5 typed pages
Texts for Essay 1 (Choose one of the two texts).
Anzaldua, Gloria. “How to Tame a Wild Tongue.”
Amy Tan, “Mother Tongue”
 Essay 1 Prompt: 

How does language shape (define, limit, and/or broaden) how individuals understand themselves
and/or how individuals are understood by others?

Organization tips and format:

 Be sure to use MLA format throughout and to create a unique title for your essay.
 Organize your thoughts before you write. Stay on topic and focus your analysis on the
text and proving your thesis.
 Focus on examining how a text from this unit would help prove a thesis that answers this
prompt. Remember to stay away from personal experience and first person pronouns.
 Include quotes from the selected text. Make sure quotes help explain your thesis. Use a
quote sandwich when integrating a quote into your body paragraph.
 Be sure to budget your time wisely.
 You can do it!!

General Guidelines:
Introduction:

 Introduce your topic by using a “hook”.

 Introduce the author and title of work you will be examining.
 Provide a very brief (1-2 sentence) summary of the work you will examine as it relates to
your essay topic.
 Offer an explicit and concise thesis statement on your essay topic that answers the prompt
(last sentence of your introduction).
Body Paragraph:

 Always begin each body paragraph with a topic sentence that will lead to the support and
development of your thesis.Never begin a body paragraph with a quote, a question, or
something that is not your own main idea.
 Explain/ analyze the idea in your topic sentence.
 Provide author, title, and context before presenting a quote.
 For each quote, cite it with a page number in parenthesis.
 Follow each quote with an analysis of how it helps answer the prompt and support thesis.
 End each body paragraph with a concluding sentence.

Conclusion:

 Must be a fully developed paragraph.

 Reinforce your essay’s thesis
 Review your own main ideas and source’s main ideas as expressed in the body
 Provide a lasting thought or new insight on your topic