The Diagnostic Essay: Purpose and Expectations

The diagnostic essay allows me to offer you some feedback on your writing at the beginning of the course. The diagnostic essay is also a way for me to see how much you know about writing an essay at the beginning of the semester.

You will have one week to work on the essay, plenty of time to plan, pre-write, write, revise, and proofread, major aspects of the writing process that are vital to writing a good essay.  I will be looking for the basics:

• an introduction and conclusion
• a thesis statement
• relevant topic sentences
• body paragraphs focused on one main idea each
• at least three body paragraphs
• a logical progression of ideas
• ideas developed and supported with specific evidence
• a clear presentation of your ideas
• sentences free or almost free from errors
• at least 500 words

You must choose ONE of the following topics to write on:

• What features might characterize effective writing?
• Many people are collectors. Others think it’s a waste of time and money. Each student should write the way he or she feels about “collecting.”
• The students should write about the hardest thing they ever had to do and how it changed them.

Be sure that your essay has a heading, header, and title. 

5 paragraphs double spaced.

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