Dr. Oguine
Fall 2003
ENGL 1201-ZCD, ZFE &ZGE
Exploratory Essay Topics
Choose ONE of the following topics and write an exploratory essay of 2-3 pages, using
references from any TWO of these text essays studied in this unit: “The Idea of a
University” by John Henry Newman (46), “A Whole Lot of Cheatin’ Going On” by Mark
Clayton (185), “The Mind of Man” by David Thomas (120), and “How to Get a College
Education” by Jeffrey Hart (126). Provide in-text citations and a Works Cited page in
MLA format.
1. Write an exploratory essay on the phrase Hart learned from one of his
undergraduate instructors: “’The goal of education is to produce the citizen.’”
Discuss, with specific examples of American citizens, whether education has
achieved this goal or not.
2. The Setonia Magazine has advertised for students who are interested in writing an
article on “How to Prevent Cheating and Plagiarism” to apply for screening.
Write an essay stating your experience in high school and your knowledge from
any TWO of the reading texts in this unit that can qualify you to write such an
article.
Goal: You will consider an issue or issues based on your reading as well as on your
own experiences. You must incorporate material from two of the essays studied in
class to support your ideas. The purpose of this assignment is to encourage you to
think about issues raised in your reading, to integrate your own experiences with
your reading, and to develop ideas about such issues.
Check your syllabus for more details on this essay.
Drafting Guidelines
1. Give your essay a suitable title that reflects its contents.
2. Start your introduction with a definition of the key word or words in your
title. Include the authors’ full names and texts you intend to use as
references. From your title, develop a thesis statement which will serve as a
controlling idea or a basis for discussion in your paragraphs. Preferably, let
it be a part of the concluding sentence of your introduction.
3. Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence and develop it with clear
explanations that expand the meaning of your thesis, using only details
which emphasize your points. End each paragraph with a strong
concluding sentence that reinforces the topic of the paragraph.
