Fall 2005: ENC 1102: Argument & Persuasion: Invoking the Professional Voice
Diagnostic Essay
The diagnostic essay is meant to provide a sample of your current writing ability. Your essay should have an introduction, body, and conclusion. The introduction should state your topic and viewpoint on the topic to let your reader know what they can expect as they read the essay. The essay should briefly address one of the following questions. Please remember that this is a diagnostic essay, it's meant to provide me with a snapshot of your current writing skills and style.
You're free to write informally, reflectively, narratively, imaginatively, analytically, and/or creatively on this assignment, but you should also try to write with “correct” syntax and mechanics. Also, please respond in prose, not poetry.
Questions for Diagnostic Essay -- Answer One
Ideas on Art
For the diagnostic essay, write about a piece of art that has influenced you. First, you'll need to describe the piece of art, and perhaps to explain what makes it art. Video games, sports, comics, and other forms often aren't considered art. If you choose one of these or another form that generally isn't considered art, explain what makes the form art. Then, describe the particular piece of art and explain its relevance to you. Since this is an essay for a class, consider your audience (me, your teacher), so certain topics aren't the best idea like pornography and illegal activity (unless you're arguing that the illegality is unjust as with some cases of grafitti art). Also, since this is writing for a class, academic approaches are better. Academic approaches tend to be easier if you can be more objective about a topic, so writing about something that's extremely emotional or personal is more difficult than writing about something that you simply enjoy or respect.
Some questions to help in writing this:
- Your introduction should state what the piece of art is, and briefly why it matters to you.
- Then, more fully explain the piece of art. What is it? What type of art is it? Why is it art?
- Is it high or low art (from the normal definitions)? Does this impact what you think of it?
- Explain when you encountered it. Did you see it in a museum, in a play, in a novel, at the movies, on TV?
- What made it important or interesting to you? What does it do that other similar works don't, or what does it do better or more fully?
- What impact did it have on you? Why?
- Have you thought about other pieces of art differently because of this? Which ones? Why?
Your Writing Experience
Explain your writing experiences up to now. Have they been good, bad, neither? How would you evaluate your writing style and writing in your life? Do you frequently write emails and chat online? Do you mainly write for class? What classes and situations in your life led you to write--creative, job related, personal communication?
Points guiding your essay:
- Do you think of yourself as a writer? As a good writer or a bad writer? As a reluctant writer so that you write only when needed?
- How have your writing classes changed or confirmed this?
- How have your non-class writing experiences changed or confirmed this?
- When do you currently write and why?
- What sort of role do you see writing playing later in your life: professionally, personally, and academically?