How to Write the Narrative Essay

Summary

In this video, David Taylor from the Effective Writing Center explains how to write a personal narrative essay. He covers the assignment's key points, including the importance of choosing a significant, focused topic and maintaining a clear essay structure with an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Taylor emphasizes the value of emotional engagement in storytelling and offers tips on organizing the essay in a logical order. He also provides a detailed analysis of a model paper, highlighting its use of narrative details to develop a central thesis, and reinforces the importance of following APA formatting.

Takeaways

• 😀 A personal narrative essay should focus on narrating a specific event or interaction with a person from past work or community experiences.
• 😀 The essay should be between 800 and 1200 words, following APA formatting with Times New Roman 12-point font and double-spacing.
• 😀 It’s important to choose a specific, emotionally impactful event that has a clear beginning and end, rather than a broad or vague topic.
• 😀 The essay structure should include a typical introduction with background context and a clear thesis statement at the end of the paragraph.
• 😀 Body paragraphs should develop the thesis through narrative details, with logical organization such as chronological order or order of importance.
• 😀 Each body paragraph should begin with a topic sentence, followed by narrative details that connect to the thesis.
• 😀 The conclusion can discuss future implications or reflect on the broader significance of the event or relationship discussed in the essay.
• 😀 The paper should follow all aspects of APA formatting, including the title page, running head, and consistent double-spacing throughout.
• 😀 The title page must include a running head, full title, author’s name, and the name of the school, with specific capitalization rules for titles.
• 😀 A successful personal narrative essay demonstrates how the event or relationship shaped the writer’s personal or professional growth.
• 😀 Using a model essay as a guide, focus on clearly showing the connection between the narrative details and the overall thesis of the essay.

Q & A

What is the primary goal of the personal narrative essay assignment?

The primary goal is to narrate an event or describe interactions with a person from past work or community experiences, focusing on an event or interaction that is important and emotionally impactful.

What is the required length of the personal narrative essay?

The essay should be between 800 to 1200 words, which is approximately 2 to 4 pages, excluding the title page.

Which formatting style should be used for the essay?

The essay should follow APA style, with Times New Roman font, 12-point size, and double spacing throughout the manuscript.

What type of event should students choose for their narrative essay?

Students should choose an event with a defined beginning and end, occurring over a relatively brief period. The event should be emotionally significant to make the narrative relatable to the reader.

How should the introduction of the personal narrative essay be structured?

The introduction should present the topic, provide background context, and conclude with a thesis statement that outlines the main theme or purpose of the essay.

Why is it important for the body paragraphs to follow a logical order?

The body paragraphs should follow a logical order, such as chronological order or order of importance, to ensure clarity and coherence in how the narrative develops in support of the thesis.

What is the purpose of the conclusion paragraph in the personal narrative essay?

The conclusion should summarize the key points, reflect on the implications of the narrative, and potentially offer a broader context or look toward the future.

How does the model paper by Mark Maral Hughes demonstrate effective narrative writing?

The model paper demonstrates effective narrative writing by using a clear thesis, well-structured body paragraphs with relevant narrative details, and a conclusion that reflects on the lasting impact of the experience on the author’s professional development.

What is the importance of narrative details in the body paragraphs?

Narrative details are crucial because they help develop the thesis, showing how specific events and interactions contributed to the personal growth or theme being conveyed in the essay.

What formatting rules should be followed when creating the title page in APA style?

The title page should include the running head (with a specific format for the title on the first page), the full title of the paper, the author's name, and the institution. Everything should be double-spaced, and the title should follow capitalization rules (capitalize the first word and important words).