How to Write the Narrative Essay

David Taylor
25 Nov 201615:31

Summary

TLDRIn 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).

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Related Tags
Narrative EssayWriting TipsAPA FormatStudent GuideEssay StructurePersonal StoryWriting InstructionsEssay ExampleAcademic WritingEffective Writing