JMW Turner, The Thames above Waterloo Bridge, c.1830-5.
We are a few days into Week Three of this Final Project. Many of you have your topic from Week Two and are well on your way to the statement of purpose that is due Monday, May 18. This post is for any student still struggling with the first few steps of this project.
Here are this week’s resources:
The models in the second link offer many options. If you are feeling overwhelmed, however, or simply don’t know how to move forward, read on. This post will give you three more options.
Finding the River
Each of these options fulfills the requirements of the final project. The benefit now is that you could develop a statement of purpose by Monday, even if you start today1.
These options all rest on the universal writing process available for download here:
You’ll have to do some research and further reading, draft your response, generate feedback, and so on, but your project will start with the “river” writing approach we’ve used all year.
The idea here is to give you another level of help: You would choose one of the following three options, write a statement of purpose by Monday, and then be back on track for the rest of the calendar.
Ask questions in the comment section below.
Final Option #1: Three-Minute Graduation Speech
Use the universal writing guide to develop a three-minute graduation speech. You can submit this to administration for a chance to give the speech during graduation this year. Ms. Horler sent a note to you on May 6 with more information:
It’s that time of year already. We are looking for one amazing, unique and heartfelt speech for graduation. We will be hearing speeches on June 1st from 10-12. The speech needs to be under 3 minutes. If you are interested, work on a speech and email your intent. I will send you a time slot to give your speech to our panel.
Stay Well!
Ms.Horler
This speech requires a statement of purpose, some research, a draft, etc, just like any other project. Don’t let the three-minute requirement deceive you — this has a high degree of difficulty!
Resources:
- Writing Process: Universal Guide | tinyurl.com/sisyphus-writes
- Commencement Address | sisypheanhigh.com/malachite/?p=3791
Final Option #2: Open Letter or Longer Speech
Use the universal writing guide to develop an open letter or longer speech. This could be an address to the graduating class, like the three-minute speech in Option #1, but it would not be limited in scope.
You could also select a different audience for an open letter. To do this, you would use that universal writing guide. There is definite overlap here with Option #3; the difference is the concept of an open letter or speech in this one.
Note also that the goal of this letter or speech is to share it. That is not required, but it is a goal. Consider the instructional post on the end of the writing process: A specific audience beyond your teacher(s) makes the work more authentic.
Resources:
- Writing Process: Universal Guide | tinyurl.com/sisyphus-writes
- The End of the Writing Process | sisypheanhigh.com/malachite/?p=2114
Final Option #3: River Essay — Quarantine Edition
Use the universal writing guide to develop an essay. For this option, you are using the definition of essay we identified by studying Paul Graham in the fall.
Start with your observations, feelings, etc, during this quarantine. Read what others have written in the last two months. Cast a wide net, and pay attention, as Graham says, to what you’re not supposed to.
You can use Jerry Jesness’ “Floating Standard” essay as a model, if that helps your own design. Note that specific kind of research-driven essay, as the original project explains, is about identifying and trying to solve a problem; for this final option, you do not need to do that.
Resources:
- Writing Process: Universal Guide | tinyurl.com/sisyphus-writes
- The End of the Writing Process | sisypheanhigh.com/malachite/?p=2114
This will be posted on May 13, five days before the deadline. Remember, though, that these deadlines are flexible: You can take the time you need to do this the way you’d like. ↩