Bucket List Essay

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Want to know what your final draft should look like to get a good grade? Read the following example essays:

To read a copy of my example essay for the bucket list essay, click here!

To read a copy of Student Example Bucket List Essay #1, click here!

To read a copy of Student Example Bucket List Essay #2, click here!

Directions: Follow the steps below to complete your bucket list essay.

Step 1: Complete the reading the following chapters and completing the questions on the handout you received.

To access the Successful College Writing Assignment Sheet, click here!

To read a copy of Successful College Writing Chapters 18-20 for the bucket list research packet, click the following links (must be logged in to pvlearners):

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Step 2: Create working draft of your bubble map. See example images below.

Watch the video on the bucket list bubble map here (step 1). This video will show you how to organize and set up your bucket list research paper bubble map on Bubbl.us (you can use any similar software or a sheet or two of paper if you would rather. You just have to have something to turn in).

Bubble Map Steps

Step 1: Begin thinking about which 3 topics you want to discuss, like going to Paris, skydiving, or seeing one of the seven wonders of the world (all seven wonders would take way more than a paragraph).

Step 2: Watch the video above. You will need to group your chosen bucket list items together to gather your thesis/main argument of your research paper. You are only allowed to have one, two, or three different arguments in your thesis. Therefore, if you have to write three body paragraphs for a five paragraph essay, then you will need something like the following:

Example Bubble Map with 1 Main Argument (Traveling to Cities) and Three Body Paragraphs Below

Example Bubble Map with 2 Main Arguments (Traveling to Cities and Thrill Seeking)

and Three Body Paragraphs Below

Example Bubble Map with 3 Main Arguments (Traveling, Personal Goals, and Thrill Seeking)

and Three Body Paragraphs Below

Example Blank Bubble Map with 3 Main Arguments and Three Body Paragraphs Below

Step 3: How do I turn in the first draft of my bubble map to Google Classroom for credit? Click here to watch the video!

Step 3: Complete your annotated bibliography on Google Classroom. Make sure to use your bubble map to guide your annotated bibliography/outline hybrid.

To watch the video on how to complete your Annotated Bibliography/Outline hybrid, click here!!

Step 4: Fill out your bubble map with three chunks per paragraph (See images below). Make sure each paragraph has all 11 sentences: 1 Topic Sentence/Body Paragraph bubble, 3 Concrete detail bubbles, 6 commentary bubbles, and one conclusion sentence bubble.

What's a "chunk"? A chunk is 1 Concrete Detail (research/facts from your credible website that you will cite) plus two Commentaries/Analyses of why you chose that piece of evidence in relation to the main topic you chose to argue.

CD+CM+CM= 1 chunk

Choose the most interesting/best evidence pieces from your research on your annotated bibliography and put them in fluid order on your bubble maps under your concrete details.

Writer's Note: Any of your commentaries could possibly contain another concrete detail and you do not have to follow this exactly while you write as long as you have at least 3-5 pieces of evidence and at least two things to say about each one.

Example 5 Paragraph Essay Bubble Map

(3 Body Paragraphs - 11 sentences each with 3 chunks)

Step 5: Fill up your bubble map with concrete details and ideas for your commentaries and conclusion sentences. Please see the example below for the first body and make sure you do the same thing for all 3 of your body paragraphs.

Step 6: Set up your MLA essay document in Google Classroom by changing everything to your name and your title, etc. The document will already have 1" margins, double spacing, page numbers, and everything you need to just change to your own.

Watch the brief video on how to do so here!

Step 7: Draft your introduction paragraph after watching the following video.

Watch the video on how to write your introduction paragraph here!

Check out this link for more help writing funnel intro or funnel conclusion!

Step 8: Draft your body paragraphs after watching the following video.

Watch the video on how to write your body paragraph here!

Watch the video on how to embed quotes into your essay and properly cite them here!

Review the MLA Style Guide page 14-28 below to see what needs to be in your citation after your quotes. This reviews everything you could use for research, so check it out!

Citations are mainly the following for websites:

(Author's last name, "Title of Article").

If title is very long, abbreviate it.

If there is no last name then just put the article title: ("Title of Article").

Citation for when you have someone say something in someone else's article. For instance, if John Smith writes an article called "Make America Great Again" and interviews President Donald Trump, then we say Donald Trump in our sentence and we have the following citation: President Trump in sentence + (qtd. in Smith, "Make America Great Again"). This way we cite both the speaker of the quote and the author of the article.

Citations for books: (Author's Last name, Page number)

Citations for personal interview that you did yourself: (Last name of interviewee).

Embedding direct quote formula:

(Your words + "quote" + citation) or

(Your words + "quote" + more of your words + citation) or

("Quote" + your words + citation) or

(Your words + "quote" + your words + "quote" + your words + citation) = A complete concrete detail sentence

Paraphrase formula:

(Your words + then a rephrasing of the quote you read in your own words without quotes around it + citation) = A complete concrete detail sentence

How to write thesis, concrete details, and commentaries

How to start a paragraph with a solid topic sentence.

Signal phrases for embedded quote lead ins/outs

Signal phrases for embedded quotes lead ins/outs #2

Check out this link for transitional words and phrases!

Check out this link for help writing funnel intro or funnel conclusion!

Step 9: Draft your conclusion paragraph after watching the following video.

To watch the "How to write a conclusion paragraph video," click here!

Check out this link for help writing funnel intro or funnel conclusion!

Step 10: Create your Works Cited page after watching the following video.

To watch the "How to create a works cited page," click here!

To view the Purdue Online Writing Lab's web page for how to cite a BOOK or TEXTBOOK sources in MLA, click here!

To view the Purdue Online Writing Lab's web page for how to cite ONLINE sources in MLA, click here!

To view an example MLA style essay and works cited page, click here!

To view the 2009 MLA Style Guide slideshow, scroll down to the "Files" section below.

Tip: Remember to click "Control + F" in order to pull up the find window to make it easier to search for what you want on the page or within the file below, such as "Internet" or "Book."

Bucket List Essay Information and Resources:

To read a copy of my example essay for the bucket list essay, click here!

To read a copy of Student Example Bucket List Essay #1, click here!

To read a copy of Student Example Bucket List Essay #2, click here!

Practice MLA Style and In-text parenthetical citations by taking the quizzes below:

http://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/story.php?title=mla-citation-practice-quiz

http://www.niu.edu/writingtutorial/style/quizzes/MLA.htm

http://www2.ivcc.edu/rambo/eng1001/practice_quotations_quiz.htm

http://www.softschools.com/quizzes/grammar/quotation_marks/quiz1632.html

http://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/quotes.asp

http://www.quia.com/quiz/1255538.html

http://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/story.php?title=punctuating-quotations-dialogue