Shaping Identity

Authors of effective Personal Essays use three specific components, or parts, as a structure for their writing in order to make the writing meaningful and relatable for the reader. Here are the three components:

• Event or Incident: The author describes some incident or set of circumstances meaningful to them. 

  • Tip: Colleges have been asking students to avoid writing about COVID-19 and quarantine.

• Response: The author describes his or her feelings and thoughts concerning the incident/event at the time when it was happening. This is the writer’s initial response, without the benefit of reflection and distance from the event/incident.

• Reflection/Outcome: The writer reflects on the incident. This reflection usually occurs some time after the event/incident. In the reflection, the author will often transition from describing a specific situation unique to them to a discussion more universal in nature. 

The reflection portion of this assessment should end on a positive note. Your response can be centered around something negative, but your reflection should show the reader how you genuinely grew from it. 

The content of the essay should roughly reflect the percentage shown in this graph, with about half of the essay spent discussing your reflections on the event or incident and how it has impacted your life.