Welcome to the Unit 6 Seminar for KU 121! Topic: Developing the First Draft and Writing the Body Paragraphs Professor: Ann Meek, PhD.

In KU 121, we will focus on one writing project for the term—a professional autobiography. This project will be due in Unit 9. Each week, in each unit, we are working toward that goal.

Project Description Imagine that you have completed your program at Kaplan University and have been offered your dream job! The company or organization you will be working for wants to issue a press release announcing that you are joining them and in what capacity. In order to do so, they need a minimum 500-word autobiographical statement from you. Imagine that you have completed your program at Kaplan University and have been offered your dream job! The company or organization you will be working for wants to issue a press release announcing that you are joining them and in what capacity. In order to do so, they need a minimum 500-word autobiographical statement from you.

Your autobiography should include 5 paragraphs: 1. One paragraph that identifies who you are, where you live, the company or organization that has hired you, and your new job title. 2. One paragraph that gives professional details about you and your life—your age, family, hobbies, etc. (NOTE: this is a professional biography so you need to limit personal details to what is appropriate). 3. One paragraph that talks about your education. You should include high school or your GED, any previous college experience, and your Kaplan program. 4. One paragraph that details professional experiences, honors and awards, or other related details. 5. One concluding paragraph that reinforces where you will be working, your job title, and what you will be doing.

Project Timeline Unit 3: Identify your dream job in discussion and complete and post your Pre-Writing to the dropbox. Unit 3: Identify your dream job in discussion and complete and post your Pre-Writing to the dropbox. Unit 4: Write and post your outline to the dropbox. Unit 4: Write and post your outline to the dropbox. Unit 5: Write and post your autobiography introduction to the dropbox. Unit 5: Write and post your autobiography introduction to the dropbox. Unit 6: Write and post your 3 autobiography body paragraphs to the dropbox. Unit 6: Write and post your 3 autobiography body paragraphs to the dropbox. Unit 7: Submit your completed Rough Draft to the dropbox and send a copy to the Writing Center Unit 7: Submit your completed Rough Draft to the dropbox and send a copy to the Writing Center Unit 8: Submit Writing Center feedback report to the dropbox Unit 8: Submit Writing Center feedback report to the dropbox Unit 9: Complete and post Final version of your autobiography to the dropbox Unit 9: Complete and post Final version of your autobiography to the dropbox

Some writers like to put together the body of their work first, and then draft the introduction and conclusion. This inverted method allows the work to flow from the inside out. Other writers prefer to work from beginning to end; however, this is not required.

In any case, the key to writing a successful draft is to get the information on paper. A preliminary draft is just that – preliminary. It does not need to be perfect, but the more time and effort put into it, the less time needed at the end of the process

Think of each paragraph as a separate unit and you can work on each of these units in whatever order you desire. It can be in the final stages of drafting that you make connections and rearrange these units so that they fall into the logical order you established in the outline.

Also, there should be few corrections made at this time – aside from running grammar and spelling check at the end and cursory proofing. In essence you are still creating your paper, which is why this draft is often referred to as the "discovery draft."

Types of Paragraphs in Essays Introductory paragraph -- The first paragraph of an essay. It starts with broad, general ideas and then works toward more specific ideas, ending with the thesis sentence. (paragraph #1) Introductory paragraph -- The first paragraph of an essay. It starts with broad, general ideas and then works toward more specific ideas, ending with the thesis sentence. (paragraph #1) Body paragraph -- The interior paragraphs within an essay. Each of these paragraphs discusses a single main idea presented by the thesis sentence; this becomes the paragraph topic. (paragraphs #2, #3, and #4) Body paragraph -- The interior paragraphs within an essay. Each of these paragraphs discusses a single main idea presented by the thesis sentence; this becomes the paragraph topic. (paragraphs #2, #3, and #4) Concluding paragraph -- The final paragraph in the essay. Its job is to briefly remind reader of the key points and then end with some broad, general ideas. (paragraph #5) Concluding paragraph -- The final paragraph in the essay. Its job is to briefly remind reader of the key points and then end with some broad, general ideas. (paragraph #5)

Outline: 5 Paragraph Essay I. Introduction – this is your identification (location, company, job title, etc.) Thesis sentence is the last sentence of paragraph one. II. Body paragraph 1: Personal details (professional level) – age, family, hobbies and interests. Remember – do not include any overly personal or inappropriate details. III. Body paragraph 2: Educational background – include program at Kaplan (pretend you already have received your degree) IV. Body paragraph 3: Professional experiences and background – any related work you have done or achievements and awards V. Concluding paragraph – the final paragraph in the essay, wrapping up your overall topic.

The examples included in this presentation are to be used as general examples or guidelines only. Please use them to inspire ideas for the development of your own paragraphs – do not use them “as is” for your autobiography!

Sample Introductory Paragraph I It is a pleasure to introduce our new four year old kindergarten teacher at Gotham City Elementary School – Jane Doe. The children at Gotham City Elementary are excited that one of their favorite library assistants is now a teacher! After over ten years of teaching children to love books and reading, Jane will now be able to share her skills with a class of her own. Jane Doe is a dedicated early childhood educator at Gotham City Elementary School who has a personal, educational, and professional background which has uniquely qualified her to excel in this field

Sample Introductory Paragraph II The employees of General Hospital would like to welcome John Smith as our new surgical technician. John’s enthusiasm for his new medical career is contagious! After many years in the construction field, John has met the qualifications to work as a surgical technician and is looking forward to the exciting job of assisting our surgeons in the operating room. According to John – “this is the most important step of my working career, and one that I have hoped for throughout my adult life.” John Smith’s personal, professional, and academic background have prepared him to be a top-notch surgical technician at General Hospital, and he is excited to begin his new career!

Thesis Sentence Thesis sentence -- A single sentence with an essay, located at the end of the introductory paragraph. The thesis sentence functions as a "signpost" to signal to the reader the main ideas to come later in the essay. Thesis sentence -- A single sentence with an essay, located at the end of the introductory paragraph. The thesis sentence functions as a "signpost" to signal to the reader the main ideas to come later in the essay.

Example Thesis Sentences “Jane Doe is a dedicated early childhood educator at Gotham City Elementary School who has a personal, educational, and professional background which has uniquely qualified her to excel in this field.” “ John Smith’s personal, professional, and academic background have prepared him to be a top-notch surgical technician at General Hospital, and he is excited to begin his new career!” Notice the three points – personal, educational, and professional – are directly related to the three body paragraphs.

Outline Example I I. Introduction: Jane Doe is our new four year old kindergarten teacher at Gotham City Elementary School. Thesis: “Jane Doe is a dedicated early childhood educator at Gotham City Elementary School who has a personal, educational, and professional background which has uniquely qualified her to excel in this field.” II. Body paragraph 1: A 44 year old mother of three, Jane is an active single mom who enjoys traveling, cooking, and singing in the community choir.

Outline Example I Continued III. Body paragraph 2: She has recently received her degree from Kaplan University in Early Childhood Education. IV. Body paragraph 3: Jane has worked as a teacher’s aid for the past 12 years, so she has extensive experience in working with children. V. Conclusion: Jane looks forward to working with children and parents to create the best kindergarten experience for all the children in her class.

Outline Example II I. Introduction: The employees of General Hospital would like to welcome John Smith as our new surgical technician. Thesis: John Smith’s personal, professional, and academic background have prepared him to be a top-notch surgical technician at General Hospital, and he is excited to begin his new career! II. Body paragraph 1: John is a devoted sportsman who enjoys weekend hunting and fishing trips with his wife, Sue.

Outline Example II Continued III. Body paragraph 2: John attended Gotham City Community College and has recently earned his bachelor degree from Kaplan University. IV. Body paragraph 3: John worked for over twenty years in the construction field before coming to General Hospital. V. Conclusion: V. Conclusion: It has been a lifelong goal of John’s to work in the medical field, and he is looking forward to working with the patients and staff of General Hospital.

Working from your thesis sentence and outline, you should begin to develop your three body paragraphs.

Body Paragraph 1 Example: Personal Background A 44 year old mother of three, Jane is an active single mom who enjoys traveling, cooking, and singing in the community choir. As a mother of school age children, she is particularly aware of the importance of good communication between parents and teachers. Jane’s travels have taken her to Europe, Asia, and all over North America. She is excited about the possibility of exposing the children in her class to new cultures and foods based on her extensive travels. She also hopes that parents, staff, and children will come and enjoy the many performances of the community choir throughout the year.

Body Paragraph 1 Example II: Personal Background John is a devoted sportsman who enjoys weekend hunting and fishing trips with his wife, Sue. He and Sue own a cabin at Camp Gotham, and most weekends, you will find them there enjoying the great outdoors. John and Sue are the parents of one adult child, and have two grandchildren. John is also an organizer for the local “Toys for Kids” program, and spends his holidays delivering toys to charity organizations throughout the city.

Body Paragraph 2 Example: Academic Background Jane graduated in 1983 from Gotham City High School, where she was involved with the Glee Club and played the clarinet in the band. As her three children became more independent, she decided to continue her education at Kaplan University. Jane chose to pursue an online degree so that she could more easily continue to work and raise her children while working on her college degree. She has recently graduated from Kaplan with a degree in early childhood education.

Body Paragraph 2 Example II: Academic Background John graduated from Gotham City High School in 1979, where he was a member of the football team for all four years. Through the vocational education program, John became interested in carpentry and completed the carpentry program at Gotham City Community College in In 2005, he returned to college to earn his bachelor’s degree in the medical field from Kaplan University. John completed his degree online, and he feels that he benefited greatly from the flexibility of the online degree program.

Body Paragraph 3 Example: Professional Background After completing high school, Jane worked at her family’s hardware store, but in 1996, our school had the great fortune of hiring Jane as a library assistant at Gotham City Elementary. Jane has been heavily involved in our Accelerated Reading program, keeping track of students’ reading records, points, and the rewards system.

Body Paragraph 3 Example II: Professional Background After completing the carpentry program at Gotham City Community College, John worked for many years as an independent carpenter. John worked on many well known buildings at Gotham City, including the public library and the courthouse. However, John always had an interest in the medical field, and after a serious back injury, he decided to take the steps to qualify to work as a surgical technician at General Hospital.

Thank you all for your participation – I’m glad you were here! Have a great week, everyone!