This I Believe: Difference between revisions

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This assignment asks students to select a strongly held personal belief and craft a persuasive essay in favor of their beliefs. This project also requires an accompanying reflection essay. In the [[First-Year Composition]] curriculum at '''Northern Illinois University (NIU)''', reflection makes up 50% of each major project grade.
This assignment asks students to select a strongly held personal belief and craft a persuasive essay in favor of their beliefs. This project also requires an accompanying reflection essay.  
 
Students should tell a specific story about themselves. This is their own own experience, work, and family, things they know that no one else does that have shaped their core values. This is a specific story, so they can also consider a moment when their belief was formed, tested, or changed. The story need not be heart-warming or gut-wrenching—it can be funny—but it should be real.  


'''See details'''
'''See details'''
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Students should tell a specific story about themselves. This is their own own experience, work, and family, things they know that no one else does that have shaped their core values. This is a specific story, so they can also consider a moment when their belief was formed, tested, or changed. The story need not be heart-warming or gut-wrenching—and it can be funny—but it should be real.
The statement of belief should be brief, between 400 and 600 words, about three minutes when read aloud at a natural pace, or about two pages—maybe slightly more or less. Students should be able to name their belief in a sentence or two, and because this is their personal story, they can use the first person, "I," and use words and phrases that are comfortable for them to write and speak.  
Be brief: Your statement of belief should be between 400 and 600 words.  That’s about three minutes when read aloud at a natural pace, or about two pages—maybe slightly more or less.
Name your belief: If you can’t name it in a sentence or two, your essay might not be about a belief.  Also, rather than writing a list, focus on one core belief.
Be positive:  Write about what you do believe, not what you don’t believe.
Be personal:  Make your story about you; speak in the first person, “I.”  Tell a story from your own life.  Write in words and phrases that are comfortable for you to write and speak.
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=== '''This I Believe Objectives''' ===
=== '''This I Believe Objectives''' ===
*Articulate goals & process for given artifacts (self and other)
*Identify a personal belief, isolate one vignette, and select descriptive devices and narrative strategies
*Articulate connections and transfer
*Respond to other This I Believe statements
*Identify & employ genre (punctuation, paragraphing, visual design, thesis, etc.) and stylistic (word choice, tone, sentence structure & variety)  conventions appropriate to multiple different audiences & rhetorical contexts
*Present their This I Believe statements in class
*Identify & employ genre and stylistic conventions appropriate to multiple different audiences & rhetorical contexts  
 


This project is connected to [[Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)]] through:
This project is connected to [[Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)]] through:
'''Genres & Formats'''
*Written narrative
*Oral Presentation
= '''Grading Criteria''' =
{|class="wikitable"
! Grading Criteria
! This I Believe
|-
|'''Genre Conventions'''
|
<ul>
<li>Leverages medium/genre and/or visual/content markers to emphasize purpose and connect to audience.
|-
|'''Purpose & Audience'''
|
<ul>
<li>Reveals major theme(s)/purpose through descriptive language, word choice, and/or genre markers rather than explanation alone.
<li>Where appropriate, provides background information to improve audience understanding.
|-
|'''Organization & Editing'''
|
<ul>
<li>Uses formatting, grammar, and spelling that is appropriate to audience, purpose, and medium/genre.
|-
|'''Revision'''
|
<ul>
<li>You have revised your work substantially and/or thoughtfully based on peer and instructor feedback.
|}
A copy of the This I Believe rubric: [[File:This I Believe Rubric.pdf|thumb]]
= '''Students' Project Samples''' =

Latest revision as of 18:07, 21 July 2026

This assignment asks students to select a strongly held personal belief and craft a persuasive essay in favor of their beliefs. This project also requires an accompanying reflection essay.

Students should tell a specific story about themselves. This is their own own experience, work, and family, things they know that no one else does that have shaped their core values. This is a specific story, so they can also consider a moment when their belief was formed, tested, or changed. The story need not be heart-warming or gut-wrenching—it can be funny—but it should be real.

See details

The statement of belief should be brief, between 400 and 600 words, about three minutes when read aloud at a natural pace, or about two pages—maybe slightly more or less. Students should be able to name their belief in a sentence or two, and because this is their personal story, they can use the first person, "I," and use words and phrases that are comfortable for them to write and speak.

This I Believe Objectives

  • Identify a personal belief, isolate one vignette, and select descriptive devices and narrative strategies
  • Respond to other This I Believe statements
  • Present their This I Believe statements in class
  • Identify & employ genre and stylistic conventions appropriate to multiple different audiences & rhetorical contexts


This project is connected to Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) through:


Genres & Formats

  • Written narrative
  • Oral Presentation

Grading Criteria

Grading Criteria This I Believe
Genre Conventions
  • Leverages medium/genre and/or visual/content markers to emphasize purpose and connect to audience.
Purpose & Audience
  • Reveals major theme(s)/purpose through descriptive language, word choice, and/or genre markers rather than explanation alone.
  • Where appropriate, provides background information to improve audience understanding.
Organization & Editing
  • Uses formatting, grammar, and spelling that is appropriate to audience, purpose, and medium/genre.
Revision
  • You have revised your work substantially and/or thoughtfully based on peer and instructor feedback.

A copy of the This I Believe rubric: File:This I Believe Rubric.pdf

Students' Project Samples

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