Essay Styles to Browse Now that you’ve thought about the many topics you can discuss in your Academic Statement, how do you shape your ideas into an actual Academic Statement? We cracked open the old Purdue Owl Writing Lab website to give ourselves a refresher on the classic genres of essays: expository, persuasive, reflective, and descriptive. We also read through about 30 donated Academic Statements written by Evergreen seniors and found a couple other organizational strategies in use—chronological and linked by theme. The writer who thrives on outlining and structuring their work before starting to draft might appreciate this collection of essay styles the most. However, you might gain inspiration by browsing the possibilities. Writing an essay is sort of like packing a suitcase: you’ve got to make everything fit in the space allotted, but you can organize your content in many different ways. When it comes to your Academic Statement, the important thing is to choose a style that works for you and your academic story.
First Person or Third Person? Academic Statements are your own perspective, in your own voice; therefore we recommend that you write your Academic Statement in the first person (e.g. “I learned...”) as opposed to third person (e.g. “Silas learned...”). Personal or Not Personal? Choosing to include personal information in your Final Academic Statement is a highly individualized choice, and one you must make as you write. See page 36 for more about including personal information in your Final Academic Statement.
30 | The Evergreen State College | Writing Center
