Student Writing at NKU

We present student work to show you examples of excellent writing at NKU.

Students: Notice how each student has approached his or her subject. What is the writer's thesis? How has the writer presented and arranged ideas? How has the writer used sources? How has the writer constructed interesting sentences and chosen vivid words? Can you "hear" the writer's "voice"?

The essays on this page are the property of the students who wrote them. The Writing Instruction Program thanks them for giving us permission to post their work here. These essays and parts of these essays may not be transferred from this web site.

PERSONAL WRITING

"Angry, Young, and Poor" by Emily Christman. Written for ENG 101, taught by Dr. Barclay Green. Recipient of the 2008 Award for Outstanding First-Year Student Writing. Narrating the events of one evening, this essay culminates in a moment of self-discovery that is described with nuance and sophistication.

"The First Round" by Andrew Launder. Written for ENG 101, taught by Dr. Deborah Allan. Recipient of the 2007 Award for Outstanding First-Year Student Writing. Describing the first day of Andrew’s tour of duty in Iraq, this essay vividly describes one incident with an open-ended conclusion that avoids easy answers.

"Old Farm" by Karen Pernell. Written for ENG 101, taught by Dr. Jean Timberlake. Recipient of the 2005 Award for Outstanding First-Year Student Writing. This essay offers a detailed description to evoke the writer's feelings about her grandparents.

PERSUASIVE WRITING

"Can iPods Help Students Raise their Grades?" by Sandy Jackson. Written for ENG 291, taught by Ms. Jayne Martin-Dressing. Recipient of the 2007 Award for Outstanding Advanced Student Writing. This research paper and Powerpoint presentation make a compelling argument about the role of new technology in middle schools and high schools.  

"Ethics of Manipulation in Journalism" by Becky Smith. Written for ENG 101, taught by Dr. Martha Viehmann. Recipient of the 2004 Award for Outstanding First-Year Student Writing. This essay takes a position and supports it carefully by providing examples from secondary sources.

"An Artist's Call to Arms" by Dustin Smith. Written for ENG 291, taught by Ms. Judy Cooper. Winner of the 2004 Award for Outstanding Advanced Student Writing. This essay takes a clear position and argues it in a thorough, step-by-step manner, using secondary sources to make the writer's position more persuasive.

ANALYTICAL WRITING

"Pagan Religious Art: Creating for the Gods" by Coyote Capasso. Written for ENG 151, taught by Dr. Robert T. Rhode. Receipient of the 2007 Award for Outstanding Honors Writing. This analytical essay explores the artistry and spirituality of Neo-Paganism with a visit gto an art fair and interviews with artists.

"Entertainment or Lesson of the Times?" by Jamie L. Barker. Written for ENG 151, taught by Dr. Emily Detmer-Goebel. Recipient of the 2005 Award for Outstanding Honors Student Writing. This essay considers the serious purposes behind Shakespeare's comedy, The Taming of the Shrew.

"An Analysis on Goya and the Futility of War" by Rebecca B. Carter. Written for ENG 291, taught by Dr. Robert K. Wallace. Recipient of the 2003 Award for Outstanding Advanced Student Writing. This essay provides a clear, detailed description of a painting, and it uses that description to understand what the painting can teach the viewer about war.