Using any or all of the 3 article databases in the APUS Online Library (Proquest, EBSCO, and/or the LexisNexis) research the
topic you have chosen in Week 2, and write an essay in which you inform the reader about the topic. Do not, however, write
the essay in the first person. Instead, write in the third person—i.e., “Astronomy is an innately interesting field of
study,” not “I am extremely interested in astronomy.”
We generally use third person exclusively in academic or scholarly writing, unless we are specifically directed to use first
person. Last week, your narrative was written in first person, since it was about your own life. This week, you will need to
be aware of what person you are in, and take out first and second person. Here is an example:
I love my country because it represents liberty and justice. This is first person. You do not want to write this in academic
writing unless you are directed to write in first person.
You love your country because it represents liberty and justice. This is second person. You do not want to write this in
academic writing unless you are allowed to use second person.
Americans love their country because it represents liberty and justice. This is third person. This is the preferred voice for
academic writing.
Third person lends authority to your writing. Look at the difference between these two sentences:
I believe Hemingway brought a powerful masculine voice to American literature.
Hemingway brought a powerful masculine voice to American literature.
The second sentence sounds more authoritative, doesn’t it?
For Essay 2, you will need to integrate a minimum of 2 sources from any or all of the three article databases. Remember that
an informative essay does not include the writer’s feelings or opinions, but simply informs the reader about the topic. Make
sure you refer to your Essay 2 checklist before and after you have written your draft. All essays should be in MLA format and
contain the essay checklist. Please refer to the Announcements and follow your instructor’s instructions for submitting your
essay to www.turnitin.com. Your essay should be between 500-750 words.
See Week 3 Assignment Materials for a sample essay that may be used as a template.
In your essay feedback it may be recommended that you use the tutoring services available through the library portal.
Students who have utilized this resource have significantly improved their writing and raised their grades. You can find more
about tutoring from the APUS Online Library homepage.
Essay 2: Writer’s Checklist for Informational Essay
Does my introduction clearly state my thesis and give the reader an indication of the direction my essay will take?
Are my topic sentences and body paragraphs clear and well developed?
Have I fully supported my thesis with ample supporting details and examples?
Have I used a sufficient number and variety of sources in my paper?
Are all of my sources properly cited in the body of my paper according to MLA format?
Does my conclusion effectively summarize my main points and restate my thesis in different words?
Have I carefully proofread and revised my paper for sentence variety, word choice, grammar, and punctuation?
Does my Works Cited page include only the sources cited in the text? Is it correctly formatted?
