Transition with Purpose: Pathways from English Language to Academic Study

108 ACTIVITY 3: STATEMENT OF PURPOSE OBJECTIVE: ANALYZE DIFFERENT EXAMPLES OF STATEMENTS IN YOUR MAJOR. TASK: REVIEW, COMPARE, AND DISCUSS DIFFERENT STRUCTURES OF EXAMPLE STATEMENTS IN YOUR MAJOR. The structure of a 5-paragraph essay is consistently similar in style. Even though a statement of purpose is very different from a 5-paragraph essay, all statements have similar structures in much the same way as 5-paragraph essays do. To write your own statement of purpose, it is helpful to see both general and discipline-specific examples. Phrases, structures, and even experiences from other writers can give ideas about which information to include in your own statement of purpose. FORMAT AND STRUCTURE OF THE STATEMENT OF PURPOSE STEP 1: Search online for examples of statements for your particular major and in your discipline. Print or save 2-3 examples. Use the following guide to analyze each example: 1. Why did you choose this example from your major? What do you like about it? 2. Highlight different examples of phrases or vocabulary that you think would help you in your statement. 3. Notice the different structures in each example. Mark on the example where the writer gives evidence of personal interest, personal history, academic history, employment history, and motivation and/or future goals. STEP 2: Share your information with a partner or small group who has the same major as you. Note any information that you have learned from your discussion that you would like to add to your own statement. These examples will help you to develop your outline for your own statement of purpose. STEP 3: Select one of the examples that you collected. What is the organization of the statement? What comes first, second, etc.? Write the number on the line and mark the order in the margins of your example. Then, share the sequence of information in the example statement with your small group: ______ writer’s personal interest in the major ______ writer’s personal history/life experience that supports their interest in the major ______ academic achievements that support the pursuit of the degree ______ writer’s motivation in wanting to pursue this major ______ goals the writer has for after completing their studies