Week 2: Readings, Overview & Assignments

COLI 211Z – Week 2

Readings:

Raymond Queneau – Exercises in Style (at least 33 of the 99 chapters)
Pierre Drieu la Rochelle – Secret Journal (http://www.mediafire.com/?c40mdhkzzdn)
Michel Foucault – Nietzsche, Genealogy, History (http://www.mediafire.com/?ez3inwyog1n)

Overview:

Graduate School Personal Statement (Read this even if you are primarily interested in employment)

In addition to the standard application materials (transcripts, test scores, application, recommendations, etc.), virtually every graduate program requires a “Statement of Purpose,” “Personal Statement,” or “Statement of Intent,” all of which are synonymous terms. This statement should be no longer than two pages single-spaced and no shorter than one page. Together with your writing sample and recommendations, this is among the most important components of a successful graduate application. In your statement you have an opportunity to emphasize your abilities, achievements, goals, etc. - in short, everything that makes you a unique applicant and everything that demonstrates your interest in the program to which your applying and why you should be accepted. Your statement is also the place where you can explain away any deficiencies in your previous academic record – i.e. if you had a rough semester, you can give an explanation here. My recommendation, however, is to be minimalistic where the latter is concerned, and to focus on your goals, abilities and unique qualities – the key is to make yourself stand out from the field of other applicants.

You can download a copy of my successful Statement, which I used in my application to Binghamton, from mediafire here: http://www.mediafire.com/?ez3inwyog1n

Employment Cover Letter (Graduate school bound students can skip this section)

Much of what I've written about the Personal Statement also applies to the cover letter. However, whereas the Personal Statement is to a great extent a creative piece with no predetermined form, the cover letter should be more formal, in the general format of a standard business letter. The content, however, should include many of the same elements as the Personal Statement, but at the same time emphasize rather how well you are qualified for the job in question, why you're interested in the position, and so forth. You can download, as a sample, an old cover letter I wrote here: http://www.mediafire.com/?lw2nmoomyjo

I do, however, encourage you to look around on the internet for other samples to model yours upon.

Assignments – Week 2:

* Read Queneau & Drieu la Rochelle by Thursday, January 14th.

* Write a short (2 paragraph) narrative/story and then, following Queneau's “Exercises in Style,” write at least three different versions, identical in content to the original, each using a specific literary trope, style or tone (use Exercises in Style as a model – each chapter title is a different possibility) by Friday, January 15th.

* Draft a preliminary personal statement or cover letter by Sunday, January 17th.