Final Exam

During the Final Exam two-hour period, define your student identity in a 3 page, double-spaced essay, in which you explain, through thoughtful and detailed description, the elements listed below — your student identity, ideal learning environment, and DAPPS goals. Before you write the essay, come up with a DAPPS goal for the Self-Assessment due in Week 6, and then create a new DAPPS goal for the final section of the Final Exam (do not repeat the same goal and visualization that you used in the Self-Assessment).  

As an option, you can create a logo and/or slogan that represents your identity and/or goals.

1. Discuss your identity as a student, a reader, and a writer: How would you describe your student identity? What story do you want to tell about yourself? What do you believe? What are your values? What is your student culture and worldview? What is your student lifestyle? What kind of student, reader, and writer do you want to be and convey to others? Optional: Come up with a logo or slogan for your student identity. What image would you choose to represent it? Copy an image into your essay to display it. Aim to write 2 paragraphs.

2. Discuss your ideal learning environment: If you were designing your learning environment (on-campus and/or off-campus) as a company might design a store, what would it look like? For example, is it cluttered or clean, colorful or monochromatic? How is it organized? What does it sound like? What does it feel like? What are the common characteristics of its employees (teachers, counselors, administrators) and student customers? Aim to write 2 paragraphs.

3. Visualization of your goals: Think about the DAPPS system for setting goals (described below), and then establish one (or two) DAPPS goals for yourself that are related to your role as a student. Write at least one paragraph in which you visualize (imagine) yourself achieving this DAPPS goal, and explain how the goal relates to the student identity that you just discussed. More information on this is below, after the explanation of the DAPPS model. Aim to write 2 paragraphs. Do not repeat the same goal you wrote about on the Self-Assessment. Come up with a new DAPPS goal for this exam.

Explanation of The DAPPS model: Many of us set goals for ourselves that never get achieved or realized. Often we lose motivation and the inspiration we need to make the goals become a reality. To be truly motivating, a goal needs five qualities, which we can remember by using the acronym “DAPPS.” Each letter of DAPPS stands for one of five qualities that a goal should have: dated, achievable, personal, positive, and specific.

Dated: the goal has a specific deadline(s).

Achievable: the goal is challenging but realistic.

Personal: motivating goals are your own, not thrust upon you by someone else.

Positive: motivating goals focus your energy on what you do want rather than on what you don’t want, so they are stated in positive terms.

Specific: motivating goals state outcomes in specific, measurable terms. How will you know if you’ve achieved your goals? What specific, measurable evidence will you have?

For Part 3 of the Final Exam, establish one DAPPS goal for yourself that relates to getting a college education; the goal should meet the criteria of the DAPPS model. Then write one paragraph in which you visualize yourself accomplishing this goal. Once you vividly picture this ideal outcome, you will have strengthened your commitment to achieve it, and you will know how to do the same thing with all of your goals and dreams.

• Write a visualization of the exact moment in the future when you are experiencing the accomplishment of your biggest goal or dream in your role as a student.
•  Describe the scene of your success as if it is happening to you now. For example, if your desire is to graduate from a four-year university with a 4.0 average, you might write, I am dressed in a long, blue robe, the tassel from my graduation cap tickling my face. I look over at the thousands of people in the audience, and I see my mother, a smile spreading across her face. I hear the announcer call my name. I feel a rush of adrenaline, and chills tingle on my back as I take my first step onto the stage. I see the college president smiling, reaching her hand out to me in congratulations. I hear the announcer repeat my name, adding that I am graduating with highest honors, having obtained a 4.0 average. I see my classmates standing to applaud me. Their cheers flow over me, filling me with pride and happiness.
• Use present tense verbs. Describe the experience as if you are talking to someone on the phone at the very moment you are doing it. I am going through the door
• Use all five senses. What do you see, hear, smell, taste, and feel?
• Explain how this DAPPS goal relates to your identity as a student (discussed above).

These aspects of your essay will be evaluated as part of your grade: 1) a focused, arguable thesis statement; 2) focused, well developed PIE paragraphs; 3) a strong introduction and conclusion; 4) well-integrated quotations, paraphrasing, and summary that support your point; 4) proper punctuation and citation for quotations; 5) clear and correct sentences; 6) strong deductive reasoning; 7) strong refutation of opposing views; 8) a title that relates to the topic.