1. Write your essay as if the other students will read it; they are your audience.
2. Don't use "you" or any variations. Instead you can use the first person "I particularly enjoyed..."
4. You MUST use the APA template I provided on Moodle.
5. Your tone must be clear and somewhat formal, like a YELP review without the slang and with better grammar and punctuation, and structured like an academic essay (see below).
6. Your essay will have a thesis at the end of your introduction paragraph. Your thesis is your overall evaluation of the place you visited. Your thesis answers the question, "Is a trip to _________ a worthwhile experience, and and why or why not?" If you believe that visiting your destination is a good experience with certain qualifications (for example, if visitors don't mind ____, if a person can afford to pay ____, if one is a fan of ____, if a person is not easily offended), then you can include that in your thesis.
7. You need to structure your essay based on the outline below. Do not include subheads. Each paragraph should begin with a topic sentence and include a transition.
Introduction to your place (background) (1 paragraph):
You have to introduce your place to your viewers. Don't expect them to know what "The Broad" is. What is it? Where is it? What is it background/history/reputation? What does its website say about it?
Your thesis will go at the end of this introduction.
Introduction to you and your expectations (1 paragraph):
Who are you, and why did you decide to go to this place? You don't have to provide us your life story, but if you're an animation student enamored with Warner Bros. studio and that's why you went there, that might be interesting to know. Also tell us what you expected to see at your destination, and how you prepared for your "trip." (What research you did prior, what you brought with you, who you invited to go along with you, your transportation plans, etc.) The purpose of this paragraph is to create a bit of suspense in your readers.
Your tangible experiences of the place (3 or more paragraphs):
You should describe three specific "things" you encountered, one per paragraph. In each paragraph, your description should start out broad, and then hone in on details. Note that if you visit a large museum, you will not be able to describe everything. Instead, focus on things that were particularly surprising, interesting, enlightening, inspiring, delighting, or even disgusting! For example, if you visit the Getty, you might start out by describing the architecture surrounding you, then focus on one particular building. That would be your first paragraph. In your second paragraph, you might visit the textile gallery, first describing the overall feeling of the room and carpets, then focusing on a description of your favorite. For your third paragraph, you might focus on the gardens, then focusing on particular plants or flowers you found beautiful. As you write these paragraphs, you can include not only what you see, but also hear, taste, touch, or smell. Each paragraph needs a topic sentence. The descriptions you provide should support the thesis.
Other considerations (1 or more paragraphs):
What else happened during your visit that impacted the way you felt about the experience? This could include the courtesy of the destination's employees, the food services available, parking, admission cost, temperature, crowds, etc. Also, did your experiences match what your expectations and the way the museum, etc., represents itself on its website? Again, the information you provide should support the thesis.
Conclusion (1 paragraph):
Your conclusion reinforces your thesis, which is your evaluation of the place, plus provides some "food for thought," such as a prediction or call to action. (Example: What might you do differently if you visited this place again? Should your readers visit or donate to this museum? Should the place change itself in some way?)