“Finding My Path: A Narrative of Academic and Career Experiences”

Instructions: Being able to convey events in a clear, descriptive, chronological order is
important in many fields. A narration (or narrative) essay is structured around    the goal of
recounting a story. For our purposes, that story should look back at your                academic, work, and
internship experiences and share the story, and any important events, that         ultimately helped you
determine your career path/major. If an event is not relevant to these choices,    then it need not be
part of this particular narrative.
This narrative personal narrative can also be thought of as an opportunity to share your story and
overall personal brand. How did you select this career path and/or major? Why is it important to
you?
Your essay should be written in first person and may be conversational. Assume your audience
knows nothing about you or Old Dominion University (ODU). This means you may need to
explain important places, events, or terms, but explanations need to be brief, so they don’t
distract from the narrative. Where possible, link to outside websites that may provide more
information about an event, place, etc. so your reader may find further information there. This
essay will be included in the “Welcome Page” of your public Electronic Portfolio, so do not
share anything that you would prefer to keep private.
Requirements: Your narrative essay should be ~1200 words, applying APA page formatting:
double spaced, in a 12 point serif font with one inch margins, including page numbers, and using
headings where appropriate to break up major sections. Any references to outside
sources, including in paraphrase, must be cited according to ODU policy.
Please submit your final essay as a Word Document (.doc/.docx) to Canvas to allow me to make
comments, track changes, etc. directly within your word document as a means of feedback for
you when grading.
Caution Against Plagiarism and Use of Artificial Intelligence
Unfortunately, there has been an increase in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in submission
of writing assignments. I will only accept papers submitted via Canvas and all papers are
internally evaluated by an independent review system within Canvas for plagiarism, including
heavy use of AI. When evaluating whether or not AI has been used, heavy emphasis will be
placed on the personalization of your essay. If your paper is ultimately considered to be largely
AI generated, it will be elevated and submitted for review to the Honor Council at ODU. Relatively free of mechanical errors
✓ Sources, if applicable, are clearly and accurately cited in APA