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Essay Writing

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This resource begins with a general description of essay writing and moves to a discussion of common essay genres students may encounter across the curriculum. The four genres of essays (description, narration, exposition, and argumentation) are common paper assignments you may encounter in your writing classes. Although these genres, also known as the modes of discourse, have been criticized by some composition scholars, the Purdue OWL recognizes the wide spread use of these genres and students’ need to understand and produce these types of essays. We hope these resources will help.

The essay is a commonly assigned form of writing that every student will encounter while in academia. Therefore, it is wise for the student to become capable and comfortable with this type of writing early on in her training.

Essays can be a rewarding and challenging type of writing and are often assigned either to be done in class, which requires previous planning and practice (and a bit of creativity) on the part of the student, or as homework, which likewise demands a certain amount of preparation. Many poorly crafted essays have been produced on account of a lack of preparation and confidence. However, students can avoid the discomfort often associated with essay writing by understanding some common genres.

Before delving into its various genres, let’s begin with a basic definition of the essay.

What is an essay?

Though the word essay has come to be understood as a type of writing in Modern English, its origins provide us with some useful insights. The word comes into the English language through the French influence on Middle English; tracing it back further, we find that the French form of the word comes from the Latin verb exigere , which means "to examine, test, or (literally) to drive out." Through the excavation of this ancient word, we are able to unearth the essence of the academic essay: to encourage students to test or examine their ideas concerning a particular topic.

Essays are shorter pieces of writing that often require the student to hone a number of skills such as close reading, analysis, comparison and contrast, persuasion, conciseness, clarity, and exposition. As is evidenced by this list of attributes, there is much to be gained by the student who strives to succeed at essay writing.

The purpose of an essay is to encourage students to develop ideas and concepts in their writing with the direction of little more than their own thoughts (it may be helpful to view the essay as the converse of a research paper). Therefore, essays are (by nature) concise and require clarity in purpose and direction. This means that there is no room for the student’s thoughts to wander or stray from his or her purpose; the writing must be deliberate and interesting.

This handout should help students become familiar and comfortable with the process of essay composition through the introduction of some common essay genres.

This handout includes a brief introduction to the following genres of essay writing:

• Expository essays
• Descriptive essays
• Narrative essays
• Argumentative (Persuasive) essays

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May 4, 2020

Final essays and papers are almost due. This writing resource can help.

The Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL) is a free resource for writing tips and assignments, research and citation tutorials, and teacher and tutor materials. (Photo by Unsplash)

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Students at all levels nationwide are completing their final essays and papers at home due to COVID-19 school closures. Forty-five states have ceased face-to-face instruction for the remainder of the school year, affecting more than 47 million K-12 students, according to Education Week .

The Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL) is a free resource for writing tips and assignments, research and citation tutorials, and teacher and tutor materials. The site received 21.4 million pageviews in April, said Harry Denny, an associate professor of English in the College of Liberal Arts and director of the OWL. The lab’s internet-based collection of resources has grown out of face-to-face and small group support for writers that Purdue has offered students, faculty, and staff for over 45 years.

“There’s volumes of information, whether it’s K-12 or college-level,” Denny said.

The OWL’s most popular feature is its research and citation pages , which cover writing and citing references in American Psychological Association, Modern Language Association or Chicago styles, Denny said. Instructions on how to proofread and how to write in different genres, such as argumentative or persuasive essays, also are popular.

Denny said these features also could be useful to parents and students completing final essays and writing assignments at home:

• Common writing assignments , including book reports, bibliographies and research papers.
• Tips on subject-specific writing, including writing for social science , engineering and health care .
• OWL YouTube channel , which includes lessons on grammar, rhetoric, and professional and technical writing.
• General writing exercises , including sentence-level writing, grammar and editing.
• Tips on how to navigate the site .
• Online tutoring for Purdue students, faculty and staff.

Denny also provided these tips for parents who want to encourage creative and critical writing at home:

• Free write: “It could be really helpful and therapeutic for a lot of people to free write, such as taking notes or keeping a journal. It’s not about paragraphing and sentence-level correctness, but it’s about getting people to vent their thoughts and their stresses. I encourage my students to pull out their phones and tablets and just take notes. Writing can be really helpful, especially if they don’t fear anyone is going to judge or correct them.”
• Explore the internet: “Explore, write and think critically about different sites and sources that they’re finding on the internet or at home. That’s another avenue through which parents and young people can keep engaged with writing that they’re doing.”
• Create a blog: “Develop a space where they can post entries, photographs, poetry or any kind of writing about what they’re experiencing. But also use it as a space to start thinking about what their writing on the internet and social media says about them. It’s another way to cultivate your own voice. They can be more thoughtful and more critical about self-presentation, but also realize the web is this great space to be creative.”

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a top public research institution developing practical solutions to today’s toughest challenges. Ranked the No. 6 Most Innovative University in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, Purdue delivers world-changing research and out-of-this-world discovery. Committed to hands-on and online, real-world learning, Purdue offers a transformative education to all. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue has frozen tuition and most fees at 2012-13 levels, enabling more students than ever to graduate debt-free. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap at  purdue.edu . 

Writer: Joseph Paul, [email protected] (working remotely but will provide immediate response)

Source: Harry Denny, [email protected] (available for phone and Skype interviews)

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Since 1976, the Writing Lab has supported writers on the West Lafayette campus through a variety of services and community engagement initiatives using student-centered best practices. The Online Writing Lab (OWL) has been an extension of the Writing Lab since 1993, and offers global support through online reference materials and services. The Writing Lab and OWL, both part of the Department of English, are informed by and engage in research within the discipline of Composition and Rhetoric, including the subfields of writing center studies, writing program administration, second language studies, and professional writing.

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Compare & Contrast Essay

Compare and contrast is a rhetorical style that discusses the similarities and differences of two or more things: ideas, concepts, items, places, etc. This rhetorical style is one that you’ll see often as a complete essay, but you may also use it quite a lot within paragraphs of any kind of essay in which you need to make some kind of comparison to help illustrate a point.

A compare and contrast essay does two things: It discusses the similarities and differences of at least two different things. First, you must find a basis of comparison to be sure that the two things have enough in common. After that, you identify their differences. You may structure the compare and contrast essay using either the alternating method (stating one aspect of one thing and immediately discussing the same aspect of the other item and how they are similar or different) or the block method (discussing all of the aspects of one thing and then discussing all of the aspects of another).

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You are going to love this! Save this template somewhere safe or e-mail it to yourself. Then resave it immediately with the name of your new document. This will keep your template safe and ready to reuse again for future assignments.

This template will be sufficient for most student MLA papers. For more information on formatting your paper, consult the official MLA Style website:  https://mlahandbookplus.org/books/book/5/chapter/56247/Introduction-to-Formatting-Your-Research-Project  or pages 1-14 in the MLA Manual. 

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How to Write the Purdue University Supplemental Essays: Guide + Examples 2023/2024

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• What are the Purdue University supplemental essay prompts?
• How to write each supplemental essay prompt for Purdue
• Prompt #1: "Why us? essay"
• Prompt #2: "Why major?" essay
• Prompt #3: "Why [alternate] major?" essay

Want to get a better sense of what Purdue is looking for? 

You’ll find an extensive, by-the-numbers look at Purdue’s offerings, from enrollment and tuition statistics to student life and financial aid information, on its Common Data Set. For deep insights into how this public research university envisions its role and how it wants to grow and evolve, read its Foundations of Excellence Report  (it’s 74 pages … yikes ... but you can skim). Reading through this will give you a strong idea of what Purdue values and how those values may be shifting. 

BUT, please don’t just copy and paste chunks of the plan into your essay because a) that’s plagiarism and it's basically an academic crime, and b) anyone could do that. 

Think about this: What aspects of Purdue’s plan speak to you? From reading the report, you would also discover that most students are admitted into one of Purdue’s highly individualized bachelor’s degree programs. So, if you have a clear sense on what you want to study and crave a strategic path to your future career, perhaps as an engineer, Purdue may be right for you! Think about what resonates with you and keep reading to find out how you can connect the dots. 

What are the Purdue supplemental essay prompts?

How will opportunities at Purdue support your interests, both in and out of the classroom? (Respond in 100 words or fewer.)

Briefly discuss your reasons for pursuing the major you have selected. (Respond in 100 words or fewer.)

Briefly discuss your reasons for pursuing the alternate major you have selected. (Respond in 250 words or fewer.)

How to Write Each Supplemental Essay Prompt for Purdue

How to write the purdue supplemental essay prompt #1.

How will opportunities at Purdue support your interests, both in and out of the classroom? (Respond in 100 words or fewer)

This is a very short variation on the “Why us?” prompt (an essay you’ll see quite a few schools require). 

Because it’s so short, the key will be finding 2-3 reasons that set Purdue apart from all the other schools you’re applying to and focusing on connecting to your academic and non-academic interests. 

Here’s the “Why us?” essay guide —in this case, the Cornell example is a good one, but it’s pretty long, so be sure to check out the Tufts example too. Here’s the short version of the guide, to (hopefully) pique your interest:

Spend 1 hr+ researching 5+ reasons why Purdue might be a great fit for you (ideally 2-3 of the reasons will be unique to Purdue and connect back to you).

Make a copy of this chart to map out your college research.

Create an outline for your essays based on either Approach 1, 2 (recommended), or 3 in our  full guide above.

Write a first draft!

As you write, try to  avoid these common mistakes: 

Six Common Mistakes Students Make on “Why Us?” Essays

Mistake #1: Writing about the school's size, location, reputation, weather, or ranking.

Mistake #2: Simply using emotional language to demonstrate fit.

Mistake #3: Screwing up the mascot, stadium, team colors, or names of any important people or places on campus.

Mistake #4: Parroting the brochures or website language.

Mistake #5: Describing traditions the school is well-known for.

Mistake #6: Thinking of this as only a "Why them" essay.

Below is a great sample essay for this prompt.

Recently, to become part of the “Smart Cities Initiative”, my hometown was awarded a $50 million grant. I wish to research robotics and autonomous sensing at Purdue’s Smart Informatix Laboratory. Specifically, mentorships such as “Smart Cities” (EPCS 10100) with Dr. Mohammad Jahanshahi will allow me to contribute to other prospective smart cities. Additionally, I am passionate about music, specifically the violin. Purdue’s philharmonic and symphony orchestras will satisfy my musical desire and introduce me to people who carry similar interests. Organizations like the Purdue Music Producers (PMP) will connect me to like-minded individuals who share my passion for music production. — — —

Tips + Analysis

If you have a specific academic focus in mind, consider including it. This student directly states his interest in researching robotics and autonomous sensing and takes it a step further by demonstrating he’s done his research and knows that Purdue has a Smart Informatix Laboratory. If you read the Provost’s Report linked at the top, you’d know that something unique about Purdue is its highly individualized bachelor’s degree programs and that most students are admitted into these. What that means is robotics + autonomous sensing is much better to reference than engineering or a more general interest. Dig through Purdue’s list of majors and get specific. 

Pick an academic and a non-academic interest: The prompt asks you how Purdue will support “your interests, both in and out of the classroom,” so you want to make sure to pick at least one academic interest and one non-academic interest. Why? Because the golden rule of supplemental essays for college is to answer the question. This student combines robotics and autonomous sensing with an interest in smart cities (academic + research) and music, specifically violin. He takes it a step further by showing exactly where he’ll fit in as a violin player at Purdue: “Purdue’s philharmonic and symphony orchestras” and the Purdue Music Producers club. 

PSA: Try to avoid using the word “passionate,” as this is one of the most frequently used words in college essays.

Here’s another example for this prompt: 

Example:  

I hope to pursue a B.S in Computer Science, giving me the opportunity to take courses such as Data Mining and Machine Learning and Virtual Reality Technologies to elevate TeamBST, the social entrepreneurship venture I co-founded, to the global level at the RCHE. I’m inspired by Professor Yexiang Xue’s research paper titled DESK, and I look forward to collaborating with him regarding the applications of machine learning in healthcare. While Purdue Mechatronics will give me the platform to push technological boundaries with like-minded tech enthusiasts, Boiler Baaz will introduce me to the Bollywood fanboy community. — — —

How to Write the Purdue Supplemental Essay Prompt #2

This is another super short variation of a classic supplemental essay: the “Why Major?” essay. 

You’ll find a step-by-step guide to writing this essay at this link , which we recommend reading through, but here’s the short version:

Step #1: Imagine a mini-movie of the moments that led you to your interest and create a simple, bullet-point outline.

Step #2: Put your moments (aka the “scenes” of your mini-movie) in chronological order, as it’ll help you see how your interests developed. It also makes it easier to write transitions.

Step #3: Decide if you want to include a specific thesis that explicitly states your central argument—in this case what you want to study and why. This thesis can be at the beginning, middle, or end of your essay.

Step #4: Write a draft!

Here’s an example for this prompt: 

Having attended college Physics classes every Saturday for a year, I’ve embraced the wisdom from centuries-old mathematics and the vast potential of computers, a realization I can honor by pursuing Computer Science and Mathematics. Much of my interest in AI lies in its basis in the human brain, which I can pursue in a Psychology concentration. And Electrical Engineering allows me to connect the virtual world with the physical, as I currently do in robotics. Purdue will fuel my interdisciplinary interests that stem from my curiosity about connections between the materials and systems in the world around me. (98 words) — — —

Consider naming your major at or near the start. You don’t need to be completely straightforward (“I plan to major in X”), but if you’re struggling to come up with a compelling hook, keep it simple and move forward. Value information over poetry. 

Consider expanding (briefly) on what you’ll explore outside the major-specific classes you’ll take. Purdue has niche major/research opportunities, for example. This student also adds to his major in Computer Science and Mathematics with a concentration in Psychology and additional interests in Electrical Engineering, which shows he might be a good fit for Purdue’s highly specialized academic programs. 

Briefly say why you became interested in this major. Following the “Why Major?” outline above will help with this step. This student tells us that his interest began after taking college physics classes every Saturday for a year (bonus points for taking this on outside of school). 

If you have room, say how you’ll contribute to society in the future. Show how you’ll use the knowledge you’ll gain at Purdue to help make society (or your community, or the whole wide world) a better place in a specific way. This student plans to push the fields of AI and robotics further using his cross-disciplinary knowledge. 

We know, that’s a lot to do in just a few words. You don’t have to do all these things; just do your best.

Here’s another example for this prompt:

Bonus Example:  

Programming brings a unique logic-based aspect of creativity to my life. It provides me with a universal platform to express myself, where my hands do the talking. Syntax plays the role of grammar, and the various programming languages can be thought of as accents: different ways of achieving the same task.  Over the years, I have grown fascinated by machine learning and robotics, and by their innumerable applications in our world. Through a B.S in Computer Science, I’ll strive to expand my knowledge in these fields, pushing the boundaries for technological innovation. — — —

How to Write the Purdue Supplemental Essay Prompt #3

This is just like the prompt above—a “Why Major.” So see that previous section for guidance and examples + analysis.

Special thanks to Andy for writing this blog post.

Andrew Simpson, CEG’s Editorial Director, has worked as an educator, consultant, and curriculum writer for the past 15 years, and earned degrees from Stanford in Political Science and Drama. He feels most at home on mountain tops and in oceans.

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How to Write the Purdue University Essays 2023-2024

Purdue University, home of the Boilermakers, the “world’s largest drum,” and an expert-approved writing lab , remains today one of the most innovative schools in the country. Located in West Lafayette, Indiana, Purdue has come a long way since its founding in 1869.

Admission to the university is highly coveted among high schoolers across the nation and writing strong essays will certainly help you stand out. The Purdue supplemental essays give you a chance to explore your interests and activities, so you can show admissions officers what you care about and why.

Read these Purdue essay examples written by real students to get some inspiration. 

Purdue University Supplemental Essay Prompts

All applicants.

Prompt 1: How will opportunities at Purdue support your interests, both in and out of the classroom? (250 words)

Prompt 2: Briefly discuss your reasons for pursuing the major you have selected. (250 words)

Honors Applicants

Prompt 1: Explain your vision, ideas, or goals for how you hope to shape your honors experience while at Purdue. Please put this in the context of the four pillars which are the foundation of the John Martinson Honors College. (500 words)

Prompt 2: Please describe the interdisciplinary nature of your chosen field of study and how it complements or supports other fields. (Examples: You might describe how your work in a liberal arts career may impact or inform the work of an engineer.) (500 words)

All Applicants, Prompt 1

How will opportunities at purdue support your interests, both in and out of the classroom (250 words).

The primary purpose of this prompt is for you to pinpoint specific programs at Purdue and explain why they will further your interests and goals. At its core, this essay is the typical “ Why This College ” essay. 

First, consider your interests and your goals for college. These could be academic, like an interest in British literature or a goal of becoming a prominent Alzheimer’s researcher. They could be cultural—maybe you are particularly interested in finding a Latinx community on campus. Your interests and goals could even be social, like wanting to find a tight-knit group of friends, or more specific to your person, like knowing the importance of guidance for yourself and hoping to find a strong faculty mentor.

After you’ve identified what is important to you, research Purdue and find the unique programs, opportunities, and resources that will help you pursue your specific interests and goals. By connecting your interests to your desire to attend Purdue, you will do two important things: tell admissions officers about yourself and convince them that Purdue is the right place for you.

The offerings that you reference should be unique Purdue and should not be able to be copied and pasted for any other university. Some examples could include:

• A student from a small town in rural California mentioning the appeal of Purdue’s emphasis on traditions and camaraderie by referencing the “Hello Walk,” where everyone is encouraged to greet each other with a smile
• An engineering student discussing how their childhood obsession with Neil Armstrong developed into a passion for all things aerospace, then transitioning to discuss the resources at Purdue’s i2i Learning Laboratory
• A political science student who spearheaded their high school’s mock trial team discussing the Butler Center for Leadership Excellence

Connecting your interests in general to your interest in Purdue will also help you avoid the common mistake of focusing too much on either one of these two facets. 

In terms of structure, here is a general outline: 

Introduction (1-2 sentences)

You most likely won’t need much space to introduce your response here. An example of a good introductory sentence would be “My friends call me a political junkie.” This is a concise statement that allows the writer to pick out different programs at Purdue University that relate to politics and explain their value.

Don’t do this: “Purdue is a great school with a plethora of organizations I want to join.” This sentence is 14 words long, but it adds nothing to the response following it.

Body (7-10 sentences)

The sentence count here isn’t exact since it largely depends on how long your sentences are. In this section, you need to answer the question point-blank. One useful strategy here is to couple specific programs with descriptions of how they relate to your interests. Strive to alternate between the two. Here are some examples:

• “I’ve made a lot of friends in my school choir and want to form new bonds through music in college, so I hope to join Purdue Soundtracks.”
• “I want to study the effects of pesticides on crops under Professor Adrian. This will enable me to pursue a career as an organic agricultural specialist.” (Side note: Don’t mention a specific professor for the sake of name-dropping them; only do so if you are very familiar with their work)
• “I want to join the Honors College so that I can be surrounded by like-minded peers while I pursue my Scholarly Project—writing a full-form novel.”

You can divide the body into multiple paragraphs here, with each paragraph focusing on a different aspect of your goals and how the school can support them. In 250 words, you’ll likely be able to talk about 3-4 goals/resources, centered around 1-2 themes.

For example, the political junkie student might be passionate about the environment and using policy to enact change. They may want to major in Political Science with a minor in Environmental Policy and Politics. They can also take advantage of the department’s Job-Ready Awards, which provide funding for low-paid or unpaid internships, so they can intern with a local environmental nonprofit. Outside of the classroom, they may want to join the Richard Petticrew Forum to enhance their public speaking and debate skills, particularly in policy debate. It will also help them find community in a new place, as they grew really close to their debate teammates in high school. They also look forward to joining the Environmental Science Club, where they can participate in local conservationism and outdoor activities, staying true to their rural roots.

Conclusion (1 sentence) 

The conclusion is the most skippable part of this supplement. Only make a closing remark if it is powerful and gives the essay a greater sense of overall cohesion. Don’t bother with it if you maximized your word count and are having a lot of trouble cutting your essay down to fit in a concluding sentence.

Good example: “Purdue’s ample interdisciplinary resources will help me grow as a politically-active conservationist.”

Don’t do this: “All of these programs will make my Purdue experience truly one of a kind.” This is a sweet sentiment, but it’s just adding extra words. Instead, begin the last interest/program pairing with a transition like “finally” to signal the end of the essay. 

All Applicants, Prompt 2

Briefly discuss your reasons for pursuing the major you have selected. (250 words).

This is the classic “ Why This Major? ” question. The goal with this prompt is multifold—you must explain what compelled your choice of major and demonstrate that you understand what your major involves moving forward, while also helping the admissions officer learn about who you are and what you value.

Multiple experiences probably culminated in you selecting your major, but because of this prompt’s word limit, you won’t be able to give the full history. Instead, focus on what motivated you most directly. It is often helpful to frame your major selection within the context of one or two activities, classes, or experiences. Additionally, describing specific turning points in your education (both in and out of class) can lead to a concise and engaging essay.

Here are some examples:

• You had a medical internship where you witnessed a surgeon conduct heart surgery. Watching the surgery inspired your long-term goal of attending medical school and saving lives. Thus, you want to major in biology with a pre-med concentration. 
• You always hated math until you got to AP Calculus. You couldn’t believe it at first, but when you caught yourself thinking about velocity graphs while driving, you knew you had discovered your true passion. 
• Growing up, you were a huge tennis fan. You loved playing and idolized the pros, but it broke your heart whenever any of them would get injuries. That’s why you want to major in sports medicine and eventually work alongside them at the ATP World Tour. 
• You felt so inspired by your first Model UN conference that you just knew you had to go into diplomacy and international relations. You began reading official UN resolutions in your spare time. 

If you write about a turning point, make sure you use it to characterize yourself (to show the readers that you are a real-life human). The student who wants to go to medical school might mention that they are super compassionate because they have three younger siblings who they take care of. The student who loves math might explain how they identify as a logical thinker in all aspects of life. The IR student might explain that they always got in trouble for arguing as a kid, but over time learned to communicate effectively and it changed their life. 

The ultimate goal of college essays is to tell admissions officers something about you—your values, your personality, what gets you excited, why you are the way you are. The more in touch with yourself, the better. It is not enough to simply mention your involvement in something. Depth is better than breadth.

You have more room to be creative with the formatting of this response. If your essay truly has two distinct sections that focus on different ideas/parts of an idea, it’s okay to break it into two smaller chunks. For instance, the first part might be an anecdote, while the second is a declaration of how you plan to act accordingly. It is also okay to weave your reflection and anecdote together.

Honors Applicants, Prompt 1

Explain your vision, ideas, or goals for how you hope to shape your honors experience while at purdue. please put this in the context of the four pillars which are the foundation of the john martinson honors college. (500 words).

Before starting an honors essay, it is important to do some research on the program. Of course, all honors programs look for students with top marks and demonstrated passion for their studies, but each program is also looking for a specific type of student, who thinks in a specific way. Purdue describes their ideal student as committed to the Honors College’s four pillars: leadership development, undergraduate research, community and global experiences, and interdisciplinary academics. 

First things first, don’t get overwhelmed by this heightened word count. Having more words will give you more opportunities to expand on your thoughts. That being said, be wary. If you don’t use your words wisely, you run the risk of writing a boring essay. To avoid this, try incorporating examples, anecdotes, and a unique voice into your writing.

If you simply divide your 500 words between the four pillars (125 words/pillar, 1 experience/pillar), your essay will not be very engaging. Consider identifying one vision, idea, or goal for your honors experience, then using imagery and creativity to show that vision, and connecting the four pillars of the Honors College back to that image. Your image could emphasize 1) how the four pillars guided you in the past or 2) how the four pillars will guide you in the future—just make sure you tie it back to Purdue!

Looking Back

Because the prompt does ask about Purdue, if you are going to use an anecdote from the past, it should be used as an avenue to predict the future. Your outline would be something like:

• An engaging introduction or “hook”
• Your anecdote from the past, which shows your commitment to the four pillars
• Reflection on how the past anecdote shows your values and their alignment with the four pillars
• A prediction of how your values would play out in the Purdue Honors College

Examples of high school experiences that align with the four pillars:

• You founded a club at your high school for international students and domestic students to come together after seeing that the foreign exchange students were having trouble finding a community and also noticing that they had unique thoughts and values that could help domestic students.
• You took AP Capstone Research and had an unofficial leadership role on your team. Your team researched the interactions between sociocultural factors and the outputs of job prediction quizzes and algorithms.
• You wrote a science fiction short story that incorporated your knowledge of physics and your passion for literature, then started a group for science fiction writers at your local library.

Looking Forward

If you don’t have a strong high school anecdote, you can simply create a vivid image of the future. Get creative! You can imagine specific scenarios, with you in specific locations on campus. You can even make up dialogue or predict potential struggles you might have.

Examples of experiences you could anticipate that align with the four pillars:

• Forging friendships with students from different cultures and backgrounds as a leader in an organization on campus like the Beta Psi Omega or the Native American Educational and Cultural Center
• Researching in a lab that incorporates cultural factors into AI development and building a strong relationship with your professor
• Studying abroad in Bhutan to work with Bhutanese college students to explore overlaps between animal rights, environmental and agricultural concerns, and biology when dealing with the Big Cats of the Himalayas
• Volunteering at a community center in West Lafayette to install current water purifying technology, then staying after and teaching the children about the fundamentals of chemical engineering and sustainability

No matter the approach you choose, make sure this essay stays engaging and demonstrates your personal alignment with the values of the Purdue Honors College. If you do both those things, you should be set!

Honors Applicants, Prompt 2

Please describe the interdisciplinary nature of your chosen field of study and how it complements or supports other fields. (examples: you might describe how your work in a liberal arts career may impact or inform the work of an engineer.) (500 words).

The goal when answering this prompt is to demonstrate enthusiasm and passion for your major, and show how that enthusiasm leads you to draw connections between your studies and other disciplines. You have to prove that you see the connectedness of academics—that you believe your field affects others fields and other fields affect yours! The main challenge of this prompt is identifying a convincing and interesting connection.

If you are a naturally interdisciplinary thinker, think about your other interests and how you have applied them to your studies in the past. You can draw together very different fields:

• Drawing and medicine come together through medical illustrators
• Medicine and public policy come together through public health (NIH, NCI, NIA)
• Literature and healthcare come together through narrative medicine
• Music and cinema come together through film scoring

On the other hand, if you are exclusively science-minded or arts-minded (one of those people who says “I don’t have a [creative/scientific] bone in my body”), you may want to focus on the perspective that a different, but related discipline can contribute to your studies. These essays identify the importance of nuanced interdisciplinary fields and will explicitly reproach the fact that similar disciplines do not learn from each other. 

• A biology student who isn’t super creative could talk about how neuroscience researchers often neglect the value of qualitative research and could benefit from incorporating human subjectivity into their research practices like psychology researchers do. 
• A student who draws might describe how drawing could benefit from the layering techniques that painters use. 

If you are completely stuck for ideas, you should try to narrow your scope. A field of study is a large topic. Something like environmental engineering can be divided into research, manufacturing, applications, innovation, and more. Focusing on a subtopic may help you to see overlap with other disciplines. For example, environmental engineering research connects with public policy because research is often funded through government subsidies and grants. On the other hand, environmental engineering manufacturing relates to business and management. 

Start with your “chosen field of study.” Think about what you are interested in within that field. Then:

• Think about what affects the subcategory you are interested in
• Consider how the subcategory is funded
• Try to draw parallels between your subcategory and other disciplines
• Identify the most unrelated field you can think of and try to connect it to your discipline
• Make a list of the things that a professional in your field considers on a daily basis

After you have identified a topic, writing this essay should not be terribly challenging. Be articulate as you describe the connections between your chosen disciplines—just because something connects in your mind, doesn’t mean it will connect for your readers. Provide tangible examples, if they exist, to make the connections clear. Come up with hypothetical situations where your disciplines would interact—fictional stories and hypothetical anecdotes will make your essay more engaging!

Additionally, in a long and idea-heavy essay like this one, you should try to incorporate a distinct voice and a unique writing style. Honors programs are small and close-knit, so you want the admissions officers to enjoy your writing and desire to know you. 

Where to Get Your Purdue Essays Edited

Do you want feedback on your Purdue essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools.  Find the right advisor for you  to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Paragraph Development with PIE

Paragraph Development with PIE Podcast

Paragraph development with pie transcript.

Greetings everyone. This is Kurtis Clements with another effective writing podcast. In this episode, I am going to talk about developing body paragraphs with a technique called PIE.

In my experience, writers often have one of two problem areas related to paragraph development: not enough development or not enough of the right kind of development. What I mean by the latter is the idea that just because a paragraph contains a lot of content does not necessarily mean that content is doing the best job developing the idea of the paragraph.

One good way to go about developing paragraphs is to use the PIE method, which is an approach that has been around in some form or another I imagine since the time of Aristotle. So for a long time. PIE is an acronym that stands for develop a limited point (that’s the P) in a paragraph; illustrate (that’s the I”) the point with supporting information; the E stands for explain how the evidence supports the point of the paragraph and relates to the thesis of the essay.

Restated: P = Point I = Illustrate E = Explain

Paragraphs need to make clear and focused points. I mean, that’s the point of a paragraph right? To make a point. Whether or not you use a topic sentence at the start of the paragraph does not matter, for the paragraph still needs to make a point.

In order to make a point, you have to illustrate the point by using evidence—details, facts, statistics, testimony, examples, and the like. Supporting information helps readers understand the point you are trying to make in a paragraph.

Evidence alone will not help you develop the point. What every paragraph needs is elaboration where you explain the relevance of the information presented as it relates to the point of the paragraph as well as the essay as a whole. As the writer, you need to offer thoughtful commentary of the supporting details you use to illustrate the point. This last part is critical to the success of a paragraph, for its this kind of commentary where the writer offers analysis and interpretation of the content as it relates to their point. It’s also how the writer connects the point of the paragraph to the larger point of the essay.

I am going to read a sample paragraph and as I do, listen for the elements of PIE that may be missing:

The United States Postal Service has a proud history. Benjamin Franklin was named Postmaster General in 1775 even before The Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776 (USPS, 2007). Through the evolution of the service, the mission of the USPS has remained the same: “provide universal service to all Americans. From the bottom of the Grand Canyon to the furthermost point in Alaska, mail gets through” (USPS, 2010,para. 4). The United States Postal Service provides 596,000 jobs and has donated over$70 million to breast cancer research (USPS, 2010).

What did you hear? Or, should I ask, what did you not hear? The paragraph starts out with a clear focus—the proud history of the postal service—and that point is illustrated with some good examples. But what’s it all add up to? Is there any explanation that discusses how the information relates to the point of the paragraph and to the larger point of the essay? Do you have any sense of what this paragraph as a whole is trying to support? Do you sense a connectedness to a thesis? I don’t think so. I see this paragraph as just floating in the sea.

This is how PIE can help you. If you think about your paragraphs as needing those three parts—Point, Illustration, and Explanation—then you are more likely to notice that what is lacking in the paragraph I read is explanation, language that helps readers understand the relevance of the information as it relates to the point of the paragraph and to the larger point, the thesis, of the essay. Listen to the revised version of the paragraph:

The United States Postal Service has a proud history. Benjamin Franklin was named Postmaster General in 1775 even before The Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776 (USPS, 2007). Through the evolution of the service, the mission of the USPS has remained the same: “provide universal service to all Americans. From the bottom of the Grand Canyon to the furthermost point in Alaska, mail gets through” (USPS, 2010,para. 4). In addition to those accomplishments, the USPS also provides nearly 600,000 jobs and has donated over $70 million to breast cancer research through its breast cancer awareness stamps (USPS, 2010). The United States Postal Service has been an important institution and provided valuable services for over two hundred and thirty years—all at no cost to U.S. taxpayers. While the post office needs to redefine how it conducts business in the electronic age, eliminating the service is not the answer. In fact, there is no reason the postal service cannot, once again, change with the times and continue to add to its rich history and accomplishments.

What do you think? Better? Did it seem as if the paragraph was trying to develop a point and that point was connected to a bigger idea? Was there enough explanation—that is, was there enough commentary on the information presented so that you understand better the point of the paragraph as well as how the paragraph relates to the thesis? When you offer explanation, you are, in a sense, taking a step back and examining-analyzing—the information presented and making sure readers understand how the information relates to the point of the paragraph and to the larger point of the essay. The revision offers language such as the “in addition to those accomplishments” and “also” in the sentence “In addition to those accomplishments, the USPS also provides nearly 600,000 jobs and has donated over 70 million dollars to breast cancer research” thereby creating the sense that the USPS already has many accomplishments and on top of those, the postal service also has other accomplishments. The language connects the new piece of information to other pieces of information which are all connected to the idea of proud accomplishments.

The revision also includes three full sentences of explanation after the last piece of information—all of which work to connect that information to the point of the paragraph and to what the essay as a whole is trying to communicate. Listen:

The first version of the paragraph stops after the sentence “The United States Postal Service provides nearly 600.000 jobs and has donated over $70 million to breast cancer research.” That’s it—a paragraph floating in an ocean, insignificant and hardly noticed. But listen to what happens when the writer explains the importance of the information:

In addition to those accomplishments, the United States Postal Service also provides nearly 600,000 jobs and has donated over $70 million to breast cancer research through its breast cancer awareness stamps (USPS, 2010). The United States Postal Service has been an important institution and provided valuable services for over two hundred and thirty years—all at no cost to U.S. taxpayers. While the post office needs to redefine how it conducts business in the electronic age, eliminating the service is not the answer. In fact, there is no reason the postal service cannot, once again, change with the times and continue to add to its rich history and accomplishments.

Do hear the difference? Do you understand the importance not just making a point and illustrating a point but also—perhaps most importantly—explaining the importance of that information through commentary and analysis? The revised paragraph, which is only three sentences and maybe five words longer than the original is better by leaps and bounds.

When you are working on an essay and developing body paragraphs, keep PIE in mind—the idea that body paragraphs need to make a point, information presented needs to illustrate that point, and commentary and analysis is essential to explain the significance of the point. Indeed, PIE is an effective method for developing healthy paragraphs. Thanks for listening, everyone.

Happy writing!

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