Writing a Personal Essay This activity will help you meet these educational goals: You will write an introduction that presents an argument and an organized way of discussing it; you will produce clear and coherent writing that is appropriate to the task, purpose, and audience. Directions Read the instructions for this self-checked activity. Type in your response to each question and check your answers. At the end of the activity, write a brief evaluation of your work. Activity You know about the structure of the personal essay and the topics that are good candidates for this type of essay. Now follow the directions below to write a personal essay. Think back over the past few years. Select one event that was significant in your life. Write a personal essay of two to three pages about that event. Your essay should focus on these questions: Why was the event significant to your life? What did you learn from the event? Your essay should include an introduction, body, and conclusion. It should use a particular organization style, such as chronological order, spatial order, or cause and effect.