Leadership Essay Student Copy

7/25/2019 Leadership Essay Student Copy

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What Makes a Good Leader?

Step 1 – Prewriting: Thinking about Your Topic.

Assignment

TASK: Write a four paragraph essay that explains who you think is a great leaderand why. Be sure to explain one major character trait that this person had. Use

one event from this person’s life as evidence of his/her having this trait and

using it.

AUDIENCE: Your teacher and classmates.

In Global Studies class, you have been discussing leadership. More specifically, you have talked

about the qualities that make a good leader. You have also looked at people who demonstrate

these qualities.

Now, you are being asked to write an essay about one person you consider a leader. You are to

discuss what character quality has helped make this person a great leader, and you are to explain

an event or action in this person’s life where this quality was evident.



Think About Your Point

Thesis (the statement that you are trying to prove)

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Example – As the 40th President of the United States of America, Ronald Raegan was an

outstanding leader who used his charisma to improve the world.

Dig into the Topic

Character Quality - ________________________________________

Formal Definition (copy directly) -

Source for Definition _______________________________________

Definition in my own words -

This quality can be seen in the following types of actions (1-2 words per line) :

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Leader (full name) ________________________________________

Birthplace: _____________________________Notes on family:

Education: _____________________________________________

Positions/Jobs1.2.3.

Date of Death: _________________________________________

Significant Awards:1.2.3.

Quote about this leader:

Source for quote ____________________________________________



Event ________________________________________

The following are notes ONLY. Do not write in full sentences.

Where did it take place?

When did it take place?

What were the circumstances surrounding this event? (Why did this event happen?)

1.

2.

3.

What happened?

1.

2.

3.

How did your leader’s actions demonstrate the character trait.Notes only. EXPLAIN Do NOT retell the event.

1.

2.

3.

4.



Leader Essay Outline

Follow this outline when drafting your essay.

I. INTRODUCTION A. Attention-getter.

B. Formal definition of character trait.

C. Your definition of character trait.

D. Thesis statement. (Must include person and character trait.)

II. BODY PARAGRAPH 1

A. Topic Sentence.

B. Background about leader.

C. Conclusion that ties to event.

III. BODY PARAGRAPH 2

A. Topic Sentence.

B. Event.

C. Analysis of leader’s action.

IV. CONCLUSION A. Restate your thesis.

B. Restate your reason why you selected this leader.

C. Wrap it up with your final thought.



Step 2 – Drafting: Making sentences.

Introduction REVIEW STUDENT SAMPLETo write a successful introduction, follow the A.N.T. technique!

A = Attention-GetterN = Necessary InformationT = Thesis

A = Attention-Getter: The first sentence or two should be an attention-getter. There aremany ways to write an attention-getter:

Ask a question

Use a relevant quote from the story itself or from somewhere else Use a fact or statistic Use an anecdote (a short story that illustrates a point)

N = Necessary Information: Necessary information will be a short bio of leader.

T = Thesis: The last sentence of your introduction should be your thesis. The thesis iswhat you are trying to "prove" in your essay.

Introduction:

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Body REVIEW STUDENT SAMPLE

Body Paragraph 1:

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Body Paragraph 2:

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Conclusion REVIEW STUDENT SAMPLE

R-R-R

To write a successful conclusion, remember the 3 R's!

1. R = Restate your thesis2. R = Restate your reasons

3. R = Wrap it up

Here's the 3 step process:

1. Restate your thesis in different words. Remind the reader what the focus ofyour paper was and what you have "proven."

2. Restate your reasons. Summarize and show how all of your reasons fittogether.

3. Wrap it up with your final thoughts and/or a clincher.

Final thoughts: Show the importance of the analysis that you have beenmaking in the paper. What is the last thing you want to say about thistopic?

Clincher : This is a statement that leaves the reader thinking "Wow!" It

often goes back to your attention-getter in the introduction and mirrors it insome way, or you can make a statement about the future of the subject

you've been writing about.

Conclusion:

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Step 3 Revising: Working on the content.

How clear and strong is my thesis?

How effective are my introduction, body, and conclusion?

Did I use transitions to start each paragraph?

Step 4 Editing: Working on the mechanics.

_____Type your sentences into a Word doc.

_____Make your writing continuous so it looks like paragraphs.

_____Double space your document and indent first line in each paragraph.

_____Make the font black and use TNR or Ariel 12.

_____Be sure your paragraphs are left justified.

_____Insert a cover page.. _____Following each quote, insert page number. Ex. (pg. 36)

_____Insert a bibliography page.

_____Run spell check and grammar check. Correct as needed.

Do a final check. Read each drafted sentence aloud to yourself one at a time

and ask the following:

_____Does this sentence make a complete thought? Have I included all

necessary words?

_____Is this sentence too long? Do I have too many complete ideas jammed

into one sentence? Do I need to break it into smaller sentences?

_____Is this sentence hard to read – awkward? How can I reword it?

_____Did I start this sentence with a capital letter and use end punctuation?

Step 5 Publishing: Preparing your final document.

Add pictures/drawings etc. Be sure to give credit.

Submit to TurnItIn



Student Sample

TEAR DOWN THAT WALL

NameClassDate



Leaders such as John F. Kennedy, Eva Peron, and Ronald Raegan are often

labeled as having been charismatic leaders. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines

charisma as, “a personal magic of leadership arousing special popular loyalty or

enthusiasm for a public figure.”1 Leaders who possess charisma, “challenge the

traditional order…”2 In other words, leaders with charisma are reformers who have a

strong group following them and believing in them. They are leaders who speak with

authority and seek a change that they feel will make their world a better place. As the

40th President of the United States of America, Ronald Raegan was an outstanding

leader who used his charisma to improve the world.

“The words spoken by the leader of the free world can expand the frontiers of

freedom or shrink them.” 3 Mitt Romney, a former presidential candidate and governor

of Massachusetts, said this about Ronald Reagan. Ronald Wilson Reagan was born on

February 6, 1911, in Tampico, Illinois. He grew-up in a very poor family, and after

graduating from Eureka College in 1932, he worked as a sports announcer for a local

radio station. Later in life as his acting career began to decline, he became more and

more interested in politics. In the 1960s, he ran for governor of California. After his

successful term as governor, Reagan decided he would run for president. He lost the

Republican primary race but ran again in 1981. This time, he won. As our 40 th

President, his charismatic leadership was seen as he openly challenged one of the

greatest enemies of the free world.

Throughout his presidency, Ronald Reagan questioned why communism should be

allowed to deny the East Berliners their freedoms. On June 12, 1987, he made his third

1 (charisma, n.d.)2(Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, 2016)3 (Quotes about Ronald Reagan, n.d.)



trip to West Berlin. Standing at Brandenburg Gate at 2:00 pm, in front of two panes

of bulletproof glass, he addressed not only leaders of West Berlin but also Mikhail

Gorbachev, the leader of the Soviet Union and the driving force of communism in East

Berlin. The most charismatic part of the speech was when President Reagan said, “We

welcome change and openness; for we believe that freedom and security go together,

that they advance dramatically the cause of freedom and peace. General Secretary

Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union, open this

gate. Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”4 President Reagan displayed incredible

charisma by challenging one of the largest and most powerful nations of the world. He

not only challenged the Soviet Union but also demanded that its system be changed.

His presence during the speech was electrifying, and the loyalty of his American and

European audience grew. As a charismatic person, he possessed great powers of

charm and influence that got a job done. The fall of the Berlin Wall happened in 1989,

Reagan’s final year of presidency.

In conclusion, Ronald Reagan is an important leader in American history. His used

his charisma along with his compassion and problem-solving ability to ensure a safer

life for Americans and the rest of the world. He played an important role in the fall of one

of America’s biggest threats, the USSR. “The words spoken by the leader of the free

world can expand the frontiers of freedom or shrink them. When Ronald Reagan called

on Gorbachev to ‘tear down this wall’, a surge of confidence rose that would ul timately

breach the bound of the evil empire.”5

4 (Ronald Reagan "Tear Down this Wall", 1996-2016)5 (Quotes about Ronald Reagan, n.d.)



Google Images

President Raegan delivering his speech in front of Brandenburg Gate, West Berlin.

Google Images

A piece of the Berlin Wall located at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in SimiValley, California.



BIBLIOGRAPHY

charisma. (n.d.). Retrieved from Merriam-Webster Dictionary: www.merriam-

webster.com/dictionary/charisma

Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. (2016). Charisma. Retrieved from Encyclopedia

Britannica: www.britannica.com/topic/charisma

Quotes about Ronald Reagan. (n.d.). Retrieved from BrainyQuote:

www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/ronald_reagan.html#015FZU3VYeUTFH

CV.99

Ronald Reagan "Tear Down this Wall" . (1996-2016). Retrieved from HistoryPlace:

http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/reagan-tear-down.htm

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Leadership Essay Student Copy