Today, we have a comprehensive list of various sample essay prompts to consider.  You are going to see a lot of these during your academic career.  Beginning in middle school, going on through high school, and even when you get to college, your teachers and professors are going to hand out essay writing prompts like candy.  You might prefer a lollipop or a pack of smarties, but trust, they are not doing this to torture you.  The writing habits you begin learning in middle school really are going to help you later.  The fundamental elements of personal essays, argumentative essays, and descriptive essays – the styles most commonly seen during your early school days – are going to show up again and again, in term papers, research papers, and even dissertations.

Of course, sample essay prompts do not have to be assigned.  Why not practice on your own?  That may sound crazy, but essay prompts can actually come in handy in a number of ways, with a number of assignments.  Just as a for instance, think about your college applications.  You are usually asked to write up a personal statement – basically, a personal essay, which is also known as a narrative.  Sometimes it may be related to your major, what you want to do with your life, or why you want to go to that specific institutions.  Other times, it might be completely random.  Such prompts can show up on the PSATs and SATs as well.  So, why not take a look at some sample personal essay topics?  At the very least, they can even help you with writer’s block.

Personal Sample 1: Just about every student has been caught unprepared for a big, important exam at one time or another.  Maybe you were sick, maybe you were away, maybe you were busy with other school work – whatever the case, describe a time when this happened to you.  Did you wing it or explain your situation to the teacher?  How did you do?

Personal Sample 2: Pick out a very vivid moment of your childhood and describe it with as much detail as possible.  Make your readers understand why it is so special and/or important to you.

Personal Sample 3: Think about a goal you have had in the past and explain to your reader exactly how you reached it.  Make sure you describe why doing so was so important to you.

Next up are some sample essay prompts in the form of argumentative topics.  You will likely be given a lot of persuasive papers as you go through school, so you definitely need to learn how to form arguments on paper.

Argumentative Sample 1: Do you think that the problem of domestic violence in the United States is being exaggerated, or do you think it needs to be taken more seriously?  Why?

Argumentative Sample 2: What do you think about animal testing?  Is it human to use them for scientific research, or inhumane?

Argumentative Sample 3: What are your feelings on people using cell phones in public?  Do you think they should be banned in malls, restaurants, et cetera?  Why or why not?

Now, let’s have a look at some samples for descriptive papers.  Descriptive essay prompts give you a chance to be really imaginative and, as such, are great exercises for both academic writers and literary or non fiction writers.

Descriptive Sample 1: Think about your favorite place in the world and describe why it is so special.  What do you do there?  What does it look, smell, and feel like?

Descriptive Sample 2: What is your favorite season?  Why?  What is your town like during that season?

Descriptive Sample 3: What teacher has affected you the most?  Why was he or she so memorable?  How and why did he or she inspire and/or affect you?

As you can see, sample essay prompts are beneficial with any number of subjects.  More importantly, they pop up where you least expect them.  They also show up on some of the most important exams we will take in our lives, and on some of the most crucial documents.  You never know which kind you are going to get, and any way, they truly do help later in life, when you have moved from essays to research and term papers.

Over the course of your academic career, you will be asked to write a lot of personal papers, so some examples of possible personal essay topics can be very beneficial.  For this article, we are going to discuss them as they apply to term papers.  Specifically, we are going to talk about why teachers and professors often assign them in a class that will include a lot of term paper writing.

Personal essays are just that – you write about something that you have experienced.  They are seen in middle school English classes, high school English classes, and a variety college and university courses rooted in literature.  Clearly, personal essay topics are going to revolve around you.  Sometimes teachers use this technique on the first day, or within the first week, of classes.  They do it not only to get to know their students, but also to get an idea of their writing – technical skills, tone, style, et cetera.  As well, especially as you advance in school, personal essays are always a way to teach you to dig down.  In a descriptive term paper, especially, you have to present more than what is there.  It is the one time you are really able to insert your opinion into a paper.

There are several keywords and key phrases you can use – and that your teachers and professors will give you – that set the scene for a sound personal essay.  The following are just a few of them:

•    “Tell about.”  Example – Tell about a frightening experience you had when you were a child.  How did you feel?  What specifically was frightening?

•    “Describe.”  Example – “Describe a meaningful event in your life.  Was it positive or was it negative?  Why do you think it affected you so much?”

•    “Relate.”  Example – Relate an occasion in which you were very uncomfortable.  What made you uncomfortable?  How did you cope with it?

Mind you, these are just a few examples.  They may seem simplistic, but in truth, participating in these exercises can help you a lot down the line.  For instance, prompts and topics like these can help you come up with term paper ideas of your own.  How?  Well, for starters, you will know exactly the kind of leading questions to ask yourself.  You will know what kind of information your reader is looking for and how much he or she wants to know.  This knowledge is fundamental in the crafting of a good term paper.

As mentioned, your teachers and professors are also gauging your term paper writing process when they read what you have written on the personal essay topics they give you.  They will know your strengths and weaknesses, they will know where you need improvement, and they can thereby help you hone your craft.

One of the most common personal essay topics as it applies to college students is simply being asked how your first day at the university made you feel.  The reason is obvious, but hey, it is certainly something to start thinking about now.  For that matter, take these examples, take the leader phrases, and/or look up some more of your own.  Start honing your craft yourself; by the time you get to writing term papers, you will leave all your classmates in the dust.