career experiences thus far ?❒ W r i t i n g

Touchstones are projects that illustrate your comprehension of the course material, help you to refine skills, and demonstrate application of knowledge. You can work on a Touchstone anytime, but you can’t submit it for grading until you have completed the unit’s Milestone. After you’ve submitted a Touchstone, it will be graded and counted towards your final course score.

Touchstone: Success Narrative

ASSIGNMENT: For this touchstone, you will be writing a success narrative consisting of three components. Specifically, you will write about the following:

1. Who I Am Now: Create a brief biographical statement describing your academic and professional history, as well as any relevant personal characteristics you’d like to share.
2. My Goals: Identify three (3) professional and/or academic long-term goals for your future.
3. How I Will Get There: Based on the professional or academic goals you created, identify at least two (2) short-term steps for each of these goals, and set target dates for each of these short-term steps. Make sure that in your plan to achieve these goals, you account for obstacles that may present themselves along the way.

Sample Touchstone

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A. Assignment Guidelines

DIRECTIONS: Refer to the list below throughout the writing process. Do not submit your Touchstone until it meets these guidelines.

1. Who I Am Now

❒ Have you provided a brief biographical statement explaining your educational and career experiences thus far?

❒ Have you shared any personal characteristics (e.g., determination, flexibility) that you feel are relevant to your narrative?

2. My Goals

❒ Have you provided three long-term goals you wish to accomplish?

❒ Have you connected those goals to either your academic or professional aspirations?

3. How I Will Get There

❒ Have you identified and explained at least two short-term steps for achieving each of your three goals?

❒ Have you set target dates for each of these steps?

❒ Have you addressed any obstacles you might face in pursuit of these goals?

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B. Rubric

	Meets Expectations (80-100%)	Partially Meets Expectations (50-79%)	Does Not Meet Expectations (0-49%)
Who I Am Now Write a paragraph describing your academic and professional history, and related personal characteristics.	Includes a detailed description of academic and professional history in a single paragraph; includes personal characteristics to support the description.	Provides an incomplete description of academic and professional history (i.e., either academic or professional history is not described); does not include any personal characteristics.	Does not includes neither an academic nor a professional biographical statement; does not include any personal characteristics.
My Goals Write a paragraph stating three professional and/or academic long-term goals, and provide a brief description of each goal.	Identifies three professional and/or academic long-term goals; provides brief description of each.	Identifies one or two professional and/or academic long-term goals; does not provide a description of the goals.	Does not identify any professional and/or academic long-term goals.
How I Will Get There Write a paragraph describing two or more short-term actions that you can take to achieve each goal described above.	Provides a detailed explanation of at least two short-term actions that be taken to achieve each goal.	Provides a detailed explanation of one short-term action that can be taken to achieve each goal.	Does not explain any short-term actions that can be taken to achieve the goals.
Overall Reflection Incorporate thoughtful personal reflection to connect the goals and actions described in the composition.	Demonstrates a clear connection between the goals and the actions that will help achieve them. The composition is at least 500 words.	Provides goals and actions, but does not establish a clear connection between them, or does not establish a timeline for the plan to achieve the goals. The composition is 100-200 words too short.	Does not demonstrate a meaningful connection between the goals and proposed actions and no timeline to achieve the goals has been provided. The composition is more than 200 words too short.

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C. Requirements

The following requirements must be met for your submission to be graded:

• Composition must be 2-3 pages (approximately 500-750 words).
• Double-space the composition and use one-inch margins.
• Use a readable 12-point font.
• All writing must be appropriate for an academic context.
• Composition must be original and written for this assignment.
• Plagiarism of any kind is strictly prohibited.
• Submission must include your name, the name of the course, the date, and the title of your composition.
• Include all of the assignment components in a single file.
  • Acceptable file formats include .doc, and .docx.