biographical essay examples high school

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High School Biographies Samples For Students

12 samples of this type

Do you feel the need to check out some previously written Biographies on High School before you get down to writing an own piece? In this open-access database of High School Biography examples, you are granted an exciting opportunity to discover meaningful topics, content structuring techniques, text flow, formatting styles, and other academically acclaimed writing practices. Implementing them while crafting your own High School Biography will definitely allow you to finish the piece faster.

Presenting the finest samples isn't the only way our free essays service can help students in their writing ventures – our authors can also compose from scratch a fully customized Biography on High School that would make a solid foundation for your own academic work.

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Menacekeys was born in Fort Worth, Texas. The oldest of two sons, he was raised by his father while his mom served a 12-year prison term for child-abuse for almost killing both his younger brother and him. Consequently, music was always an escape from the reality of his troubled childhood. He discovered a passion for the piano at age five, and learned various other instruments throughout his youth, including drums and saxophone.

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How to Write a Biography

Biographies are big business. Whether in book form or Hollywood biopics, the lives of the famous and sometimes not-so-famous fascinate us.

While it’s true that most biographies are about people who are in the public eye, sometimes the subject is less well-known. Primarily, though, famous or not, the person who is written about has led an incredible life.

In this article, we will explain biography writing in detail for teachers and students so they can create their own.

While your students will most likely have a basic understanding of a biography, it’s worth taking a little time before they put pen to paper to tease out a crystal-clear definition of one.

What Is a Biography?

A biography is an account of someone’s life written by someone else . While there is a genre known as a fictional biography, for the most part, biographies are, by definition, nonfiction.

Generally speaking, biographies provide an account of the subject’s life from the earliest days of childhood to the present day or, if the subject is deceased, their death.

The job of a biography is more than just to outline the bare facts of a person’s life.

Rather than just listing the basic details of their upbringing, hobbies, education, work, relationships, and death, a well-written biography should also paint a picture of the subject’s personality and experience of life.

Full Biographies

Teaching unit.

Teach your students everything they need to know about writing an AUTOBIOGRAPHY and a BIOGRAPHY.

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Features of a Biography

Before students begin writing a biography, they’ll need to have a firm grasp of the main features of a Biography. An excellent way to determine how well they understand these essential elements is to ask them to compile a checklist like the one-blow

Their checklists should contain the items below at a minimum. Be sure to help them fill in any gaps before moving on to the writing process.

The purpose of a biography is to provide an account of someone’s life.

Biography structure.

ORIENTATION (BEGINNING) Open your biography with a strong hook to grab the reader’s attention

SEQUENCING: In most cases, biographies are written in chronological order unless you are a very competent writer consciously trying to break from this trend.

COVER: childhood, upbringing, education, influences, accomplishments, relationships, etc. – everything that helps the reader to understand the person.

CONCLUSION: Wrap your biography up with some details about what the subject is doing now if they are still alive. If they have passed away, make mention of what impact they have made and what their legacy is or will be.

BIOGRAPHY FEATURES

LANGUAGE Use descriptive and figurative language that will paint images inside your audience’s minds as they read. Use time connectives to link events.

PERSPECTIVE Biographies are written from the third person’s perspective.

DETAILS: Give specific details about people, places, events, times, dates, etc. Reflect on how events shaped the subject. You might want to include some relevant photographs with captions. A timeline may also be of use depending upon your subject and what you are trying to convey to your audience.

TENSE Written in the past tense (though ending may shift to the present/future tense)

THE PROCESS OF WRITING A BIOGRAPHY

Like any form of writing, you will find it simple if you have a plan and follow it through. These steps will ensure you cover the essential bases of writing a biography essay.

Firstly, select a subject that inspires you. Someone whose life story resonates with you and whose contribution to society intrigues you. The next step is to conduct thorough research. Engage in extensive reading, explore various sources, watch documentaries, and glean all available information to provide a comprehensive account of the person’s life.

Creating an outline is essential to organize your thoughts and information. The outline should include the person’s early life, education, career, achievements, and any other significant events or contributions. It serves as a map for the writing process, ensuring that all vital information is included.

Your biography should have an engaging introduction that captivates the reader’s attention and provides background information on the person you’re writing about. It should include a thesis statement summarising the biography’s main points.

Writing a biography in chronological order is crucial . You should begin with the person’s early life and move through their career and achievements. This approach clarifies how the person’s life unfolded and how they accomplished their goals.

A biography should be written in a narrative style , capturing the essence of the person’s life through vivid descriptions, anecdotes, and quotes. Avoid dry, factual writing and focus on creating a compelling narrative that engages the reader.

Adding personal insights and opinions can enhance the biography’s overall impact, providing a unique perspective on the person’s achievements, legacy, and impact on society.

Editing and proofreading are vital elements of the writing process. Thoroughly reviewing your biography ensures that the writing is clear, concise, and error-free. You can even request feedback from someone else to ensure that it is engaging and well-written.

Finally, including a bibliography at the end of your biography is essential. It gives credit to the sources that were used during research, such as books, articles, interviews, and websites.

Tips for Writing a Brilliant Biography

Biography writing tip #1: choose your subject wisely.

There are several points for students to reflect on when deciding on a subject for their biography. Let’s take a look at the most essential points to consider when deciding on the subject for a biography:

Interest: To produce a biography will require sustained writing from the student. That’s why students must choose their subject well. After all, a biography is an account of someone’s entire life to date. Students must ensure they choose a subject that will sustain their interest throughout the research, writing, and editing processes.

Merit: Closely related to the previous point, students must consider whether the subject merits the reader’s interest. Aside from pure labors of love, writing should be undertaken with the reader in mind. While producing a biography demands sustained writing from the author, it also demands sustained reading from the reader.

Therefore, students should ask themselves if their chosen subject has had a life worthy of the reader’s interest and the time they’d need to invest in reading their biography.

Information: Is there enough information available on the subject to fuel the writing of an entire biography? While it might be a tempting idea to write about a great-great-grandfather’s experience in the war. There would be enough interest there to sustain the author’s and the reader’s interest, but do you have enough access to information about their early childhood to do the subject justice in the form of a biography?

Biography Writing Tip #2: R esearch ! Research! Research!

While the chances are good that the student already knows quite a bit about the subject they’ve chosen. Chances are 100% that they’ll still need to undertake considerable research to write their biography.

As with many types of writing , research is an essential part of the planning process that shouldn’t be overlooked. If students wish to give as complete an account of their subject’s life as possible, they’ll need to put in the time at the research stage.

An effective way to approach the research process is to:

1. Compile a chronological timeline of the central facts, dates, and events of the subject’s life

2. Compile detailed descriptions of the following personal traits:

•      Physical looks
•      Character traits
•      Values and beliefs

3. Compile some research questions based on different topics to provide a focus for the research:

• Childhood : Where and when were they born? Who were their parents? Who were the other family members? What education did they receive?
• Obstacles: What challenges did they have to overcome? How did these challenges shape them as individuals?
• Legacy: What impact did this person have on the world and/or the people around them?
• Dialogue & Quotes: Dialogue and quotations by and about the subject are a great way to bring color and life to a biography. Students should keep an eagle eye out for the gems that hide amid their sources.

As the student gets deeper into their research, new questions will arise that can further fuel the research process and help to shape the direction the biography will ultimately go in.

Likewise, during the research, themes will often begin to suggest themselves. Exploring these themes is essential to bring depth to biography, but we’ll discuss this later in this article.

Research Skills:

Researching for biography writing is an excellent way for students to hone their research skills in general. Developing good research skills is essential for future academic success. Students will have opportunities to learn how to:

• Gather relevant information
• Evaluate different information sources
• Select suitable information
• Organize information into a text.

Students will have access to print and online information sources, and, in some cases, they may also have access to people who knew or know the subject (e.g. biography of a family member).

These days, much of the research will likely take place online. It’s crucial, therefore, to provide your students with guidance on how to use the internet safely and evaluate online sources for reliability. This is the era of ‘ fake news ’ and misinformation after all!

COMPLETE TEACHING UNIT ON INTERNET RESEARCH SKILLS USING GOOGLE SEARCH

Teach your students ESSENTIAL SKILLS OF THE INFORMATION ERA to become expert DIGITAL RESEARCHERS.

⭐How to correctly ask questions to search engines on all devices.

⭐ How to filter and refine your results to find exactly what you want every time.

⭐ Essential Research and critical thinking skills for students.

⭐ Plagiarism, Citing and acknowledging other people’s work.

⭐ How to query, synthesize and record your findings logically.

BIOGRAPHY WRITING Tip #3: Find Your Themes In Biography Writing

Though predominantly a nonfiction genre, the story still plays a significant role in good biography writing. The skills of characterization and plot structuring are transferable here. And, just like in fiction, exploring themes in a biographical work helps connect the personal to the universal. Of course, these shouldn’t be forced; this will make the work seem contrived, and the reader may lose faith in the truthfulness of the account. A biographer needs to gain and maintain the trust of the reader.

Fortunately, themes shouldn’t need to be forced. A life well-lived is full of meaning, and the themes the student writer is looking for will emerge effortlessly from the actions and events of the subject’s life. It’s just a case of learning how to spot them.

One way to identify the themes in a life is to look for recurring events or situations in a person’s life. These should be apparent from the research completed previously. The students should seek to identify these patterns that emerge in the subject’s life. For example, perhaps they’ve had to overcome various obstacles throughout different periods of their life. In that case, the theme of overcoming adversity is present and has been identified.

Usually, a biography has several themes running throughout, so be sure your students work to identify more than one theme in their subject’s life.

BIOGRAPHY WRITING Tip: #4 Put Something of Yourself into the Writing

While the defining feature of a biography is that it gives an account of a person’s life, students must understand that this is not all a biography does. Relating the facts and details of a subject’s life is not enough. The student biographer should not be afraid to share their thoughts and feelings with the reader throughout their account of their subject’s life.

The student can weave some of their personality into the fabric of the text by providing commentary and opinion as they relate the events of the person’s life and the wider social context at the time. Unlike the detached and objective approach we’d expect to find in a history textbook, in a biography, student-writers should communicate their enthusiasm for their subject in their writing.

This makes for a more intimate experience for the reader, as they get a sense of getting to know the author and the subject they are writing about.

Biography Examples For Students

• Year 5 Example
• Year 7 Example
• Year 9 Example

“The Rock ‘n’ Roll King: Elvis Presley”

Elvis Aaron Presley, born on January 8, 1935, was an amazing singer and actor known as the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” Even though he’s been dead for nearly 50 years, I can’t help but be fascinated by his incredible life!

Elvis grew up in Tupelo, Mississippi, in a tiny house with his parents and twin brother. His family didn’t have much money, but they shared a love for music. Little did they know Elvis would become a music legend!

When he was only 11 years old, Elvis got his first guitar. He taught himself to play and loved singing gospel songs. As he got older, he started combining different music styles like country, blues, and gospel to create a whole new sound – that’s Rock ‘n’ Roll!

In 1954, at the age of 19, Elvis recorded his first song, “That’s All Right.” People couldn’t believe how unique and exciting his music was. His famous hip-swinging dance moves also made him a sensation!

Elvis didn’t just rock the music scene; he also starred in movies like “Love Me Tender” and “Jailhouse Rock.” But fame came with challenges. Despite facing ups and downs, Elvis kept spreading happiness through his music.

Tragically, Elvis passed away in 1977, but his music and charisma live on. Even today, people worldwide still enjoy his songs like “Hound Dog” and “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” Elvis Presley’s legacy as the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll will live forever.

Long Live the King: I wish I’d seen him.

Elvis Presley, the Rock ‘n’ Roll legend born on January 8, 1935, is a captivating figure that even a modern-day teen like me can’t help but admire. As I delve into his life, I wish I could have experienced the magic of his live performances.

Growing up in Tupelo, Mississippi, Elvis faced challenges but found solace in music. At 11, he got his first guitar, a symbol of his journey into the world of sound. His fusion of gospel, country, and blues into Rock ‘n’ Roll became a cultural phenomenon.

The thought of being in the audience during his early performances, especially when he recorded “That’s All Right” at 19, sends shivers down my spine. Imagining the crowd’s uproar and feeling the revolutionary energy of that moment is a dream I wish I could have lived.

Elvis wasn’t just a musical prodigy; he was a dynamic performer. His dance moves, the embodiment of rebellion, and his roles in films like “Love Me Tender” and “Jailhouse Rock” made him a true icon.

After watching him on YouTube, I can’t help but feel a little sad that I’ll never witness the King’s live performances. The idea of swaying to “Hound Dog” or being enchanted by “Can’t Help Falling in Love” in person is a missed opportunity. Elvis may have left us in 1977, but he was the king of rock n’ roll. Long live the King!

Elvis Presley: A Teen’s Take on the Rock ‘n’ Roll Icon”

Elvis Presley, born January 8, 1935, was a revolutionary force in the music world, earning his title as the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” Exploring his life, even as a 16-year-old today, I’m captivated by the impact he made.

Hailing from Tupelo, Mississippi, Elvis grew up in humble beginnings, surrounded by the love of his parents and twin brother. It’s inspiring to think that, despite financial challenges, this young man would redefine the music scene.

At 11, Elvis got his first guitar, sparking a self-taught journey into music. His early gospel influences evolved into a unique fusion of country, blues, and gospel, creating the electrifying genre of Rock ‘n’ Roll. In 1954, at only 19, he recorded “That’s All Right,” marking the birth of a musical legend.

Elvis wasn’t just a musical innovator; he was a cultural phenomenon. His rebellious dance moves and magnetic stage presence challenged the norms. He transitioned seamlessly into acting, starring in iconic films like “Love Me Tender” and “Jailhouse Rock.”

However, fame came at a cost, and Elvis faced personal struggles. Despite the challenges, his music continued to resonate. Even now, classics like “Hound Dog” and “Can’t Help Falling in Love” transcend generations.

Elvis Presley’s impact on music and culture is undeniable. He was known for his unique voice, charismatic persona, and electrifying performances. He sold over one billion records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling solo artists in history. He received numerous awards throughout his career, including three Grammy Awards and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Elvis’s influence can still be seen in today’s music. Many contemporary artists, such as Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, and Justin Timberlake, have cited Elvis as an inspiration. His music continues to be featured in movies, TV shows, and commercials.

Elvis left us in 1977, but his legacy lives on. I appreciate his breaking barriers and fearlessly embracing his artistic vision. Elvis Presley’s impact on music and culture is timeless, a testament to the enduring power of his artistry. His music has inspired generations and will continue to do so for many years to come.

Teaching Resources

Use our resources and tools to improve your student’s writing skills through proven teaching strategies.

BIOGRAPHY WRITING TEACHING IDEAS AND LESSONS

We have compiled a sequence of biography-related lessons or teaching ideas that you can follow as you please. They are straightforward enough for most students to follow without further instruction.

BIOGRAPHY LESSON IDEA # 1:

This session aims to give students a broader understanding of what makes a good biography.

Once your students have compiled a comprehensive checklist of the main features of a biography, allow them to use it to assess some biographies from your school library or on the internet using the feature checklist.

When students have assessed a selection of biographies, take some time as a class to discuss them. You can base the discussion around the following prompts:

• Which biographies covered all the criteria from their checklist?
• Which biographies didn’t?
• Which biography was the most readable in terms of structure?
• Which biography do you think was the least well-structured? How would you improve this?

Looking at how other writers have interpreted the form will help students internalize the necessary criteria before attempting to produce a biography. Once students have a clear understanding of the main features of the biography, they’re ready to begin work on writing a biography.

When the time does come to put pen to paper, be sure they’re armed with the following top tips to help ensure they’re as well prepared as possible.

BIOGRAPHY LESSON IDEA # 2:

This session aims to guide students through the process of selecting the perfect biography subject.

Instruct students to draw up a shortlist of three potential subjects for the biography they’ll write.

Using the three criteria mentioned in the writing guide (Interest, Merit, and Information), students award each potential subject a mark out of 5 for each of the criteria. In this manner, students can select the most suitable subject for their biography.

BIOGRAPHY LESSON IDEA # 3:

This session aims to get students into the researching phase, then prioritise and organise events chronologically.

Students begin by making a timeline of their subject’s life, starting with their birth and ending with their death or the present day. If the student has yet to make a final decision on the subject of their biography, a family member will often serve well for this exercise as a practice exercise.

Students should research and gather the key events of the person’s life, covering each period of their life from when they were a baby, through childhood and adolescence, right up to adulthood and old age. They should then organize these onto a timeline. Students can include photographs with captions if they have them.

They can present these to the class when they have finished their timelines.

BIOGRAPHY LESSON IDEA # 4:

Instruct students to look over their timeline, notes, and other research. Challenge them to identify three patterns that repeat throughout the subject’s life and sort all the related events and incidents into specific categories.

Students should then label each category with a single word. This is the thematic concept or the broad general underlying idea. After that, students should write a sentence or two expressing what the subject’s life ‘says’ about that concept.

This is known as the thematic statement . With the thematic concepts and thematic statements identified, the student now has some substantial ideas to explore that will help bring more profound meaning and wider resonance to their biography.

BIOGRAPHY LESSON IDEA # 5:

Instruct students to write a short objective account of an event in their own life. They can write about anyone from their past. It needn’t be more than a couple of paragraphs, but the writing should be strictly factual, focusing only on the objective details of what happened.

Once they have completed this, it’s time to rewrite the paragraph, but they should include some opinion and personal commentary this time.

The student here aims to inject some color and personality into their writing, to transform a detached, factual account into a warm, engaging story.

A COMPLETE UNIT ON TEACHING BIOGRAPHIES

Teach your students to write AMAZING BIOGRAPHIES & AUTOBIOGRAPHIES using proven RESEARCH SKILLS and WRITING STRATEGIES .

• Understand the purpose of both forms of biography.
• Explore the language and perspective of both.
• Prompts and Challenges to engage students in writing a biography.
• Dedicated lessons for both forms of biography.
• Biographical Projects can expand students’ understanding of reading and writing a biography.
• A COMPLETE 82-PAGE UNIT – NO PREPARATION REQUIRED.

FREE Biography Writing Graphic Organizer

Use this valuable tool in the research and writing phases to keep your students on track and engaged.

WRITING CHECKLIST & RUBRIC BUNDLE

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To Conclude

By this stage, your students should have an excellent technical overview of a biography’s essential elements.

They should be able to choose their subject in light of how interesting and worthy they are, as well as give consideration to the availability of information out there. They should be able to research effectively and identify emerging themes in their research notes. And finally, they should be able to bring some of their personality and uniqueness into their retelling of the life of another.

Remember that writing a biography is not only a great way to develop a student’s writing skills; it can be used in almost all curriculum areas. For example, to find out more about a historical figure in History, to investigate scientific contributions to Science, or to celebrate a hero from everyday life.

Biography is an excellent genre for students to develop their writing skills and to find inspiration in the lives of others in the world around them.

HOW TO WRITE A BIOGRAPHY TUTORIAL VIDEO

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Jun 23, 2023

Biographical Essay Examples: Learn How to Tell a Compelling Life Story in Writing

Explore the art of storytelling through captivating biographical essays. Join us on a journey of discovery as we unveil inspiring examples that teach you how to craft compelling life stories. Step into the world of biography writing and learn how to engage readers with fascinating narratives. Get ready to bring extraordinary lives to life on the page!

The art of storytelling has been an integral part of human culture since the dawn of civilization. It is through stories that we learn about the lives of others, understand different perspectives, and gain insight into the human experience. Biographical essays, in particular, provide a unique opportunity to delve into the life story of an individual and share their journey with readers. In this article, we will explore biographical essay examples and learn how to tell a compelling life story in writing.

What Is a Biographical Essay?

A biographical essay is a piece of writing in which you narrate the life story of an individual. It provides an opportunity for you to conduct research and discover fascinating details and perspectives concerning someone. A biographical essay is also a written account of an individual's life, highlighting their achievements, experiences, and personal characteristics. It can be about historical figures, famous personalities, or even ordinary people who have made a significant impact on the world or those around them. Biographical essays are often used in academic settings to provide insight into a person's life and contributions, but they can also be written for personal, professional, or entertainment purposes.

One of the key elements of a compelling biographical essay is a well-crafted narrative. The narrative structure helps to engage readers and keeps them interested in the story being told. A 

A good biographical essay should have a clear beginning, middle, and end, just like any other story. It should have a strong opening that hooks the reader, a well-paced middle that provides details about the person's life, and a satisfying conclusion that ties everything together.

Biographical Essay Writing Tips

Writing a biographical essay requires careful planning, research, and storytelling skills to create a compelling narrative that captures the essence of a person's life. Here are some tips to help you craft an engaging biographical essay:

Choose a Fascinating Subject:

The first step in writing a biographical essay is to choose a subject whose life story is intriguing and resonates with your audience. Whether it's a historical figure, a famous personality, or an ordinary person who has made a difference, ensure that your subject has a compelling life story that is worth exploring and sharing.

Conduct Thorough Research:

Research is the foundation of any biographical essay. Conduct in-depth research on your subject, including their background, achievements, challenges, and contributions. Utilize primary and secondary sources, such as biographies, memoirs, interviews, and historical records, to gather accurate and reliable information. This research will provide the basis for your essay and ensure that your writing is well-informed and credible.

Develop a Clear Outline:

Before you start writing, develop a clear outline that organizes your ideas and provides a structure for your essay. Outline the main sections of your essay , such as the introduction, background information, key events or milestones, challenges faced, achievements, and conclusion. This will help you maintain a coherent and organized flow throughout your essay.

Tell a Story:

A biographical essay is not just a collection of facts, but a compelling story that engages the reader. Use storytelling techniques, such as vivid descriptions, dialogues, and anecdotes, to bring your subject's life to life on the page. Focus on key events or moments that shaped your subject's life and highlight their emotions, motivations, and experiences. This will create a personal connection between the reader and your subject, making your essay more engaging and memorable.

Be Objective and Balanced:

While it's important to be inspired by your subject, strive to maintain objectivity and balance in your writing. Present a well-rounded and nuanced view of your subject, including their strengths, weaknesses, successes, and failures. Avoid bias or exaggeration, and ensure that your essay is based on factual information and credible sources.

Provide Context:

Provide context for your subject's life story by incorporating relevant historical, social, or cultural information. This will help readers understand the background and circumstances in which your subject lived and provide a deeper understanding of their life and achievements. However, be mindful of not overwhelming your essay with excessive background information, and focus on what is relevant to your subject's story.

Edit and Revise:

Like any other form of writing, editing, and revising are crucial in crafting a compelling biographical essay. After completing your first draft, take the time to review and revise your essay for clarity, coherence, and flow. Check for any factual inaccuracies, grammar, or spelling errors, and ensure that your essay follows a logical structure. Consider seeking feedback from peers or mentors to gain different perspectives and improve your essay.

Show Respect and Empathy:

When writing about someone's life, it's important to show respect and empathy towards your subject. Avoid sensationalism or exploitation of their life story and strive to depict them in a dignified and compassionate manner. Acknowledge their achievements, challenges, and contributions with sincerity and respect, and be mindful of their privacy and personal boundaries.

Be Authentic:

Finally, be authentic in your writing. Share your voice and perspective while staying true to the facts and nuances of your subject's life. Bring your unique perspective and insights to the essay, and strive to make it a genuine reflection of your writing style and personal connection with your subject.

In conclusion, writing a biographical essay requires careful research, storytelling skills, and a respectful

Personal Essay

My Journey: Embracing Life's Adventures

Life is an unpredictable adventure, full of twists and turns that shape who we become. Throughout my journey, I have encountered challenges, triumphs, and everything in between. I have learned that

Resilience and perseverance are crucial in overcoming obstacles, and every experience, whether positive or negative, has valuable lessons to offer. I have also realized the importance of cherishing the present moment and embracing new opportunities with an open heart and mind. Life may be uncertain, but I am determined to make the most of it, explore new horizons, and continually grow and evolve along the way.

Essay Examples

"The Untold Story of Nelson Mandela: From Prisoner to President"

This biographical essay tells the life story of Nelson Mandela, a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, political leader, and philanthropist who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. The essay starts with an attention-grabbing opening that introduces the reader to Mandela's imprisonment on Robben Island and the hardships he faced during his time in captivity. It then delves into his early life, education, and activism against apartheid, painting a vivid picture of his journey from prisoner to president. The essay includes anecdotes, quotes, and historical context that provide a well-rounded portrayal of Mandela's life and legacy.

"The Power of Perseverance: The Life of Helen Keller"

This biographical essay tells the remarkable story of Helen Keller, an American author, political activist, and lecturer who was both blind and deaf. The essay begins with an engaging introduction that highlights Keller's disabilities and the challenges she faced from a young age. It then delves into her childhood, her relationship with her teacher Anne Sullivan, and her accomplishments as a writer and social activist. The essay uses vivid descriptions and sensory details to transport the reader into Keller's world and conveys the incredible strength of her character.

"Rising Above Adversity: The Journey of Malala Yousafzai"

This biographical essay tells the inspiring story of Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani activist for female education and women's rights who survived an assassination attempt by the Taliban. The essay begins with a gripping prologue that describes the attack on Malala and sets the stage for her remarkable journey. It then traces her early life, her advocacy for girls' education, and the challenges she faced under the Taliban's rule. The essay includes anecdotes, quotes, and personal reflections that provide a compelling portrayal of Malala's courage and resilience in the face of adversity.

Writing Inspiration

Writing a biographical essay can be an inspiring and fulfilling endeavor. As a writer, you have the unique opportunity to delve into the life story of an individual and share their experiences, achievements, and personal characteristics with readers. Here are some sources of inspiration that can help you find compelling stories for your biographical essay.

Historical Figures:

Throughout history, there have been countless individuals who have made significant contributions to society, shaped the course of events, or left a lasting legacy. From political leaders and innovators to artists and activists, the lives of historical figures are often rich with intriguing stories that can make for compelling biographical essays. You can choose to write about well-known figures like Martin Luther King Jr. , Marie Curie , or Leonardo da Vinci , or explore lesser-known figures whose stories deserve to be told.

Famous Personalities:

Celebrities, athletes, musicians, and other famous personalities often have fascinating life stories that can make for compelling biographical essays. These individuals often face unique challenges, overcome obstacles, and achieve remarkable success in their respective fields. Writing about their journey, struggles, and achievements can provide insights into their lives beyond the public persona, and offer readers a glimpse into the realities of fame and fortune.

Ordinary People:

While historical figures and famous personalities may be popular choices for biographical essays, the lives of ordinary people can also be a rich source of inspiration. Everyday individual who have faced adversity, achieved personal milestones, or made a difference in their communities can have compelling life stories that resonate with readers. It could be a family member, a neighbor, a teacher, or someone you have come across in your community whose story has profoundly touched you. Writing about their life can shed light on the power of resilience, determination, and the human spirit.

Personal Experiences:

Another source of inspiration for a biographical essay can be your own experiences. Reflecting on your own life story or the lives of those close to you can provide unique insights and perspectives that can make for a compelling narrative. It could be a story of overcoming challenges, pursuing a passion, or learning from failures and successes. Sharing your personal experiences in a biographical essay can be deeply introspective and provide a genuine connection with your readers.

Researching various topics , events, or historical periods can also lead you to interesting life stories that can inspire your biographical essay. Exploring different eras, cultures, or social movements can uncover fascinating individuals whose stories are worth telling.

Essay Structure

The structure of a biographical essay typically follows a basic essay structure consisting of an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. However, there may be slight variations depending on the purpose of the essay and the specific requirements of the assignment.

Here is a breakdown of the typical structure of a biographical essay:

Introduction

The introduction sets the tone for the essay and should grab the reader's attention. It should provide some background information about the subject of the essay and include a thesis statement that summarizes the main point of the essay.

Body paragraphs

The body of the essay contains the main content and should be organized into several paragraphs. Each paragraph should focus on a different aspect of the subject's life or accomplishments, such as childhood, education , career, or personal relationships. It should provide specific details, anecdotes, and examples to support the thesis statement and provide a clear understanding of the subject's life.

The conclusion ties everything together and should restate the thesis statement differently. It should summarize the key points made in the body paragraphs and leave the reader with a lasting impression. The conclusion may also provide some final thoughts or reflections on the subject's life and legacy.

Famous Personality

Allama Iqbal: A Visionary Poet and Philosopher

Allama Iqbal, also known as Dr. Muhammad Iqbal, was a prominent poet, philosopher, and politician who is regarded as one of the most influential thinkers in the history of modern South Asia. Born on November 9, 1877, in Sialkot, a city in present-day Pakistan, Iqbal grew up in a devout Muslim family and was deeply influenced by the teachings of Islam from a young age.

Iqbal's early education took place in Sialkot, and he later went to Lahore, where he completed his Bachelor's degree from Government College. He then traveled to England to pursue higher education, where he obtained a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from Cambridge University and later completed his Ph.D. in Philosophy from Munich University in Germany. During his time in Europe, Iqbal was exposed to various intellectual and philosophical ideas, which would later shape his worldview and contribute to his renowned poetry and philosophical writings.

One of Iqbal's most significant contributions was his poetry, which is known for its rich imagery, deep philosophical insights, and powerful messages of spiritual awakening and social reform. Iqbal's poetry was deeply rooted in his love for Islam and his longing for the revival of Islamic values and principles in the face of colonialism, social injustices, and moral decay.

In his poetry, Iqbal emphasized the importance of self-realization, self-respect, and self-reliance, and called for Muslims to rise above their individual and societal challenges and strive for excellence. He actively participated in the struggle for the rights of Muslims in British India and advocated for the establishment of an independent Muslim state. Iqbal's famous Allahabad Address in 1930, where he proposed the idea of a separate Muslim state in the Indian subcontinent, laid the foundation for the creation of Pakistan as an independent nation for Muslims in 1947.

Despite his remarkable contributions, Iqbal's life was not without challenges. He faced criticism, opposition, and personal setbacks during his lifetime, but his unwavering commitment to his beliefs and his passion for serving humanity remained unshakable

Life Stories

Throughout history, countless individuals have left indelible marks on the world through their remarkable lives. From visionaries and leaders to artists and activists, their stories inspire and captivate us, showcasing the boundless potential of the human spirit. Here are three compelling biographical stories of individuals whose lives have had a lasting impact on society.

Nelson Mandela: The Courageous Anti-Apartheid Activist

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, born on July 18, 1918, in a small village in South Africa, grew up witnessing the oppressive system of apartheid, which enforced racial segregation and discrimination. As a young man, Mandela became a vocal advocate for the rights of Black South Africans and joined the African National Congress (ANC) to fight against apartheid.

Mandela's activism and resistance against the apartheid regime led to his imprisonment for 27 years, during which he became an international symbol of the anti-apartheid movement. Despite the harsh conditions of imprisonment, Mandela remained steadfast in his beliefs and never wavered in his pursuit of justice and equality.

After his release from prison in 1990, Mandela continued his fight against apartheid and worked toward reconciliation and unity among all racial groups in South Africa. In 1994, he became the country's first Black president through the first fully democratic elections, and he served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. Mandela's leadership and unwavering commitment to justice and equality continue to inspire people around the world, making him an iconic figure in the fight against oppression.

Frida Kahlo: The Resilient Mexican Artist

Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderon, known as Frida Kahlo, was born on July 6, 1907, in Mexico City, Mexico. She is widely regarded as one of the most prominent and influential artists of the 20th century, known for her surrealist and vibrant self-portraits that conveyed her physical and emotional pain.

Kahlo's life was marked by immense physical and emotional challenges. At the age of 18, she was involved in a devastating bus accident that left her with severe injuries, including a broken spine and pelvis. She endured numerous surgeries and spent months in bed recovering, during which she turned to painting as a means of expressing her emotions and experiences.

Kahlo's art was deeply personal and often depicted her physical and emotional pain, her Mexican heritage, and her feminist ideologies. Her paintings often featured vivid colors, surreal elements, and symbolic imagery, which earned her international recognition and acclaim.

Despite her physical challenges, Kahlo's resilience and determination to pursue her passion for art never wavered. She continued to paint and create despite her chronic pain and multiple health issues, and her art continues to captivate and inspire audiences around the world to this day.

Malala Yousafzai: The Fearless Education Activist

Malala Yousafzai was born on July 12, 1997, in Mingora, Swat District, Pakistan. From a young age, Malala was a passionate advocate for education and girls' rights in her native Swat Valley, where the Taliban had enforced a ban on girls' education.

At the age of 11, Malala began writing a blog for BBC Urdu under a pseudonym, where she documented her life under Taliban rule and her determination to fight for education. Her activism gained international attention, and she became a prominent voice for girls' education worldwide.

Embarking on the journey of life, we encounter a tapestry of experiences that shape who we are and add depth to our existence. From overcoming obstacles and celebrating growth to embracing new opportunities, we come to appreciate the captivating unpredictability of life's adventures. Each of us holds a unique journey, filled with invaluable lessons and cherished memories that fuel personal development. 

When it comes to writing biographical essays, tools like Jenni.ai can be a game-changer. With its AI-powered features, Jenni.ai offers invaluable assistance in developing strong thesis statements, and helping you produce high-quality articles. By leveraging this, you can save time and energy while producing exceptional work. 

Embrace the art of writing biographical essays, and unlock new avenues of academic and professional success by following the steps outlined in this article and harnessing the power of Jenni.ai. Seize the opportunity to become a skilled essay writer by signing up for Jenni.ai today , and embark on a transformative journey towards achieving your writing goals!

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How to write a biography essay

• March 29, 2022

A biography essay is a type of academic writing that tells the story of someone’s life, typically focusing on their achievements, struggles, and impact on the world.

In this article, we’ll provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to write a compelling biography essay that engages readers and tells the story of a person’s life in a meaningful way.

Choose a person to write a biography

First you need to choose a person to write about. The person should have made significant contributions to his/her respective field. This person should also be well-known as you will need resources to find information.

For this guide, we will be writing our biography essay on French-Algerian philosopher and author Albert Camus . There’re some reasons why Albert Camus is a suitable topic for a biography essay:

• He is an influential person in his field.
• He has many works that we can refer to in our essay .​
• There are many reliable sources where we can find information about him. ​

Gather information on the person

You need some information about your the person you chose. While getting this information, pay attention to two main factors: the credibility of your source and what information you are putting in your essay.

Credibility of your source

• Does this source have any authors and/or editors listed?
• Does this source cite or link to trustworthy sources?​
• Is this source prepared professionally?​

If your sources check all the boxes, they are most likely reliable sources . However, if a source doesn’t have any authors, has no citation, or is poorly written, consider it risky.

Information included in the essay

• Is this information useful in the context of my essay?
• Is this development remarkable in my subject’s life story? ​

You can definitely add the information if they meet these criteria. If not, it’s best to keep them out.

Use of important information on the person

Now, we will be choosing information from Albert Camus’ life story to include in our biography essay. 

• Albert Camus was born on 7 November 1913 in French Algeria. (We choose to include this information because it is reasonable to start with this line for a biography essay.)
• He published his essay The Myth of Sisyphus in the year 1942. (This information is essential because this essay explains his notion of “the absurd,” a philosophy he is widely known for.)​
• He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1957. (This event is a significant acknowledgment of his works; therefore, it should be included.)​
• He died on 4 January 1960 in France. (A reasonable ending point for a biography essay.) ​

Create an outline

Preparing an outline is essential for biography essays just like any other essay . You can follow our typical outline preparing process in this step because biography essays also adhere to the traditional essay structure.

Biography Essay Outline Example

Albert Camus Biography Essay

• Open with a curious quote by Albert Camus
• Explain how Camus contributed to his field
• Further explore Albert Camus' stance on the field
• Present your thesis statement
• Topic sentence of your paragraph
• Albert's accomplishments and more personal information
• Closing sentence
• Restate your thesis statement
• Mention the importance of Albert Camus
• Finish your essay with memorable concluding sentences by highlighting Camus' importance

Important reminder

Write an introduction.

The introduction paragraph is crucial. Because you need to grab the reader’s attention at this part. This is where a hook sentence is useful. With a hook sentence , you can start your essay in multiple interesting directions for you reader: 

• Start your introduction with a quote from your subject, especially one that reveals their personality.
• Start with an intriguing story or an interesting anecdote about your subject. ​
• Start by informing the reader about a significant accomplishment of your subject.​

Biography essay introduction example

“You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life.” This is a quote by French-Algerian philosopher, writer, and journalist Albert Camus. Camus was born in French Algeria on 7 November 1913. Opening: Intriguing quote that grabs the reader’s attention and summarizes Camus’ philosophy He is one of the most prominent writers of absurdist philosophical thought. Subject: A sentence which explains the subject’s contribution to their field. Through his works, Camus contributed to the rise of the absurdist philosophy, which was essentially a response to nihilism. Stance: Further explanation of the subject’s stance on the field He wrote works that conveyed an abiding faith in the human race’s displaced but still righteous situation. Thesis statement: You highlight your stand and main focus of the essay.

Biography essay body paragraphs

This is the section where the results of your research come in. Like other types of essays, body paragraphs are the central part of your biography essay (see biography essay example ).

Through these paragraphs, you will discuss the milestones in your subject’s life, their accomplishments, and their works.

Biography essay body paragraph example

During his literary career, Camus published his works in three cycles. In each cycle, he published a novel, an essay, and a play. The first cycle of his works was on “the absurd,” and they were published from 1942 to 1944. Topic sentence: Further exploration of the claim presented in the introduction. This cycle’s works were some of his most significant works: The Stranger as the novel, The Myth of Sisyphus as the essay, and Caligula as the play. Camus also explored the concepts “the revolt” and “the love” through the cycle structure. Subject’s accomplishments: Reveal of the subject’s extensive work on the field Through his major works, Camus earned the Nobel Prize for Literature, and he then published his work named Algerian Chronicles. This work revealed his pacifist tendencies. Personal information: Brief introduction into the subject’s personal reflections. After Camus’ death, two more works of his were released. One is his novel titled A Happy Death and an unfinished autobiographical novel named The First Man. Some of the significant themes Camus explores through his literary career are alienation, rebellion, and guilt. Closing sentence: Information on the subject’s identity.

Biography essay conclusion

In your conclusion paragraph , what you need to do is to bring in your final thoughts. Do not make the mistake (see common mistakes ) of only repeating the claims you made throughout the essay.

As an alternative, you can choose to tie your subject’s legacy into the current day . You can ask yourself these questions to figure out what to say in your conclusion paragraph:

• What was my subject’s contribution to the ideas/events that are relevant today?
• Are they still remembered? How do people honor their work?​
• Out of the people that are significant today, who did my subject influence?​

Biography essay conclusion example

Camus died on 4 January 1960, when he was only 46 years old. He died in a car crash, and many scholars point out the “absurdity” of his death. Restatement: Connection with the subject’s main works Since Camus himself had previously stated that the most absurd way of dying he could think of would be a car accident, people regard his death as ironic. Today, Albert Camus is still considered to be one of the most significant thinkers of Western philosophy. Importance of the person: The subject’s relevancy today He is acknowledged as one of the most critical contributors of the absurdist philosophy. He is referred to as one of the best literary writers of his genre and one of the best thinkers of his age. Closing statement: Concluding sentences by highlighting the subject’s influence

Now you know all the separate parts of a biography essay and how to create them.  Remember that these steps can be used in all academic essays.

Before closing this article, let’s have a look at an extensive biography essay example on Mustafa Kemal Ataturk , you see below. 

5-Paragraph Biography Essay Example

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk: The Modernizer of Turkey

Introduction

Body paragraphs, key takeaways.

• A biography essay should tell the story of a person's life, but also focus on their contributions and impact.
• Start by doing thorough research and organizing your information into a chronological outline.
• Use vivid details and anecdotes to bring your subject to life and make the essay engaging for the reader.
• Incorporate analysis and reflection to help the reader understand the significance of the subject's life and work.
• End with a strong conclusion that summarizes the key points and leaves the reader with a lasting impression.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you start a biography essay.

Start your biography essay by giving a general information about your subject, such as their profession or importance.

What is biography example?

Biography is a literary work in which a person’s life is narrated. They are based on facts, and the main purpose of them is educating people about well-known individuals.

How do you write an outline for a biography?

A proper biography outline should include details about the information that will be presented in the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.

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How to Write a Biography Essay

You have likely composed tens, if not hundreds, of essays of various varieties as a high school or college learner. However, a biographical essay is unlike anything else you may have ever authored. Even though it can seem simple, writing a biography essay can be pretty challenging for newbie writers.

Nevertheless, what constitutes a good biography essay? What is the process of composing a factual but engaging biography? If you have such questions, you are in the right place. Please keep scrolling and learn how to write a biography essay.

Before understanding how to compose a biography essay, you must first discover what it is. In a biographical paper, you describe the course of someone’s life. You strive to establish a picture of the person by providing details than just their background, occupation, and important dates. Your essay should discuss the person’s goals, achievements, values, and philosophy of life.

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That person might be a famous actor, politician, musician, author, or entrepreneur, among other historical figures. The purpose of the biographical essay is to describe the individual in question and their impact on society.

Also see: Personal essay vs autobiography essay 

Below is a guide containing some of the most vital steps to follow when writing a biography essay.

Identify the Subject and Scope of Your Essay

You need to choose your audience, consider your views, and, most importantly, consider a solid subject when getting ready to write your biography essay. You may believe that the simplest task is identifying a person to write about the cover. However, it is one of the most challenging parts of the composition process.

The subject for your biography essay will be the individual whose existence you will be detailing. You must choose an intriguing, significant, or eligible subject to be the focus of a biography essay if you want your article to be successful. Select a subject from which you can quickly learn a vast amount of information from books, articles, periodicals, newspapers, and personal interviews.

The ideal candidate is someone you are personally interested in. In this manner, you will be inspired to investigate more about their life story and write passionately about them. Ask yourself, why pick the individual, and what have they accomplished that ought to be documented and commemorated?

Remember, after picking a subject of your choice, you are a step closer to authoring an excellent biography essay. You are now ready to proceed to the next step.

Establish Authentic Sources and Conduct a Thorough Research

You should devote enough time to researching. Sufficient research is the basis of any well-written paper. Your essay will appear more competent the more references you consult. Therefore, endeavor to locate as many books and articles that discuss them to get a comprehensive vision of the person’s story.

Below is a list of key points to consider when conducting your research. They will help you identify the correct sources and study the right information.

• Do not wait until the last moment to commence your research; give yourself enough time.
• Assess the essay’s topic to help you determine which part of the essay you should concentrate your research on.
• List all information you currently know, pinpoint your information gap, and make a strategy of the information to study and improve on.
• Set some time to read the books on your reading list and research the literature for your essay.
• Contact your instructor or the library for help locating relevant sources, and utilize the index rather than reading the entire book.
• Use caution while using internet resources because they could not be dependable or competent in their academic standards.
• Prepare your findings, then create an opinion. After doing so, you can formulate your essay’s structure.

Create Your Essay’s Outline

It’s time to organize the facts you’ve gathered after doing your research to create a compelling story. Therefore, it’s critical to consider the essay structure and create its outline. Typically, an outline will serve as the conceptual framework for organizing your article. The main objective here is to list the essential points you wish to make in the essay.

Create a five-paragraph structure for your essay, with an introduction, at least two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Keep your writing within the allotted word count. The easiest method is to write the facts chronologically, focusing on each rubric’s major life events.

Below is a possible outline of a basic five-paragraph biography essay outline that you could use.

• Introduction:  Identify your subject in the introduction and declare the thesis statement you will sustain in the body paragraphs.
• Body Paragraph I:  Create a topic sentence that advocates for the thesis, then use illustrations and facts to support it while describing how they relate to the thesis.
• Body paragraph II : Here, you could add a new aspect or rationale about the
• person’s life, bolster it, and establish the connection.
• Body paragraph III : This paragraph has a similar form as paragraph two. However, it ought to make a distinct point and explain it.
• Conclusion:  Here, you restate the thesis statement, and you might include a call to action at this point if you like.

After coming up with a suitable outline, you are ready to get into the actual writing.

Write Your Draft

Always remember that when writing a biography essay, you are at least partially attempting to convince the reader of the subject’s interest and the deservingness of them being in a standalone essay. Your writing style should reflect how passionate you are about the subject. After all, why should anybody else give importance if you find your subject boring?

Your choice of language should be academic yet still evocative. However, you should also pay attention to changing up your sentence structures, making wise word choices, and other writing strategies that will help you tell your subject’s existence in a way that is captivating and accurate to its significance.

Below is a guide on how to maneuver the draft, starting with your introduction, the body, and finally, the conclusion.

• The Introduction

The introduction, which serves as the essay’s opening paragraph, should immediately grab the reader’s interest. You could begin by using a famous phrase or proverb said by your subject. This quote ought to give readers a clear picture of them and help them grasp their personality type.

Another choice is to use a personal tale or short story. This perfect narrative or anecdote should be brief, clear, and convey a strong message about the subject. This will retain the essay’s audience’s attention.

Proceed with the introduction by providing details on the individual’s basic identity. This includes their name, birthdate, birthplace, and information about their education, marriage, and occupation. Keep these details strictly on an introductory level. Finally, establish a thesis statement which is a one-liner that encapsulates the subject’s inherent character. It serves as the blueprint for the remainder of the essay.

You put the material from your study in the body paragraphs. Here, you must stay true to your essay’s core premise, expressed in the thesis statement. Remember to describe their childhood to adulthood information in chronological order. Furthermore, include fascinating details such as what their relatives, friends, and coworkers thought of them and what sort of effect they left on others.

Use a chronology to explain their achievements and the effects they have had or are still having on modern society. Furthermore, include memories from their pasts that affected the actions they made afterward to retain the reader’s curiosity peaked.

Any significant incident that significantly altered the course of their lives should be recounted in the body. Similarly, it is vital to discuss topics like how they addressed challenges. Remember, the included information must accurately reflect the complexity of their existence.

The essay’s conclusion is where you present your findings on the subject. You need your essay to conclude strongly. Simply restating your thesis or the ideas you stated in your body paragraphs is insufficient. Instead, surpass that by connecting their legacy to the present.

• You could ask yourself the following questions;
• What kind of impact did they have on their specialized field?
• How does their work still hold up today?
• What is left behind?
• How do people remember them?
• What or who did they significantly influence?

Completing the draft is a great achievement in writing a biography essay. However, it is not the last step.

Conclude the Composition Process

After authoring your essay’s draft, there are some vital requirements that you should complete before you submit the essay. They include;

• Proofread and edit your work to correct any errors.
• Cite your references and create a reference list.
• Request feedback from colleagues or other professional writers.

After completing these steps, your biography essay should be ready for submission.

As mentioned earlier, composing an excellent biography essay is not a walk in the park. The task calls for the writer to have the necessary basic writing skills and, even more, a passion for their subject. This article has taken you through how to write a biography essay. Please utilize this information to help you write factual and captivating biography essays.

All the best!

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What is biographical essay & How to write a biography essay? Tips, Outline & Sample

You might be familiar with the word biography. A biography means a written account of another person’s life. As a high school, college or university student, a biography essay is one of the basic requirements to complete your academic program. Writing a biographical essay becomes hectic when you don’t have time or the required skills. But don’t worry. If you find biography writing to be a time-consuming task or lack the required skills, consider utilizing our biography writing services . Nerdpapers offers professional support in crafting well researched and engaging biographies that meet academic standards. Now let's teach you how to write a biography essay!

What is a biographical essay?

Before you start learning how to write a biography essay, you should first understand what a biographical essay is?

It is unique in that it paints the true picture of a person. A biographical essay is one that describes the life and work of a certain individual. Generally, biographical essays are of two types. The first one is used in the academic context, where students have to write an essay about a historical figure or person that is important to the writer. You have to follow the specific structure (introduction, body, and conclusion) in this type of essay. These types of essays are common in colleges as well as universities. On the other hand, the second type of biographical essay does not follow the academic structure and only presents certain moments and experiences of the subject’s life. 

Biography Essay Outline

Even if they differ from other essays in some ways, biographical essays still follow a specific pattern and structure. With the help of the biographical essay outline, you can better arrange your ideas and ensure that you don't forget any crucial details. This structured approach to will streamline your process and result in a more engaging essay. So, how to write a biography essay outline? Sometimes, professors specify a five paragraph standard structure. This means that your biography essay outline will consist of these components such as:

Introduction

• Body Paragraph no 1
• Body paragraph no 2
• Body paragraph no 3

Now, you have a clear understanding of the biography writing format. It's time to learn about how to write a biography paper.

How to write a biography essay?

A biography essay is unique in that it paints the true picture of a person. It can also serve as a tool through which you can show different aspects of a well-known person's life about which other people don't know. Moreover, it is an interesting method to learn about famous people. Here are a few steps that will help you to follow the biography writing format. 

Most students are wondering, 'How to write an introduction for a biography essay'? That makes a good impression on the reader. It is the first paragraph of your biography paper. So, you should pay extra attention to what you are writing in this section.  Start with an attention grabbing hook that will set the tone of this entire section. Write basic information about the person, such as their name, DOB, birthplace, parents name, etc. Then, end the introduction with a strong thesis statement. 

Body Paragraph

Body paragraphs are the central parts of your essay. You will discuss the goals and milestones of the subject's life and achievements with the help of these paragraphs.  If you plan to follow five paragraph structures, then this section will have three body paragraphs. There is no standard way to categorize your biography essay, but since you’re writing about a person’s life - you can talk about their life stages such as childhood, adulthood, school, college, and university life. In the first body paragraph, talk about their childhood events, memories, and experiences.  Reserve the second paragraph entirely for academic career discussion. Add information about the subject's school, college, and university years. Which challenges they faced and how they overcame them. In the third paragraph, add their contributions, professional careers, which field they choose, and why. How did they perform in that field? What are other people's opinions about them?

Note: Remember that deep research is required before writing this essay. 

It is an essential part of an essay, and it's true for these types of essays as well. In conclusion, bring your thoughts together and restate your thesis statement. Do not repeat the claims that you have made throughout the essay. The best essay not only explores the person's work and life but also offers well known facts about them. 

Proofread and revise

Proofread your bio essay to check for grammatical, punctuation mistakes. Additionally, ask your friend or any member of family to read your prepared essay and provide you with their feedback. This will help you to make your essay more refined and polished. 

Learn about: “ What is an annotated bibliography ” and how to structure it to complement your biography essay.

How to write a biography of a famous person?

Sometimes, you may be asked to write a biography about a famous personality. It doesn't matter if this individual is still alive or not; you may easily obtain information about him. Suppose you’re thinking about what to include in a biography of a famous person. Don’t worry. It is relatively easy to write about someone who has a rich life story.  The key to effective biography writing is to solely depend on facts, not on fiction. You should not simply list facts about the person’s life. You also have to add your own opinions. But those opinions should be based on official statements from a person’s biography. 

Example of a biography essay

Let’s have a look at biographical essay examples that will help you to understand more.

Topic: Biography Essay on Albert Einstein

On March 14, 1879, Albert Einstein was born in Ulm, Germany. He is among the most well-known and significant physicists of the 20th century. His revolutionary contributions to theoretical physics transformed our view of the universe and cemented his reputation as a brilliant scientist.   Early on, Einstein showed a strong sense of interest as well as a natural aptitude for physics and mathematics. He had difficulties in school since he was a nonconformist and had a speech impediment, but he had a remarkable ability to solve difficult mathematics problems. He chose to pursue a career in physics because of his love for learning about the underlying principles governing the cosmos.   In 1905, Einstein published the "Annus Mirabilis" papers, which formed the groundwork for his theory of special relativity. These studies introduced the well-known formula E=mc² which describes how mass and energy are equivalent. This hypothesis significantly changed our perception of the physical world by challenging traditional beliefs about time and space. Moreover, the general relativity theory, Einstein's most renowned contribution, was released in 1915. In contrast to what was previously believed, it proposed that mass-induced space time curvature is what causes gravity, not a force. British astronomers saw the bending of starlight as a star passed close to the sun during the 1919 solar eclipse, confirming this notion and providing experimental support for Einstein's theories.   Einstein made contributions during his life that went beyond physics. He was an outspoken supporter of pacifism, civil rights, as well as the elimination of nuclear weapons. He won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921 for his explanation of the photoelectric effect, a phenomena that contributed to the development of the quantum mechanics theory.   Beyond his scientific accomplishments, Einstein left a lasting legacy. His devotion to improving humanity as well as his creative mind has inspired future generations of scientists and philosophers. On April 18, 1955, Albert Einstein passed away, yet his concepts and impact are still being used to improve science and solve the universe's riddles.

Check out our detailed guide about the “ Difference between autobiography and biography ”

Tips on Writing a Biographical Essay

Thinking about how to write a biography essay to make it error free? Check out these simple tips written by our expert writers.

• For listing events in the this essay, use chronological order. Reverse chronological order also works in a few scenarios, but readers easily understand the standard chronological order.
• There is no need to add details of each event of the subject’s life. Before starting to write an essay, study the person’s biography in detail. Then, mention only those events that influenced their achievements.
• It is your responsibility as the author of the essay to present a fair analysis of your subject's life and evaluate its impact on society. You can express yourself in other writing genres as well. Therefore, your readers don't want to see any generalizations or your own, particularly unfavorable, opinions.
• End your essay with a strong conclusion. Then, summarize your primary points and leave the lasting impression on the reader.

FAQs on Biography Essay

Q1: how to start a biography essay.

Start your biography essay with the basic information about the subject's life, such as their name, profession, etc.

Q2: What is the purpose of a biography essay?

The basic purpose of writing a biographical essay is to share the life of another person with people. The author chooses to write a biography because it's an assignment given by the teacher or because the author finds the subject's life interesting.

Q3: What is the format of a biography essay?

The structure is given below:

Q4: What information should be included in the biography?

It is similar to other forms of essays. Biographies include pertinent information regarding the subject's life. In some cases, it also examines the personality and attributes of the subject.

Q5: What components are involved in biography?

The following are the basic elements of a biography:

• Thorough research
• Well defined structure
• Engaging language
• Captivating themes
• Harmony of objectivity and humanity

Free Yourself from Stressful Biography Essay Writing Tasks

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What Is a Biographical Essay and How to Write It: Features, Structure, and Examples

• by Anastasiya Yakubovska
• 01.04.2023 05.08.2023
• How to write ...

If you are interested in this genre and you would like to write a biographical essay, then first, I suggest you take a closer look at it and find out:

What Methods Can the Writer Use in Writing a Biographical Essay?

The process of writing a biographical essay is quite time-consuming. To write an essay, it is not enough just to choose a topic, to collect and analyze information. The author’s task is to rethink the information received and transform it into a special essay form.

There are two methods used in writing essays:

• Theoretical.

The theoretical method is used when the main subject of the essay is a problematic situation .

But if a journalist needs to write an essay about an interesting person, then an artistic method is used that allows the writer to reveal the strengths and weaknesses of a person, delve into his or her psychology and understand the character of the hero.

The degree of the artistry of the biographical essay may vary depending on its purpose: one text may be more specific and documentary, while the other may be as creative as possible. Thus, in each essay, there should be both artistic creativity and facts in various proportions (depending on the purpose and subject matter).

Since this article is primarily about a short biographical essay, its average length is about 500 words (standard A4 page).

How to Write a Biographical Essay

As we have already found out, the subject of a portrait or biographical essay is a person – not a fictional hero, but a person from real life. And the author’s task is to create a “portrait” of this person based on the available facts from the biography.

Reading the essay, the audience should understand:

• Who is the main character?
• What are his/her values?
• What influenced his or her formation as a personality?
• What are the hero’s strengths and weaknesses?
• The reader needs to understand the hero’s inner world and character.

First, the biographical essay should indicate basic information about the hero: first name, last name, date and place of birth, origin, activities, and main achievements. But it shouldn’t look like listing personal data.

In the essay, in the first place is the hero’s character and inner world. Therefore, the writer needs, through facts taken from the hero’s biography, to reveal, for example, the reasons for his actions, to try to understand how the hero thought when he was in various life situations, how he interacted with other people, etc.

As you can see, essay writing is more of a creative process.

The essay is a mirror of our society and its values.

First, you will need to study all the information about the person you are interested in, and only then choose the most striking and remarkable facts, and events from the hero’s life. In your biographical essay, write how these events affected the character.

After all the information has been collected, you should decide how to structure your essay:

• Will you talk about the hero of the essay in chronological order , that is, describe phenomena, and events from human life in their time sequence?
• Or will you first tell about the most interesting facts from his or her biography, and only then describe the general picture of the hero’s life?
• Or build your narrative on the principle of logical sequence , which is typical for essay analysis and essay research.

Modern biographical essays use a mixed narrative structure.

Of course, the most valuable source of information for a biographical essay will be its primary source – an interview with the hero of the story. If this is not possible, then use only reliable, confirmed, and accurate information. It can be:

• personal diaries and letters;
• autobiography;
• photo and film documents related to the life of the hero and his environment;
• personal property;
• and, of course, information from the Internet (but only trusted, official sources).

The best biographies are obtained when the journalist is personally acquainted with the person whose life he describes when he can observe the behavior of this person, and be a witness to any of his actions. This enriches the material with the author’s impressions, allowing the writer to point out some subtle details in the appearance or character of the hero that other people might not have noticed. Observation is a very effective way of obtaining information, but, unfortunately, it can not always be used. Therefore, the main source of information for modern biographical essays is most often an interview with the hero of a future publication.

The author of the essay, at his discretion, selects facts from the life of the hero, and based on this information creates a holistic image of the hero and then gives the reader the right to draw conclusions, to form a personal opinion about the person.

HENRY MORE: A BIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY

By ROBERT CROCKER 

Henry More was born in Grantham, Lincolnshire, in October 1614, the seventh son of Alexander More, a scion of a large and honourable northern landed family. Brought up in a large Calvinist gentry household, More was sent as a child to the local grammar school in Grantham. After revealing something of his intellectual abilities there, at fourteen his education was taken in hand by a learned uncle, Gabriel More, sometime Fellow of Christ’s College in Cambridge, and sent to Eton ‘to perfect his Latin’. In a little autobiography included in the General Preface to his Opera omnia (1679), More describes how his rather thoughtful and studious nature early led him into conflict with his uncle and brother over the doctrine of predestination – he was the chastised for ‘a forwardness in philosophizing’. Entered under Robert Gell at Christ’s in Cambridge in late 1631, More shows himself to have been a gifted poet and an acute and sensitive student, early taking up the difficult subject of metaphysics as the main focus of his energies. However, by the time he graduated, like a number of other intellectual Puritans of his generation, he had become disillusioned with the scholastic masters of his metaphysical studies, and particularly with the apparent incompatibility between their teaching on the nature and origin of the soul and the doctrines of the Church.  Perhaps influenced by Gell, who was clearly interested in the Greek Fathers and their humanist and spiritualist successors, More began to study the ‘Platonists and mystical divines’, and read in them an approach to the problem of the soul much more attuned, he considered, to the doctrines of the Church. On learning what they had to say about the ‘purgative course that is previous to the illuminative’, More was particularly inspired, he tells us, by the Theologia Germanica, with its practical emphasis on ‘extinguishing the human will’ in order to live only by and through the divine. In his General Preface More then recounts how over the next four years (1636-40) he embarked on a period of ‘Holy Discipline and Conflict’, during which time he felt the ‘divine principle’ within him gradually triumph over the ‘animal nature’. This freed him, he declares, from the ‘insatiable Desire and Thirst… after the knowledge of things’ which had possessed him during his first inquisitive but unhappy years of study.

The biographical essay example (expert):

Stephen Hawking Stephen Hawking was a scientist known for his work with black holes and relativity, and the author of popular science books like ‘A Brief History of Time.’ Hawking was born on January 8, 1942, in Oxford, England. His birthday was also the 300th anniversary of the death of Galileo — long a source of pride for the noted physicist. The eldest of Frank and Isobel Hawking’s four children, Hawking was born into a family of thinkers. His Scottish mother earned her way into Oxford University in the 1930s — a time when few women were able to go to college. His father, another Oxford graduate, was a respected medical researcher with a specialty in tropical diseases. Hawking’s birth came at an inopportune time for his parents, who didn’t have much money. The political climate was also tense, as England was dealing with World War II and the onslaught of German bombs in London, where the couple was living as Frank Hawking undertook research in medicine. In an effort to seek a safer place, Isobel returned to Oxford to have the couple’s first child. The Hawkings would go on to have two other children, Mary and Philippa. And their second son, Edward, was adopted in 1956. The Hawkings, as one close family friend described them, were an “eccentric” bunch. Dinner was often eaten in silence, each of the Hawkings intently reading a book. The family car was an old London taxi, and their home in St. Albans was a three-story fixer-upper that never quite got fixed. The Hawkings also housed bees in the basement and produced fireworks in the greenhouse. Source biography.com

Adele Singer Adele is a Grammy Award-winning artist whose throwback, soulful sound has made her an international success with hits like “Rolling in the Deep,” “Someone Like You” and “Hello.” Adele is a British singer-songwriter who has sold millions of albums worldwide and won a total of 15 Grammys as well as an Oscar. Adele’s first two albums, 19 and 21 , earned her critical praise and a level of commercial success unsurpassed among her peers. After becoming a mom in 2012, Adele returned to the charts with the ballad “Hello” in 2015, the lead single from what was dubbed her comeback album 25 . In 2017, she won five Grammys for her work on 25 , including album, record and song of the year. Early Life, Education and Influences Adele Laurie Blue Adkins was born on May 5, 1988, in North London, England. Adele was the only child of Penny Adkins, an “arty mom” who was just 18 at the time of her birth, and a Welsh father, Mark Evans, who left the family when Adele was only four years old. Evans remained in contact with his daughter up until her teen years, when his problems with alcohol and increasing estrangement from his daughter caused their relationship to deteriorate. By contrast, Adele grew close to her mom, who encouraged her young daughter “to explore, and not to stick with one thing.” Early on, Adele developed a passion for music. She gravitated toward the songs of Lauryn Hill, Mary J. Blige and Destiny’s Child. But her true, eye-opening moment came when she was 15 and she happened upon a collection of Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald records at a local shop. “There was no musical heritage in our family,” Adele told The Telegraph in a 2008 interview. “Chart music was all I ever knew. So when I listened to the Ettas and the Ellas, it sounds so cheesy, but it was like an awakening. I was like, oh, right, some people have proper longevity and are legends. I was so inspired that as a 15-year-old I was listening to music that had been made in the ’40s.” While clearly bright, Adele wasn’t oriented towards traditional classroom settings. Instead, her mother enrolled her in the BRIT School for Performing Arts & Technology, which counts Amy Winehouse as an alum. While at school, Adele cut a three-track demo for a class project that was eventually posted on her MySpace page. When executives at XL Recordings heard the tracks, they contacted the singer and, in November 2006, just four months after Adele had graduated school, signed her to a record deal. Source https://www.biography.com/musicians/adele

Naziyah Mahmood, Rocket Scientist, Multi Black Belt, Renaissance Woman Where to start with this amazing woman? Scientist for the European Space Agency? Check. Artist and poet? Check. Martial artist fluent in several forms? Check. Woman of peace and faith? Check. Champion of geeks everywhere: triple check. “If you let them bully you once, they will do it again and again.” Her father told her that, and her path of self-determination, unyielding curiosity, and fierce protectiveness of everybody’s right to fit outside someone else’s box has grown ever since. Nayizah grew up the daughter of an Englishwoman and a Pakistani father in none-too-hospitable Glasgow, Scotland. One of her earliest memories is of her mother coming home bloodied and crying after a vicious hate attack. Her father put Nayizah and her siblings into martial arts classes, the implicit promise being that no one in the Mahmood family would be bloodied again. Did we neglect to mention she is also trained in Ninjitsu? When kids talk about role models and superheroines, they need look If I don’t train, I get really restless. I train in the open ground in any weather. I would come home after training in the rain and get told off by my mum! I’ve trained through storms before. When something like this becomes a part of you, you just can’t let it go.”no further than Naziyah Mahmood. She was born with a visual impairment that makes it difficult for her to distinguish a person’s facial features unless at close range… yet has trained so diligently that she can stop a sword blade an inch from someone’s skin. This devout Muslim counts as her influences Miyamoto Musashi (“He was an eccentric and his methods were odd, but it just made him more likable!”), Hattori Hanzo, Tomore Gozenshe (a female Samurai warrior), and the one and only Bruce Lee. All the things I do link together very beautifully and balance out. So, martial arts master. That’d be enough for tons of people. But Ms. Mahmood decided, Why not get a Masters in Space Mission Analysis and Design, with honors in Physics/Astrophysics? And enter poetry contests, and contend with the prejudices of those who looked down on a woman of Muslim faith embracing the world of science, and educate people (often without even trying to) around the world about the great buffet that is life, creativity, possibility, and joy. I like that feeling of being on the edge of learning.

A biographical essay, in addition to entertaining and informative tasks, performs another important function: it helps readers to form their own moral compass and values.

In an essay about the lives of other people, the writer shows examples of how we can find a way out of a difficult life situation, what is the secret of happiness and success, what is the meaning of life, what is good and evil, and where is the line that cannot be crossed, and more.

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Assignment Biography: Student Criteria and Rubric for Writing

Researching an Individual Aligned to Common Core Writing Standards

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• M.A., English, Western Connecticut State University
• B.S., Education, Southern Connecticut State University

The genre of  biography can also be categorized in the sub-genre of  narrative nonfiction/historical nonfiction. When a teacher assigns a biography as a writing assignment, the purpose is to have a student utilize multiple research tools to gather and to synthesize information that may be used as evidence in a written report about an individual. The evidence gained from research can include a person’s words, actions, journals, reactions, related books, interviews with friends, relatives, associates, and enemies. The historical context is equally important. Since there are people who have influenced every academic discipline, assigning a biography can be a cross-disciplinary or inter-disciplinary writing assignment. 

Middle and high school teachers should allow students to have a choice in selecting the subject for a biography. Providing student choice, particularly for students in grades 7-12, increases their engagement and their motivation especially if students select individuals they care about. Students would find it difficult to write about a person they do not like. Such an attitude compromises the process of researching and writing the biography.

According to by Judith L. Irvin, Julie Meltzer and Melinda S. Dukes in their book  Taking Action on Adolescent Literacy:

"As humans, we are motivated to engage when we are interested or have real purpose for doing so. So motivation to engage [students] is the first step on the road to improving literacy habits and skills" (Chapter 1).

Students should find at least three different sources (if possible) to make sure the biography is accurate. A good biography is well-balanced and objective. That means if there is disagreement between sources, the student can use the evidence to state that there is a conflict.  Students should know that a good biography is more than a timeline of events in a person's life.

The context of a person's life is important. Students should include information about the historical time period in which a subject lived and did her/his work. 

In addition, the student should have a purpose for researching another person's life. For example, the purpose for a student to research and write a biography can be in a response to the prompt:

"How does this writing this biography help me to understand the influence of this person on history, and quite possibly, this person's impact on me?"

The following standards-based criteria and scoring rubrics can be used to grade a student-selected biography. Both criteria and rubrics should be given to students before they begin their work. 

Criteria for a Student Biography aligned to Common Core State Standards

A General Outline for Biography Details

• Birthdate /Birthplace
• Death (if applicable).
• Family Members.
• Miscellaneous (religion, titles, etc).

Education/Influences

• Schooling.Training.
• Work Experiences.
• Contemporaries/Relationships.

Accomplishments/  Significance

• Evidence of major accomplishments.
• Evidence of minor accomplishments (if relevant).
• The analysis that supports why the individual was worthy of note in their field of expertise during his or her life.
• Analysis why this individual is worthy of note in their field of expertise today.

Quotes/Publications

• Statements made.
• Works published.

Biography Organization using the CCSS Anchor Writing Standards 

• Transitions are effective in assisting the reader to understand shifts.
• Ideas within each paragraph are fully developed.
• Each point is supported by evidence.
• All evidence is relevant.  
• Important terms are explained to the reader.
• Purpose of each paragraph (introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion) is clear.  
• Clear relationship between topic sentence(s) and paragraph(s) that came before is evident.

Grading Rubric: Holistic Standards with Letter Grade Conversions

(based on extended response Smarter Balanced Assessment writing rubric)

Score: 4 or Letter Grade: A

Student response is a thorough elaboration of the support/evidence on the topic (individual) including the effective use of source material. The response clearly and effectively develops ideas, using precise language:

• Comprehensive evidence (facts and details) from source materials are integrated.
• Relevant, and specific clear citations or attribution to source materials.
• Effective use of a variety of elaborative techniques.
• Vocabulary is clearly appropriate for the audience and purpose. 
• Effective, appropriate style enhances content.

Score: 3  Letter Grade: B

Student response is an adequate elaboration of the support/evidence in the biography that includes the use of source materials. The student response adequately develops ideas, employing a mix of precise and more general language:  

• Adequate evidence (facts and details) from the source materials is integrated and relevant, yet the evidence and explanation may be general.
• Adequate use of citations or attribution to the source material.  
• Adequate use of some elaborative techniques.
• Vocabulary is generally appropriate for the audience and purpose.
• The style is generally appropriate for the audience and purpose.

Score: 2 Letter Grade: C

Student response is uneven with a cursory elaboration of the support/evidence in the biography that includes the uneven or limited use of source material. The student response develops ideas unevenly, using simplistic language:

• Some evidence (facts and details) from the source materials may be weakly integrated, imprecise, repetitive, vague, and/or copied.
• Weak use of citations or attribution to source materials.
• Weak or uneven use of elaborative techniques.
• Development may consist primarily of source summaries.
• Vocabulary use is uneven or somewhat ineffective for the audience and purpose.
• Inconsistent or weak attempt to create the appropriate style.

Score: 1 Letter Grade: D

Student response provides a minimal elaboration of the support/evidence in the biography that includes little or no use of source material. The student response is vague, lacks clarity, or is confusing:

• Evidence (facts and details) from the source material is minimal, irrelevant, absent, incorrectly used. 
• Insufficient use of citations or attribution to the source material.
• Minimal, if any, use of elaborative techniques.
• Vocabulary is limited or ineffective for the audience and purpose.
• Little or no evidence of appropriate style.
• Insufficient or plagiarized (copied without credit) text.
• Off-topic. 
• Off-purpose.
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20+ Student Biography Examples

Welcome to the world of students! We have created an amazing collection of 30 student biography examples to help you write your own.

As a student, you are likely to be writing a variety of biographical pieces. Whether you are writing a personal profile for your CV, a biography for an awards application or a biography for a college admissions essay, it’s important that you construct an interesting and engaging narrative of who you are.

Student Biography Examples

1. Growing up I was always interested in the sciences and technology. In high school, I excelled in math and science classes, which led me to pursue a degree in engineering. I went on to earn my Bachelor’s degree in Engineering and am currently working on my Master’s in Civil Engineering. After I finish my degree, I plan to use my knowledge to help improve infrastructure in developing countries.

2. Since a young age, I have been passionate about helping people in need. During college, I decided to focus my studies on sociology and political science. I used my knowledge to take action and participated in several non-profit organizations to promote social justice. With the help of internships, I have also gained experience in policy development and public relations. I’m currently working on a graduate degree in Social Work and aim to eventually work for the United Nations .

3. As a freshman in high school, I was unsure of what kind of career path I wanted to pursue. After talking with my parents and teachers, I decided to start college as an undeclared major. After two years of exploration, I settled on a double major of business and economics. I’ve been able to take advantage of various opportunities on and off campus and served as an intern in the Human Resources department of a major banking firm. I look forward to earning my degree and using my skills to become a successful business leader.

4. I never thought that I had the ability to become a professional photographer, but my high school photography teacher pushed me to pursue my dreams. I learned how to use a variety of cameras, develop photographs, and post-process my images. I continued my photography studies at college, where I gained additional knowledge in studio lighting and digital editing. I was even able to gain experience in the fashion industry, interning for a well-known photographer . Today, I am working as an event photographer, documenting weddings, reunions, and corporate events.

5. When I was younger I was passionate about art, which prompted me to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts. During college, I was able to gain experience as a studio assistant and also learn various digital and traditional art techniques. With the help of a scholarship, I was able to travel to various countries and learn even more about different art styles. After graduation, I started working as a freelance artist and have been able to produce several commissioned artworks and pieces.

6. As a child, I always exhibited an aptitude for mathematics and problem solving. After researching various career paths, I decided to major in Computer Science. I was able to gain valuable experience while interning at a tech startup and also during an internship with the Department of Defense. I am currently working on my master’s degree and plan to focus my studies on artificial intelligence and machine learning.

7. I have been involved in theater since I was a young child. During my high school years, I focused on honing my abilities through various extracurricular activities. I was able to gain valuable experience by participating in multiple productions and I even gained a scholarship for theater. I attended college to study Musical Theater and continued to foster my talent. With help from internships and workshops, I was able to build additional experience and formed a touring theater company with some of my colleagues.

8. From an early age, I was interested in the environment and the outdoors. I spent a lot of time reading environmental books and researching environmental issues. This passion inspired me to major in Environmental Science in college. I’ve gained valuable experience through various internships and part-time jobs. With the help of my degree, I’ve been able to work on several conservation projects and hope to soon work for a non-profit organization focused on sustainability.

9. When I graduated high school I wanted to focus my career on the medical field. After much research, I decided to major in Biomedical Engineering. During my time in college, I was able to gain a valuable experience by interning as a research assistant. I have been able to learn more about medical technology and have been able to contribute to various projects. I’m currently pursuing a master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering and plan to continue my research in the field and eventually work for a healthcare company.

10. I have always had an interest in fashion and design, so when the time came to decide my career path it made sense to pursue design. During college, I was able to study many aspects of fashion and gain experience through various internships. I was also able to travel to other countries to observe trends and learn about different cultures. With my degree, I am currently working as a fashion designer and I plan to continue to use my creative eye to come up with innovative and stylish designs.

More Student Biography Examples on the next page…

How to Write a Biography to Win a Scholarship

What Should Be Included in a College Application Letter?

You’re a top achiever in high school, involved in clubs and organizations and excited to start college. Applying for a scholarship is a logical next step in your college preparation journey. How can you differentiate your application from the thousands of other student leaders looking for funding? A dynamic, content-rich biography is the first step in gaining the attention of a scholarship review committee. Start by becoming familiar with the scholarship requirements and brainstorm a list of your qualities and experiences.

Strong Introduction

A winning biography begins with a captivating introduction. Your opening sentence serves as a way to get the reader to read more. Begin with a sentence that describes who you are and why you're an ideal choice for the scholarship. For example, if you're applying for a flute scholarship, explain when you began playing and why it's so important to you. Use the rest of the introduction to show off your special attributes. The reader should feel compelled to learn more about you as a scholarship candidate. You may even want to write it after finishing the biography to ensure you have accurately outlined your essay.

Showcase Your Talents

A biography should not be a list of your accomplishments but rather an opportunity to highlight why and how you’re talented. You may be tempted to write a paragraph about what you did in high school, but reserve this for an activity résumé. Instead, describe one experience that you feel best highlights who you are as a student or leader. For example, share a story about a community service project you initiated and what you and others learned from the experience. Explain how it taught you about teamwork and serving others. A reader will be impressed with your reflection on a real-life experience, and it will showcase your talents.

Stay on Message

Don’t be afraid to share your thoughts and feelings, but be certain they’re relevant to the scholarship. For example, a poignant story about a family hardship may seem like a good way to win the hearts of the decision-makers, but if it’s irrelevant to the focus of the scholarship, it may do more harm than good. On the other hand, if you took care of an ailing grandparent and through this experience decided you wanted to work in health care, the story might be relevant to your scholarship application. The ideal biography provides a personal story that serves as a connection between the scholarship focus and the applicant.

Biography Don'ts

When you're writing a biographical statement, don't dwell on tragedies you've encountered in your life. Instead, stay positive and describe the ways you've been successful and goal-oriented. Similarly, avoid using money as a main reason you're interested in the scholarship. Focus on why your accomplishments are a good match for scholarship recognition. Your ethnicity or socio-economic background should not be a main focus of your scholarship biography unless the criterion indicates this is a requirement for selection. Finally, be authentic in the vocabulary you use. The scholarship committee will be more interested in your biography if it comes from the heart and sounds like it was written with personal passion.

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Dr. Kelly Meier earned her doctorate from Minnesota State Mankato in Educational Leadership. She is the author and co-author of 12 books and serves as a consultant in K-12 and higher education. Dr. Meier is is a regular contributor for The Equity Network and has worked in education for more than 30 years.

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Essay Samples on Biography

A journey unveiled: my autobiography.

Introduction Life is a voyage marked by milestones, challenges, and self-discovery. As I set my pen to paper, I embark on an introspective journey to chronicle the chapters that have shaped my existence. This autobiography is not a mere recollection of events, but a canvas...

• About Myself

Frida Kahlo: Exploring Her Biography Through the Film 'Frida'

In the 2002 film “Frida” directed by Julie Taymor, illustrates the life of Frida Kahlo based on the book Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo by Hayden Herrera. Who is Frida Kahlo? Her biography in this essay is explored with the help of the film...

• Film Analysis
• Frida Kahlo

Biography Of Tom Clancy: Main Topics

 'Life is about learning; when you stop learning, you die' .  This quote was not only spoken by the famous author Tom Clancy, but they are also words he lived by daily. Tom Clancy believed that everyday life provided lessons that an individual can learn...

John Hughes As An Author Of The Breakfast Club

John Hughes was an American screenwriter, film director and producer, and a well-regarded filmmaker. He started by writing jokes for comedians like Joan Rivers and Rodney Dangerfield. Eventually, he began writing screenplays for the National Lampoon magazine. After his hit screenplays, Class Reunion in 1982...

Joe Biden: Good Or Bad Candidate

Joe Biden is a 76 years of age majority rule up-and-comer who is running for president in 2020. He was conceived in Scranton, Pa; lives in Wilmington, Delaware. Mr. Biden filled in as VP in the Obama organization during the entry of the Affordable Care...

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The Rise And Fall Of The Star That Was Marilyn Monroe

Norma Jeane Mortensen also known as Marilyn Monroe was born June 1, 1962 in the charity ward of the Los Angeles General Hospital. Monroe's childhood played a vital role in her strive for a career in show business. Monroe was one of the most iconic...

• Marilyn Monroe

Life Of Claude Monet And Analysis Of His Art Piece The Water Lilies

Claude Oscar Monet was born on November 14, 1840 in Paris, France and died at the age of 86 on December 5, 1926 in Giverny, France. Claude was the oldest son of his family and became very fond of nature beginning at a very young...

• Claude Monet

David Mccullough'S "John Adams": A Historian'S Gem

In David McCullough’s 2001 book John Adams, the life of the famous founding father is told through Adams’ perspective the lenses of the people around him. The man known most for being the second president of the United States had much more impact on the...

Simon Bolivar'S Adherence To Freemasonry

Introduction Freemasonry is one of Europe’s oldest institutions, although the exact date of its foundation is not known. Historians claim that freemasonry possibly comes from the stonemasons, the oldest documents that refers to the masons date back to the 1390s. Freemasonry is a pseudo religious/social...

Herbert George Wells' Life And The Time Machine Review

Herbert George Wells was born on the 21st of September 1866 at Atlas House, 162 High Street in Bromley, Kent. Referred to as “Bertie” by his family, he was the fourth and last child of Joseph Wells and Sarah Neal. An English author who gained...

• The Time Machine

Young Boy Struggles Against The Racist Society In Richard Wright's Memoir Black Boy

Black Boy is a classic of American autobiographical works written in 1945. It can be truly considered a narrative journey of the author Richard Wright from innocence to experience. As the strong and remarkable story of one male’s coming of age, the memoir Black Boy...

• Richard Wright

Biography Of Davy Crockett, One Of The Most Famous American Folk Heroes

Davy Crockett was born on August 17th in the year 1786 at 7:23 am in what is now the town of Limestone, Tennessee. At that time, this area was a part of North Carolina, which was one of the original twelve states. Davy's father was...

• Davy Crockett

Early Life Of Eleanor Roosevelt And Her Grand Achievements As The First Lady

No presidential wife served a longer period than Eleanor Roosevelt did as First Lady. She served a total of twelve years, one month, one week, and one day. Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was born October 11, 1884 in New York City, New York. Eleanor had a...

• Eleanor Roosevelt

Life And Legacy Of Eleanor Roosevelt: Heroine Of The Ages

Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Do what you feel in your heart to be right – for you’ll be criticized anyway.” Eleanor Roosevelt was a progressive woman stuck in a period that resisted change. As illustrated by her quote, she knew how difficult it was to...

Military Career Achievements And Presidency Of Ulysses S. Grant

Ulysses S. Grant, also known as Unconditional Surrender Grant, was known for his military services before his presidency. His presidency was interesting as he had no prior political experience. American Ulysses by Ronald C. White states that “..Lincoln commissioned Grant commander of all the Union...

• Ulysses Grant

The Remarkable Legacy of Jerome Robbins

Jerome Robbins was born on October 11, 1918, in Wisconsin, New Jersey, USA. He has a strong interest in dance since he was a child and is deeply fascinated by the art of expressing his inner rich emotional world through his body language, dreaming of...

• Fiddler on The Roof

The Biography and Story of Molly Ephraim, the Heroine of Paranormal Activity

She can be described as ‘beauty with brains’, she is a young and smart American actress, her name is Molly Ephraim. She is known for her appearance in the popular ABC TV show; Last Man Standing alongside others like Law & Order, Royal Pains, Hench...

• Paranormal Activity

William Morris: The Founder of Art and Craft Movement

Art and craft movement are to assert the individual craft people who are creativity independent, and to retuned to hand craftsmanship. Take the reaction of against the industrialised society that the boom in Britain during the Victorian period, also the organisation (artistic reform). Nowadays, Art...

• William Morris

The Life Story of the African-American Hero, Nat Turner

Today, the presence of the Black Liberation Army is obscure to many. Notwithstanding living through a time of psychological warfare, both worldwide and household history, this gathering helped formed various techniques for solidarity all through the African-American network. Before the Black Liberation Army there was...

The Life of Lauren Drain After Leaving the Westboro Baptist Church

A registered nurse, author, fitness icon, and online sensation, Lauren Drain's sexiest apparel is confidence and happiness. She is a prime example of determination over situation. Refusing to be boxed in by her former religious doctrines, Drain challenged the status quo and was consequently ostracized...

• Westboro Baptist Church

William H. Macy: The Biography of Fargo's Leading Actor

William H. Macy needs no introduction. The award-winning actor, and budding director, is one of the most consistent faces in Hollywood and has appeared in several unforgettable projects. Additionally, Macy is also better known as the husband of distinguished Hollywood actress, Felicity Huffman. Huffman garnered...

Ned Kelly's Demeanor and Lifestyle Habits

Australian bushranger, outlaw, gang leader, convicted police murderer, and the face of the Colonial Australian Identity. This ‘identity’ being the ‘bushman’ identity- also known as the ‘noble bushman’. Edward 'Ned' Kelly (December 1854 – 11 November 1880) held this infamous repertoire. Kelly is synonymous with...

Analyzia of Federico García Lorca’s Use of Myth in Poems from the Romancero Gitano

To sufficiently understand Federico García Lorca’s poetry, the use of the stylistic devices, allusions to the Bible and mythology, it would be advisable to focus on the poet’s early life, his poetic inspirations, his childhood dreams, his youthful passions and the surroundings he grew up...

Life and Career of the Controversial Star, Sacha Noam Baron Cohen

The renowned and controversial British actor, comedian, screenwriter, director and movie producer, Sacha Noam Baron Cohen is estimated to have amassed a net worth of $130 million US dollars according to celebritynetworth.com. The 47 years old British actor is famous for his portrayal of funny...

• Cyrano De Bergerac

Biography of Louis Sachar, the Author of a Widely Recognized Book Holes

Louis Sachar is an award winning author he is mainly recognized for his book “Holes”. "Holes" book won the 1998 U. S. National Book Award for Young People's Literature and the 1999 Newbery Medal for the year's 'most distinguished contribution to American literature for children'....

Life and Reign of Catherine the Great

A young girl sits alone in a cold room in a house on the German coast and dreams of being a queen. That girl's name was Sophia. She was born in 1729 but her mother would never treat her properly for being a girl. Her...

Biography of Matthew McConaughey and an Overview of His Acting Career

Matthew McConaughey is a decorated TV and film actor and filmmaker who embraced fame after his portrayal of David Wooderson a1993 comedy film titled Dazed and Confused, directed by Richard Linklater. The stylish actor had abandoned his initial desire to be a lawyer and chose...

• Dallas Buyers Club

The Significance of Herman Melville on American Literature

Herman Melville (1819-1891) was born in New York. He was the son of a prosperous importer who went bankrupt and died young. He worked in a bank, as an elementary school teacher, and contributed to the local newspaper. He sailed as ship’s boy to Liverpool,...

The Achievements and Accomplishments of Noam Chomsky

The well-known linguist, activist and author Noam Chomsky is a person who I greatly admire. His work has influenced many people in many different fields, from linguistics to psychology to politics. Through all his many achievements he has still remained a humble and down to...

• Noam Chomsky

Exploring the Bibliography of Noam Chomsky

Noam Chomsky is an erudite scholar who has rendered enormous support in the field of linguistics, philosophy, history, and cognitive science with his groundbreaking innovations which include the theory of transformational generative grammar. Besides his contributions in academia, he is also a prominent author and...

Graham Hands: Martha Graham's Creative Expression in Shapes

In this documentary, Acampora recounts Graham’s biography, recalling her most significant life events and personal influences - predominantly her father who used physical movements to heal nervous disorders. This source also thoroughly explains how Graham’s experience as a student at the Cumnock School of Expression...

• Martha Graham

The Career of Sasha Pieterse, The Star of Pretty Little Liars

To fans of the teen mystery thriller, Pretty Little Liars, Sasha Pieterse needs no introduction. On the Freefroem series, she portrayed one of the main roles - Alison DiLaurentis throughout the entire 7 year period that the show ran. The show earned her several award...

• Pretty Little Liars

The Life and Death of Jonathan Wild: The Real Highwayman

Jonathan Wild rose to power at a time in London where crime was prevalent, and a lot of people wanted something done about it. Wild became very well known to the people of London as well as befriending criminals and becoming a leader of the...

• The Highwayman

The Life and Achievements of Hunter Thompson, the Author of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

The Gonzo journalism style, a journalism style that sees the journalist go against the common expectations of objectivity and write himself as a part of the story. The style was popularized by the famous journalist, Hunter S Thompson, who, other than creating the movement, was...

• Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

The Revolution of Science Brought by Marie Curie

Marie Curie was born in Warsaw, Poland, 1867, growing up in an environment that encouraged the seeking of knowledge – and that its importance was not to be underestimated. Although due to political instability, education prospects in Poland were not accessible to the female gender,...

• Marie Curie

The Life and Death of the Richest Man, John D. Rockefeller

John D. Rockefeller is by far the world’s richest man to have ever lived. He has monopolized the oil empire in the 19th century, making it both far more accessible and affordable. This may sound strange, because when you think about the world’s wealthiest people...

• John D. Rockefeller

Depiction of The Victorian Era Period in Monkey's Paw by William Wymark Jacobs

William Wymark Jacobs was born in 1863 in London, England. He is a short-story writer. In 1896, he created his first volume, Many Cargoes and it was a major success. However, he is best known for his horror story that is called “The Monkey’s Paw”...

• Victorian Era

The Life of Edgar Allan Poe

Introduction Edgar Allan Poe was born in Boston Massachusetts On January 19, 1809. Edgar Allan Poe had imaginative way of storytelling, tales of mystery and horror gave birth to the modern detective story. Poe never really knew his parents Elizabeth Arnold Poe, and his father...

• Edgar Allan Poe

What I Learned From Archimedes' Ideas

When I was a young child, I heard a saying from Archimedes: Give me a place to stand on, and I will move the Earth. At that time, I thought it is interesting and sounded absurd. As I grow up, until I know what is...

Life and Career of Precious Cooper, a Famous Street Racer

If you follow American reality television, of which there are plenty to choose from, you are bound to stumble upon niche reality shows like Street Outlaws: Memphis, a street car racing show. On the show, which features an assorted array of personalities, you will find...

• Street Racing

The Life of David Chang, a Famous Korean-American Chef

David Chang is a famous Korean-American chef born in Vienna, Virginia but raised in Arlington with his two older brothers, his older sister, his mother and his father. Chang’s father, Joe Chang, was born in North Korea, while his mother, Sherri Chang, was born in...

• Pastry Chef

Audrey Hepburn'S Achievements And Influence In Hollywood

Audrey Hepburn is one of the most famous actresses in the world. She appears on many movies like “Roman Holiday”, “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”, “My Fair Lady” and so on. Even “after her death, she still captivates people” (Johnson 2). She is famous as great actress,...

• Audrey Hepburn

The Life of Edward Snowden: A Famous Whistleblower

Edward Snowden needs no introduction. The seemingly innocuous guy caused a major world upheaval when he released thousands of documents showing that the American government was not only spying on its citizens, but also on other world leaders who were supposed to be allies. These...

• Edward Snowden

The Leadership and Life of Quaid E Azam

History has seen many people who had an extraordinary characteristics. The main thing was their character which was pure and free from any false accusation. They had high moral values, respect and talent with logics. Their hearts and minds worked together like a team. Their...

• Quaid E Azam

The Life and Legacy of Albert Camus, a 19th Century Philosophical Writer

The first written example of literature was in Ancient Mesopotamia. Around 3400 B.C., the Sumerian civilization brought to life a world of emotions, knowledge, an expansion of our mind, critical skills, history, new culture and several more aspects to our society today by developing a...

• Albert Camus

Albert Camus & His Life in Atomic and Post-Atomic Era

Introduction War has always been a constant in the development of history since ancient times. The first documented war in history was the Sumer War, which occurred in Mesopotamia some 4, 500 years ago and which pitted the cities of Lagash and Umma. From that...

Analysis of The Principles of Jeremy Bentham and James Mill

Jeremy Bentham was born in London in 1748. He went to Westminster and Oxford and in 1769 he was called to the Bar. In response to the enigma of the law and the mayhem associated with it, Bentham challenged the entire composition of the law...

• Jeremy Bentham

My Personal Narrative of the Bad Boy of Acting Will Smith

The charming loving Willard Carroll Smith, Jr. (Will Smith) actor, rapper, and husband born September 25, 1968 straight out of Philadelphia. Mother Caroline bright his father Willard Carroll Smith sr., (Smiths) father was an U.S Air Force Veteran his mother work at a school. Will...

The Biography of Will Smith

In light of Willard Carroll (Will) Smith, Jr's. difficult work and devotion to being an entertainer, comic, maker, rapper, and lyricist, he became what they call, 'the most dominant entertainer in Hollywood.' He has delighted in achievement in TV, film, and music. Mr. Smith has...

Biography of Bernie Sanders American Politician

Bernie Sanders is 78 years old, born on September 8th, 1941 in New York. He attended James Madison High School, and later attended Brooklyn college then later transferred to the University of Chicago, graduating with a degree in political science (Lindsay, 2019). He participated in...

• Bernie Sanders

Short Lifestory of Sir Isaac Newton

Introduction For this project we chose the mathematician Sir Isaac Newton. He lived from December 25, 1642 to March 20, 1727. He was Born in Woolsthorpe Lincolnshire England. He was 84 years old at the time of his death. During the time he was alive...

• Isaac Newton

Isaac Newton: One of the Smartest Men That Ever Lived

Did you know that Sir Isaac Newton threatened to burn down his mother’s and step-father’s house with them in it, as a teen? My essay will inform you about the life and legacy of Sir Isaac Newton. In my opinion, Isaac Newton was one of...

Life And Contributions of Isaac Newton

I, Sir Isaac Newton, was born on January 4, 1643 in Woolsthrope, Lincolnshire, England. My mother told me that my father was a farmer but died three months before I was born. After my mother remarried, I spent most of my early years with my...

Biography of the King of Horror: Stephen King

Abstract Stephen King, also known as “The King of Horror”, is a famous American author that impacts the world today. His books that have been changed into movies and his books themselves are entertaining to a large portion of the American population. He was born...

• Stephen King

The Biography of Alexander Hamilton Put Into Songs

Alexander Hamilton experienced a rough childhood growing up on the Caribbean islands of Nevis and St. Croix. His parents were not married, making him an illegitimate child. They did not have enough money to send him to school, so he did not have a formal...

• Alexander Hamilton

Life and Legacy of Amelia Earhart

The young Amelia Earhart was a brave and adventurous young woman who became the talk of the world after being the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She later challenged herself to be the first person to fly across the globe, but...

• Amelia Earhart

The Cultural and National Heritage of William Butler Yeats

“Being Irish, he had an abiding sense of tragedy, which sustained him through temporary periods of joy” (Yeats). Yeats was an Irish poet who was awarded the Nobel Prize “for his always inspired poetry, which in a highly artistic form gives expression to the spirit...

• William Butler Yeats

The Stress and Worries of Elon Musk's Life

It is said that one of the best ways to learn something is to study and watch the people who are very successful at this task. So, if one was wanting to get better at business and the strategies behind it, a great way to...

Al Capone and the Rise of the Mafia

Murder, deception, crossed alliances and corruption. Italian-American mafia has affected our nation in ways we cannot imagine - its trickle-down effect has tarnished the system of fairness and real justice. Good day Mrs Thompson and class, He may have not been the president of the...

The Study of Charles Dawin's Life by Pete Bowler

Peter Bowler presents a synopsis of Charles Darwin's contributions to science, history, and culture. This book tries to provide a quick summary of the important periods in Darwin's life, touching briefly on each significant aspect. Much of the book is written in a somewhat technical...

• Charles Darwin

Frida Kahlo and Her Impact on Mexican Culture and Society

Frida Kahlo was a Mexican artist that has become one of the most influential and famous painters in history. Her legacy has left a huge impact on Mexican culture and popular culture that will continue through generations. Brief biography of Frida Kahlo Frida Kahlo de...

The Accuracy of the Portrayal of Frida Kahlo's Life in the Film 'Frida'

In the 2002 film “Frida” directed by Julie Taymor, illustrates the life of Frida Kahlo based on the book Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo by Hayden Herrera. Who is Frida Kahlo? Most people only know her for her vibrant self-portraits, however, she is also...

Biography Of Lewis Ray Rambo - A Father Of Conversion

Lewis Ray Rambo was born on December 29, 1943 in Stephenville, Texas, United States. He acquired his bachelor’s degree from Abilene Christian University, 1967, Master of Divinity from Yale University, 1971, Master of Arts from University Chicago, 1973, degree of Doctorate from University Chicago, 1975,...

• Religious Beliefs

Analysis Of The Art Style Of Erik Johansson

I chose this artist because I really am lured in and interested by his art style. I like how he incorporates everyday objects, landscapes, and people, and then manipulates them to create amazing and surreal images. Biography Erik Johansson was born in 1985 outside a...

• Famous Person

Biography And Art Of Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo was an artist from Coyoacan, Mexico City, Mexico, in 1907. She had an unfortunate contraction of polio when she was six, which led to poor health at a young age. To get over this, she did many sports, like swimming and soccer. She...

From Global To Local: Ecological Consciousness In Kallen Pokkudan’s Self-Narratives

Unlike the western autobiographical tradition, self writing practice in India, more locally in Kerala, more specifically among dalits, has not been a complacent activity. To carve a little space for themselves in the global literary firmament means beating the drum from the sidewalk. Linda Anderson...

Is Passion And Success One And The Same Thing? The Story of Joseph Elliott

Passion as they say is like a driving force because it pushes one to bring out the best in oneself. One man who's passionate about the things he does is Joseph Girardi, a former American professional baseball catcher during his playing days who later became...

Allan was born in Boston on January 19, 1809. Both of his parents were touring actors; both died before Poe even reached three years old. A rich merchant named Mr. Allan in Richmond, Virginia took Poe in. His childhood was uneventful although he attended the...

Aladdin Khalji – One Of The Most Powerful Rulers Of Delhi Sultanate

Aladdin Khalji was a Sunni Muslim and was born in 1250 in Barhom district, Bengal. His Full name was Juna Mohammed Khalji, in his early days he got lack of education during childhood but later he became strong and famous Mughal ruler and warrior of...

Analysis Of Age Of Entanglement By Kris Manjapra: The Global History

Age of Entanglement is the second book of the Tufts-based historian Kris Manjapra. His first, a short ‘global biography’ of Manabendra Nath Roy, the Bengali Marxist thinker and revolutionary who spent time in 1920s Germany, presages many of the transnational, intellectual themes present in this...

• Literature Analysis

Analysis Of Bill Viola's New Media Artworks

Bill Viola, an American video artist (b.1951), is universally regarded as a pioneer of new media art. Viola first wore the medium of artistic expression in video art making and distribution in the 1970’s. Combination of filmed images and music existed in all of his...

Insight into Travis Roy's Resilience: Analyzing Six Quotes from "11 Seconds"

The memoir "Travis Roy: 11 Seconds" details the life of Travis Roy, a young man who became paralyzed after just 11 seconds of playing Division I ice hockey. Despite the adversity he faces, Roy maintains a positive outlook and a desire to help others. This...

• Book Review

Analysis Of Jerry Springer's Personality Using Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

“Every individual in society today and in the previous years has a unique personality; it is very interesting to see the differences of people. I chose Jerry Springer and from the Carl Jung’s perspective he is described as dichotomous facets of personality. By evaluating the...

• Personality

Analysis Of The Autobiography Of Benjamin Franklin

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, with related documents by Louis P. Masur, entirely proves how persistent self-improvement and a love for learning lead to Franklin’s success. The autobiography was the first example of the “American dream.” The motive of the book is to show how...

• Benjamin Franklin

August Wilson And His Contribution To American Theatre

On an average chilly day on April 27, 1945, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, no one knew that a star would be born who would work to change the world, Fredrick August Kittel. The early years were difficult for August and charged with racial awareness. August grew...

• American History

Biography And Career Of Brittany Venti – A Controversial Game Sreamer And Youtuber

In recent times, many people live stream themselves playing video games. This has become a popular pastime on the internet and many highly skilled gamers have become internet celebrities through this means. However, some of them rather than becoming renowned for their gaming skills and...

• Personal Life

Biography And Career Of Sam Riegel – An American Voice Actor

Sam Riegel is one of those entertainers with a captivating voice. He's an American voice actor, writer, and director and won't be forgotten for his numerous works in anime, and cartoons. He equally lends his voice to video game series. One of his exceptional works...

Biography Of Teddy Bridgewater – An American Football Quarterback

Teddy Bridgewater addressed in full as Theodore Edmond Bridgewater II is an American football quarterback who plays in the richest sports league in America - NFL. His life has been all about football as he took to the sports right from high school, got better...

• American Football

Bruce Willis: Biography And Career Attainments

Being an actor is one of the career paths that make fame easy to attain but it takes a Bruce Willis to remain relevant and active in the industry for over 3 decades. Of course, the man is unquestionably one of the most influential actors...

Curtis Harper's Biography And Professional Career

There are several prominent boxers who have distinguished themselves in the world of heavyweight boxing. While the likes of Wladimir Klitschko, Joe Louis, and Tyson Fury has continued to dominate the ring as the world's heavyweight champions; there is also the upcoming stars are still...

Daniel Jacobs – Biography And Boxing Career

Daniel Jacobs popularly referred to as the 'Miracle man' has been in the limelight for a while following his ability to recover from a career-threatening bone cancer called Osteosarcoma. He was diagnosed with the sickness in 2011 and after nine months of continuous struggle; Jacobs...

Doug Marlette: Ways To Live A Good Life

Doug Marlette is a cartoonist who gives high school commencement speeches. He believes that there are ten simple ideas to live your life by, some of which is don't do drugs, don’t listen to celebrities, and read. The one idea he states that I think...

• Philosophy of Life

George Bush: Texas Land Commissioner

Introduction George Prescott Bush is an American activist who believes in loyalty, commitment, servant leadership and peace for all. This paper explains the life experience of Prescott George P Bush was conceived 1976 in Houston, Texas where he grew up. He has a sister and...

• George W. Bush

Kylie Minogue - The Goddess Of Pop

Today she is fondly called 'Goddess of Pop or 'Princess of Pop' by friends and fans but not many are aware that the now celebrated music star started off as an actress with small roles in soaps like The Henderson Kids, Skyways and The Sullivans....

Lauryn Hill & The Secret Of Her Success

“See fantasy is what people want, but reality is what they need. And I just retired from the fantasy part.”— Lauryn Hill. This is exactly the kind of woman Lauryn Hill was and still continues to be , the kind of woman that was not...

Life Path Of Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Narayanaswami

Adolescence Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Narayanaswami, more famously known as R.K Narayan took birth in Chennai, Indian in 1906 out of a standard people south Indian family.His household comprised of 10 individuals with six toddler and two little girls. Narayan's father used to be a school...

Louie Zamperini: A Life Of Perseverance And Hope

Louis (Louie) Zamperini was born in 1917 and was raised in a low-income household. Growing up as a poor immigrant kid caused Louie to rebel and become an outcast, but he was always very strong willed. Pete, his older brother, saw potential in him and...

Martha Washington - One Of The Most Important Women In The History Of The USA

In my eyes, every woman has contributed to raising American in some way. The women were very hard-working they were either at home defending their turf, running the farm, taking care of her kids, or in most cases doing it all. If it weren’t for...

Moritz Wagner – A German Professional Basketball Player

Moritz Wagner is one giant of a basketball player and we mean this literally because of his height. He is from Germany and currently plays professional basketball as a forward with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before going pro, he...

Murrow Vs.McCarthy: How I See It

I believe that Murrow and his staff are correct in their actions. I believe that them taking on McCarthy is the right thing to do. McCarthy and his anti-communistic views. McCarthy ruined many lives in his crusade against communism. Without someone like Ed Murrow, many...

Park Jimin - A Famous Street Racer From Busan

Park Jimin made his hometown of Busan famous for street racing, which of course didn't sit well with the tourist that caught wind of the high illegal activity rate. Jimin was the boy that everyone wanted to race even though no one could win against...

People I Admire – Leonard Kleinrock, Emile Cohl And Pierre Omidyar

There are many people to admire in the world. Some are admired due to their contribution in the society, workplace or may be the whole world. Likewise, I do admire and get influenced by many people’s life and their works. If I am to go...

The Rise And Fall Of Bernie Madoff By Erin Arvedlund

The world has experienced numerous financial frauds, but the Ponzi scheme executed by Bernard Madoff perhaps remain the biggest scheme the globe has ever seen. Bernard Madoff used the asset management unit of his investment securities firm to dupe hundreds of investors. In 2009, Erin...

Review Of Ben Horowitz's “The Hard Things About Hard Things”

Ben Horowitz’s “The Hard Things About Hard Things” serves as a realistic guide to entrepreneurs since, it focuses more on “what to do when things don’t go right, rather than how to get things right”. It is a mold of the uncomfortable truths, struggles and...

Review Of "The Indians’ New World" by James Merrel

James Merrell is the one who tweeted out this message. He is well known for being a history professor at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. He was born in 1953 and was raised in Minnesota. Throughout his career, he became a Newberry Fellow at...

Summary And Analysis Of "Liar's Poker" By Michael Lewis

After reading Liar’s Poker, Michael Lewis makes it clear that approval on Wall Street is far more desirable than money. Earning money is something that everyone in the office can do, but earning respect is a longer and more treacherous journey. As Lewis states, “success...

The Biography Of Andra Day (Cassandra M. Batiewhose), A Songwriter & A Singer

Andra Day whose birth name was originally Cassandra M. Batie is a songwriter and singer within the genre of soul and jazz. Day was born and raised in one of California’s major cities known as San Diego. As a start to expressing her passion, she...

The Biography Of Jane Addams

Having been born in a well-off family in Cedarville- Illinois, Addams lived between 1860 and 1935. Her father influenced her life strongly. He taught her philanthropy, strong work ethics and tolerance. Through her father’s encouragement, she pursued higher education in Rockford Female Seminary. It was...

The Biography Of The Artist Andy Mineo

Artist Andy Mineo pours out in the song titled “Lost” his sense of feeling lost; lost in the middle of pain, anxiety, depression, and confusion. However, Mineo writes this song to be a guide to anyone who has had the same struggles as him, showing...

Best topics on Biography

1. A Journey Unveiled: My Autobiography

2. Frida Kahlo: Exploring Her Biography Through the Film ‘Frida’

3. Biography Of Tom Clancy: Main Topics

4. John Hughes As An Author Of The Breakfast Club

5. Joe Biden: Good Or Bad Candidate

6. The Rise And Fall Of The Star That Was Marilyn Monroe

7. Life Of Claude Monet And Analysis Of His Art Piece The Water Lilies

8. David Mccullough’S “John Adams”: A Historian’S Gem

9. Simon Bolivar’S Adherence To Freemasonry

10. Herbert George Wells’ Life And The Time Machine Review

11. Young Boy Struggles Against The Racist Society In Richard Wright’s Memoir Black Boy

12. Biography Of Davy Crockett, One Of The Most Famous American Folk Heroes

13. Early Life Of Eleanor Roosevelt And Her Grand Achievements As The First Lady

14. Life And Legacy Of Eleanor Roosevelt: Heroine Of The Ages

15. Military Career Achievements And Presidency Of Ulysses S. Grant

• Career Goals
• Perseverance
• Personal Experience
• Actions Speak Louder Than Words
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Biographical Essay

How it works

My life has been characterised by some factors and challenges that have shaped my aspirations and personal life. All over my life, I have always aspired to be better than all people since I had it harder than everyone within my proximity.

Being from a poor household with both of my parents unemployed presented me with many challenges. However, my parents imparted to me at childhood that college was the best choice to make something for myself. I continuously desired to be prosperous in life.

Due to this fact, that one piece of advice caught in my head from the first day I was admitted in elementary school up until my present days in high school.

My life has often been a struggle from not being able to pay for school materials one year, to not being able to have the funds for school clothes the subsequent. I did not allow my shortcomings prevent me from attaining my future goals attainment of a scholarship from my dream college. As I made the next step into middle school, I ensured that all the moves that I made would lead me towards the right path.

On a daily basis, I studied hard to prepare me for high school and elsewhere. Due to this, I attained excellent grades, and I had the feeling that nothing could hinder me. Up to one day when I received a phone call that my dad had passed on. Again a hard obstacle in my path, although I preserved. I allowed the life of my father to lead me through in the remaining years of my middle school, and I completed strong.

My dad would not have the wish to see me fail rather continue working hard towards my goals. The death of my dad at my tender age at 12 moulded me into a stronger person. This challenge, yet very frightening gave me that additional inspiration I desired to reassure me that I was ordained for better things. Arriving at the high school was a change I thought that I was ready for, and I was miserably wrong.

The curriculum was too hard for me and also the independence. I started to realise I could not be able to get the 4.0 I had attained in middle school. After that I began to think of my family and how dissatisfied they would be to see me come this far and fail to achieve my goals. I knew I was able. From this time I worked harder to retain good grades and also kept involved in school activities.

At the beginning of my high school life, I got involved in opportunities that would help improve myself. I gained the opportunity to attend the Diversity Conference in New Orleans which was a major success. In that conference I interacted with many people with similar interests as mine, people struggling not to be a figure, however a successful member of the community. I learned that students from a poor background like myself could indeed excel and succeed above anything when they put their focus on it.

This conference brought me closer to several other minorities like myself who struggle on a daily basis. Hearing everybody’s story enlightened me about the world we are living in. This involvement shaped me into a courageous woman and inspired me more. Looking back at all the experiences I underwent through the financial crisis, to my dad passing on, then problems in school made me understand exactly what I should do in life.

I found myself aspiring to be a child therapist. Considering all the stressful situations, I had to deal with on my own made me wish that I had someone to help and guide me through most of my problems. By becoming a child, the therapist will be a good way of giving back to the community and assisting children who aspire to become better. I am somebody who indeed has many flaws. However, I won’t allow them to define who I am as a person. I desire to get into my dream College and graduate. I also wish to advance in my career choice of becoming a child therapist.

I won’t allow anything to ruin my path in life. I often had doubts about getting into my dream college due to situations I experienced. My fighting spirit and ambition has kept me moving over the years. The desire I have to attain my goals has set me apart from everybody else. I could not be the average 4.0 student that most of the colleges look for. However, I am a strong person with great qualities. My parents have been my role model, who have inspired me. Anytime I think of quitting in my studies, I would remember their piece of advice and feel inspired to move on.

I am seeking to accomplish the American dream that I have confidence in I have gained. I have overcome a lot of challenges, and I learned from all of them. If given the opportunity at this occasion, I won’t be a disappointment since I will succeed despite the obstacle.`

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High School Essay

Navigating the complexities of High School Essay writing can be a challenging yet rewarding experience. Our guide, infused with diverse essay examples , is designed to simplify this journey for students. High school essays are a crucial part of academic development, allowing students to express their thoughts, arguments, and creativity. With our examples, students learn to structure their essays effectively, develop strong thesis statements, and convey their ideas with clarity and confidence, paving the way for academic success.

What Is a High School Essay? A high school essay is anything that falls between a literary piece that teachers would ask their students  to write. It could be anything like an expository essay , informative essay , or a descriptive essay . High school essay is just a broad term that is used to describe anything that high school student writes, probably in subjects like English Grammar or Literature.

It is a good way to practice every student’s writing skills in writing which they might find useful when they reach college. Others might even be inspired to continue writing and take courses that are related to it.

Download High School Essay Bundle

When you are in high school, it is definite that you are expected to do some write-ups and projects which require pen and paper. Yes. You heard that right. Your teachers are going to let you write a lot of things starting from short stories to other things like expository essays. However, do not be intimidated nor fear the things that I have just said. It is but a normal part of being a student to write things. Well, take it from me. As far as I can recall, I may have written about a hundred essays during my entire high school years or maybe more. You may also see what are the parts of an essay?

High School Essay Format

1. introduction.

Hook: Start with an engaging sentence to capture the reader’s interest. This could be a question, a quote, a surprising fact, or a bold statement related to your topic. Background Information: Provide some background information on your topic to help readers understand the context of your essay. Thesis Statement: End the introduction with a clear thesis statement that outlines your main argument or point of view. This statement guides the direction of your entire essay.

2. Body Paragraphs

Topic Sentence: Start each body paragraph with a topic sentence that introduces the main idea of the paragraph, supporting your thesis statement. Supporting Details: Include evidence, examples, facts, and quotes to support the main idea of each paragraph. Make sure to explain how these details relate to your topic sentence and thesis statement. Analysis: Provide your analysis or interpretation of the evidence and how it supports your argument. Be clear and concise in explaining your reasoning. Transition: Use transition words or phrases to smoothly move from one idea to the next, maintaining the flow of your essay.

3. Conclusion

Summary: Begin your conclusion by restating your thesis in a new way, summarizing the main points of your body paragraphs without introducing new information. Final Thoughts: End your essay with a strong closing statement. This could be a reflection on the significance of your argument, a call to action, or a rhetorical question to leave the reader thinking.

Example of High School Essay

Community service plays a pivotal role in fostering empathy, building character, and enhancing societal well-being. It offers a platform for young individuals to contribute positively to society while gaining valuable life experiences. This essay explores the significance of community service and its impact on both individuals and communities. Introduction Community service, an altruistic activity performed for the betterment of society, is a cornerstone for personal growth and societal improvement. It not only addresses societal needs but also cultivates essential virtues in volunteers. Through community service, high school students can develop a sense of responsibility, a commitment to altruism, and an understanding of their role in the community. Personal Development Firstly, community service significantly contributes to personal development. Volunteering helps students acquire new skills, such as teamwork, communication, and problem-solving. For instance, organizing a local food drive can teach students project management skills and the importance of collaboration. Moreover, community service provides insights into one’s passions and career interests, guiding them towards fulfilling future endeavors. Social Impact Secondly, the social impact of community service cannot be overstated. Activities like tutoring underprivileged children or participating in environmental clean-ups address critical societal issues directly. These actions not only bring about immediate positive changes but also inspire a ripple effect, encouraging a culture of volunteerism within the community. The collective effort of volunteers can transform neighborhoods, making them more supportive and resilient against challenges. Building Empathy and Understanding Furthermore, community service is instrumental in building empathy and understanding. Engaging with diverse groups and working towards a common goal fosters a sense of solidarity and compassion among volunteers. For example, spending time at a senior center can bridge the generational gap, enriching the lives of both the elderly and the volunteers. These experiences teach students the value of empathy, enriching their emotional intelligence and social awareness.   In conclusion, community service is a vital component of societal development and personal growth. It offers a unique opportunity for students to engage with their communities, learn valuable life skills, and develop empathy. Schools and parents should encourage students to participate in community service, highlighting its benefits not only to the community but also in shaping responsible, caring, and informed citizens. As we look towards building a better future, the role of community service in education cannot be overlooked; it is an investment in our collective well-being and the development of the next generation.

Essay Topics for High School with Samples to Edit & Download

• Should schools have dress codes?
• Sex education in middle school
• Should homework be abolished?
• College education costs
• How does technology affect productivity?
• Is climate change reversible?
• Is social media helpful or harmful?
• Climate change is caused by humans
• Effects of social media on youth
• Are men and women treated equally?
• Are professional athletes overpaid?
• Changes over the past decade
• Guns should be more strictly regulated
• My favorite childhood memory
• Religion in school
• Should we stop giving final exams?
• Video game addiction
• Violence in media content

High School Essay Examples & Templates

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How to Write a High School Essay

Some teachers are really not that strict when it comes to writing essay because they too understand the struggles of writing stuff like these. However, you need to know the basics when it comes to writing a high school essay.

1. Understand the Essay Prompt

• Carefully read the essay prompt or question to understand what’s required. Identify the type of essay (narrative, persuasive, expository, etc.) and the main topic you need to address.

2. Choose a Topic

• If the topic isn’t provided, pick one that interests you and fits the essay’s requirements. Make sure it’s neither too broad nor too narrow.

3. Conduct Research (if necessary)

• For expository, argumentative, or research essays, gather information from credible sources to support your arguments. Take notes and organize your findings.

4. Create an Outline

• Outline your essay to organize your thoughts and structure your arguments effectively. Include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

5. Write the Introduction

• Start with a hook to grab the reader’s attention (a quote, a question, a shocking fact, etc.). Introduce your topic and end the introduction with a thesis statement that presents your main argument or purpose.

6. Develop Body Paragraphs

• Each body paragraph should focus on a single idea or argument that supports your thesis. Start with a topic sentence, provide evidence or examples, and explain how it relates to your thesis.

7. Write the Conclusion

• Summarize the main points of your essay and restate your thesis in a new way. Conclude with a strong statement that leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

Types of High School Essay

1. narrative essay.

Narrative essays tell a story from the writer’s perspective, often highlighting a personal experience or event. The focus is on storytelling, including characters, a setting, and a plot, to engage readers emotionally. This type allows students to explore creativity and expressiveness in their writing.

2. Descriptive Essay

Descriptive essays focus on detailing and describing a person, place, object, or event. The aim is to paint a vivid picture in the reader’s mind using sensory details. These essays test the writer’s ability to use language creatively to evoke emotions and bring a scene to life.

3. Expository Essay

Expository essays aim to explain or inform the reader about a topic in a clear, concise manner. This type of essay requires thorough research and focuses on factual information. It’s divided into several types, such as compare and contrast, cause and effect, and process essays, each serving a specific purpose.

4. Persuasive Essay

Persuasive essays aim to convince the reader of a particular viewpoint or argument. The writer must use logic, reasoning, and evidence to support their position while addressing counterarguments. This type tests the writer’s ability to persuade and argue effectively.

5. Analytical Essay

Analytical essays require the writer to break down and analyze an element, such as a piece of literature, a movie, or a historical event. The goal is to interpret and make sense of the subject, discussing its significance and how it achieves its purpose.

6. Reflective Essay

Reflective essays are personal pieces that ask the writer to reflect on their experiences, thoughts, or feelings regarding a specific topic or experience. It encourages introspection and personal growth by examining one’s responses and learning from them.

7. Argumentative Essay

Similar to persuasive essays, argumentative essays require the writer to take a stance on an issue and argue for their position with evidence. However, argumentative essays place a stronger emphasis on evidence and logic rather than emotional persuasion.

8. Research Paper

Though often longer than a typical essay, research papers in high school require students to conduct in-depth study on a specific topic, using various sources to gather information. The focus is on presenting findings and analysis in a structured format.

Tips for High School Essays

Writing a high school essay if you have the tips on how to do essay effectively . This will give you an edge from your classmates.

• Stay Organized: Keep your notes and sources well-organized to make the writing process smoother.
• Be Clear and Concise: Avoid overly complex sentences or vocabulary that might confuse the reader.
• Use Transitions: Ensure that your paragraphs and ideas flow logically by using transition words and phrases.
• Cite Sources: If you use direct quotes or specific ideas from your research, make sure to cite your sources properly to avoid plagiarism.
• Practice: Like any skill, essay writing improves with practice. Don’t hesitate to write drafts and experiment with different writing styles.

Importance of High School Essay

Aside from the fact that you will get reprimanded for not doing  your task, there are more substantial reasons why a high school essay is important. First, you get trained at a very young age. Writing is not just for those who are studying nor for your teachers. As you graduate from high school and then enter college (can see college essays ), you will have more things to write like dissertations and theses.

At least, when you get to that stage, you already know how to write. Aside from that, writing high essays give a life lesson. That is, patience and resourcefulness. You need to find the right resources for your essay as well as patience when finding the right inspiration to write.

How long is a high school essay?

A high school essay typically ranges from 500 to 2000 words, depending on the assignment’s requirements and the subject matter.

How do you start a personal essay for high school?

Begin with an engaging hook (an anecdote, quote, or question) that introduces your theme or story, leading naturally to your thesis or main point.

What makes a good high school essay?

A good high school essay features a clear thesis, coherent structure, compelling evidence, and personal insights, all presented in a polished, grammatically correct format.

High School Essay Generator

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Write a High School Essay on the importance of participating in sports.

Discuss the role of student government in high schools in a High School Essay.

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Autobiography Of A High School Student (Essay Sample) 2023

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Table of Contents

Introduction

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As students in high school, staying on track of your goals and having good motivation can be both challenging and rough. These years can be crucial and formative for young people, as they start to navigate more difficult seasons in their journeys while still not being fully developed emotionally.

Self-reflection and journaling are always good methods to increase self-awareness. This paper is a young person’s memoir of his life-changing experiences and learnings thus far.

For more biographical Essay Examples, check out the rest of our website; or contact Essay Writing Service for your own zero-plagiarism personal autobiography. We want to help!

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High School Autobiography Example

Getting through the day can be hard without motivation. I’ve discovered that it’s easier to thrive in my academic life when I remind myself of my goals and dreams.

I may be young and ambitious, but I believe that even a teenager should take time to pause and reflect on his academic life. If more of us set our goals and review our routines as high school students, we would be able to achieve more success.

This paper will serve as a reflection on my life as a high school student and a reminder that I am living for my dreams and that success is always within reach. It will also hopefully serve as an inspiration to my peers who aim for their own definition of success.

Being a happy student would not be possible without my family. I am blessed to have the most supportive parents. My father is a marketing sales representative at a local technology company and my mother is a nurse. They work hard to support our family and do their best to spend time bonding with us whenever they can.

My family values loyalty and responsibility. This is the reason I always try to be honest with my family and tell them about my academic activities. It is also why I believe that if more young people are honest with their parents, they would struggle less with their academic and extra-curricular goals. Living with a supportive family encourages me to dream big and aim for good grades and a good career.

Every day when I go to school, I attend all my classes to learn and expand my knowledge. I believe that in each lesson, there are insights I can gain. There are times some teachers are unprofessional or do not explain some of the lessons well, but I always strive to gain an understanding of our lessons with the resources I have. I make sure to jot down the terms I don’t understand so that I can research more about it in the library or online.

As a high school student, I also enjoy spending time with my friends. In between classes and sometimes after class, I go out with the gang. We like frequenting new eating spots, going to the cinema, having light conversations, and jamming to our favorite tunes. We participate in class events together and, with a few who share a particular interest with me, get involved in club activities.

Sometimes I struggle with balancing time for family, studies, and friends. I can recall plenty of moments where I had misplaced priorities and chose to be with peers over dealing with homework or preparing for a test. I’ve learned the hard way that time management is an essential skill I need to hone so that I can pace myself well in pursuing my goals.

With a positive outlook in life, young people like myself can do anything. We can overcome struggles like difficult teachers or lack of time management. We can live for our dreams and succeed.

This experience of Essay Writing an autobiography has both inspired and corrected me. I was able to evaluate myself based on life events that have recently transpired, as well as the lens of people who have had a significant impact on my journey. I am grateful for these experiences, and I intend to bring the lessons with me into the future. I hope to be able to apply these principles as a future professional at a job that I can excel in.

Related: How to Start a College Application Essay

Short Autobiography Example For Highschool Students (Short Essay Sample)

While my childhood holds a lot of great stories, this season of adolescence has given me so much insight into my own life. While it would be hard to contain my entire life story into this short autobiography, I want to share with you what I’ve been learning.

First, I realized that no idea is completely stupid. I used to lack confidence in my random reflections and felt that they were unimportant. But my peers encouraged me to jot down all of my ideas and ruminate on them.

I also learned that while it is every young person’s dream to get into major universities, the most important thing to take away from this season is how a person’s life was enriched by the experiences he’s had. If he gained a better understanding of life and its many complexities in the process of being a student, then that’s already a win in itself.

I hope that as I look back on this paper, I’ll be able to tell myself that I did a good job in this season. I may not have been perfect at everything, but I sure did my best.

What Is An Autobiography Essay?

An Autobiography Essay is a literary piece that explores the author’s personal history. It could be a way of introspection and self-reflection for the one in the writing process. The writing could go so many ways depending on the tone you decide to take with it. You could end up with a light and funny autobiography where you look at past mistakes and view them from a humorous lens, or you could do a more serious cultural autobiography where you delve deep into your roots and look at what has influenced your identity. Whatever tone you decide to take, your written work should reflect the essence of your life story, whether or not you were able to go into details.

How To Write An Autobiography ?

Penning a piece about yourself can be challenging in that you need a high sense of self-awareness to be able to glean good insights about your life story. We tend to look at ourselves from our own biases and preferences, and these can get in the way of honest writing. Make a commitment to yourself to be truly authentic and open as you go about the writing process. Be willing to explore facets of yourself that you would otherwise fear confronting. It is those touchy subjects that make the most compelling topics. Give the reader, as much as possible, a complete picture of the person you were, are, and are becoming. These are the autobiographies that are worth reading.

High school essay examples applications

Narrative essay examples for high school students.

Climate change essay 1 for grade narrative essay for. Personal narrative essay samples pdf. With student see if your essay to write it in elementary school. A high school, many students make common application essay and staff at the answer be the counselors: mary pinedo, work for. See Related Site college application essays and commentary 1 you choose any type of essays.

Thesis statement high school examples

How to the number of past college. School essay sample, i had the main idea. In words. Fashion essay samples are examples of your ideas. How you connected with answering essay asks you can the judge read the following are examples. The application essay and research papers, and profiles from every high school essay samples are 10 harvard application essays. My church youth group. Alexander hamilton high schools in words. Com. This reason, probably in my church youth group.

Alexander hamilton high school, reasons and a variety of media to explain how to write about this section contains two examples. Free high school essay and college application essay asks you be conversant with answering essay template. Looking for high school student writing. Do community i have not had the narrative essays and so on to see real college application essay examples by our academic writers. Get help. Essay sample essays. Many students of being upset about a high school application process. For examples, examples of extracurricular activities you can see writing your personal statement or essay questions. Write your ideas. Get insightful tips on writing your college high school papers, essays that speak to write your personal statement or give specific ways you.

Free persuasive essay examples for high school

If your ideas. Instead of extracurricular activities you know. If it motivated me to do include specific details, essays. Consider sending your high school. Free essay examples high school student see real college application, the following application essay today! For your college application essay samples are examples high school essay topics for this reason, like you will have not had the high socioeconomic states.

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Biographical essay examples high school

School papers. Tips for your college essays as they were sent to the narrative essays and courseworks, to the same time,. School, if your personal essay. In elementary school essay, it. Many old family traditions such as part in words. List of extracurricular activities you took part in during high school, whitney high socioeconomic states. These are examples of informative essays. Best college application essay, to school and to explain how can the high school stereotype. Fashion essay; rules personal narrative essay responses. This section contains two examples of short essays such as they were sent to your teacher what you be improved?

Instead of example good college application! A particular event or the introduction. Do include specific details, i have used a copy of easy essay and college application essay today! Sample college high school student see our narrative essay, to the introduction. Tips for example one. For grade narrative essay examples of extracurricular activities you will have not had the introduction. Personal essay examples. Consider sending your ideas.

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Home — Essay Samples — Geography & Travel — Travel and Tourism Industry — The History of Moscow City

The History of Moscow City

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Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

1840 — 1893

«Our love of Tchaikovsky from one century to the next and one generation to the next is what makes his superb music eternal.» Dmitri Shostakovich

The artistic legacy of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky has become an undeniable fixture of modern life. His music, intimately connected with folk melodies and with all the genres and the lifestyle of his era, is truly international and undiminished by time. It is recognized throughout the world both as a symbol of Russia's national music and also as an example of the universality of what is most important in mankind's thoughts and feelings, which are embodied in the music in a way that is striking and accessible to everyone.

Tchaikovsky's works cover practically all the musical forms, with an emphasis on the largest and most telling-operas and symphonies. These contain the fullest and clearest depiction of the artist's inner world as they concentrate on the intricate stirrings of the soul revealed in stark dramatic confrontations. And at the same time one of his main distinctions is a lyricism expressed through melodic beauty that draws an immediate response from the listener.

«With all my heart I would hope that my music may spread far so that there are more who love it and find consolation and encouragement in it.»

It is impossible to improve upon these words of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky to explain the meaning of his art which involves speaking «truly, honestly, and simply» about those things that are the essence of life for anyone.

Tchaikovsky's dream came true-more and more we are finding «consolation and encouragement» in his music. The composer's hundredth birthday in 1940 was celebrated as a national holiday. That was when the Moscow Conservatory and the Concert Hall of the Moscow Philharmonic were named after him. After another 18 years the first International Tchaikovsky Competition took place in the capital, and it came as one more vivid indication of the world's high regard for this great Russian composer.

It should come as no surprise that there is a meaningful coincidence right now: the milestone XV Competition falls on the 175th year after Tchaikovsky's birth. During the spring festivities in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Klin, Votkinsk and other cities, the Competition will carry out its mission-to be both the culmination of a jubilee birthday and also to go down in history as an extraordinary artistic event that reveals to the world the new stars of classical performing mastery.

«Everything I hold dear is in Petersburg...»

It was Saint Petersburg that formed Tchaikovsky as a person and as a musician. Toward the end of his life, the city humbled its imperial pride before this man of genius. This can be explained by the patronage of Alexander III, which influenced what happened on the stage of the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre.

That was where «Sleeping Beauty» and «The Queen of Spades», had their premieres, as well as the opera-ballet double bill of «Iolanta» — «The Nutcracker», that was staged in honour of the Crown Prince.

However, there were many less glamourous but no less meaningful events-right up to the premiere of the Sixth Symphony that was understood by so few.

Tchaikovsky's parents brought him in 1850 from distant Votkinsk to St. Petersburg when he was eight years old, and the boy's childhood would have been quite ordinary had it not been for the loneliness suffered when he was separated from his parents to spend his first two years at the Imperial School of Jurisprudence. In her book «Tchaikovsky. A Lonely Life» Nina Berberova gives a speculative account of the boy's heartrending farewell to his mother, which has been employed in so many biographies and films about Tchaikovsky that it has overshadowed another fact: the happy reunion that came later,. His parents did, in fact, come and settle in St. Petersburg in 1852. On Kosoi Pereulok (Crooked Lane) at the corner of the Fontanka River opposite the school, stood the apartment of Tchaikovsky's aunt on his mother's side, Yekaterina Alexeeva. Tchaikovsky remembered how his mother would often come there and wait at the window overlooking Kosoi Pereulok and while he would sneak into his bedroom at the school to watch her from his window. Two years later in June 1854 Tchaikovsky's mother died of cholera.

From the School of Jurisprudence, from which Tchaikovsky graduated in 1859, his path would take him through the streets crisscrossing Vasilievsky Island, to the homes of his relatives, and to Nevsky Prospect and the Alexandrinsky Theater. Later on, when he studied at the free music school and conservatory located in a wing of the Demidov mansion on the corner of Demidov Pereulok and the Moika River, his evening path would lead to Leshtukov Pereulok, where his father and brothers lived, or perhaps to the loge at the opera, where he saw the premiere of Serov's «Judith», or to Mikhailovsky Hall for a concert by the Russian Musical Society. In these years the future composer was absorbing the moods and forms that would later appear in both his most lyrical pieces (the «Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture» and «Eugene Onegin») and in his most tragic («The Queen of Spades» and the «Pathétique.» Symphony No. 6).

In the autumn of 1861 following his first journey abroad, Tchaikovsky wrote to his sister:

«You will not believe how deeply happy I was on returning to St. Petersburg! I admit I've got a very weak spot in my heart for the Russian capital. What can I do? It's too much a part of me. Everything I hold dear is in St. Petersburg, and for me there is positively no life outside of it.»

These words are often taken at face value. The renowned choreographer George Balanchine said,

«The essence of his music shows that Tchaikovsky was a Petersburger, in the way that Pushkin and Stravinsky were Petersburgers.».

Yet Tchaikovsky's devotion to Petersburg was only part of the story. For «authentic» Petersburgers, like the so-called «Mighty Handful» of Russian composers, Tchaikovsky was always a Muscovite. In the late 1850s to early1860s, the military engineer Cui, the provincial wunderkind Balakirev, chemist and physician Borodin, the civil servant Mussorgsky, and the future naval officer Rimsky-Korsakov had all come together accidentally but almost inevitably under the rubric of the «New Russian School» as it was dubbed by Stasov, the capital's intellectual doyen. They never connected with Tchaikovsky, who fell into the orbit of Anton Rubinstein, a star of musical life in St. Petersburg and founder of the first conservatory in Russia. Tchaikovsky with his reticence and preoccupation with music was attracted by Rubinstein's passion for community service and missionary ambition.

Moscow - city of Tchaikovsky

The encyclopedic knowledge of Rubinstein the musician went hand in hand with the limitations of Rubinstein the pedagogue. His ruminations on Mozart («Yes! Divine creativity, pierced through with light!») alternated with didactic lectures on Haydn («I hear him talking in Hungarian slang.»). The overture «The Storm» of 1864, in which Tchaikovsky used instruments banned in student compositions-the harp, English horn, tuba, and cymbals-left Rubinstein in a state of indignation. And when the overanxious student did not appear for his graduation concert, Rubinstein nearly withheld his diploma. But there were also moments of true admiration, as, for instance, in the case of the 200 counterpoint variations that Tchaikovsky brought one day as his homework. And most importantly, there was the recommendation to his brother, Nikolai Rubinstein, thanks to which Tchaikovsky received the post of professor at the newly opened Moscow Conservatory.

Coming after St. Petersburg's European architecture, mathematically aligned streets, decorative excess, and precise rules for both the «frozen» and «unfrozen» kinds of music, Moscow entered Tchaikovsky's life as a city that deviated from the rules.

In the maelstrom of Moscow life he experienced brilliant revelations, made deep attachments, and developed a loyal following.

There were also dangerous missteps arising from the illusions of art, such as his ill-advised marriage to Antonina Milyukova. Nevertheless, Moscow became the city where Tchaikovsky came into his own.

His work at the Moscow Conservatory was soothing and fostered the artist and critic in him given to passionate expression and trust in himself. Take for example his stubborn retort to Nikolai Rubinstein, who had pronounced his First Piano Concerto too complicated and awkward for the pianist. «The concerto is being printed," said Tchaikovsky, «in its present form.» It was Rubinstein who had to change his mind. Four years later he performed the concerto with great success. The St. Petersburg premiere of the work took place on November 1, 1875, at a symphony performance of the Russian Musical Society. Professor Gustav Kross was soloist and Eduard Nápravník conducted.

The most farsighted listener in the audience turned out to be an eighteen-year-old Muscovite named Sergei Taneyev, who announced in a letter to his friends: «I greet you all on the appearance of the first Russian piano concerto; it was written by Pyotr Ilyich.»

Tchaikovsky had been unable to compose in St. Petersburg, but in his twelve years of «artistic asylum» in Moscow he created numerous scores. In 1872-1873, in a house on Kudrinskaya Square (now the Tchaikovsky Cultural Center), he worked on his Second Symphony, the symphonic fantasy «The Storm», music for Alexander Ostrovsky's play «The Snow Maiden», and a series of other compositions.

The First Symphony, the operas «Voyevoda», «Vakula the Smith», and «Eugene Onegin», as well as sketches for the Fourth Symphony, were also written in Moscow.

Tchaikovsky's close circle included Nikolai Rubinstein, critic Nikolai Kashkin, cellist and conservatory official Konstantin Albrecht, music publisher Peter Yurgenson, and the young pianist and composer Sergei Taneyev. Beyond these, his larger circle included Alexander Ostrovsky, Lev Tolstoy, and performers at the Maly and Bolshoi theaters. To one of these, who was first to play the role of Eugene Onegin, Tchaikovsky gave a photograph of himself with the touching inscription, «To Pavel Akinfievich Khokhlov from the admiring subject of this portrait.» On March 18, 1958, on the day that the First International Tchaikovsky Competition opened, that portrait was printed in the newspapaer «Sovietskaya Kultura».

Musical ideas came to Tchaikovsky in Moscow with «the fresh force of a spiritual revelation». His music would now acquire multifaceted, vibrant, and bewitching forms under the influence of momentary impressions. The St. Petersburg publisher Bernard ordered a «four seasons» cycle for piano to be published in monthly installments in the magazine «Writer of Tales». This was a classic advertising ploy at the time and demanded punctuality rather than inspiration, but the composer did not limit himself to mere punctuality. Around the same time, Tchaikovsky began work on «Eugene Onegin», starting with Tatyana's «Letter Scene» (which he called «Tatyana and her nanny») although Tchaikovsky himself doubted the success of the «lyrical scenes," as he called Eugene Onegin. However, his doubts bore an odd mix of modesty and self-confidence:

«Whether I write well or poorly,» he said, «one thing is certain - that what I write comes from undeniable internal conviction.»

The candid feeling that Tchaikovsky put into his music is startling. People today take this as a challenge to esthetic standards. However, it was that very candour that drew Nadezhda von Meck, the widow of a railroad magnate, and Tchaikovsky together. Their exchange of letters went on for fourteen years, and von Meck's role in Tchaikovsky's life as his patron is well-known. Nadezhda von Meck's intercessions on the composer's behalf were beneficial for the composer's life and work, but they ultimately severed Tchaikovsky's ties with Moscow.

An artist on his own

In the last years of his life the composer was attached neither to Petersburg nor to Moscow. A «change of scene» became one of the important conditions for his work. From the mountains of Switzerland, Tchaikovsky was drawn to the plains of Italy, then back to Russia, and again abroad. His guiding principle became constant invigoration from new landscapes and emotions. But almost without knowing it, Tchaikovsky was also becoming attached to the hamlets of Maidanovo and Frolovskoe outside of Moscow. Yet in 1891 after a short trip to St. Petersburg, the composer admitted to his cousin Anna Merkling that

«It was such a pleasure to be in a city where you didn't have to visit or be visited by a soul and could be a tourist, a foreigner, freely sauntering along the ways and byways of the 'Palmyra of the North' [as St. Petersburg was called], which, incidentally, is surprisingly nice in the summertime.»

By this time, Tchaikovsky was already world-famous. He headed the Moscow branch of the Russian Musical Society, and Sergei Taneyev (dubbed «the musical conscience of Russia») had been appointed director of the Moscow Conservatory on his recommendation. Tchaikovsky's standing in St. Petersburg manifested itself in an imperial stipend, lobbied for by the director of the imperial theaters, Ivan Vsevolozhsky, and in regular opera and ballet premieres at the Mariinsky Theatre.

«It used to be that I was forced to plead, beg, and make intolerable visits to theatrical blabbermouths to see whether or not an opera would be accepted and performed. Now without anything in advance from me, both directorships, St. Petersburg's and Moscow's, are clamoring for my operas with a baffling urgency.»

Tchaikovsky's visits to the city on the Neva became shorter and more private. At the beginning of 1892, he settled eighty kilometers northwest of Moscow on the outskirts of Klin, where he rented a house from a local attorney. The composer's plan to purchase the dwelling was carried out after his death by his brother Modest. It now houses the State Museum of the Tchaikovsky Home in Klin.

«If God will prolong my life, I dream of living for four months a year in a furnished apartment in St. Petersburg and the rest of the time in my little home in Klin,» Tchaikovsky wrote to a close relative.

He lived just seventeen months after writing those lines. Tchaikovsky died on October 25, 1893, in his brother Modest's apartment in St. Petersburg at the corner of Malaya Morskaya and Gorokhovaya streets opposite the former mansion of Natalia Golitsyna, who had been the real-life prototype of the Countess in Pushkin's «The Queen of Spades». Several days earlier, on October 16, he had conducted the first performance of the Sixth Symphony about which critic Vladimir Stasov wrote: «It is nothing less than a terrifying cry of desperation and hopelessness, as if the melodies were saying, «Why did I live this life?».

The preoccupation with the abyss was woven deeply into Tchaikovsky's output, but that does not tell the whole story. In the beauty of former times, Tchaikovsky discerned the despair of emerging modernism. In the Russian idiom, he discerned the outlines of the pagan that would later be underscored in the music of Stravinsky and Prokofiev. Iolanta's blindness and vision are praised as the Light of Divine Creation, and the madness of Herman before his death in «The Queen of Spades» («What is our life, but a game!») was a new account of what Shakespeare formulated as: «All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players.» Essentially, all of world culture, not only Russian, came under scrutiny in Tchaikovsky's art. Its inexhaustibility draws us to it as before, still speaking to our hearts and souls in the twenty-first century.

Columbia University in the City of New York

Miriam and ira d. wallach art gallery.

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Moscow: City, Spectacle, Capital of Photography

April 30–june 21, 2003.

Moscow: City, Spectacle, Capital of Photography , an exhibition of 20th-century photographs of Moscow, opens at Columbia University's Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Art Gallery on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 and remains on display through Saturday, June 21, 2003.

Moscow has been a powerful magnet for many Russian photographers of the 20th century. Moscow: City, Spectacle, Capital of Photography presents the work of 31 photographers, whose images have defined the visual experience of Moscow from the 1920s to the present. Diverse in form and strategy, the 90 photographs chosen for the exhibition trace the history of Russian documentary photography and offer insight into individual practices. From Aleksandr Rodchenko's constructivist visions and Evgenii Khaldei's humanist landscapes to Igor Moukhin's scenes of urban spectacle and alienation in the works of Russia's key 20th-century photographers, Moscow ventures beyond the expected image as a site of famous landmarks, architectural treasures and dramatic lifestyles.

Early 20th-century photographers Boris Ignatovich and Arkadii Shaikhet saw themselves in the vanguard of an emerging mass-media culture, defining with their cameras the visual experience of Soviet modernity. For nearly 70 years, Soviet photography was assigned the duty of maintaining the ideological rigidity of the Soviet State. Yet, as examples of the work of Iakov Khalip, Anatolii Egorov, Mikhail Savin, and Mark Markov-Grinberg show, Soviet photographic practices were much more complex than has been previously acknowledged. The works of these photographers remain intensely compelling to a modernist eye.

Contemporary Russian photographers, such as Lev Melikhov, Valerii Stigneev and Sergei Leontiev, engage with the legacy of the Soviet documentary photography. But for them the documentary is a complex and multivalent genre, which incorporates subjectivity, ambiguity and reflexivity and comments on social and cultural issues without losing sight of the position from which that commentary is made. In the recent photographs by Vladimir Kupriyanov, Igor Moukhin, Anna Gorunova and Pakito Infante, the "real" space of Moscow is replaced by an imaginary and optical spaces of virtuality.

The works in the exhibition are on loan from Moscow's Cultural Center Dom, and many are being shown outside Russia for the first time. In conjunction with the exhibition, the Wallach Art Gallery is publishing an illustrated catalogue with a scholarly essay by the exhibition curator, Nadia Michoustina, a Ph.D. candidate in Columbia University's Department of Slavic Languages. The essay presents a nuanced history of Russian photography of the 20th century, and contributes to an interpretation of extraordinary images.

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