Touchstone: Success Narrative

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

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

Sample Touchstone

A. Assignment Guidelines

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

1. Who I Am Now

❒ Have you provided a brief biographical statement explaining your educational and career experiences thus far?❒ Have you shared any personal characteristics (e.g., determination, flexibility) that you feel are relevant to your narrative?

2. My Goals

❒ Have you provided three long-term goals you wish to accomplish?❒ Have you connected those goals to either your academic or professional aspirations?

3. How I Will Get There

❒ Have you identified and explained at least two short-term steps for achieving each of your three goals?❒ Have you set target dates for each of these steps?❒ Have you addressed any obstacles you might face in pursuit of these goals?

B. Rubric

Meets Expectations (80-100%)Partially Meets Expectations (50-79%)Does Not Meet Expectations (0-49%)

Who I Am Now

Write a paragraph describing your academic and professional history, and related personal characteristics.Includes a detailed description of academic and professional history in a single paragraph; includes personal characteristics to support the description.Provides an incomplete description of academic and professional history (i.e., either academic or professional history is not described); does not include any personal characteristics.Does not includes neither an academic nor a professional biographical statement; does not include any personal characteristics.

My Goals

Write a paragraph stating three professional and/or academic long-term goals, and provide a brief description of each goal.Identifies three professional and/or academic long-term goals; provides brief description of each.Identifies one or two professional and/or academic long-term goals; does not provide a description of the goals.Does not identify any professional and/or academic long-term goals.

How I Will Get There

Write a paragraph describing two or more short-term actions that you can take to achieve each goal described above.Provides a detailed explanation of at least two short-term actions that be taken to achieve each goal.Provides a detailed explanation of one short-term action that can be taken to achieve each goal.Does not explain any short-term actions that can be taken to achieve the goals.

Overall Reflection

Incorporate thoughtful personal reflection to connect the goals and actions described in the composition.Demonstrates a clear connection between the goals and the actions that will help achieve them. The composition is at least 500 words.Provides goals and actions, but does not establish a clear connection between them, or does not establish a timeline for the plan to achieve the goals. The composition is 100-200 words too short.Does not demonstrate a meaningful connection between the goals and proposed actions and no timeline to achieve the goals has been provided. The composition is more than 200 words too short.

C. Requirements

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

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