Paragraph 1: Define what a single story is and why it can be harmful or dangerous.
Use your own voice—no need for Adichie’s quotes yet. Explain in your own words what a single
story is and means to you.
Thesis statement: introduce the idea that you’ve had a single story experience in your own life.
Make the connection between yourself and the concept of a single story.
Paragraph 2: Introduce and define your community. (Nationality, religion, home town, job,
hobbies, ethnicity, gender, family, interests, hobbies, etc. Or one of the more broad categories
you might have examined in your discussion board work this week from the media, education,
society, etc.) Give background. Explain the single story of this community as you see it.
How has the single story changed over time, and why is it important to examine and challenge
that single story now?
Paragraph 3: Tell your story. How did you become aware of this single story? What
happened? Use a clear scene to show us this moment in time. OR the moment where you
realized you were perpetuating the single story? Reflect on what this meant to you—how you
felt, how you feel now, etc.
Scene: Action, movement, dialogue, description of characters and settings, weather/temperature,
mood—like if you were watching a movie of this moment in time. Dramatizing. Use all five
senses.
Reflection: What you lost, what you gained, what you learned about yourself or the world. The
older, wiser you looking back on this moment in time and making sense of it for the reader.
Paragraphs 4-6ish Continue your scene and your story. Reflect on how this moment from your
life exemplifies the idea of the single story.
Paragraph 7ish—Return to the TED Talk. How can this myth be dispelled about your
community? Use her words to help here—2 quotes required from the TED Talk, and not the
same ones from the assignment sheet. How can we see more multifaceted stories about this
issue you’ve encountered? How did you learn that other stories and perspectives existed?
Paragraph 8ish: Call to action. What can readers do? Where can they go to learn more about the
many stories that exist about this community? What can they do? What experiences can they
have, etc.? Help them find more stories than just one.
Works Cited Page: Visit Purdue OWL to help:
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/ml
a_works_cited_page_basic_format.html
