Descriptive Essay Assignment (Essay 2!)

I hope everyone is enjoying the course so far; I know I am.

Our next essay assignment will be to write a descriptive essay. I hope you're familiar with what that is -- if not, then you haven't read through chapter 11 (12, if you have the new edition).

Successful descriptive essays have a dominant impression, so you'll need to decide what impression you want to convey about your subject. Let's say, using the example we discussed in class about the hailstorm earlier this year, that your dominant impression is that the storm was frightening. Each of the details you use in your essay should contribute to that specific impression. Don't forget to title your essay, too.

You'll also need to make use of sensory details. What sounds/smells/sights about this object could you describe that might contribute to the dominant impression? A successful essay will make good use of this.

 Your essay will need to be organized, have an introduction, body paragraphs and a conclusion. Each body paragraph needs a topic sentence that ties into the dominant impression.

Of course, your final draft will need to be free of error. So don't forget to get editing assistance at the CLE!

Possible topics are listed at the end of chapter 11 (12 for the 6th edition), but here are a few to consider:

1. In "Eating Chilli Peppers," the author describes the love that some people have for eating peppers. Write an essay for your classmates describing a food that a family member or close friend enjoys but that you dislike.

2. Write an essay describing destruction or devastation you have observed as a result of a natural disaster, an accident, or a form of violence. 

3. Write a report for your local newspaper on a local sporting event you recently observed or participated in.

4. Write a letter to persuade your parents to loan you money. The loan may be to purchase a used car or rent a more expensive apartment, for example. Include a description of your current car or apartment.

5. Write a description of your ideal internship (or job, perhaps?).

The specifics: 

Minimum of 2 pages
Double spaced
Times New Roman font (or something similar)

Due Dates:

Rough Draft: 2/6  - Bring 3 copies to class for peer review!
Revised Rough Draft to instructor: 2/11

Here's the rubric I'm using to grade this essay

Let me know if you have any questions. I'm here to help!

Chapter 2 Discussion Questions

Things to ponder!

These are the talking points for our class discussion this evening. Don't worry about responding to them now; we'll be doing that as our in class assignment today.

1. Define academic writing. What are its characteristics? How does it differ from writing you may have done in the past?

2. What are some different forms of writing? What forms of writing will you be using in this class (you may need to look at the syllabus)? How might the writing in this class be similar/different from your other classes?

3. What do you think "language of the discipline" means? Give examples from your different majors/careers.

4. What is "standard American English"? In an academic setting, do you think it's important to use standard American English? Why or why not?

5. What is a "scholarly source"? Give a few examples. Where might you find scholarly sources?

6. What is "collaborative learning"? Do you think it's important? Why or why not?

7. How would you define "good writing skills"? Do you think it's important to have them? Why or why not?

Welcome to English 1301

Time to peruse! Check out the course syllabus. If you have any questions, please let me know in class!

For Monday:

Get your hands on a copy of the book and bring it to class. Read chapter 2, pages 21-26.

Also, read the syllabus carefully

And here are the instructions for our first essay --


Writing Assignment I:

Write a literacy narrative in which you describe your development as a writer. You can write about your past experiences in school, the work place, or just life in general. I'm interested your conceptions about writing and English. You can write about one single experience, or perhaps in more general terms. This should be written in the first person, and should be at least one page double spaced. DUE Wednesday, January 30th

Write a one page paper about your writing history.