Descriptive Essays

Pretend you are a real estate agent and you must write a description of the piece of land above. Currently, you have the following information: This 1000 acre mostly wooded lot is for sale. Near the mountains. Some cleared land. Asking $100,000.

Make this more appealing to your clients.

What is Description?Information presented that appeals to the

five senses.Lets others know what the experience of the

author wasNurse: What the burn looked likeArt: How the artist used line and colorChemistry: what a reaction looked or smelled

like

How?Start with Research

Your experiencesSomething you learned about

List the senses involvedFind fantastic words for those sensesBe sure to use those words in your essay

Why?Description is what the reader will rememberMakes something more or less appealingCreates the emotional response

Remember people are motivated by what they feel

We learn about what we care about. Make your reader care.

Deciding on the Topic

First- Do you want to write about something you know about? Or something you want to learn about?

Something you know aboutPros ConsYou should be familiar

with this alreadyYour background is solidYou may know where to

find researchPaper is likely to seem

“expert”“Easier”

Not much new to learnMay be hard to find

research that supports what you “know”

May be hard not to let your own feelings dominate

Easy to not explain enough

Something NewPros ConsLearn something

interestingIdeas will be guided by

your research instead of “feelings”

More research (but this might be good)

You may not learn enough to seem like an “expert”

ResearchRegardless of known or new, you must have

solid researchMinimum of 2 database resources

Choose the Vantage PointWho is the narrator?What relationship does he/she have with the

subject?Why does this matter enough to explain?

Choose the AudienceWho is listening?How much background do they have?Where are they from?Where will they read this?Why would they read it?

Whatever you choose- keep the audience consistent

Organize the EssaySpatial Order

Make the journey sensible (inside out; top to bottom; focal point outward)

Stay consistentChronological

Beginning to end or end to beginningMost to least or Least to most

A Graphic Organizer or Outline is advisable

The Rough DraftRead all of your informationThinkConsider your organizationDecide on the Controlling Idea or thesisFollowing your organization- write

ConnotationFor each of the following give 5 words with

essentially the same meaningSmall childWomanCarWealthyFarmer

Revision before Peer or Class EditingClear focusSentence varietyUse connotation to your advantageAction VerbsSensory wordsFix Grammar and Spelling errors

You want this to be as perfect as you can before others help you. Bring your best to the plate!

Submit your best Rough DraftSubmit to turnitin.com

Peer/ Class EditingConstructive CommentsHelp everybody get an AHints for what would helpTake it seriouslyDo not take it personally- they are just words-

your ideas are not the problem- we are only trying to make you more effective

Final DraftNot a “neat” copy versus the “sloppy” copyLook at all of the comments from everybody.

Are there themes? Fix the common problems.

Errors in logistics, organization, or facts hold much more weight than grammar mistakes or typos

Perfect the wordingClean up mechanical errors

FeedbackRead the feedbackRecognize the errorsNotice the strengthsWhat to improve

I will look for this in particular in the following paper.

It is the next step to being a better writer