Write a 500-750 word essay using description as the chief method of development. Follow the guidelines for formatting as described in Lesson 2.
For a topic for description, see the list at the end of Chapter 3, Description, in The Longman Reader. Choose one, or choose another topic that you would prefer to use. Be sure that you are writing a descriptive essay, not a narrative.
Accumulate as many details as you can about your topic, and then sift through them, discarding those that are irrelevant, weak, or unrelated to the impression you would like to convey.
Organize your ideas.
Use vivid language and varied sentence structure.
Your outline must be included with your essay submission.
As your text points out, “Description can be a supportive technique that develops part of an essay, or it can be the dominant technique used throughout an essay” (Nadell, Langan, Comodromos 72). In this essay assignment, description will be the dominant technique used to develop a distinct impression of your topic. Remember that description must appeal to the senses: taste, touch, sound, sight, smell. While you need not appeal to every sense in your essay, be sure to give the reader enough description so that he/she can be a part of your topic’s development. You may certainly use figurative language in your descriptions – simile, metaphor, personification, etc. In any case, be aware of your audience (your classmates) and your tone. Your choice of words may greatly influence your reader’s impression of your topic. Be careful to present your topic as you would like it to be interpreted.
