Tips
Descriptive writing allows you to share with your readers in a vivid way about
- people
- places
- feelings
- emotions
- just about anything that might interest you
- perceptions
You can paint pictures with words by being aware of sensory images of the
- sights
- sounds
- smells
- tastes
- and textures which exist in the world you live
Resources | McWhorter, K, T. (2013). Reflections: Patterns for reading and writing. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s. Tompkins, G. (2008). Descriptive writing. In teaching writing: Balancing process and product, 5th ed. (pp. 218-238). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Educriting a Descriptive Essay
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Tips for Writing a Descriptive Essay | http://www.time4writing.com/writing-resources/descriptive-essay/ |
Information | Descriptive writing allows you to share with your readers in a vivid way about •people •places •feelings •emotions •and just about anything that might interest you perceptions
You can paint pictures with words by being aware of sensory images of the •sights •sounds •smells •tastes •and textures which exist in the world you live
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Organizing your Descriptive Piece using any of the following techniques
| The Spatial Order Spatial order attempts to convey reality by describing the relative position of places or objects. When you use spatial order, present details to your readers as if they were observing the scene, person or the object. Perhaps it might help you to imagine you directing a film. You create a plausible setting - farm, a castle, circus. Then you use a sensible progression, such as far to near, from top to bottom or from side to side. Chronological Order This order is used to present details in the order in which they were observed. Ensure that you focus on descriptive details, not a series of events. If describing a football match, you do not give a ball-by-ball summary of the match; instead, you develop sensory details, focusing perhaps on the pre-game crowd, one exciting play, and the moment of victory.
Order of Importance This involves organizing details from the least important to the most important, or from the most important to the least important. The order you will select will depend on your own judgment of which arrangement is most effective. Words and phrases such as ‘first’ and ‘most important of all’ can be used to show transition and help to make your paragraphs more coherent. The relative importance of the details must be made absolutely clear to your readers. details, focusing perhaps on the pre-game crowd, one exciting play, and the moment of victory.
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WORD BANK | Make your descriptive piece more interesting by utilizing words from the link above. |
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McWhorter, K, T. (2013). Reflections: Patterns for reading and writing. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s.
This is how your work will be evaluated.
| Beginning 1 | Developing 2 | Qualified 3 | Exemplary 4 | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stated Objective or Performance | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting a beginning level of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting development and movement toward mastery of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting mastery of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting the highest level of performance. | |
| Stated Objective or Performance | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting a beginning level of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting development and movement toward mastery of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting mastery of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting the highest level of performance. | |
| Stated Objective or Performance | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting a beginning level of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting development and movement toward mastery of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting mastery of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting the highest level of performance. | |
| Stated Objective or Performance | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting a beginning level of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting development and movement toward mastery of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting mastery of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting the highest level of performance. | |
| Stated Objective or Performance | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting a beginning level of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting development and movement toward mastery of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting mastery of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting the highest level of performance. | |
| Stated Objective or Performance | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting a beginning level of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting development and movement toward mastery of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting mastery of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting the highest level of performance. | |
| Stated Objective or Performance | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting a beginning level of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting development and movement toward mastery of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting mastery of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting the highest level of performance. |