Description
What is description?
The expression, in vivid language, of what the five senses experience
appeals to the senses
Description: How it fits your purpose
can be a supportive technique that develops a part of your essay
casual analysis: describing a pack of starving dogs to support consequences of pet overpopulation
argument/persuasion: describe a violent family fight that ended in a murder in an essay on gun control
process-analysis: beauty of old fashioned ice cream maker in an essay on making ice cream
narrative: describe musician in an essay about street music
Description: How it fits your audience
who your audience is indicates how much description to use
are your writing for experts? Novices?
Description: Two Types
objective: just the facts, no opinions
reporters, technical writers, scientists
subjective: highly personal view of the topic
author looks to get a strong response from the reader
tone is determined by your attitude toward the subject, reader response you are looking for, your purpose
Description: Suggestions for using description
1. focus essay around a dominant impression
what is the dominant impression ( the principal effect the writer wishes to create for the audience) you have of your subject?
Establish dominant impression early
dominant impression should be implied, not stated
2. select details to use
must support the dominant impression
be selective-don't have to say everything
be specific
create a chart using the five senses and try to find descriptors from each
3. organize the descriptive details
select the organizational pattern that best supports the dominant impression
usu. Spatially (top to bottom, interior to exterior, near to far) or chronological
also can...