GE 117 Composition I

Week 7 – Description and Illustration Essays

Show….don’t Tell

GE 117 Composition

Let’s review from Week 6:

Plagiarism

MLA Citations

Cause-Effect Essays

GE 117 Composition I

Plagiarism: The intentional or unintentional stealing, borrowing, or use of another author’s words, ideas, thoughts, or facts without giving proper credit to the original author and/or source.

Most cases of plagiarism are unintentional and arise from students not knowing how or when to cite sources properly.

GE 117 Composition I

MLA Citation System

- Complete system for citing sources- Has 2 parts: In-text, parenthetical

references (E.g. – (Jones 7) ) and a separate bibliography page

- Use KnightCite or similar bibliography generators.

GE 117 Composition I

Cause and Effect

- Common form of writing that answers the Q’s: Why? How Come? Due to what? What if? What happens when?

- Draws connections between 2 or more events or phenomena.

- Don’t mistake correlation for causation

- Focus on either Causes of Effects

GE 117 Composition I

Week 7 Objectives

1) Use sensory information to draft descriptive paragraphs

2) Use principles of illustration to “Show, not, Tell”

GE 117 Composition I

Descriptive Writing – Chapter 11

Description – Writing that makes use of and focuses on sensory details and experiences.

GE 117 Composition I

Description

There are 2 major kinds of descriptive writing: Objective and Subjective

Objective: Straight forward description without an author’s feelings, thoughts, opinions. Popular in journalism and academic writing.

GE 117 Composition I

Description

Subjective: Description that is highly personal, and incorporates the author’s feelings, thoughts, and opinions. Popular in reflective pieces or character studies.

GE 117 Composition I

DescriptionDescriptive writing makes use of 5 senses:

Sight TastesSounds Smells

TouchWhatever we experience, we do so through

our five senses….make use of them!

GE 117 Composition I

Description

Remember theses strategies for description:

1) Focus on a Dominant Impression – the main “memory” or “image” you have.

2) Select only the relevant details that support the Dominant Impression – ignore all else.

GE 117 Composition I

Description

3) Organize the details with a organizational method:

A) Chronological B) Spatial

C) Emphatic Sequence

4) Make use of vivid sensory details and of action verbs. Avoid “to be “ verb forms such as “is, are, were, was, etc.” New writers often commit the cardinal sin of using “to be” verbs like mad.

GE 117 Composition I

Now Let’s Practice!

In-class activity: Show, Don’t Tell!

- Rewrite the ten sentences on the handout

- Replace “to be” verbs with action verbs

- Add sensory details where appropriate

GE 117 Composition I

Illustration

Illustration: A form of descriptive writing that centers around the use of specific examples that illustrate, demonstrate, or support the Thesis Statement.

E.g., if someone asked you, “Have you been to any good restaurants lately?” you probably wouldn’t answer, “Yes,” and then changed the subject immediately. Likely, you would go on to illustrate your answer with examples.

All “evidence” is made up of examples!

GE 117 Composition I

Illustration

Remember these strategies for drafting:

1) Based on your Thesis Statement, choose the appropriate examples to include.

2) Develop your examples with a high level of detail – Be sure to be specific!

GE 117 Composition I

Illustration

3) Choose an organizational method that fits your subject and your Thesis Statement.

A) Chronological

B) Spatial

C) Simple to Complex

D) Emphatic Sequence

GE 117 Composition I

Illustration

4) Choose a consistent point-of-view:

A) If an author’s feelings, opinions, beliefs don’t matter , choose 3rd Person POV

B) If the author’s feelings, opinions, beliefs do matter, choose 1st Person POV

GE 117 Composition I

Homework Assignment

- Write an Illustration essay (see page 261 or the handout for topics)

- Use sensory details or specific examples

- Use action verbs

- Intro, 3 body paragraphs, Conclusion

- Typed, double-spaced, normal font

No Course Project Homework This week(Use this week to get caught up)