Descriptive Essay Assignment- Characterization Cohort

For this assignment, you will create an original essay. Consider the following elements as you develop your work:

Essay should be 1-3 pages long
Essay should be typed, 12 pt., Times New Roman print
Essay should focus on a singular moment in time
First-person point of view is appropriate for this style of writing.

Topic: Write an essay that describes a person who is important to you. The details in your essay should bring this person to life and show how significant he/she is to you.

I suggest the following steps as you work through this process:

1.) Think about a person in your life who has affected you deeply. Describe a moment that illustrates your relationship with that person. Use sensory detail and language, including language that describes

2.) Begin “in the moment”. Start your essay with a description of one aspect of this person’s physical traits or character and allow the reader to imagine this person. Introduce the emotions you felt during your interactions with this person.

3.) Stay focused. Avoid off-topic remarks or rambling on the subject. Stay with one main idea throughout your essay.

4.) Be thorough. Good description paints a complete picture. Describe this person’s look, style, behavior, words, and personality through specific details about this memory.

Descriptive Essay Rubric

Element	*Exemplary*	*Accomplished*	*Developing*	*Beginning*
*Insight*	The essay presents an engaging and vivid description linked by an insightful idea.	The essay presents a complete description linked by an idea.	The essay presents an intelligible description that may be missing information.	The essay lacks a strong idea to hold the pieces together.
*Holistic Effect*	The opening grabs the reader’s attention, the vivid details maintain the reader’s attention and create a clear picture of the person, place, object, or experience described.	The opening gets the reader’s attention, the supporting details are relevant and provide adequate description of the person, place, object, or experience described.	The opening establishes the focus, the supporting details are undeveloped or not always relevant and do not provide a clear picture of the person, place, object, or experience described.	The opening does not tell the reader the focus, supporting details are missing or unclear and the description is not clear.
*Fluidity*	The essay flows well & is easy to follow; it makes sense & was obviously carefully thought-out before being written.	The essay flows well and is easy to follow; it makes sense and was somewhat thought-out before being written.	The essay may lack some element which inhibits the flow; it may not have been well-planned-out.	The essay is difficult to follow and lacks cohesion.
*Style*	The essay uses specific diction & detailed imagery to show rather than state the author’s emotions and connection to the focus.	The essay uses diction & imagery to show rather than state the author’s emotions and connection to the focus.	The essay states directly rather than shows through imagery the author’s emotions and connection to the focus.	The essay does not show or state the author’s emotions and connection to the focus.
*Mechanics*	The overall organization, paragraphs, sentences, word choice and mechanics enhance the meaning.	The overall organization, paragraphs, sentences, word choice & mechanics are coherent with few errors.	Errors in the overall organization, paragraphs, sentences, word choice and mechanics do not interfere with the meaning.	Errors in the overall organization, paragraphs, sentences, word choice and mechanics distract from the meaning.