Example of descriptive essay

Serena Reno

Amano-Tompkins

English 100

LAX: An Assault on the Senses

Aren’t vacations exciting? Packing and setting the alarm a day before already gets me anxious. I lay in bed thinking: What will Hawaii look like? What will there be for me to taste or touch? I wonder if I can actually smell the exotic flowers in the air. Is there traffic like there is in LA? Or is it calm, silent, and peaceful? Before I can even experience all my thoughts, I have to go through LAX airport: the place where all the aspects of my senses get tested first.

LAX airport was crowded and busy even before I entered it. Right when I exited the 105 freeway, I immediately saw the huge LAX sign. Off the sides, I saw the enormous poles that lit up at night. When I first entered terminal one, there were already people in their cars trying to find parking. Buses, taxis, and shuttles were dropping and picking up people, while others were running around trying to find a cart to put their luggage in. Every forty- five seconds, I could see an airplane the size of the Titanic, flying above my head. Inside the terminals were lines for people to check in. In addition to the check-in point, there were conveyor belts, baggage claims, gift shops, and a massive board posting flight schedules. The most overwhelming sight to see was the TSA area. (This is where x-ray scans take place before going into the gates.) Additionally, I saw all types of people waiting for their flights. There were soldiers, business men and women, families with children running and playing around, and I even saw flight attendants. My eyes never rested because of the rate of movement in LAX airport.

There were so many things going on that it was impossible to avoid all the raucous noise that went on inside the terminals. The screeching tires and honking vehicles rang an annoying bell in my ears. But that was nothing compared to the shaking ground and the “rooooooom” from the airplanes taking off. Then there was the intercom voice: “Flight 609, now boarding. Last call, flight 609 now boarding.” Somehow, the intercom voice was the most soothing voice because it meant that vacation was getting nearer. On the other hand, crying babies and screaming children were the most disturbing sound that ever encountered my ears. Their mothers were screaming at them, “Matthew! Stop running around!” and some mothers were singing their babies to sleep. On top of that, the dogs jogged around sniffing, and of course, barking at certain luggage. It seemed like peace and quiet ran away to get married and never came back.

Not only were there so many sights to see and so much noise to listen to, the touch and smell changed all around me. I smelled the smoke from vehicles and cigarettes in the hands of air polluters. As people walked by me, their cologne and perfume charged up my nose. However, the aroma of coffee and McDonald’s food brought a smile to my face. Besides all the different smells in the air, I was able to feel the coldness from the air conditioner. The chill in the terminals made the handles on the luggage carts cold. Beyond the ghostly chill, the leather seats were smooth but warm from the many bodies that sat on them. However, the experience was not over until I passed the overly crowded lines, which lead to the plane. It was not impossible to feel hot and musty between the people in line.

In retrospect, LAX airport touched all the aspects of my senses. I was able to see so many sights of such vehicles, airplanes, terminals, and people. In addition, I was able to hear screeching tires, honking vehicles, and even families yelling at each other. Moreover, I smelled smoke from machines and humans, and I also got to feel the welcoming chill from the air conditioner. In spite of LAX airport being busy, it was still possible for me to see, hear, smell, and touch every dimension of the airport.

Prompt: Descriptive essay

Prompt: Descriptive Essay

Essay 1: Descriptive Essay (Observation of a Public Place)

To complete this assignment, you must observe a public place for at least 20 minutes.  You can observe a store, a restaurant, a park, a mall, a government office, a specific area of the college campus or any other area open to and frequented by the public. You will write a descriptive essay of the place you observe. (Do not attempt to use a memory of a past experience. To succeed on this essay, you need to write about an observation you do specifically for this assignment.)

Observation of a Public Place
When you conduct your observation, notice the people who inhabit the place you have chosen. Who are they? Why are they there? What do they look like? What are they doing? How do they behave? Do they seem happy, nervous, hopeful, frustrated, cheerful, bored? As you observe your public place, pay attention to the physical environment. What does it look like? What does it sound like? How does it affect the people in it?
Be sure to take notes as you conduct your observation. In addition to recording your overall impressions, write down as many specifics and sensory details as you can. Try to connect details that you observe to the impressions they create. 

Outline
Once you have completed your observation, define the dominant impression of the place you observed that you want to convey to your reader. Write a working thesis statement that expresses your dominant impression. Identify three to four main points that you will use to support your thesis. Make sure you have enough specifics and details to discuss for each supporting point. (five points)

First Draft
Write a draft of your descriptive essay. Your draft should include (1) a clear introduction that specifies the location of your observation and contains your thesis statement; (2) three or four body paragraphs, consisting of specific, detailed description; (3) and a concluding paragraph. You may type or neatly handwrite your draft. Please double-space (skip every other line). (5 points)
Final Draft (90 points)                          
Revise your draft, taking into consideration feedback you received in the draft workshop.


Essay guidelines
-Your final draft should be at least two full pages long and have at least five paragraphs.
-Your essay should contain an explicit thesis statement that expresses the dominant impression of your observation that you are trying to convey in your essay.
-Support your thesis statement with evidence in the form of specific, concrete details from your observation. If your body paragraphs do not support your thesis, make an adjustment.
-Begin each body paragraph with a topic sentence that expresses the main point of the paragraph.
-You may use the first-person voice (but you don’t have to).
-Please title your essay!
-Format your final draft in MLA style (see Formatting handout).
Complete this form to create your outline for Essay 1…


Tentative title for your essay: ________________________________

I. Introduction
Thesis statement: ______________________________________________________________


Your thesis statement should be a complete sentence that (1) identifies the location of your observation and (2) expresses your point of view on the location. Note: The thesis statement need not be the first sentence of your essay. A good place for the thesis is usually the last sentence of your introductory paragraph.

II. Supporting point 1: _____________________________________________________
Try to express your point in a complete sentence that can serve as a topic sentence for the paragraph.
List specifics and details that you plan to use to develop your point.
A.    _______________________________________________________
B.    _______________________________________________________
C.    _______________________________________________________
D.    _______________________________________________________

III. Supporting point 2: _____________________________________________________

A.    _______________________________________________________
B.    _______________________________________________________
C.    _______________________________________________________
D.    _______________________________________________________

IV. Supporting point 3: _____________________________________________________

A.    _______________________________________________________
B.    _______________________________________________________
C.    _______________________________________________________
D.    _______________________________________________________

Reading analysis: IQ

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Reading analysis (non-fiction)

Guidelines for Reading Analysis Presentations (Non-fiction)

You must sign-up for at least five presentations this semester. Make a note of the article titles and presentation dates that you sign up for below.

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You will be presenting your analysis in class along with two to five of your classmates. The class will be counting on you to be on top of the article you are covering, so please be prepared!

To receive credit for this assignment, you must participate in the presentation of your analysis. You will be graded primarily on your written analysis (breakdown of scoring below), but outstanding presentations will be rewarded.

Read the article you will be analyzing carefully. If possible, read it twice. On your first reading, just try to identify the main idea(s) and get a feel for the writer’s approach and the flow of the piece. On your second reading, go over the text more carefully; notice how the writer constructs his or her argument. You will probably want to mark up your text and/or take notes.

To prepare your written analysis:

Identify the author’s name and the title of the article. Answer the following questions. Put your answers in outline form (see sample analysis on the reverse side of this sheet).

1.     What is the central claim (or thesis) of the selection? Your answer should be a complete sentence in your own words (not a quote!). Be as specific as possible, but remember that your claim should cover the whole article.

2.     Is the central claim expressed explicitly or implicitly? The claim is explicit if the writer spells out what it is. The claim is implicit if the writer only implies the claim but does not state it outright.

3.     What reasons link the evidence to the claim? In other words, why does the evidence support the claim? Reasons may be presented explicitly or implied.

4.     What evidence does the writer present to support his or her claim? Specify and categorize the evidence (e.g. examples, personal experiences, analogy, authoritative opinion, facts, statistical data, cause-effect reasoning, results of scientific experiments, comparison, interviews, etc. – see sample on back). Do not answer this question with detailed quotes or paraphrases from the article!

5.     Comment briefly on the persuasiveness of the article by answering one or more of the following questions.  

·       Is the argument convincing? Does it rely on emotional, ethical, and/or logical appeals?

·       Are there flaws in the reasoning of the argument? Does it rely on questionable sources? 

·       Does understanding the argument require knowledge of the historical or cultural context in which it was written?

·       How do the style, organization, and/or tone contribute or detract from the persuasiveness of the argument?

·       What is your personal reaction to the article?

6.     Write a discussion question to ask the class about the article. The best questions will stimulate interesting discussion about the issues raised in the article. You may also ask questions that “test” your classmates’ recall and understanding of the article.

The essentials: Syllabus

English 100

Intermediate Reading and Composition

Instructor: Tommy Amano-Tompkins                                                            Fall 2019

Sections 0198 – MW 1:00-2:25 pm; Lab 2:30-3:05 pm                Location: NEA 109

Office hours: Mon. Noon-12:30 pm

Office phone:  no phone

Email: amanott@lahc.edu (best way to communicate with me outside of class)

Class Website≈eng100H19.blogspot.com

This class prepares students for academic reading, critical thinking, and writing expected in transfer and associate-degree classes. Students plan, draft, revise, and edit compositions based on college-level readings that cover topics that challenge students' thinking and provide an intellectual background for the assignments. This course prepares students for English 101.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Students who successfully complete English 100 will be able to

1. Take charge of reading and apply strategies to unlock the meaning from texts, including:
- identifying passages that are causing difficulty to comprehension;
- developing strategies to work through difficult passages;
- identifying and correcting reading miscues;
- understanding such text features as structure, transitions, captions, graphs, charts;
2. Read actively and critically, and effectively use textual annotation;
3. Distinguish fact from opinion;
4. Identify and discuss abstract concepts found in readings;
5. Form and explain legitimate inferences from specific data;
6. Synthesize ideas and information to develop her/his own viewpoints on a topic;
7. Organize ideas clearly and effectively in writing;
8. Formulate a controlling idea to focus writing;
9. Support each point with adequate and varied evidence;
10. Follow basic manuscript and research format;   
11. Tailor writing to address a specific audience;
12. Develop sentences to relate and emphasize ideas and then detect and correct major mechanical and grammatical errors.

Students with Disabilities

Students with disabilities, whether physical, learning, or psychological, who believe that they may need accommodations in this class, are encouraged to contact the staff at Special Programs & Services as soon as possible to ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely manner.

Required texts:         (available at the campus bookstore)

I.Q. by Joe Ide - ISBN-13: 978-0316267731

Rules for Writers (seventh edition) by Diana Hacker – ISBN 0-312-64736-0

You will need all of the above books to pass this class!

Bring your books, a notebook (or notebook paper), and a pen to every class meeting. You will also need to purchase three blue books for the two in-class essays and the final exam.

Students who succeed in English 100 usually choose to             **Read carefully!**

• Make a serious commitment to succeeding in this class.
• Come to class on time and prepared.
• Get the required texts as soon as possible.
• Do all the assignments, including readings, and keep up with the class schedule.
• Participate in class discussions and activities.
• Refrain from using their cell phones during class.
• Let me know immediately if they experience a problem with the class or if other areas of their lives seriously interfere with their ability to do their class work.
• Seek out all legitimate help with their course work, if you need it, including the Writing Lab, tutoring, campus librarians, your textbook, and me.

·       Maintain academic integrity by doing their own work. They do not plagiarize; they do not cheat. (See box on plagiarism below.)

• Treat classmates and instructor with respect and consideration.
• Recognize that real learning is difficult – it involves making mistakes and taking risks.

If you are not willing to make these choices, you are not likely to pass this class!

I will be happy to meet with you to discuss your work in this course. I encourage you to visit me during office hours, but if that is not convenient for you, we can make an appointment to meet at another time.

All students are expected to abide by the Standards of Student Conduct detailed in the Course Catalog.

Plagiarism can mean copying, word for word, all or part of something someone else has written and turning it in with your name on it. Plagiarism also includes using your own words to express someone else’s ideas without crediting the source of those ideas and reusing your own papers written for another class.

Plagiarism is a very serious form of academic misconduct. It’s both lying and stealing, and it’s a waste of time for students and teachers. College and departmental policy on plagiarism will be strictly enforced: Any student caught plagiarizing will automatically receive a zero for that assignment, with no possibility of making it up, and may be subject to up to a formal reprimand and/or suspension.

Cite your sources! Please retain all notes and drafts of your papers until grading for the course is completed.

Email: All email communications from the college (including those from your instructors) will be directed to your LACCD student email account, so you are strongly urged to check it regularly.

Course site: Eng100H19.blogspot.com

A reference Web site for this course is available at the URL above. The site primarily contains information that we cover in class, such as due dates and requirements for specific assignments. Occasionally, I will post links to online readings or other resources that may be useful to the class. Downloadable handouts will be available on the Downloadable Documents page, so if you miss or lose a class handout, you’ll be able to find it here. 

Attendance/Tardiness

Attendance in class is mandatory. This is the college policy. If a student is absent for more than the hours that a class meets per week, or if there is irregular attendance or a pattern of absences, the instructor has sufficient cause to drop a student from the class. For example, if a course meets 3 hours a week, then a student is allowed a maximum of 3 absences. Students who enter the class after the official starting time will be marked absent for that particular day.

If a student is absent the first and/or second class meeting of the first week of the semester, then the student will be dropped from the class. If you are absent three classes in a row, I will assume you intend to drop the class.

Electronic Communication Devices Policy

According to Communications Division policy, electronic communication devices must remain off during class time. 

Grading:         Your final grade in this class will be computed as follows.

Essays (3)                                                                                            30%     300

Reading presentations (each student does 5)                      20%    200

Research project                                                                                  10%  100

Journal                                                                                     10%  100

Midterm exam                                                                         7%    70

Homework/participation                                                                      10%  100

Final exam                                                                                           7%    70

Quizzes                                                                                                6%    60

Quizzes cannot be made up. If you are late with an essay you must notify your teacher in advance; you will lose 10 points if you are late with an assignment, and you have one week to turn in a late assignment. Missing assignments can significantly impact your grade and prevent you from passing the course. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure that the paper is received and readable.

Revising: You may revise one or both of the first two essays and resubmit your work for re-grading. Your grade may be raised a maximum of 10 percentage points. However, to improve your grade, you will need to do more than correct grammatical errors and reword or reorder a few phrases. Revision means a new vision; it means looking at your work with fresh eyes and reconsidering the content, focus, and organization of your essay. It may involve rethinking, as well as rewriting. Revised essays are due within one week of receiving your original essay back and must be accompanied by your original graded essay and a cover letter explaining what changes you made and why. Late essays may not be resubmitted for regarding. Please do not revise and resubmit essays that receive a score of 90% or higher.

Contact information for a few reliable classmates

___________________________________________________________________

Name                                                                           Phone                                      Email

___________________________________________________________________

Name                                                                           Phone                                      Email

___________________________________________________________________

Name                                                                           Phone                                      Email

Los Angeles Harbor College Mission Statement

Los Angeles Harbor College promotes access and student success through associate and transfer degrees, certificates, economic and workforce development, and basic skills instruction. Our educational programs and support services meet the needs of diverse communities as measured by campus institutional learning outcomes.

Schedule of Topics and Assignments (subject to change)

Date	Lesson Topic(s)	Homework & class preparation to complete before class     R4W = Rules for Writers ***IMPORTANT: For exercises from Rules for Writers, turn in answers to numbered questions only. Answers to lettered questions can be found in the back of the book. ***	Quizzes, exams, and major assignments
		Week 1
Mon. 8/27	Introduction	Welcome Syllabus Journal: why are you here?	Diagnostic writing
Wed. 8/29	Reading Critically	Close reading: “Girl,” by Jamaica Kincaid http://www.saginaw-twp.k12.mi.us/view/8490.pdf  “Sixteen,” by Charlie Spence http://english52s2016.blogspot.com/2016/01/sixteen-by-charlie-spence.html Read prompt descriptive essay (do observation over the long weekend)	Diagnostic grammar test (reading analysis) Prompt essay 1
		Week 2
Mon. 9/2	Essay Structure	LABOR DAY HOLIDAY– NO CLASS
Wed. 9/4		“Instead of Jail, Court Fines to Fit the Wallet,” by Tina Rosenberg https://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/10/09/scaling-fines-to-what-offenders-can-pay/ R4W: Parts of speech, pp. 368-80 R4W - Exercises 46-1, pp. 368-9; Ex. 46-2, p. 371; & Ex. 46-3, pp. 373-4 ***IMPORTANT: For exercises from Rules for Writers, turn in answers to numbered questions only. Answers to lettered questions can be found in the back of the book. ***
Week 3
Mon. 9/9	Writing Process	“A Brother’s Murder,” by Brent Staples https://www.nytimes.com/1986/03/30/magazine/about-men-a-brother-s-murder.html  R4W: Sentence fragments, pp. 180-8 Written homework: R4W - Exercises 19-1, p. 187 & Ex. 19-2, pp. 187-8 *** Last day to drop class with no “W” & with no fee owed is Feb. 19 (in person) and Feb. 22 (online)		Brainstorm essay 1
Wed. 9/11	Description	“Desert Dance” by Marta K. Taylor, https://hbaplanguage.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/descriptive-essays.pdf  R4W: Run-on sentences, pp. 188-93 Written homework: R4W - Ex. 20-1, pp. 193-4 & Ex. 20-2, pp. 194-5		Outline of Essay 1
Week 4
Mon. 9/16	Example	https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/comparing-and-contrasting/ Myth of the Latin, Woman, by Judith Ortiz Cofer https://www.vonsteuben.org/ourpages/auto/2015/2/23/48981760/The%20Myth%20of%20the%20Latin%20Woman.pdf R4W: Subordinate word groups, pp. 389-98 Written homework: Ex. 48-1, p. 391; Ex. 48-2, p. 394; & Ex. 48-3, pp. 397-8		Quiz

Wed. 9/18	Example		MLA format: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_sample_paper.html Using examples while writing essays: https://www.internationalstudent.com/essay_writing/essay_tips/ R4W: Subject-verb agreement, pp. 196-205 & Sentence Types, pp. 398-400 Written homework: Ex. 21-1, p. 206; 21-2, pp. 206-7; & Ex. 49-1, p. 400	Draft of Essay 1
Week 5
Mon. 9/23	Division or Analysis		Breaking things into manageable parts: https://penandthepad.com/write-division-analysis-essay-7706305.html R4W: Pronoun-antecedent agreement, pp. 207-16 Written homework: Ex. 22-1, pp. 211-2 & 23-1, p. 216	Essay 1 due
Wed. 9/25	Comparison & Contrast		IQ: read prologues and chapter 1 (p. 3-40) R4W: Comma, sections 32a-d, pp. 292-7 Written homework: Ex. 32-1, p. 294, Ex. 32-2, pp. 294-5; & Ex. 32-3, p. 297	Begin reading IQ
			Week 6
Mon. 9/30	Cause & Effect		Cause and effect: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/englishcomp1v2xmaster/chapter/writing-for-success-cause-and-effect/ Read IQ; chapt. 2 (p. 41-54) R4W: Comma, sections 32-e-j, pp. 302-7 Unnecessary commas, pp. 308-13 Written homework: Ex. 32-5, pp. 302; Ex. 32-6, p. 307; & Ex. 33-1, p. 313
Wed. 10/2			IQ: chapt. 3-4 (p. 55-89) Rules for Writers: Semicolon, pp. 314-7; Colon, pp. 319-20 Written homework: Ex. 34-1, pp. 317-8; Ex. 34-2, p. 318; & Ex. 35-1, pp. 320-1
Week 7
Mon. 10/7			Read IQ; chapt. 5-6 (p. 55-88) R4W: Apostrophe, pp. 321-4; Quotation marks, pp. 326-31; End punctuation, pp. 333-5 Written homework: Ex. 36-1, p. 325; Ex. 37-1, pp. 331-2
Wed. 10/9		Grammar Review	IQ: chapt. 7-8 (p. 119-134) R4W: Numbers, pp. 345-7; Italics, pp. 347-9; Capital letters, pp. 362-6 Written homework: Ex. 41-1, pp. 346-7; Ex 42-1. pp. 349-50; & Ex. 45-1, pp. 365-6
			Week 8
Mon. 10/14		Midterm	Study for midterm!	Midterm exam
Wed.  10/16		Research	Read IQ: chapt. 9-11 (p. 135-169) Reading groups Character maps
			Week 9
Mon. 10/21		Research & Documenting Sources	What is a literary analysis? http://patrickhenry.edu/images/pagemedia/2016/WritingCenter/Literary_Analysis.pdf Read "Elements of Literature section of handout (through characters) Read IQ: 12-14 (p. 170-217)	Prompt essay 2
Wed. 10/23			Read IQ: chapt. 15-17 (p. 218-264) R4W: Other punctuation marks, pp. 335-9; Parallelism, pp. 116-8; Needed words, pp. 119-23 Written homework: Ex. 39-1; pp. 339-40; Ex. 9-1, p. 119 & Ex. 10-1, p. 123 Brainstorm essay 2	Brainstorm essay 2

		Week 10
Mon. 10/28	Documenting Sources	Read IQ: chapter 18-end (p.265-end) R4W: Shifts, pp. 135-9 Written HW: Ex. 13-3, pp. 139-40 & Ex. 13-4, pp. 140-1 Outline essay 2	Outline essay 2
Wed. 10/30	Literary Analysis		more outline
		Week 11
Mon. 11/4		Homeless series #1 https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-08-15/the-street-within-part-one-big-mama-neighbors-face-homelessness	rough draft essay 2 due
Wed. 11/6		Prep for the research projcct Research project prompt etc	more rough draft research project
		Week 12
Mon. 11/11		VETERANS DAY HOLIDAY – NO CLASS
Wed. 11/13		MLA format Homeless series #2 https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-08-15/th	essay 2 due
		Week 13
Mon. 11/18		Homeless series #3: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-08-15/the-street-within-part-three-homeless-people-find-apartment-life-difficult 8 R4W: Misplaced & dangling modifiers, pp. 127-34 Written homework: Ex. 12-1, pp. 130-1 & 12-2, p. 134
Wed. 11/20		R4W: Active verbs, pp. 112-5 & Mixed construct., pp. 123-6 Written homework: Ex. 8-1, p. 115; Ex. 11-1, pp. 126-7
		Week 14
Mon. 11/25	Literary Analysis	Homeless series #4 https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-08-15/the-street-within-part-three-homeless-people-find-apartment-life-difficult
Wed. 11/27		In-class essay	In-class essay
		Week 15
Mon. 12/2	Literary Analysis	Research project
Wed. 12/4	Final Review	Research project Journal due	Journal due
		Finals Week
Mon. 12/9		Final exam
Wed. 12/13