Narrative Essay is 2 to 3 pages

Descriptive Narrative Essay Assignment Sheet

Descriptive Narrative Essay

What is a descriptive narrative essay?

In these essays, the writer tells a story using the senses of taste, sight, smell, hearing, and touch to help the readers experience the story and events surrounding it.

What is the purpose?

Often you will be asked, “What happened?” and daily you experience through what you taste, what you listen to, what you see, what you smell, and what you touch. If someone asks you to describe something, you want to do so in the best, fullest way. If someone asks you to “What happened?”, you should be able to tell the story in an organized way. Often police officers, nurses, social workers, and many others are asked to give case studies or explain what happened in a particular event. They must communicate these events (i.e. stories) often in writing.

Where do I find a topic?

Think of events that have shaped who you are. Is there a moment when you realized what field you wanted to study in college? Did you go on a vacation that changed your view about a culture or place?

Whatever you choose, you should not need secondary research.

Real or Imaginary?

Either is fine.

How long does it have to be?

2 to 3 double-spaced pages

What am I graded on?

Focus and development

Author provides an appropriate and interesting title.

Author tells a story in chronological order and gives detailed descriptions, using multiple senses.

Essay is 2 to 3 pages.

Audience and voice

Author writes to a target audience, and this audience is appropriate for the subject.

The voice is appropriate for and engages the audience.

Word choice is appropriate for the audience.

Author uses effective and interesting sentences throughout the essay.

Cohesion and coherence

Transitions (connections between ideas, sentences, and paragraphs) guide the readers.

Essay and ideas within are organized logically.

Sentence structures and beginnings are varied.

Formal elements of academic discourse

Author uses correct punctuation, spelling, and grammar.

Writing process

Author follows a process that includes some prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing.