First Essay: Description Based on Observation
Outcomes addressed in this activity:
Unit outcomes:
· Build formal writing skills within a descriptive, professional context.
· Organize ideas within a given format.
· Find university resources necessary for success.
Course outcome:
IT513-1: Illustrate information technology ideas with professional language and attribution.
Purpose:
This assignment is your first opportunity in the course to practice formal writing and description without using personalization. It allows your instructor to assess those skills and your ability to follow instructions. It will also assist you in finding ways to improve your study space as you begin the course and your program. Since it is based on observation and critical thinking rather than source material, you can focus on writing and organization.
Assignment Instructions
Topic: The essay is to be based on the room in which you plan to complete most of your schoolwork. If you tend to move around, choose one of the more comfortable locations.
Format: Use the provided Unit 1 Assignment template. Download this to your computer, fill it in, make sure your content has been saved when you are done, and then submit it to Dropbox. Do not copy and paste the template content into a new document; use it “as is.” You can leave the essay single-spaced, but make sure it is clear where new paragraphs begin.
Assignments submitted without the use of the template as described here will not be graded. Note that APA document formatting will not be applied until the Unit 4 Assignment.
Before You Begin:
Make sure you have read the Unit 1 Reading PDF and skimmed through the Formal Writing and Common Errors TakeAway PDF. You may want to refer back to those documents during the proofreading process.
Requirements
Input your name in the template where indicated and write a descriptive title presented in title case.
Organize the essay using this plan:
· Introduction paragraph
· Explain the main idea of the essay.
· Include other typical occupants such as adults, children, and pets.
· Descriptive paragraph(s)
· Provide details and include as much as possible of the following as logical (all three main areas must be covered). These might be in one paragraph or multiple.
· Items: Furniture, main items like lamps, electronics, rugs, etc.
· Structure: Windows, window treatments, walls and decorations, doors, doorways, room size or shape if unusual.
· Senses: Colors, materials/textures, sounds, temperature, lighting, relative sizes or placement, etc.
· Improvement paragraph
· Write a minimum of three distinctly different things you could change to make studying easier.
· Conclusion paragraph
· Summarize the essay without introducing any new ideas in this paragraph.
Other requirements:
· The essay must be 450–550 words in length.
· Write in a formal manner without emotion. Do not use any first person (I, me, my, myself, mine, we, our, us. Write out contractions fully. Avoid questions, include dialogue, and do not add subheadings or lists of any kind. Review the Formal Writing Takeaway for further information.
· Write from observation, not sources.
· Make sure you have read about writing descriptions without personalization in the unit reading PDF.
· AI use for this essay is inappropriate and considered an academic violation.