Selecting A Topic For A Descriptive Essay On Architecture

Students often say that descriptive essays are amongst the easiest type of assignment because they are usually a lot more personal, involving more of observational content, and essentially require less research. But what makes a good descriptive essay topic for an extensively studied subject such as architecture? A great topic for a descriptive essay on this subject is one that allows you to use your creativity in painting an image for your reader. Here are some steps for selecting a great topic:

1. Consider things that interest you about architecture

The first step is to simply go over some of the subjects that interest you in architecture. Look at your lecture notes and readings you have already covered or will be covering at a later date in class. Keep your focus on the things you would like to learn more about. While you want some familiarity on the topic, you want to challenge yourself by learning something new.

2. Ask yourself why you want to write about the topic

Brainstorming is an essential part of choosing any topic and in the case of a descriptive essay on architecture it’s very important. For one, you will need to describe specific details based on the observation you’ve made about a specific structure, a style or some other element. And if you aren’t sure why you have selected something, your own interest in the subject will not come through in your writing.

3. Create an idea chart to further develop the details

This is an excellent way of determining whether or not you will have enough to write about. Create a row chart with the divided by columns. In the top row, fill in a handful of subjects (size, era, style, purpose, color, etc.), then fill in the squares in each column describing some detail you can discuss.

4. Consider your audience and their level of interest

As you narrow the focus of your assignment and develop the details you will write about, you need to consider your audience and their level of interest. You should stay within the boundaries of themes that have been discussed in the course already, but select something that the audience will be enthusiastic about learning.

5. Conduct some pre-research to be sure of your idea

Finally, do a little pre-research online to make sure you can find enough content to write about. You’re going to be writing on your specific topic but you might need to find some informative details that could provide context for your observational descriptions. Be sure you have all the accurate information you need to build on.