The first essay deals with telling a story, but to tell a story well means that there is a need to know what the story is about. The question is fundamentally one of definition--and definition is not simply looking at something in a dictionary. The definitions found in a dictionary have to come from somewhere, and that somewhere is a series of descriptions of things. Accordingly, students in ENG 101 will be expected to compile a definition from a series of examples, describing those examples in detail and identifying their common features. That set of common features is the definition.
A detailed discussion of the assignment will be offered during class time. Below on this webpage appears a copy of the rubric by which students' descriptive definitions will be assessed; information in support of the essay can be found in abundance through the TCI library. A more specific example of the kind of illustrative definition requested can be found on the course blog, here.
Students desiring to get a bit ahead on the assignment (which will be helpful) are encouraged to look into lexicography, which is the process of creating definitions. The materials linked are not answers to the essay prompt that will be given, but they do discuss the kind of thing that will be required to actually write the essay. Please note that inappropriately copying from the linked materials is plagiarism (if uncited) or academic dishonesty (if cited), and will incur penalties appropriate to the severity of the offense.
Submissions are expected as Word documents (.doc, .docx, or .rtf file formats) attached to emails sent to the instructor at geoffrey.b.elliott@gmail.com. Typed hard copies will only be accepted at the instructor's discretion, and only via prior approval; handwritten submissions will not be accepted in any event. Comments will be returned to students through the same medium; email allows for clearer and generally quicker returns.
Earlier examples of the kind of writing desired, if of lesser scope, can be found as "Sample Definition Papers," linked on the course blog. A markedly similar example, one more in line with current guidelines, can be found as "Sample Descriptive Definition," also linked on the course blog.