Observation Essay - Guidelines for Writing a Successful One

Observation Essay - Guidelines for Writing a Successful OneAs an undergraduate, you may have taken an observation essay as part of your course work and are now wondering if it will be helpful to you in the professional world. This article provides some basic advice for examining this type of assignment.First, keep in mind that the goal of an observation essay is to gain insight from another person's point of view. A truly educational essay must demonstrate the student's ability to research, organize, and organize ideas in order to provide a valuable insight to the reader. In other words, the essay should demonstrate the student's ability to think outside the box. Unfortunately, many students seem to be overly concerned with how they look and may be forced to write in the tone of an observer, instead of a participant.Second, the assignment is meant to encourage conversation between the writer and the reader. The writer is not there to be a lovable role-model for the reader, but rather to reflect what the student sees, hears, and feels in the room. Therefore, the writer should consider using indirect speech to describe the observation process. An observation essay can be a powerful tool in any essay.Third, the essay should be well-structured. A poor structure results in a piece that reads as if it was written by a robot instead of a human being. Therefore, the student should consider all of his or her resources before attempting to follow through on the structure and sequence of events in the essay.Fourth, a good observation essay has some underlying theme. The topic is usually a self-evident, self-contained thought or idea. For example, a male student might write about the signs of a good relationship between him and his father, a female student might discuss her love of science fiction, and a middle-aged female might write about her new hobby. The idea is that the student reflects on something in the class that he or she feels strongly about and shares with the reader.Fifth, when writing the essay, remember that observation is not stating facts but conveying thoughts. In this case, the student is sharing his or her perception of the subject matter in the class. If the student states factual information, the essay will fall flat on its face. However, if the essay expresses the student's feelings, the essay will be much more effective.Sixth, while observation should be a shared experience, it should be considered a subjective expression, and not taken as a statement of fact. The essay should be driven by the student's feelings, instead of a textbook's 'fact.' If a student feels strongly enough about a given topic to state a fact, he or she should do so and then reflect on what it means.Finally, in completing your observation essay, remember that you should be careful not to come across as a self-serving observation, as opposed to a genuine reflection. In other words, while a student may take an observation as 'fact,' the student should alwa ys remember that she or he is just sharing with the class, and that every student is entitled to her or his own opinion.