write an essay on observation

How to Begin an Observation Essay: Tips and Strategies

• Dr. Huey Logan
• December 8, 2023
• Study Guides

Welcome to our guide on how to start an observation essay . Whether you’re a student or a professional writer, beginning an observation essay can sometimes be a challenging task. It requires careful planning, attention to detail, and an ability to capture the essence of the subject or event you’re observing. In this article, we’ll provide you with valuable tips and strategies to help you kickstart your observation essay effectively.

Here's What You'll Learn

Before we dive into the tips and strategies, let’s briefly discuss what an observation essay is. It is a type of paper where you provide remarks and findings about an individual, group, or event, focusing on specific details. Your goal is to describe your observations on a particular theme, engaging your readers through vivid descriptions and sensory details.

Now, let’s explore some key takeaways that will guide you through the process of beginning your observation essay:

Key Takeaways:

• Write in the present tense to establish a sense of immediacy and connection to the event.
• Structure your essay with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
• Include a hook, background information, and a clear thesis statement in your introduction.
• Develop your thesis statement with arguments and facts in the body paragraphs.
• Summarize and analyze your main ideas and arguments in the conclusion.

By following these tips and strategies, you’ll be well-equipped to begin your observation essay and captivate your readers from the start. Remember, the more you practice and refine your writing skills, the better your observation essays will become.

Paper Structure for an Observation Essay

The structure of an observation essay is similar to other essays, consisting of an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each section plays a specific role in presenting and analyzing the observations made.

The Introduction:

The introduction of an observation essay should grab the reader’s attention and provide background information on the topic. It should also include a clear thesis statement that highlights the main idea or argument of the essay. For example:

“Through the detailed observations of [topic], this essay aims to explore [specific focus or research question].”

The Body Paragraphs:

The body paragraphs of an observation essay are where the writer presents and analyzes their observations. Each paragraph should focus on a specific aspect or finding, supporting it with evidence and examples. It is essential to use descriptive language and sensory details to paint a vivid picture for the reader. Additionally, incorporating relevant quotes from interviews or other sources can add depth to the analysis.

The Conclusion:

The conclusion of an observation essay should provide a summary of the main points discussed in the body paragraphs. It should also offer a reflection on how the observations connect to the overall thesis statement and research question. This section helps to solidify the writer’s argument and leaves the reader with a sense of closure.

When writing an observation essay, it is important to adhere to the technical requirements set by the academic level and field of study. These may include specific formatting guidelines such as font size, spacing, citation style, and an appropriate structure for headings and subheadings. Following these requirements ensures a cohesive and professional presentation of the essay.

Table: Differences between Observation Essays and other Essay Types

In conclusion , understanding the structure of an observation essay is crucial for effectively presenting your findings and arguments. By following the suggested format, you can create a well-organized and engaging essay that captures the reader’s attention and provides a comprehensive analysis of your observations.

Tips for Starting an Observation Essay

Starting an observation essay can sometimes be challenging, but with the right strategies, you can capture your readers’ attention from the very beginning. Here are a few tips to help you get started:

Begin with a brief overview

One effective way to start your observation essay is by providing a concise summary of the topic and your thesis statement. This sets the stage for what readers can expect throughout the essay.

Pose a thought-provoking question

Another approach to engage your readers is by asking a question related to the topic. This invites them to think critically and encourages them to continue reading to find the answer.

Capture attention with an interesting fact or description

Hook your readers by sharing a surprising fact or vividly describing the main setting of your observation. This creates intrigue and makes readers more eager to delve into your essay.

Employ a delay strategy or personal anecdote

To add an element of suspense or connect the past to the present, you can gradually reveal the subject of your observation essay. Alternatively, you can share a personal experience that relates to the topic, drawing readers in through your own perspective.

Remember, the starting strategy you choose should align with your essay’s requirements and target audience. Experiment with different approaches, take breaks to gain fresh perspectives, and seek feedback to refine your observation essay. By implementing these tips, you’ll be well on your way to crafting a captivating and engaging piece.

How should I begin an observation essay?

To start an observation essay, you can use various strategies. One approach is to provide a brief overview of the essay’s topic and thesis statement in a few short sentences. Another effective strategy is to pose a thought-provoking question related to the topic, inviting readers to consider the answer. Alternatively, you can grab readers’ attention by starting with an interesting fact or vivid description of the main setting. Additionally, you can add intrigue by relating a past experience to the present or gradually revealing the subject. Choose a strategy that aligns with your essay’s requirements and engages your target audience.

What is the structure of an observation essay?

The structure of an observation essay typically consists of an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. In the introduction, you should include a captivating hook to grab the reader’s attention, provide background information on the topic, and present a clear and concise thesis statement that highlights the main idea of your essay. The body paragraphs are used to develop the thesis statement by presenting arguments, supporting evidence, and discussing the pros and cons of certain ideas. The conclusion should analyze how the thesis statement was developed throughout the essay and provide a succinct overview of the arguments and ideas presented.

What are some tips for starting an observation essay?

When starting an observation essay , it’s helpful to create an outline to organize your thoughts and ensure a coherent flow of ideas. To make your essay more engaging, use sensory details to vividly describe the scene and capture the mood in the introduction. End your essay with a powerful conclusion that leaves a lasting impression on the reader. Moreover, you can seek assistance and guidance from professional writers who can provide valuable help throughout the writing process.

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Observation Essay

To properly observe something, you need to make use of all your five senses. Paying attention to all the details and being level-headed is a must. That said, a lot of effort goes into the act of observing something. The data gathered in your observation, whatever it may be, is necessary. Therefore you should write an observation essay and share your findings with the readers. 

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What Is an Observation Essay?

An observation essay is a piece of academic essay that incorporates the observer’s perspective over a situation, event, behavior, phenomenon, and even a person. In this document, the writer should state everything he or she directly noticed on the subject. In addition, they can also use first-person narration in this paper.

How to Write a Well-Versed Observation Essay

Whether you are a student writing an essay of your observation for a school assignment or educational research , or maybe a professional conducting a business analysis , you should compose it critically. The findings you present in your observation essay could be necessary to your field or industry. To keep it professional and informative, incorporate appropriate elements and organize it properly. 

1. Follow Guidelines

If there are guidelines provided, ensure to read them beforehand. The list usually includes instructions regarding the format, the length, essential questions, the structure, and the deadline. To avoid forgetting the items to remember, you can secure a checklist beforehand. These details will act as your guide and will set the limits for your essay writing . 

2. Devise an Outline

Considering that you already finished observing, take out your notes, and start constructing your outline. Consider basing its structure on the guidelines. You should decide what information goes on in a particular paragraph and organize it to be comprehensive to the general readers. You can save your energy by researching sample blank outline templates online instead of starting from scratch.

3. Compose Your Thesis Statement

Write your thesis statement in your introduction. After writing your hook and engaging your readers, it is now time to state what the essay will discuss. What did you observe? What are the general idea and nature of your essay? Your thesis statement will act as the central idea of your descriptive writing. Its length must only be one sentence. 

4. Close With a Detailed Conclusion

After presenting the main ideas and supporting your claims, you should provide a conclusion statement that would sum it all up. In the last paragraph, you should restate the thesis statement and explain how all of these ideas are relevant to each other. Your conclusion should link back to the idea in your introduction.

How do you observe something properly?

The practice of observing is necessary for writing field reports of studies, especially in science and psychology. When you do an observation of something, it is advisable to research the subject you are studying. Also, you need to focus on your visual and hearing senses and your thought process. Avoid or get rid of factors that can distract you.

What are the different methods of observing?

The various methods of observing are categorized based on the level of involvement of the observer with the subject. If an observer is not noticed or personally seen by the participants, then he or she is employing the complete observer method. On the other hand, if the subjects recognize and interact with the observer, the implemented method is observer as participant.

How should you note your observations?

The first step in taking field notes of your observation is, write down the necessary details of the subject. Also, you should include the time and place. In writing your findings, you should stay objective and factual. Also, don’t forget to write a description of the setting and the materials involved.

The readers of your observation essay are not present at the time you did your observation. An observation essay is effective if its content is enough to supply information that would make the readers feel as if they are personally present at that time. Secure an observation essay, and earn an award certificate from your school or your work. 

Observation Essay Generator

Text prompt

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Discuss the behavior of animals at a zoo and what it reveals about them in your Observation Essay.

Reflect on the atmosphere of a music concert you attended in your Observation Essay.

• The Main Observation Essay Peculiarities to Observe
• Writing an Observation Essay Made Easy

Definition & Goals

Paper structure, introduction, body paragraphs, observation paper writing tips.

• Observation Essay Topics

Help with Observation Essay

Global Education Monitoring Report by UNESCO states that the total youth literacy rate in Egypt is 63. How did the organization come up with this conclusion? The answer to this question is observational statistics .

If you want to learn how to write an observation essay, you should know how to carry out the research. This article will provide you with some good topics for an observation essay, its definition, tips on writing, and a vision of this paper’s structure. As another option you can always ask a professional essay writer for help!

To define, an observation essay is a paper based on remarks and findings of an individual, group of people, or a specific event . The goal is to describe your observations on a particular theme using many details. Remember that it is not a research paper.

Write your observation essay in the   present tense , creating an impression of keeping in touch with the event as if the reader was in the described place or writer’s reality. Sharing feelings and pointing out the notes on the event make the paper more realistic and engaging.

If your instructions do not specify the writing style, choose out of the available formats accepted in any college or university: MLA, APA, Chicago/Turabian, AMA, Harvard or ASA format essay . The choice depends on the academic level and field of study. Select a style with the most formal structure. The majority of writing formats contain the following elements:

• Title/Cover page
• Indents requirements
• Page numbers
• Bibliography page

As for technical requirements, composing an observation essay, the author needs to write in the   first person . Such an essay’s structure is usually similar to the other essays: introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. 

A decent introduction consists of a hook, background information, and a thesis statement. An essay hook is a sentence or two aimed at catching the reader’s attention to persuade them to carry on reading. Use a subtle joke, informative statistics, exciting facts, or a challenging question, and the reader will more likely proceed reading the rest of your essay. 

Make sure to visit our blog on how to write a hook for an essay  to create an irresistible opinion essay introduction.

Provided background information will create a total understanding of what the paper is about. The reader will be able to catch the main idea and the content of such a text. The author should be concise and not reveal too many details in the introduction.

The thesis statement most often is a 2-clauses sentence that highlights the main idea of the text. It raises questions and prepares the reader for its development in body paragraphs. The thesis in an observation essay could be a general impression from a subject of observations.

Traditionally, there’s no absolute measurement of how long your text should be. But generally, such a type of paper consists of 3-5 body paragraphs . However, don’t hesitate to specify the amount with your tutor.

Body paragraphs are given to you for disclosing the topic , i.e., developing the thesis statement, providing the reader with arguments and facts on the pros and cons of certain ideas. Writing an observation essay, you can use more figurative language to make your text more immersive.

Also, an observation essay’s purpose requires the writer to use the first person while writing.

The last part of your essay ‒ which usually is 1 paragraph ‒ is the easiest to perform. In conclusion, you need to analyze how you developed the thesis statement, provide the shortest ever overview of your arguments and ideas, and finish the text in a way that makes the reader think of it. Are you looking for an essay conclusion template ? Read our guide.

Writing an observation essay, you should be more attentive to details: mark how a particular journalist or professional writer plans and structures the recent articles discussing the current events. Daily news events could play a role of an excellent observation essay example to study.

Let’s review some of the tips regarding an observation essay:

• Write an observation essay outline if you are stuck with no idea how to start. Include the details like the number of paragraphs, specify headings, create a thesis statement, highlight main points and issues to cover. It is always a good idea to break down your task into pieces when working on the essay template . 
• Write down three to five good ideas that you will try to defend in your work on a separate paper sheet. Every page must contain the sound, smell, touch, image, and taste of the chosen subject. Keep in mind that you’re not writing a descriptive essay. 
• Present the scene, theme, and mood of the observation essay in your introduction. The scenery will be a good fit as the hook for your reader from the opening lines. 
• Fill the body paragraphs with numerous observational details and evidence to support the main argument. Feel free to use figurative language as you need to immerse a reader into your view on the subject. But be attentive while writing, not to fall into  descriptive essay examples . 
• End your observational writing with a conclusion that leaves a powerful impression on a reader. Reflect on the paper’s thesis statement, list the main arguments and reasons for the further discussion of the subject, and provide some forecasts.
• Use personal experience to meet the paper’s criteria. Working on data & facts shared by other people does not make a legitimate observation essay. 
• In case you use quotations, devote the last page to references . List all the cited works with the rights reserved to make your text free of plagiarism and avoid potential problems with intellectual property. 

Observation Essay Topics 

The list of observation essay topics can be endless – choose the one carefully based on the latest events in the cinematography, literature, music, or entire world. Read through the checklist on how to select a topic for an observation essay:

• Stick to the topic that excites you . Why spend your life on things that make you unhappy when there’s an option to avoid them? Moreover, the final text will be way more attractive for readers if you fill it with your interest in the topic. 
• Do a little research . It is crucial to choose the most appropriate angle of your paper. The research will also help you to narrow your topic down and make it more informative. 
• Write about familiar things . It is easy to make your paper inappropriate if you try to present a new topic while writing.
• Observe the recent news in different human activity fields to create a list of great topics on a separate page.
• Attend an event to get inspired . Include such details as who attended the event, why people organized that event, the meeting’s goals and place, and how it enriched your personal/professional experience.

If you still encounter difficulties with the choice, take a look at the shortlist of good observation essay topics to pick the best writing idea:

• Why do I find punctuality important?
• The movie I never get tired to re-watch
• Do I value honor more than material goods?
• Three simple ways to get rid of the depression
• Music is the best therapy in many life situations
• What sort of gift I believe is the best for my mom?
• The way we behave is the mirror of our personality
• The role of freedom in the life of the average American citizen

Congratulations on completing reading an ultimate guide on how to write an observation essay. In case you feel you lack writing experience or have some questions regarding your writing assignment be it an observation essay, a synthesis paper or an exploratory essay , feel free to get help from the professionals without leaving your home! Keep in mind that our writing services are at your disposal round the clock. Contact us, place your order, get a perfect paper, and make the best impression on your teacher and classmates!

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Winning Tips and Topics on Writing an Observation Essay

In order for you to come up with an interesting observational essay, you should consider being a good listener and observer of situations. These two factors are essential in acquiring new information that could be a plus to your personal experience . Three concepts that each student should have in their memories to come up with a captivating observation essay are observation, interpretation, and tangible facts. The difference between a word wizard and a good observational essay writer lies on a student’s ability to come up with an excellent observation essay. All our body senses, sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing are crucial towards the crafting of an observational essay. If you intended to impress your readers enough to make them come back for more, then purchasing personalized academic papers from reliable top academy writing websites in the United States might just do the trick.

The outline Template for an Observational Essay

The guidelines below will help you understand the outline of writing an observational essay to enable you to come up with a structure that will give your essay a logical flow of ideas.

Personal Experience

This aspect is the best way to describe the particulars of a situation since you have personally gone through the situation and you understand all angles about it. The connection created by your personal experience and the subject matter under discussion should be on a high level of order, as a way of ensuring you can share the experience with other on a deeper and understanding level. For this reason, you should ensure that you choose the topic of discussion carefully.

For instance: having chosen a topic on how exhilarating biking while hiking is, make sure you describe related factual and statistical data about how it brings out the excitement in you.  However, if you have never experienced hiking while riding a bike, it will be difficult to share such an experience with your audience. Supporting your claim should always be based on personal experience about the subject of discussion. It’s even advisable to try such an experience, before writing the related observational topic. This way, you will gain more tangible information to share with your audience.

It is important to know that note taking is a crucial part of sharing experiences; thus you should come up with reliable ways of writing down your experiences and recording them appropriately. From what has been recorded, you can begin doing a draft of your essay. Capture the whole process of your personal experience. For example, if it’s related to going to a stadium, mention going through security, locating your sitting position, watching the game and what emotions were provoked, and the feeling you felt when you were surrounded by a mob of angry fans whose team took a loss. Don’t forget to note down the impressions and use criteria to rate aspects lie the general atmosphere, utilities at the stadium, the security box among other elements of your story.

If you experience a modification in your personal intake for events that transpired, jot down notes about the change, and the time it happened. All your events should be arranged in chronological order to help you restructure your chain of events as you embark on writing your essay. Ask for a friend’s opinion about their personal experience of going to the stadium and not them down. This will help you have an informed view of events thus come up with a first-class observational topic.

Create an outline

A sketch of your work is important in ensuring that it is well-structured and there is a logical flow of ideas. It is useful to use just in case you face a challenge while restructuring your essay. The final draft can be changed, but bear in mind that you must adhere to the set outline. In case your teacher wants to see an outline, create a separate page that you can outline it for review. After this, if you are challenged with any other aspect, or you do not understand how to formulate an observational essay, do not hesitate to consult the various online professional services for assistance.

Introduction

In this section, you are required to provide a brief, but credible information about what the reader is about to read all through the article. Make sure you begin with a thesis statement which will address the points and arguments that you plan to address. After this, craft a catchy hook sentence that will grab the attention of your readers. It is also advisable to provide them with reasons as to why you chose that specific topic. After addressing the above aspects, your introduction part is now well composed and captivating to keep your readers glued to your observational essay/

The three body paragraphs

At this point, the expressed points of argument in your thesis statement are each handled in its paragraph, with the addition of supporting evidence to give meaning and sense to your argument. Make sure that each paragraph or idea is presented as per the outline you created to give your observation essay more logic and concrete structure.

This section requires simplicity and a summative narrative about the topic of discussion. I stead of just doing a summary of your arguments, restate your thesis statement and appeal to it, as you use a call to action element to give the final input to finish up your paper with a strong impression to the reader. This will allow the reader to reason about your points of view and make a choice if they support still stand by their perspective. Through this, you have engaged your writers effectively and created a strong impression. The use of a rhetorical question will sum up the essay in exclusive style and ensure the audience is fully engaged.

The final page should include a complete bibliography that included all the sources and references used.

Editing and Proofreading

After concluding the writing part of your essay, you should consider going through your work to remove any punctuation or grammatical that might appear. It will be more effective if someone else did it for you or submit it to a professional proofreading service that man college students use to ensure their work is ready for submission.

The three aspects to consider in this section are:

• Grammatical errors
• Punctuation and spelling errors
• The distinctiveness of your observational essay

Examples of Observational Essay Topics

Organization and rich vocabulary skills are the two most important skills that you need to have in order to write a first-class observational essay. Bear in mind that your ultimate goal is to share your personal experience with your target audience. The following are useful examples of observational essay you can use:

• The dynamics of tattoo and body piercing
• Is tolerance an important trait to possess?
• Are video games capable of causing death?
• How important independence and freedom are
• Gaining knowledge and its impact on our lives
• Money and its meaning to an evolved world
• Sports and its contribution to developing leadership
• A chat with your favorite celebrity
• The thrills of biking while hiking
• Age-appropriate movies
• The most epic club in the city
• The flawless gift for a wedding or birthday
• How to define loyalty
• Can music provide a soothing healing effect?
• Success and achievement through professional writing
• Endurance and its effect on our daily lives
• Describing character traits of my favorite idol

Winning Tips to Use in Writing an Observation Essay

• Laying down your work with a personal touch is important. Remember that your main goal is to share your personal experience and let the readers add it to theirs.
• Have a notebook and pen around you! This will ensure that you can jot down events as they happen to have a full view outlook of the experience.
• Don’t use an unnecessary word to make your essay longer. Be brief, precise and straight to the point while addressing the outline content of your work. By reducing the use of introductory and transitional words, you gain to display a clear topic and thesis statement.
• While writing your observation essay, utilize your personal experience by using instances you personally went through in your life. This helps the readers identify themselves with your experiences and understand you better.
• There exist an association between a descriptive narrative and an observation essay, thus use human senses freely when need be. Provoke a reaction from the reader of one, if not several of their five senses.
• Always stick to being objective.
• Remember to include a bibliography page at the end.

A point to remember: an emphasis on the importance of your topic is crucial and should utilize your personal experience. If you face by any challenge, or need proofreading and editing for your work, choose our academic writing help .

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Observation Essay Writing Tips & Topics

Just as the above quote emphasizes, listening and observing are two key factors for gaining new information and add to your personal experience. This can be easily applied to writing observation essays, for example. Observation, inference and fact are the three concepts every student that wants to write a good observation essay has to memorize. The ability to write a good observation essay makes the difference between a writer and a true wizard of words. And in order to achieve such a state you need to make use of all the senses available to you:

If the goal of your essay is to leave an unforgettable mark on the memory of the reader, you can easily achieve that through buying personalized academic papers from a top writing company in the United States.

Outlining Example of an Observation Essay

Continue reading the below guidelines in order to have an example of an outline for any observation essay.

Personal Experience

There’s nothing better to help you describe a situation than going through such an experience yourself. The connection between your personal experience and the subject of your observation essay has to be at a high level in order to be able to share that certain experience with others. That’s why you first need to choose carefully the topic of the essay you’re going to cover.

For Example : when you decide to write an essay on how thrilling downhill biking is, mentioning a handful of statistics and details about how it gets your adrenaline pumping. If you never got on a bike and ride your way down a forest road, you won’t be able to share that experience with others. If you want to support your claim, you must always write from experience. Go to the stadium before writing a piece on a local football team or listen to the entire album before reviewing it.

Taking notes is a vital part of sharing experience, that’s why you will always need to have a good method of writing things down or record them. From the recorded info, you can start writing the first draft of the essay. Make sure to capture the whole process: from going through the security checks, finding your seat, how did the game make you feel, all the way to how it felt being surrounded by all those angry fans that their team just lost. Make sure to also include all your impressions here and also pick some criteria to rate: atmosphere, utilities at the stadium, security lever, etc.

Every time your personal intake of things suffers a modification, make notes about what the change was and when did it happen. Keeping a chronological order of events will help you to reconstruct the journey in the essay. In order to have a complete view on things, take some notes of a friend’s opinion that went with you or ask a supporter sitting next to you about his experience.

Create a Sketch

An outline or sketch is very important to keep your paper logical and structured This is very useful in case you ever get stuck or lost while reconstructing the essay. You may change your final draft, but you must stick to the prepared outline. If your teacher requires, make a separate page with a detailed outline. In case you encounter any kind of issues when writing the outline or any other part of your essay, never hesitate to access professional writing services .

Introduction

Here’s where you should give your audience the opportunity to catch a glimpse of what they’re about to read in the rest of the article. Start with a thesis statement that will serve as the essay’s fundament. Then create a catch sentence to get the attention of your readers. You can also give them some insight into the reason you chose that specific observation topic.

Three-Paragraph Body

The body of the observation essay has the same structure as any other assignment. The most used structure and what experts recommend is having a three-paragraph body with support arguments. The next step is arranging your notes according to the previously-prepared outline on which you will add the details Keep in mind:

“Details create the big picture." Sanford I. Weil

You need to keep this section as simple and straight-forward as possible.Instead, to a summary of your arguments, appeal again to your thesis sentence and then use a call-to-action to finish the paper in such a manner that it will leave a strong impression. A rhetorical action is perfect at the end of your paper. You might think you’re done but you still have one more page to write. This final page of your observation essay must be a complete bibliography where you write down all your sources and references.

Editing and Proofreading

Finishing the actual paper doesn’t mean you’re done with everything. Before submitting your paper, you need to do some proofreading. Naturally, this can’t be done by you as the subjectivism can affect the results. Instead, you should ask someone else to do that for you. Or you can just place an order with an online writing and proofreading service , that assists college students all-round the English-speaking world!

They will be able to assist you with very important aspects regarding your observation essay like:

• Grammar mistakes
• Punctuation and Spelling

15 Examples of Observation Essay Topics

In order to write a high-quality observation essay, students need to possess other two skills. Organization skills and a rich vocabulary are the skills needed. Remember, your goal is not to deliver a message but share your experience with the audience. with your audience. That’s why it is very important to carefully choose your topic. If you need some inspiration, check out some free, useful examples of observation essays.

You can use this list of 16 topics as a starting idea for your essay:

• Important aspects of tattoo and body piercing
• How is important tolerance?
• Can death result from video games?
• The importance of independence and freedom
• The Modern World and the meaning of money
• Leadership developed through sports
• Meeting my favourite Rockstar
• The thrills of downhill biking
• Books appropriate for any age
• New club in the city
• Buying the perfect wedding or birthday gift
• The definition of “loyalty”
• Healing through music, myth or fact?
• Achieving success through writing
• The personality traits of personal idols
• College is too expensive essay

Some Useful Tips for Observation Essay Writing

• Don’t forget the personal touch. Allowing the audience to add your experience to theirs and identifying with it is your main goal.
• Always have something to take notes on. The importance of putting the events on paper as fresh as possible is of extreme importance.
• Avoid using a lot of unnecessary words just to make your essay longer. If you manage to reduce the amount of transitional & introductory words in your essay, you will get a lot more clear topic and thesis statement.
• Always appeal to personal experience by using the situations you faced during your entire life. It helps the readers to identify themselves with you or, at least, to know you better.
• The descriptive narrative and the observation essay have a lot in common so feel free to use the human senses. Try to provoke a reaction that appeals to one of these five during your essay.
• Remain objective at all times.
• Don’t forget about the Bibliography at the end.
• You should know what does proofreading mean .

Keep in mind: you can always emphasize the importance of the selected topic by sharing personal lessons learned. If at any time, you need any help with the essay itself or with proofreading and editing it, you can always order online academic guidance from a trustworthy company.

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How to Write Observation Essay

Have you ever been dreaming of painting a beautiful picture? Unfortunately, only a small number of people have the necessary skills and talent to draw pictures or undertake any other creative activities. Well, you should not get upset as there is a superior alternative, i.e. an observation essay. Such papers can be compared to pictures with the only difference that instead of a brush you will use words and expressions to create them. Certainly, this type of paper also requires the one to possess the whole set of skills. First, you need to have a either an excellent memory or a vivid imagination. Second, you have to be good at writing. Finally, you should know the peculiarities of the observation process. Of course, you do not have to remember every last detail of the matter, but being able to notice vivid details is a must. Otherwise, you will not be able to compose a worthy piece of writing. If you desire to find out how to write an observation essay, we offer you to use our helpful guide. Moreover, we can provide you with fascinating observation paper examples so that you do not have to browse the Net looking for some tips.

What is an Observation Essay?

It is an unusual piece of writing. Though it relates to academic types of papers, it is better to refer it to creative writing. Observation papers let readers sense the atmosphere of the depicted matter. Owing to the vivid details and descriptive words used by the writer, readers may feel themselves present in a specific place. It is necessary to state that such papers can be written on various topics. For example, you may describe the day which you have spent with your friends, a rock concert, etc.

Specifics and Purpose of Observation Papers

A book review can be considered an example of an observation paper. This is one of the options.

According to the definition, an observation paper is a work presenting the observations made after viewing an, event, phenomenon, etc. The purpose of such a work is to provide a detailed description of the matter with the help of vivid details. One should keep in mind that an observation paper is not a research one meaning it has to be written differently. An observation paper should include the following items:

This essay has to be produced in the first person singular even if you are describing someone else’s experience. Additionally, the present tense is to be utilized so that readers can feel themselves the participants of the discussed events. Do not be afraid of expressing your feelings as they make the work more appealing.

Bear in mind that it is essential to stick to the guidelines about how to write an observation paper. Professors usually provide information about the number of words your work has to contain. If no data about the word count is given, stick to the 1500 words limit. As to the description of the matter under consideration, it should include colorful details to make such a lengthy piece of writing interesting.

As to the reference style, if it is not specified, you should pick one of those that are widely used in the educational establishments, i.e. Chicago, MLA, APA, Harvard, or AMA. Your choice depends on the academic discipline you are writing a paper in and your degree. The best option is to use the style with a formal structure. The papers written in the majority of formatting styles contain such structural components:

• Justifications
• Number of pages
• Bibliography

Note that you can always receive valuable assistance from our specialists in case you cannot create such an essay on your own. Do not delay reaching us!

How to Write an Observation Essay: A Step-by-Step Guide

Observation essays allow you to explore the world around you, capturing moments, events, and experiences in rich detail. Whether you’re writing for academic purposes or simply want to enhance your descriptive writing skills, this step-by-step guide will help you craft an engaging observation essay.

Pre-writing Preparation

Before you begin observing and writing, there are crucial preparatory steps to take:

• Select Your Subject: Choose a subject that fascinates you and provides ample opportunities for observation. It could be anything from a bustling city park to a quiet coffee shop.
• Define Your Purpose: Clearly establish the purpose of your observation. Are you aiming to describe, analyze, or reflect on your observations? Knowing your objective will guide your essay’s focus.
• Plan Your Observation: Decide when and where you’ll conduct your observation. Ensure you have enough time to immerse yourself in the experience without feeling rushed.

Observation and Immersion

The heart of an observation essay lies in your ability to immerse yourself in the subject:

• Stay Unobtrusive: Blend into the environment as much as possible. Avoid drawing attention to yourself, as it can alter the behavior of the subjects you’re observing.
• Use All Senses: Engage all your senses—sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. Pay attention to the details, nuances, and emotions surrounding the subject.
• Take Detailed Notes: Record your observations meticulously. Use a notebook, smartphone, or voice recorder to capture details, dialogues, and your own impressions.

Note-taking and Organization

The notes you take during the observation will serve as the foundation for your essay:

• Categorize Your Observations: Group your notes into categories or themes. This will help you organize your thoughts later.
• Analyze and Reflect: As you write your notes, jot down your thoughts, emotions, and initial impressions. This reflection will add depth to your essay.

Drafting Your Observation Essay

Now it’s time to bring your observations to life through writing:

• Introduction: Begin with a captivating hook to draw readers in. Provide context about the subject and your purpose for observing it. End with a clear thesis statement that outlines what you aim to convey.
• Body Paragraphs: Organize your essay by grouping related observations into paragraphs. Each paragraph should focus on a single theme or aspect of your observation. Use vivid, sensory language to paint a clear picture.
• Transitions: Ensure smooth transitions between paragraphs to maintain the flow of your essay. Use transitional words and phrases to guide your readers through your observations.
• Show, Don’t Tell: Instead of simply stating facts, show your readers what you observed. Engage their senses and emotions by describing details, interactions, and atmosphere.
• Conclusion: Summarize your key observations and restate your thesis. Offer insights or reflections based on your observations. Leave readers with a thought-provoking idea or question.

Revision and Proofreading

The final step is to refine your essay for clarity and effectiveness:

• Review and Revise: Read through your essay critically, looking for areas where you can improve clarity, coherence, and engagement.
• Check for Consistency: Ensure that your writing style, tone, and voice remain consistent throughout the essay.
• Proofread: Correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors. Ensure your essay is error-free for a polished final product.

By following these steps, you’ll be well on your way to crafting a compelling observation essay that immerses your readers in the world you’ve observed. Don’t forget to share your unique perspective and insights to make your essay truly stand out.

Advice on Producing an Observation Paper

Some students encounter considerable difficulties in preparing such a paper. We do not want you to face some issues in the course of creating your essay. That is why we offer you to follow the instructions provided below. In this way, you will be able to complete your assignment quickly. Thus:

• Ponder over the topic. Our experts can give you some thrilling observation paper ideas.
• Think about the event, person, or a place which you would like to observe. Then, find the most suitable item.
• Begin the process with writing down essential data such as a date, location, time, and other significant facts.
• Note only the issues which you can see around. Leave interpretation to the writing stage.
• Examine your field notes and start making observations. Produce an outline using your observations.
• Begin writing your work using both your observations and field notes. Remember to create a thesis statement and make proper introductory and concluding sections.
• Proofread your text and read it aloud to ensure it is coherent.

As it is seen the process of crafting such an essay is not complicated. Finding an interesting subject is what causes serious problems. Luckily, our professionals have compiled a list of superior themes which you may use for your work.

Observation Techniques: Enhancing Your Powers of Perception

Observation is a powerful tool for gathering information, understanding the world around us, and developing keen insights. Whether you’re an aspiring writer, a scientist, a student, or just someone looking to improve their observational skills, effective observation techniques are essential. In this guide, we will explore various strategies to help you observe more effectively, including note-taking methods, recording observations, staying objective, and being unobtrusive when observing people or events.

Note-taking Methods

One of the fundamental aspects of effective observation is note-taking. The act of jotting down your observations in real-time not only helps you remember details but also allows for a more comprehensive analysis later. Here are some note-taking methods to consider:

• Free-Form Notes: Simply write down everything you observe as it happens. Later, you can organize and refine your notes.
• Structured Notes: Use a predetermined format, such as creating columns for time, location, description, and your thoughts or feelings. This method ensures you capture essential details systematically.
• Sketches and Diagrams: In situations where visuals are essential, use sketches or diagrams to supplement your written notes. These can be especially helpful for capturing spatial relationships or intricate details.

Recording Observations

In some cases, taking written notes may not be practical or might disrupt the observation process. Here are ways to record your observations effectively:

• Audio Recording: Use a digital voice recorder or a smartphone app to capture spoken observations. This can be particularly useful for interviews, wildlife observations, or any situation where writing may be challenging.
• Photography and Video: Cameras and smartphones with high-quality cameras allow you to visually document what you’re observing. Ensure you respect privacy and legal guidelines when using this method, especially when observing people.

Staying Objective

Maintaining objectivity during observation is crucial, especially when conducting research or studying human behavior. Here’s how to stay objective:

• Avoid Assumptions: Don’t jump to conclusions or make assumptions based on your own beliefs or biases. Keep an open mind and let the observations speak for themselves.
• Use Neutral Language: When taking notes or recording observations, use neutral and non-judgmental language. Describe what you see or hear without adding personal interpretations or opinions.

Being Unobtrusive

Being unobtrusive during observation is essential to ensure you don’t influence the subject’s behavior or environment. Here’s how to achieve this:

• Blend In: Dress and act inconspicuously to avoid drawing attention to yourself. The goal is to be a passive observer who doesn’t disrupt the natural flow of events.
• Maintain Distance: Depending on the situation, maintain an appropriate distance from the subject. In some cases, this might mean observing from afar, while in others, it could involve getting closer without intruding.
• Respect Privacy: Always respect the privacy and boundaries of individuals you’re observing. Obtain necessary permissions when observing in private spaces or when involving people in your research.

In conclusion, mastering observation techniques is a valuable skill that can benefit various aspects of life, from academic research to personal development. By honing your ability to take effective notes, record observations, stay objective, and be unobtrusive, you can become a more perceptive and insightful observer of the world around you. Practice and patience are key to improving these skills over time, so embrace the journey of becoming a more astute observer.

Outstanding Observational Essay Topics

What should I observe? This is the first question that comes to students’ mind before they begin dealing with their observation paper. You need to pick the issue which you are curious about.

Take a look the subjects given below and select the one which you consider engaging:

• What makes people become shopaholics?
• Reasons for skipping classes.
• Do online games have any influence on health?
• What causes jealousy?
• The connection between sport and leadership qualities.
• Is music effective in treating some illnesses?
• The desire to earn a lot of money. Why is it so strong?
• Is it important to be aware of the art of communication?
• Tongue tattoo. What is it like?
• Is it difficult to drive a bus?
• Can planes be viewed as the safest transport?
• Paragliding. What is it?
• Connection between children’s future and parents’ views?
• Observing climate changes.
• Parachute jumping. The first time.
• Meeting dangerous animals. What feelings do people experience?
• Travelling alone. Describing one’s feelings.
• Turning an enemy into a close friend.
• Difference between a new generation and a previous one.
• Why are people not so healthy now as they were before?
• A day in a busy city park.
• Observing a family gathering.
• At the local coffee shop.
• A day in the life of a street performer.
• Observing a sports event.
• People-watching in a busy airport.
• Observing a wildlife habitat.
• A visit to the farmer’s market.
• Observing a live music concert.
• Inside a busy shopping mall.
• A day in the life of a barista.
• Observing a school playground.
• At the local art gallery opening.
• A day in the life of a street vendor.
• Observing a religious ceremony.
• A day in the life of a zookeeper.
• Observing a community event.
• Inside a busy hospital.
• A day at a technology conference.
• Observing a cultural celebration.

Unique Observation Essay Example

We relate observation papers to creative writing. It follows that there are no limits or stringent rules for creating such works. However, it does not mean that you may neglect professor’s instructions and write your essay the way you want. Apart from the tips provided above, we want to give you a superior example of an observation paper so that you do not face any challenges when writing your work.

The process of creating an observation paper is time-consuming and requires one to be particularly attentive. On the other hand, it can be thrilling if the chosen topic is extraordinary. You should know that an observation paper can be created on any subject. Your main task is to make a careful observations, jot down essential points, and then transform the available material into an excellent piece of writing. Still, if you believe that producing this type of essay is arduous, consider placing your order on our website. We can provide you with a spectacular paper.

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How to write an observation essay answer’s here.

February 20, 2020

Struggling to write your first ever observation essay? If this is the case, you definitely need our help! In this blog post, we will explain what this academic paper is, how to get a good example, and how to write the essay quickly using an easy-to-understand structure. It doesn’t matter if you are tasked by your professor with writing a courtroom observation essay or a child development observation essay.

Just follow our advice and you’ll do a wonderful job. Of course, it goes without saying that you need to do the research yourself, even if it’s just a classroom observation essay you have to write.

What Is an Observation Essay?

Let’s start with the beginning. What is an observation essay? The simple answer is that it is just a piece of direct investigation. You need to observe something (an event, a person, a situation, a concept, or even an area) and then describe it as meticulously as possible. However, things tend to get a bit complicated when it comes to actually writing the paper. Why?

Because even when writing a seemingly simple child observation essay, you need to describe everything as vividly as possible. You need to provide a sensory experience to the reader, which is by no means an easy thing to do. Your observational skills and attention will be put to the test, and so will your observation essay writing skills.

Need an Observation Essay Example?

You probably don’t know much about observational writing. And this is precisely why you need the best observation essay example you can find. Don’t be afraid to contact an academic writing company for one. Even if you’ll have to pay a couple of dollars for a top quality example, this is money well spent. Here is why observation essay examples really matter:

• You will see exactly how a professional writer describes every small detail. Providing a detailed sensory experience to your readers can be difficult without a good example.
• You get to see how such an academic paper is structured. Yes, you can use the same structure for anything, including a preschool observation essay.
• You can quickly understand what you need to pay attention to. You will also probably learn that using first-person singular pronouns is frowned upon in academic writing.
• You will learn how to paint a picture with your words. You’ll learn how to engage all of your audience’s senses by describing smells, colors, sounds, shapes, and even images.

Examples of Nice Observation Essay Topics

Reading even one excellently written children observation essay can greatly improve your odds of getting an A+ or at least an A. However, keep in mind that the observation essay topics you choose also have a great impact. The topic and the thesis statement are usually the first thing your professor sees. Capture his or her attention from the first second and you’ll most definitely get some bonus points. To help you out as much as possible, here are some topics that we consider excellent for 2020:

• Here is why I admire my math teacher the most. (this is a great observation essay on a person)
• Why do children hate school so much?
• What does money mean to us?
• I just found a new restaurant in the city.
• Treating arthritis with geriatric physical therapy. (a fine choice for a physical therapy observation essay)
• Do video games really change our behavior?
• Let’s talk about the recent baseball game.
• How does bullying affect its victims?
• Are animals at the Zoo sad? (excellent choice for a naturalistic observation essay)

How to Write an Observation Essay in 5 Paragraphs?

Of course, you can write about anything you like – if your professor has not assigned you a specific topic. But how do you write an early childhood observation essay the right way? Learning how to start an observation essay can make the difference between working on the paper for 4 days and finishing it in just 2. Here is how you write an observation essay in just 5 paragraphs:

• The introduction. You need to introduce the topic and provide a bit of background information about it. Also, don’t forget to include the thesis statement in the first or second phrase. Alternatively, open your intro with a peculiar fact or an anecdote and include the thesis statement afterwards.
• Three body paragraphs. Remember, all your observations should be vividly described in just 3 paragraphs. Yes, even if you’re writing a preschool child observation essay. Each paragraph should cover one main supporting argument. Focus the entire paragraph on just one important observation and describe it to your readers as best as possible.
• The conclusion. You don’t need a lengthy final paragraph. The body paragraphs already described the subject in great detail. The background information has been included in the introduction. The conclusion should restate your thesis statement, followed by a summary of the three important points you’ve discussed in the body of the paper. Wrap everything up with a call to action and the essay is done!

Well, not exactly done; you still need to edit your work and proofread it thoroughly. Why risk getting a lower grade just because of a couple of typos? Make sure your infant toddler observation essay is written perfectly and you will get a very good grade for your hard work.

Pro Tip: Use an Observation Essay Outline

Now you know why an example is good for you and you also know how to write an observation essay quickly. To wrap everything up, we want to tell you about the one thing that will help you immensely. When it comes to writing an observation essay, there is nothing better than a good essay outline. Really, an outline will prove invaluable regardless of the topic you are writing about (including a daycare observation essay).

But how do you create an exceptional observation essay outline? To write the essay, you will need to carefully observe the subject. You will, of course, take extensive notes during the observation period. To create the observation essay outline, you just need to organize your notes and find the most important aspects you wish to talk about. Keep in mind that an outline is quite similar to a table of contents. It’s the skeleton upon which you build your observation essay. It goes without saying that writing such a complex paper without a good outline won’t end well for the student who attempts it.

Read a good example, find an intriguing topic, start your writing with an outline, and make effective us of the five paragraph essay. That’s all you need to write an observation essay worthy of an A+.

Take a break from writing.

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Observation Essay: Example and Tips

If you want to leave an unforgettable impression on the reader, when writing an observation essay, you might need experience of experts. Read the article below to learn how to write an observation essay and see examples of all three parts of the essay.

What are the features and qualities, which differ observation essay from other types of essays? Observation essay is close to the narrative one with the mandatory element: the author must tell about his personal experience. In the observation essay, it is not enough to write statistical data and facts borrowed from other sources. Author must reflect his thoughts, events of his life or observations he made. Without that feature, the essay may not be considered an observation essay.

• 1 Example of topics for observation essays
• 2.1 Example of introduction to observation essay. Topic “How I left everything and started traveling”
• 3.1 Example of main part to observation essay
• 4.1 Example of observation essay conclusion
• 5 Final actions when writing observation essay

Example of topics for observation essays

• How I left everything and started traveling (used as example)
• Influence of videogames
• Does the music cure?
• Role of money in modern life
• How to become a leader?
• Success in sports equals success in life
• My reflection of the world around
• Work of a teacher as I see it

Writing introduction to observation essay

There are two possible cases connected with the choice of the topic. If the topic was given by the teacher, you have no need to explain it. But if the topic was open and you made the choice yourself, you need to substantiate why exactly this topic deserves your attention. Such an explanation may be a good introductory part of the observation essay.

Pay attention to the size of structural parts of the essay. Introduction of observation essay should take about 15-20 percent of the entire work. This amount of words must be enough to make the reader want to read your narration and know you better. Using a quote of a famous person may also be used as catchy element of the introduction.

This essay presents my true story about how I decided to leave everything and start traveling. How I argued with my parents and solved problems with the authorities. How an ordinary trip to Asia has become for me a symbol and solid soil, which helped me not change my mind and bring it to the end.

Example of introduction to observation essay. Topic “How I left everything and started traveling”

What to do when you want to quit everything and leave to travel? In the era of social networks, the Internet is full of appeals to quit everything and go to another city, country, to travel. There are many stories about people who left the family and went on a round-the-world trip to find themselves and their path.

In this essay, I do not want to condemn anyone, I do not want to talk about the correctness or wrongness of the decisions of people who abandoned everything. I will not talk about various financial opportunities and social inequality. I just want to tell you my story of escaping from the office.

The story began just like that:

– “When we get home, I’ll quit my job,” I told my friend.

– Come on.

– “I’m serious,” I said, and turned my face to the warm rays of the Thai sun.

Writing main part of observation essay

After laying the foundation of the story telling in the introduction, move on to the main part of observation essay. All the thoughts, events and ideas must be described in this structural unit. It is the biggest part in the amount of words and takes about 65 percent of the total volume of the paper.

In case of short observation essay, main body consists of three paragraphs, where the author presents three separate ideas. All of them should be confirmed. The main rule of writing the body of observation essay is that it should be personal and based on personal experience of the author.

Example of main part to observation essay

It was the year 2004, and we spent a vocation on Koh Samui. We just arrived from Chiang Mai, where I met five travelers who inspired me to a nomadic life. I was under the strongest impression of their way of life. No stuffy offices and gossiping colleagues, no traffic jams and boss, is not it a fairy tale? I wanted to live like that. Moreover, I seriously intended to change my life. I even began to prepare for this serious step while still in Thailand, although I had no idea what to do and where to start.

While we were relaxing at the beaches of Koh Samui, I bought a guidebook from Lonely Planet in Southeast Asia. Then I did not even know where I wanted to go, from where on the map I decided to start my experience as a traveler, not as a tourist. I only knew that everything is cheap and it is warm in Asia. After buying the guidebook, my idea grew out of the rank of empty dreams into something more real. It was then that I suddenly realized that, in fact, I can really change my life. This thing played the role of a point of no return. Now the usual guidebook has become for me a symbol, confirming the firmness of my intentions.

I read every page in this little book when I got home. I marked out the place which I would like to visit, planed the routes, and already mentally gathered for the road. By the time our plane landed at JFK, I knew all about travels in Asia.

Nevertheless, after returning home, I realized that I have no idea how to turn my dream into reality. Thousands of questions swarmed through my head. How much money will I need? When can I afford such a long trip? What will my parents say? Do I need a return ticket? Which card is better to take with you? Is it safe to live in a hostel? The list of questions seemed endless, and in 2004, without numerous airplane ticket searchers, travel blogs, phone applications and other modern travel planning aids, it was somewhat more labor-intensive than it is now.

The hardest thing was to tell my family, friends and acquaintances that I was going on a long-term journey. I do not remember in detail the conversation that I had with my parents, but they took my decision quite coldly. By that time, they had become accustomed to my impulsive ideas, which were not uncommon but rarely turned into reality, and were ready to parry all my arguments fully armed. Their main argument was the statement that the world is a dangerous place and they will be very worried for me.

Since I had time in advance, I had enough time to drip on their brains. Nevertheless, I think that they did not believe in the seriousness of my intentions till the last moment and tried all the time to dissuade me. But once I’ve decided, I’ll bring it to life. I’m so stubborn.

Unlike the story with the parents, I remember the conversation with my boss to the smallest detail. It happened just a couple of months after my return from Thailand. During this time, I became more and more strengthened in the idea of ​​abandoning everything and leaving to travel. I even got some confidence that I really could do it. I knew that I would leave.

On that memorable day, I went to the office of my boss, told him that I wanted to talk to him, sat in a chair opposite and announced my intention to leave work. After meeting and talking with travelers, I firmly decided to see the world before I seriously take up my career. This was my first job, and I worked there for only 8 months. He began to object to me, saying that it was difficult to find a suitable candidate for my post so quickly. To which I replied that I did not want to leave right now, and asked for another six months. I remember his incredulous tone, with which he asked me: “Are you sure?”. I said: “I’m sure” and at the same moment I felt that there was no turning back.

In a sense, that day, I left not only work but also the life that I could live. I betrayed the parent idea about my future, about a good career, family, home, car and all the other things that make up the concept of “successful life”. I almost physically felt my life slipping, and I was not ready for it. I then thought that maybe I made a mistake, perhaps, life is not so bad. But I knew that I was unhappy. In my 24 years, I worked 50 – 60 hours a week, saved up for a car and planned that the next 40 years of my life would be about the same. I never liked this way of life, but it’s the way all normal people live, right?

Writing conclusion part to observation essay

The word Conclusion itself suggests that the author’s aim here is to conclude and sum up everything that has been said in the previous parts of the observation essay. In the final part, ideas are generalized, while in the main part every particular one is described.

The volume of the conclusion in observation essay is about 15-20 percent of the total paper. It should be equal or a little bigger than the introductory part.

Read the example of conclusion of observation essay to get an idea of how it should be written.

Example of observation essay conclusion

My trip to Thailand has shown me that life is not only a corporate meat grinder from 9 to 20. If such a way of life fits most people, then I’m sincerely happy for them. On the day when I announced my boss my intention to leave, I saved myself from a way of life that I never truly loved. And so, when I finally could afford to go out on the big road in search of adventure in 25 years, I still was not ready for it. I twisted in my head the cowardly thought that upon returning home I will immediately return to “normal life”, but this did not happen. After a while, the gap between me and the business world became too great.

Sometimes the decisions that we make in life are transformed for us into a tsunami, which demolishes the whole old way. So, if you are tormented by the question of how to leave everything and start a new life, just make a decision and make at least some real step towards change. Such serious changes never happen quickly at the click of a finger, they mature for a long time in our minds, they require a lot of preparation time. Still, we live in a fairly inert reality. Having made the decision to leave work, I left not only the office, but also my old way of life. But in return I found my own path, one that pleased me and never regretted the decision I made.

Final actions when writing observation essay

The first thing you do when getting the task of writing observation essay, is choosing the topic. After that, you prepare the outline of the future paper and think of the content of each structural part: introduction, main part and conclusion.

When the writing is finished, the work of the author is not done yet. There comes the time for proofreading and editing. Experts recommend taking a several days break and only after that get back to work. Read attentively the observation essay and correct grammar and lexical mistakes. Check the paper for typos and useless meaningless information. Delete everything that does not change the overall picture of the observation essay.

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How to write an observation essay: Detailed Instructions

Over the course of your academic study, you will be given many different assignments, one of which may turn out to be an observational essay. We will tell you how to write an observational paper, and provide you with a few tips on how to make more engaging for the reader.

Answer the "What is an Observation Essay" Question

In reality, it is one of the easiest and the most interesting academic assignments. However, some students may get confused about the requirements for such an essay because they are used to writing analytical papers.

Useful Observation Essay Tips

Before we begin describing the structure, formatting and other aspects of an observation essay, we would like to give you some observation essay tips on how to make this essay stand out from the rest.

#1 Choose the object of observation that fascinates you. You wouldn't want to spend hours or even days observing something, or someone, whom you are not very fond of. If you were assigned the topic for the observation essay, try to focus on the point that may interest you and use it as a cornerstone for your description. For instance, if you were told to write an observation essay about the representative of a particular subculture such as street artists, while you are not fond of them as individuals, try to focus your observations on their artistic works, not their personalities.

#2 Use all your senses to create a more vivid picture of the things that you observe. Don't limit your observations to just looking at things or people. Try to touch these things, smell or even taste them; engage in a prolonged conversation with people whom you are observing, find out more about their personalities and then watch their behavior while having a better understanding of their inner world. It will help you get an entirely different perspective on the object or the subject and make your observation essay much more vivid and engaging.

#3 Try to apply present tence. This way you will allow the readers to perceive the events that you describe in the essay as if they are unfolding right before them, thus improving the engagement and the interest in the depicted event or object.

Observation essay structure: Coherent and well-grounded

Being asked to write such an academic paper many students get slightly confused because they are not really sure about how to structure an observation essay. They think that since it doesn't require the traditional set of academic writing skills, the structuring should also be unconventional. In reality, the structure of an observation essay is not different from the format of any other academic paper. It must have the following parts:

• Introduction

If you don't know how to start an observation essay, well, the answer is quite obvious: start it with the introduction. It is the part where the author has to get the reader acquainted with the object or the event that he or she intends to describe in the essay. This introduction should be succinct but informative, not drawing the reader's focus from the actual observation process.

You must never forget that the observation essay introduction must also include a thesis statement. However, unlike other essays, the thesis statement in an observation essay shouldn't support or deny any arguments or contain any strong statements for that matter. It would be sufficient to say why this observation is important for your field of academic study and what methods you used when conducting it.

Just like in any other academic paper, the observation essay includes from one to five paragraphs. Each of those should be logically connected with each other and form a complete picture of an event or an object that you have been describing. Try to put as much information as possible in each paragraph and make your description vivid and detailed. Don't just limit yourself to describing the overall appearance of the object or the things that happened during the event. Write about what you feel when you make the observations. Look for details which are not apparent for the ordinary viewer.

In your observation essay conclusion, you must rephrase and restate your thesis statement and then describe your overall impression regarding the process of observation and the event or the subject that you have been observing. Again, there is no need to make any strong statements, just tell the reader that you enjoyed making an observation. Basically, that is all you need to know about how to end an observation essay.

Observation essay format styles

In most cases, observation essays are written using MLA as it is the most popular and the most appropriate formatting style for this writing assignment. However, your teacher may ask you to prepare the paper applying APA or Chicago style for your observation essay format. Nevertheless, it shouldn't pose a problem since observation essays don't require plenty of quoting and references.

Observation essay outline: See the structure clearly

Frequently, you will be asked to write an outline for observation essay. In case you don't know how to do it appropriately, we will gladly provide a good example of the observation essay outline.

• Observation of human behavior during protests
• The behavior of people may change radically during different stages of protest
• How I joined the protest event called Occupy Wall Street
• How people behaved at the initial stages of the protest
• How their behavior changed when they confronted the representative of a large trading firm
• How passers-by reacted to the protesters
• The thoughts about the overall experience
• What make people so agitated when they participate in protests

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How to write an observation paper-a guide for nursing students, rachel r.n..

• February 24, 2024
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How to Write an Observation Paper-A Guide for Nursing Students-A Guide for Nursing Students

Observation papers are a crucial component of a nursing student’s academic journey. These papers allow you to develop essential skills such as critical thinking,  effective communication , and reflective practice. While they may seem daunting at first, with the right approach and guidance, you can excel in crafting observation papers that meet academic standards and contribute to your growth as a future healthcare professional.

To master the art of crafting an observation essay, it’s crucial to grasp the fundamentals of conducting research .This comprehensive guide, we will take you through the step-by-step process and tips for writing an observation paper, tailored specifically for nursing students.However, if you are running out of time, feel free to ask for help from our professional essay writers

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1. Understanding the Purpose and Importance

Defining the Observation Paper

Before diving into the writing process, it’s vital to understand what an observation paper is. An observation paper is a structured report that describes and analyzes a specific event, situation, or experience. In the context of nursing, these papers often focus on  clinical observations , patient interactions, or healthcare settings.

The Significance of Observation Papers

Observation papers serve several purposes in your nursing education:

• Enhancing Clinical Skills: They help you develop and refine your clinical observation skills, vital for identifying patient needs and providing quality care.
• Reflective Practice: Writing an observation paper encourages self-reflection, enabling you to learn from your experiences and improve your practice.
• Critical Thinking: These papers challenge you to think critically, analyze situations, and make  informed decisions , which are essential skills in nursing.
• Effective Communication: You learn to articulate your observations clearly and concisely, a crucial skill in conveying information to colleagues and supervisors.

Take a look at the following examples to help you understand better

A Guide to Writing an Anthropolgy Observation Paper

A Comprehensive Guide to Writing an Observation Paper in Psychology

A Guide to Writing an Observation Paper in Child Development in APA Format

Comprehensive Guide on How to Write a Paper From An Observation Interview

2. Selecting the Observation Topic

Choose a Relevant Topic

Start by selecting a topic that is relevant to your nursing education and interests. Consider areas where you need improvement or topics that pique your curiosity. Whether it’s a patient encounter, a clinical procedure, or a  healthcare policy , your topic should be meaningful to you.

Narrow Your Focus

Ensure your chosen topic is specific enough to allow for in-depth analysis. For example, if you decide to write about a patient interaction, narrow it down to a particular aspect of the encounter, like communication or assessment techniques.

3. Pre-Observation Preparation

Review Relevant Literature

Before conducting your observation, research existing literature and studies related to your topic. This background knowledge will help you contextualize your observations and provide a foundation for your analysis.

Set Clear Objectives

Define clear objectives for your observation. What specific aspects will you be focusing on? What do you hope to learn or discover during the observation? Having clear goals will guide your observation process.

Obtain Necessary Permissions

If your observation involves patient care, ensure you have the required permissions and comply with  ethical guidelines . Respect patient confidentiality and privacy at all times.

4. Conducting the Observation

Detailed Notes and Documentation

During the observation, take meticulous notes. Record your observations, thoughts, and any significant details. Be objective and accurate in your descriptions. Include timestamps for chronological accuracy.

Utilize Reflective Practice

While observing, practice reflection. Consider how your personal biases, emotions, and preconceptions may influence your observations. Reflect on your thoughts and feelings throughout the process.

Structuring Your Observation Paper in APA Format

Introduction

Provide a brief introduction to your topic and its significance.

State the purpose of your observation and your objectives.

Methodology

Describe the methodology you used during your observation, including any ethical considerations.

Explain your  data collection process  and any tools or instruments used.

Observations

Present your observations in a clear, organized manner.

Use descriptive language to paint a vivid picture of the situation or event.

Include both objective observations (what you saw, heard, etc.) and subjective reflections (your thoughts and feelings).

• Interpret your observations. What do they reveal about the topic you chose?
• Analyze the significance of your findings in the context of  nursing practice .
• Use evidence from literature to support your analysis.

Discuss the implications of your observations for nursing practice and patient care.

Address any limitations or biases in your observation process.

Explore areas for further research or improvement.

Summarize the key points from your observation and analysis.

Reiterate the importance of your findings in the nursing context.

Refining Your Observation Paper

Edit and Proofread

After completing your initial draft, thoroughly edit and proofread your paper. Check for grammar, spelling, and formatting errors. Ensure that your writing is clear and concise.

Seek Feedback

Share your paper with peers or instructors for feedback. They can provide valuable insights and suggestions for improvement.

Revise and Finalize

Incorporate the feedback you receive and make necessary revisions. Pay attention to the overall flow and coherence of your paper. Ensure that it meets the formatting and citation requirements of your institution.

Mastering the art of writing an observation paper is a valuable skill for nursing students. It contributes to your academic growth and enhances your clinical and critical thinking abilities. Remember that practice and continuous improvement are key to success in observation paper writing.

As you embark on your journey as a nursing student, it’s important to seek guidance and support when needed. If you find yourself struggling with writing observation papers or any other academic assignments, don’t hesitate to seek assistance.  Our writing services  are here to provide you with expert guidance and support to help you excel in your studies.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: How do you write an observation?

A: To write an observation, start by selecting a specific topic, conduct a thorough observation, take detailed notes, analyze your findings, and structure your paper with an introduction, methodology, observations, analysis, discussion, and conclusion.

Q2: What is the format of an observation essay?

A: An observation essay typically follows a structured format with sections like introduction,  methodology , observations, analysis, discussion, and conclusion, maintaining clear, concise, and organized writing throughout.

Q3: How do you start an observation report?

A: Begin an observation report by introducing your chosen topic and its significance, stating the purpose and objectives of your observation, and providing a brief overview of your methodology.

Q4: What is an example of an observation?

A: An example of an observation could be observing a nurse-patient interaction in a hospital setting, noting the communication techniques used and the impact on patient care.

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Opponents say discipline is ‘Orwellian,’ ‘re-education’

New York University students who were arrested at a recent anti-Israel encampment must write “reflection” essays as part of their discipline, according to the campus Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine.

The university’s Office of Student Conduct issued the punishments last week for students who were arrested April 22 in connection with a pro-Palestinian encampment on campus, according to a news release .

The pro-Palestinian group referred to the disciplinary measures as “Orwellian” in the release.

One punishment, a five to six page “reflection paper,” must include “a clear, well-developed response that demonstrates that you have thought about all aspects of the issue/decision/behavior that resulted in your involvement with the Office of Student Conduct,” according to a university instructions sheet .

The instructions sheet states the paper “cannot serve to justify your actions, evaluate the actions of others, or challenge a conduct regulation.”

In the essay, students also must describe their personal values and consider how their actions affected other people, including the university and “society as a whole.” Additionally, the instructions tell students to consider what they need to do to “make things right.”

NYU is requiring other student protesters to write “dozens of writing assignments” through its Ethos Integrity Series Modules , according to the news release. The series is supposed to help students develop “moral reasoning” and “ethical decision-making skills.”

In addition to writing essays, some students were banned from campus and university activities, according to the group.

Middle Eastern studies Professor Sara Pursley, a member of the pro-Palestinian group, criticized the disciplinary measures in the news release.

“Since they can’t write anything justifying their action, students seem to be banned from writing about personal values that might be relevant here, such as a belief in freedom of expression, the responsibility to oppose genocide, or the duty of nonviolent civil disobedience under certain circumstances,” Pursley said. “This seems rather ironic in an essay on integrity.”

On X, conservative Princeton University law Professor Robert George said while he believes students should be disciplined for unlawful activities, NYU’s specific essay requirements are concerning.

“Students who engage in disruption, harassment, or other unlawful activities – no matter the cause they are seeking to advance – should be subject to disciplinary proceedings and appropriate sanctions, but they should not be subjected to thought reform or re-education,” George wrote .

Police in riot gear arrest dozens of NYU students and faculty who refused to leave a makeshift anti-Israel encampment in late April, The Fix reported .

Police said the protesters were arrested for “disorderly conduct” and unlawfully blocking traffic, according to the Washington Square News , NYU’s student newspaper.

MORE: Jewish NYU student kicked out of campus leadership post for opposing Hamas terrorism reinstated

IMAGE: Freedom News TV/YouTube

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NYT Modern Love essayist navigates her grief with support from Walpole writing group

Writing can be a lonely activity, and you could say the same thing about processing grief. But Tina Hedin of Keene found community in a local writing group. It’s there that she started working on an essay about her grief after her daughter’s death. That essay recently appeared in the New York Times’ Modern Love section.

NHPR's Morning Edition host Rick Ganley spoke with Hedin about how writing can connect people who are grieving.

Your essay's called "We Didn't Know It Was the Last Time." Can you tell us about the essay for listeners who have not read that yet?

I think of it as an essay where the past and the present are happening at the same time. In my own experience of grief, that's a state that I find myself in a lot – where I'm in the present, but memories of the past are triggered by some little event and come rushing back.

And that's what happened the day that I'm describing in the story. I was at the gym. I saw a young woman there who reminded me of my daughter. It was Christmas season. I saw a picture on my phone that day taken of my daughter, and it took me back so vividly to the last days that we were together with her, and I describe that in my story.

And the experience of writing about that made me reflect on a more universal experience. Often we don't get a chance to know when something is the last time, when it's the last time we're with our loved one. Or we do something that we think is ordinary, and then in retrospect, it's incredibly precious and special because it will never happen again.

Writing isn't your job professionally, but you belong to a Walpole writing group. How did that help you navigate your grief after your daughter Kiki died?

I didn't expect to share the things that I was writing initially, but I did have a place to share them with my group. And as the months went by and I did get feedback from others, I realized that sharing my writing with other people who have experienced grief could give others what I got from reading.

Initially, after Kiki died, I was just desperate to find writing by others who had gone through the loss of a child, who were experiencing that kind of grief, and I was in hopes of feeling a connection, feeling not alone in this terrible experience.

What's been the response from readers to your essay? The New York Times obviously has a huge reach.

It's been pretty mind blowing for me. I woke up at 3 a.m. in the morning that it came out, too excited to sleep. And I went online, and I saw that I already had emails from Switzerland, and Dubai and the Netherlands – people around the world that had read it. At this point, I'm still trying to work my way through them.

Many of them are from parents who have lost a child. Many of them are from people experiencing grief and loss. Our grief is universal. Each loss is unique and precious to that person. And I really do feel honored that so many people have taken the time to reach out, especially considering that that was my hope in writing in the first place – was to connect with other people.

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Guest Essay

It’s Time to End the Quiet Cruelty of Property Taxes

By Andrew W. Kahrl

Dr. Kahrl is a professor of history and African American studies at the University of Virginia and the author of “The Black Tax: 150 Years of Theft, Exploitation, and Dispossession in America.”

Property taxes, the lifeblood of local governments and school districts, are among the most powerful and stealthy engines of racism and wealth inequality our nation has ever produced. And while the Biden administration has offered many solutions for making the tax code fairer, it has yet to effectively tackle a problem that has resulted not only in the extraordinary overtaxation of Black and Latino homeowners but also in the worsening of disparities between wealthy and poorer communities. Fixing these problems requires nothing short of a fundamental re-examination of how taxes are distributed.

In theory, the property tax would seem to be an eminently fair one: The higher the value of your property, the more you pay. The problem with this system is that the tax is administered by local officials who enjoy a remarkable degree of autonomy and that tax rates are typically based on the collective wealth of a given community. This results in wealthy communities enjoying lower effective tax rates while generating more tax revenues; at the same time, poorer ones are forced to tax property at higher effective rates while generating less in return. As such, property assessments have been manipulated throughout our nation’s history to ensure that valuable property is taxed the least relative to its worth and that the wealthiest places will always have more resources than poorer ones.

Black people have paid the heaviest cost. Since they began acquiring property after emancipation, African Americans have been overtaxed by local governments. By the early 1900s, an acre of Black-owned land was valued, for tax purposes, higher than an acre of white-owned land in most of Virginia’s counties, according to my calculations, despite being worth about half as much. And for all the taxes Black people paid, they got little to nothing in return. Where Black neighborhoods began, paved streets, sidewalks and water and sewer lines often ended. Black taxpayers helped to pay for the better-resourced schools white children attended. Even as white supremacists treated “colored” schools as another of the white man’s burdens, the truth was that throughout the Jim Crow era, Black taxpayers subsidized white education.

Freedom from these kleptocratic regimes drove millions of African Americans to move to Northern and Midwestern states in the Great Migration from 1915 to 1970, but they were unable to escape racist assessments, which encompassed both the undervaluation of their property for sales purposes and the overvaluation of their property for taxation purposes. During those years, the nation’s real estate industry made white-owned property in white neighborhoods worth more because it was white. Since local tax revenue was tied to local real estate markets, newly formed suburbs had a fiscal incentive to exclude Black people, and cities had even more reason to keep Black people confined to urban ghettos.

As the postwar metropolis became a patchwork of local governments, each with its own tax base, the fiscal rationale for segregation intensified. Cities were fiscally incentivized to cater to the interests of white homeowners and provide better services for white neighborhoods, especially as middle-class white people began streaming into the suburbs, taking their tax dollars with them.

One way to cater to wealthy and white homeowners’ interests is to intentionally conduct property assessments less often. The city of Boston did not conduct a citywide property reassessment between 1946 and 1977. Over that time, the values of properties in Black neighborhoods increased slowly when compared with the values in white neighborhoods or even fell, which led to property owners’ paying relatively more in taxes than their homes were worth. At the same time, owners of properties in white neighborhoods got an increasingly good tax deal as their neighborhoods increased in value.

As was the case in other American cities, Boston’s decision most likely derived from the fear that any updates would hasten the exodus of white homeowners and businesses to the suburbs. By the 1960s, assessments on residential properties in Boston’s poor neighborhoods were up to one and a half times as great as their actual values, while assessments in the city’s more affluent neighborhoods were, on average, 40 percent of market value.

Jersey City, N.J., did not conduct a citywide real estate reassessment between 1988 and 2018 as part of a larger strategy for promoting high-end real estate development. During that time, real estate prices along the city’s waterfront soared but their owners’ tax bills remained relatively steady. By 2015, a home in one of the city’s Black and Latino neighborhoods worth $175,000 received the same tax bill as a home in the city’s downtown worth $530,000.

These are hardly exceptions. Numerous studies conducted during those years found that assessments in predominantly Black neighborhoods of U.S. cities were grossly higher relative to value than those in white areas.

These problems persist. A recent report by the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy found that property assessments were regressive (meaning lower-valued properties were assessed higher relative to value than higher-valued ones) in 97.7 percent of U.S. counties. Black-owned homes and properties in Black neighborhoods continue to be devalued on the open market, making this regressive tax, in effect, a racist tax.

The overtaxation of Black homes and neighborhoods is also a symptom of a much larger problem in America’s federated fiscal structure. By design, this system produces winners and losers: localities with ample resources to provide the goods and services that we as a nation have entrusted to local governments and others that struggle to keep the lights on, the streets paved, the schools open and drinking water safe . Worse yet, it compels any fiscally disadvantaged locality seeking to improve its fortunes to do so by showering businesses and corporations with tax breaks and subsidies while cutting services and shifting tax burdens onto the poor and disadvantaged. A local tax on local real estate places Black people and cities with large Black populations at a permanent disadvantage. More than that, it gives middle-class white people strong incentives to preserve their relative advantages, fueling the zero-sum politics that keep Americans divided, accelerates the upward redistribution of wealth and impoverishes us all.

There are technical solutions. One, which requires local governments to adopt more accurate assessment models and regularly update assessment rolls, can help make property taxes fairer. But none of the proposed reforms being discussed can be applied nationally because local tax policies are the prerogative of the states and, often, local governments themselves. Given the variety and complexity of state and local property tax laws and procedures and how much local governments continue to rely on tax reductions and tax shifting to attract and retain certain people and businesses, we cannot expect them to fix these problems on their own.

The best way to make local property taxes fairer and more equitable is to make them less important. The federal government can do this by reinvesting in our cities, counties and school districts through a federal fiscal equity program, like those found in other advanced federated nations. Canada, Germany and Australia, among others, direct federal funds to lower units of government with lower capacities to raise revenue.

And what better way to pay for the program than to tap our wealthiest, who have benefited from our unjust taxation scheme for so long? President Biden is calling for a 25 percent tax on the incomes and annual increases in the values of the holdings of people claiming more than $100 million in assets, but we could accomplish far more by enacting a wealth tax on the 1 percent. Even a modest 4 percent wealth tax on people whose total assets exceed $50 million could generate upward of $400 billion in additional annual revenue, which should be more than enough to ensure that the needs of every city, county and public school system in America are met. By ensuring that localities have the resources they need, we can counteract the unequal outcomes and rank injustices that our current system generates.

Andrew W. Kahrl is a professor of history and African American studies at the University of Virginia and the author of “ The Black Tax : 150 Years of Theft, Exploitation, and Dispossession in America.”

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

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