Sharing a piece of your observation essay

This blog assignment is due before class starts on Monday, Oct. 15

Earlier this week you were assigned to write an observation essay, an assignment which requires you tell in detail about a specific event or experience. Your essay should include telling details and well-written, interesting sentences.

As you work on this assignment, I am going to ask that you post an excerpt from your essay in the comment section of this blog. It can be as short as three to four sentences, or as much as an entire paragraph. However, it must be an excerpt that you illustrate the following:

• Several telling, specific details that demonstrate a close observation of your event.
• Several well-crafted sentences, including those beginning with effective ING phrases or subordinate clauses.

Your excerpt is not a summary of your essay in progress. Instead, it is a paragraph that's part of your larger assignment. The purpose here is to share a piece of your work with your classmates and to provide opportunity for more feedback on your writing.

Before submitting your writing, remember to PROOFREAD!

The Observing paper

Your next assignment involves writing a detailed, close observation about an incident you have experienced or observed. It does not have to be an event of earth-shattering significance, just something you remember vividly. The more specific you can remember it and bring those vivid details into focus, the more interesting your paper will be.

However, you must write your essay in third-person narration. Even though it is an incident you recall or observed, you must write it as if you were simply an observer. Use the pronouns he, she, or they without referring to yourself directly.

The observation must be focused and limited, so you can develop it fully. Think about an event and describe all aspects of it, like the author of a novel might. If your event is too broad or covers too long a period of time, you will have difficulty precisely developing your idea.

Some possible topic ideas to help you get started: your most embarrassing moment, the most horrifying, or the most terrifying.

Rough draft due: Tuesday, Oct. 16. Final draft due: Thursday, Oct. 18

photo credit: sunflowers by marcomagrini on flickr.com