the Observation/Descriptive Essay.

Decide upon a subject for a descriptive/observation essay. While you may use pre-writing techniques to help find a subject, you may also find that selecting a location where you can perform an observation more useful.

Make sure your observation is of a present event that is re-observable. In other words, do not choose a subject from past experience (i.e. a vacation or trip). Choosing a subject that you can observe more than once will allow you to find more sensory details in later drafts.

Make sure your draft has at least 5 paragraphs that include an introductory paragraph that states your purpose and focus. Your body paragraphs must also be organized around topic sentences. Finish off your working draft with a concluding paragraph.

Remember that writers often find it helpful to write a working thesis statement to get started, and then return to write the opening paragraph after completion of the rest of the essay.

PURPOSE: A descriptive observation in the present.

AUDIENCE: A group of classmates representing diverse cultures, ethnicities, ages, and interests

LENGTH: 300 – 500 words

FORMAT: Multi-paragraph essay formatted in MLA Paper form (See Course Information on the eCampus menu for this course for a folder of instructions for this form). Save the file as a .doc or .docx file so it can be opened by other readers.