In this lesson,
you'll learn the principles of observing people, places, things, and
activities; you will also practice writing detailed observations about
them.
Types of Writing
that Require Observations
The basic principles
of good observations are important to many kinds of writing. Observing
something that has happened and then writing about it is a task that
you'll face both in college and at work. Writing about observations
is common in courses where you will need to narrate (tell stories)
and careers that require certain kinds of research, such as field
research and scientific writing. [See "Writing
about Memories"and "Writing Scientific or Technical
Reports." ]
Types of
Writing that Require Observations
Observation
is a building block of many types of writing. That's because much
of what we write about is based on the activities of everyday life.
Here are some of the times that observation is important to writing.
Can you think of others?
Writing a
story, or narrative, whether it is true (nonfiction) or created
(fiction). Careful observation of people and how they talk to each
other is critical for either kind of story.
Using a short
anecdote, another form of narrative, as an example in an essay.
One example is writing an essay about the quality of college cafeteria
food, where you use an anecdote about a particular meal that was
especially good or bad.
Doing field
research to investigate something. For example, you might go to
a war memorial in a city park and record how people react to it.
Telling about
an event in an official report. For instance, you might need to
describe a crime or accident scene to the police or the insurance
company.
What are the
Basic Principles of Written Observations?
Strong writers
know what to look for when they observe something happening. They
know that they must address their subject carefully and thoroughly.
Writing about observations requires that the writer:
Use precise
language in recording what has occurred.
Use strong,
active verbs and descriptive adjectives.
Record details
and numbers accurately and in the order in which they were observed.
Know and
understand the subject under observation, leading to the ability
to write with authority.
One major tool
of strong observations is description, the ability to use details
that will allow your reader/s to see, hear, touch, taste, and
feel what you are describing.
Exercise
This exercise
will give you an opportunity to "warm up" your observation and
writing skills using description.
Close your
eyes and think about the last person that you had a conversation
with before you sat down at the computer to read this lesson.
Pretend that the police are asking you for a description of
this person and that you need to be very exact in details.
In the
text box below, record everything that you remember about that
person. Who was the person? What was s/he wearing? Were the
clothes appropriate for today's weather? What did his/her hair
look like? Was it clean? Was it styled in a particular way?
How did this person smell? Did s/he have fresh breath from a
powerful mint or was there a bit of lunch left on the teeth?
How did
you do? What kinds of details did you remember? Did you forget
anything that could help you to describe this person to the
police? Did you write with authority using descriptive details,
active verbs, and adjectives?
Hints for
Strong Observations
You may have
noticed how challenging it can be to write about something you no
longer are looking—either a great memory or good notes are very
important to writing about observations.
Take good
notes. The better notes that you take, the less you have to rely
on your memory for details that might be important.
Carry and
use a journal for jotting down the details of whatever you are observing.
If you make a habit of taking notes, you will always have the details
you need at your fingertips.
Write your
observation as soon as possible after the event or activity about
which you will write.
Keep your
goal, or purpose, in mind. Why are you writing about a particular
observation? What do you want to have occur as a result of this
piece (e.g., a grade? a reimbursement from your insurance company?
a better understanding of how certain people react to memorials
of past wars?)
In this lesson,
we reviewed some of the reasons that people write about observations
and what kinds of details are useful in strong observation writing.
With some practice, your written descriptions of people, places, things,
and activities will allow your reader/s to really see, hear, touch,
taste, and feel your subject.
