5/8/22, 5:16 PM Major Assignment – Unit 2: Observation Essay ⭐
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Major Assignment – Unit 2: Observation Essay ⭐
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Unit 2: Writing Community
Major Assignment – Observation Essay
Write an observation essay that explains the unique significance
of a particular person or place within a larger community. Describe
the person or place through vivid description, narration, dialogue
and sensory details. Help others outside of your community
understand why the person or place is important to the
community.
Assignment
Observation, as the CEL describes it, requires writers to “study their subjects and learn
something by seeing them in a particular way” (93). Observation essays do more than just
report facts: they also “find the hidden meaning, the significant issues, and the important
aspects of a particular subject” (93).
Your purpose in this Observation Essay is to convey the significance of a particular
person or place in your community through details that show how the subject “fits”
within the community’s priorities and values. Your descriptions and details should make it
easy for someone unfamiliar with your community to understand why the person or place you
chose is relevant and significant to the community.
*Note: although this essay is intended to be based in recent, firsthand observations, you may
write from recent memories instead if you are restricted in travel and mobility during the
COVID pandemic. If you are writing from memories, try to recreate scenes and descriptions
as though you are seeing them again for the first time.
In order to achieve this purpose, you need to:
5/8/22, 5:16 PM Major Assignment – Unit 2: Observation Essay ⭐
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Observe and Take field notes. Begin with observing the person or place and writing down
notes about what you see, hear, and sense. Plan to observe this person or place 2-3
times. In your notes, record specific actions that you notice, dialogue you overhear,
interactions you have with other people, and any important details about the scene that
might help you SHOW its significance through vivid detail and narration.
Describe the person or place through actions, details, and dialogue that offer insight into
why this person or place has unique significance as an important part of the community.
Explain context and background that shows how the person or place matters within the
larger community. Context might include history, factual information, anecdotes,
geographical information, or other details that help an audience understand the person or
place as part of something bigger than themselves/itself.
Follow a carefully planned organizational structure that gives priority to specific details,
themes, and values. Your final draft should be organized to show the significance of the
person or place and should not simply list details in the order you observed them.
Offer a strong introduction that hooks readers with vivid details or action and focuses
attention on the significance of the subject. Provide a strong conclusion that
As you look back over your observations and notes, remember that your essay should do
more than simply relate details without any larger significance. Your observation of the person
or place should also draw out the unique, interesting, and special qualities of the person or
place that help audiences understand why they/it has value as part of a larger community.
Caution: Please keep in mind that writing in this class is public, and anything you write about
may be shared with other students and instructors. Please only write about details that you
are comfortable making public within our classroom community. You should know that your
teacher is required by the State of Texas (https://www.unt.edu/notices/new-texas-law-requiresunt-employees-report-sexual-misconduct-they-are-aware) to report any suspected incidents of
discrimination, harassment, Title IX sexual harassment, and sexual misconduct to the UNT
Title IX coordinators. If you have any questions about anything personal that you might want
to disclose, email your teacher first or consult with one of the resources listed on this page:
Information on Sexual Violence and Mandatory Reporting.
Format and Length
Format: Typed, double-spaced, submitted as a word-processing document.
12 point, text-weight font, 1-inch margins.
Length: 1000 – 1250 words (approx. 4-5 pages)
Value: This project will be graded out of 100 possible points, and will be part of the Unit 2
Project group, worth 20% of the grade for the course.
Overview: For this writing project, you will use firsthand observations and discoveries to
write about a person or place that has special significance in your community. Using
5/8/22, 5:16 PM Major Assignment – Unit 2: Observation Essay ⭐
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Major Assignment – U2: Observation Essay Rubric – FYW 2021 1310 Online
details from your observations (or from recent memories), you will describe the person or
place and convey their/its value to the community.
Objectives and Questions
These questions help to guide discussion and set up the objectives for this unit.
Observe a person or place connected to an issue affecting a larger community
Record the particular details of an observation
Reveal / convey the significance of a person, place, or event through specific details in
writing
Grading
This assignment will be graded out of 100 possible points, and will be part of the Unit 2
assignment group, worth 20% of the grade for the course.
Criteria
See the attached rubric below for essay criteria.
5/8/22, 5:16 PM Major Assignment – Unit 2: Observation Essay ⭐
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Criteria Ratings Pts
25 pts
20 pts
Unique Significance
Writer conveys
insight into what
makes the person
or place observed
significant to the
larger community.
All details in the
essay are relevant
to the significance
the writer
emphasizes.
25 pts
Exceeds
Expectations
21.25 pts
Above
Expectations
17.5 pts
Meets
Expectations
12.5 pts
Below
Expectations
0 pts
Does Not
Meet
Expectations
Organization
Writer uses a
deliberate
organizational
pattern that gives
order and focus to
all details. Each
paragraph is
relevant and
contributes to the
central focus of the
essay. The essay is
paced well and
does not slow down
audiences with
unnecessary
information.
20 pts
Exceeds
Expectations
17 pts
Above
Expectations
14 pts
Meets
Expectations
5 pts
Below
Expectations
0 pts
Does Not
Meet
Expectations
5/8/22, 5:16 PM Major Assignment – Unit 2: Observation Essay ⭐
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Criteria Ratings Pts
20 pts
Purpose
All details in the
essay are drawn
primarily from
firsthand
observation. All
observations are
organized
effectively and
show careful
planning and
selection by the
writer.
20 pts
Exceeds
Expectations
17 pts
Above
Expectations
14 pts
Meets
Expectations
10 pts
Below
Expectations
0 pts
Does Not
Meet
Expectations
5/8/22, 5:16 PM Major Assignment – Unit 2: Observation Essay ⭐
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Criteria Ratings Pts
25 pts
Rhetorical Tools:
Narration,
description,
dialogue, and
sensory information
The essay uses
rhetorical tools
effectively to
engage audiences
and convey the
central significance
of the person or
place observed. All
rhetorical tools are
used effectively and
add important
details to the essay.
25 pts
Exceeds
Expectations
18.75 pts
Above
Expectations
12.5 pts
Meets
Expectations
6.25 pts
Below
Expectations
0 pts
Does Not
Meet
Expectations
5/8/22, 5:16 PM Major Assignment – Unit 2: Observation Essay ⭐
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Total Points: 100
Criteria Ratings Pts
10 pts
Conventions and
Correctness
Writing is generally
clear and easy to
understand. All
choices in grammar,
syntax, and style
contribute to the
writer’s purpose in
writing.
10 pts
Exceeds
Expectations
8.5 pts
Above
Expectations
7 pts
Meets
Expectations
5 pts
Below
Expectations
0 pts
Does Not
Meet
Expectations
