How to Write an Observation Essay: Crafting a Meaningful Essay

“We should have good observation skills to spot students who need help writing observation essays.” That was a lighthearted moment statement from one of our top essay gurus as we were working on this blog.

Learning how to write an observation essay is a skill that helps students learn how to capture a moment, experience, or event proceedings vividly. When you get such an assignment, the test is to improve your description prowess by paying close attention to detail.

The guidelines below provide extensive guidance on writing observation essays. Let’s see how you can move from having a topic only to finishing up the essay.

What is an Observation Essay?

An observation essay refers to a written, detailed description of a given object, place, event, experience, or experiment. In other words, this essay type allows you to present the results of the observations made on a given research question or subject.

Every essay requires research. In an observation essay, your research is the observation. We will examine that when we reach the steps for writing an observation essay.

Writing such an essay involves combining direct observations and personal impressions. The results are a creative narrative that paints a picture for the readers.

Almost all subjects and courses require you to write an observation essay at some point. The procedure to work on them is the same, but how you write the observations differs.

For example, an observation report written by our physics homework help department will require an objective approach when writing, and you will be dealing with data collected from an experiment. On the other hand, the literature homework help will write a subjective observation essay that involves a critical analysis of the text. This text could be a short story or a novel.

What You Need to Know Before Writing an Observation Essay

Before writing an observation essay, you should understand what it tries to fulfill. Since it's a type of writing that readers immerse in, it should answer the question, “So what?” or “What’s the point?”

It’s also a type of writing that vividly describes your observations. That is why most experts view it as a mixture of analytical and descriptive writing.

Remember this idea as you learn how to write this type of essay.

If such points seem confusing to you, don’t worry. It will be clearer once we reach the steps section. In the meantime, let our essay experts help you write one. We can also send you a sample upon request, so you feel supported and encouraged throughout your learning process. Clarifying this purpose helps you stay focused and makes your essay more meaningful.

Now, before we go to the writing process, why do you think your lecturer (or tutor) is asking you to write an observation essay?

Do Observation Essays Matter?

We have been assisting students in writing academic essays for the past 15 years. Some of these essays have been observational, of course. If students and guardians engage with our college essay writing services, these essays matter.

There are a bunch of skills that your teacher wants you to cultivate as you write an observation essay. Some of them include:

Developing Observational Skills

Have you ever sat with a group of people and noticed how they observe things? Some look without jotting notes in their minds. Others will notice every detail, from how that man walks to how the breeze makes them feel.

In this case, your professor trains you to notice as many details as possible in your topic. In the sciences and arts, this skill is more crucial than ever.

Polishing the Art of Descriptive Writing

We have already mentioned the descriptive nature of the observation essays. You must use language that describes your observations in detail and paints the right picture for the readers. You also cannot omit the sensory details.

The lesson here is to practice communicating effectively through what you write.

Improving the Ability to Analyze

In addition to description, students should learn analytical and interpretation skills. Combining the three will cultivate better critical thinking, which leads to meaningful conclusions.

Connecting to the Real World

You observe and record events around you and then write descriptively and analytically about them. This will help you later when observing what's happening elsewhere and having a deeper understanding of the experience.

Acquiring the skills above, among others, is what your lecturer wants whenever you get an observation topic. Having identified the reasons above, the next step is to learn how to write such an essay.

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Spoiler tip: Ernest Hemingway had the observation writing style in him. However, it may be a little different from the academic requirements of an observation essay. You can start by reading our Soldier’s Home Summary to get the style, which also involves his 'iceberg theory'.

How to Write an Observation Essay from Scratch

We want to show how you graduate from a blank mind to writing like this:

“The elderly couple sat beside each other on a lone park bench, their wrinkled hands clasping each other. Their silence and gaze seemed loud enough, but only to those looking. The gazing followed the noises of children singing nearby, who made the lady faintly smile as if acknowledging a distant memory.”

It begins with careful planning and culminates in a well-structured essay, ready to earn academic credit. As you read through, you will spot the observation essay examples we have included to help you master the points. Now, let’s get started…

1. Read the Instructions Given

Unless you are doing this solely for practice, your professor will begin by assigning an observation essay. Improving your observation skills helps you focus on key details, making your essays more precise and engaging. Developing this skill sharpens your attention to detail, which is crucial for writing compelling observation essays with instructions. Read those instructions to capture the topic (if shown), what to observe and write about, and the essay formatting instructions.

Have you read every instruction? Good. It's time for the next step. Are the instructions making your mind go blurry? If yes, forward them to our experts, who will guide you.

2. Get a Suitable Topic

Sometimes, your lecturer may omit the topic and instead just give you an observation target. If you are supposed to get one, it's time to brainstorm. Depending on the scene, object, event, or art chosen, here are some ideas to help you generate some observation essay topics:

• Your favorite café scene
• A student’s first day in college
• People interacting in a park or a busy street
• A wild street performance
• A soccer match that is happening in the neighborhood

3. Start Observing

The above point should help you select a scene and a topic. Once you have done that, go to your designated scene and start looking at things closely. As you do this:

• You should have the right environment to help gather details
• You should be able to use your senses to capture that sight, smell, or emotion
• Note down what you are seeing. It could be anything from coats being blown by the wind to distant dialogues that you hear people mumbling.
• As you jot down your observations, write what you see and not the interpretation of it
• Depending on your course and the assignment, you may need to record the timelines

The writing point in the list above is for those using that mode to capture their observations. Other data collection methods could involve:

• Taking photos
• Recording videos
• Conducting interviews
• Taking surveys
• Collecting samples
• Experimenting in the laboratory

You can organize this data using charts, graphs, tables, or simply leave them as plain notes. Choose whatever is an easy way to analyze the data later. What you have collected should be accurate and reliable since that is what you will depend on to write the observation essay/report.

4. Prepare an Observation Essay Outline

You have your data ready and well-analyzed. Now, it's time for essay planning and writing. Most essays usually follow the same format. For this one, you can have the following structure:

Introduction

• Provide a background
• Give the observation essay a purpose
• End the intro with an engaging thesis statement/hook

Body paragraphs

You can write three or four paragraphs describing the setting and your preliminary impressions here. Later, you can introduce the main actors and how they interacted. After that, reflect deeply on the emotions and what they meant to you.

The number of paragraphs you have will depend on the required length. The writing in this part may take a different turn for observation reports in natural and applied sciences since such academic papers require objectivity.

Conclusion

• Summarize the observation
• Give a reflection on the gained insights
• Leave the reader thinking

We have a detailed blog on how to write an outstanding essay outline that we use to guide beginners in essay writing. You can fully rely on it to develop an observation essay outline that will help you cover everything.

5. Write the Observation Essay

Is the outline ready? Now it’s writing time. As you start to write, remember that it’s your first draft. So, it doesn’t have to be perfect. Use simple but descriptive language to write the first five lines of your introduction.

Follow the outline you created together with your preliminary notes. The language and writing you will be using here may tempt you to use some of the biggest words people rarely use.

The trick is not to mislead readers, as you tell a story that will ‘buy’ their minds. Avoid jargon, acronyms, slang words, and abbreviations in the essay. Also, take care of diluting your essay through repetition and the use of fillers.

Our top essay writers also insist on showing instead of telling. For example, don’t say, “The boys fought hard.” Instead, you could say, “The short boy threw his punch restlessly as he struggled to aim at his opponent’s chin.”

Here is one of our observation essay introduction examples to show how you would begin your essay:

“The café was slowly buzzing with footsteps, clicking cups on trays, and the dragging of chairs. As it introduced my usual morning symphony, I stared at an older man rustling his newspaper. He had a quiet demeanor that seemed odd in a lively room."

That introduction would introduce the scene to the reader or the main subject.

Our guide on how to write an essay can show you how to write using a specific format based on the instructions given. We have addressed how to write using various formatting styles used in colleges and universities.

If you are stuck, contact us for an observation essay sample. Alternatively, you can also upload your requirements and observation notes on our order page and let our essay experts guide you on how to write one.

6. Work on the Summary

The summary is, of course, the conclusion part. It should reflect the key observations you made. You should know what to include if you already outlined your essay as we directed you in step 4. More pointers for you here would be:

• Highlight what stood out for you
• Reflect by telling people what you have learned
• Provide the final statement that either leaves the reader thinking or gives them a lasting impression

Here is what an observation summary would look like:

"The café is not just where people replenish their caffeine demands. It’s also a one-stop room for them to share and reflect. Everyone keeps the atmosphere alive, whether you are a lonely reader at the corner or an avid speaker catching up with friends.”

7. Proofread the Essay

After writing, take a small break, return to your essay, and proofread it. First, check the writing style to ensure it follows the observation rules.

Next, check for grammar, syntax, and logical errors. Also, ensure the citation and formatting are okay based on the style demanded. Learn how to format an essay using the specified citation style if unsure how to proceed.

It's also advisable to involve fresh eyes for more insights. If you don't have a friend who can do that for you, our editing and proofreading services are affordable.

Observation Essay Writing Tips

By now, you have some mental notes on how to go about your observation essay. If you need more tips, always remember the following when working on an observation essay:

• If you have no idea where to start after collecting notes, always use an essay outline. Add everything in it that will help you write the essay, from the number of paragraphs to a thesis statement that will guide you.
• If you don't know how to capture the senses, write down your draft first without a descriptive angle. Then, work on the second draft as you capture touch, sound, smell, and imagery.
• After writing the introduction, open the body paragraphs with a scene. This trick hooks readers' minds.
• Use your experience to write the essay. This tip works well when you have your data. It will not work if you are relying on data from other sources.

We Write Observation Essays

We have already mentioned that we have been working with students for a long time. Our academic writing services have helped students realize their academic potential and boost their grades.

Working with students, lecturers, and guardians has exposed us to observation essays (and reports) in the following subjects, fields, and disciplines:

High School

• Sciences: We help write observation reports and other field studies in our biology, chemistry, and physics homework help
• Social sciences: When students observe social interactions, behavior, and cultural issues, we help them write the essays in our sociology homework help and psychology essay writing service
• English: Our English and literature homework help departments are the busiest with such essays. Students always have some literary works to review or an art to analyze.

Undergraduate and Postgraduate  

• Social sciences: Students who progress in social sciences in colleges and universities often contact us for help with psychology and sociology assignments.
• Sciences: Students pursuing biology, chemistry, and physics courses at the tertiary level write observation reports. Our environmental science homework help department also works on such essays.
• Health and medical sciences: Our medicine and nursing paper writing service departments often receive requests for observation essays and reports.
• Humanities: We also help students analyze art, films, and cultural studies. Our history essay writing service also handles observation essays based on historical objects and events.
• Business and marketing: Students study consumer behavior and market research issues. Our business essay writing services help them write observation essays whenever they are challenging to work on and complete.

Final Thoughts

We hope you have all the essential points to guide you on how to write an observation essay that will boost your grades. The key lesson here is being able to observe and record details descriptively. Once you crack that, following the rest of the rules and requirements is easy.

If your practice in writing such an essay is not fruitful, our essay gurus will help you polish your observation skills. Let them know where you are stuck; they will help you determine the proper steps to complete the essay.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I start an observation essay?

Once the outline is ready, begin the observation essay with a hook that introduces your topic and engages the reader. This hook can be background information or a question that immerses the reader in the story. Provide some context about the purpose and the setting. After that, end the introduction with a thesis statement showing the essay’s essence.

2. How do you write an observation example?

When writing an observation example, we start by selecting a suitable topic. After that, we draft a detailed description of the topic under discussion using descriptive and objective language. In other words, we paint a picture using words so the targeted reader can visualize it.

3. How do you write an observation summary?

Start by highlighting what stood out or declaring the purpose of the scope. Next, tell people the lesson and provide a statement that leaves a lasting impression or keeps the reader thinking. For observation reports, end them with vital recommendations.

4. Can you help me write an observation essay?

Yes, we can. Gather the observation essay requirements, send them to us, choose a favorite writer, and then let them work on the essay.