Observation

Dual Enrollment 1 ENG1105

OUTLINE MODELS – OBSERVATION ESSAY

Option “A”—Chronological I. Introduction

A. Context details of subject B. Reasons for focusing on this particular subject C. Essential Thesis—refer to notes and class discussion

II. Body

A. Beginning i. First focus area: Include a combination of vivid description, interview quotes, and/or your own personal response to the subject based on observation data

ii. Second focus area: Include a combination of vivid description, interview quotes, and/or your own personal response to observation data.

iii. Third focus area: Include a combination of vivid description, interview quotes, and/or your own personal response to the subject based on observation data

B. Middle i. First focus area: Include … ii. Second focus area: Include ... iii. Third focus area: Include …

C. End i. First focus area: Include … ii. Second focus area: Include ... iii. Third focus area: Include …

III. Conclusion A. Reassertion of Importance of Subject as an observation focus B. Restatement of Essential Thesis elements C. Clincher

Option “A” Example (modeled after “Their First Patient”*)

I. Introduction A. Setting of Anatomy Class B. Thesis—“Gross Anatomy is the essential and incomparable crucible of all first-year medical students at Duke and every medical school. I’m not here as a student but as an approved witness, writer and perhaps, potential body donor.” (Para 2)

II. Body A. Background and Intro to the study of Anatomy

i. Eighteenth history anatomical study vs. the modern study.

ii. The first day of Gross Anatomy is spent in lecture.

iii. Reminders that having these donated bodies is a gift.

B. 1st Day of Class i. The writer and the students take time to examine their body and various personal reactions are recorded.

ii. Students must prepare the bodies for their 2 month long exploration; this procedure becomes very thoughtful.

iii. The writer gives a play by play of the cutting procedure.

iv. The writer goes home to decompress about the day’s events.

C. The writer’s ongoing supplemental research i. The writer trains herself on an electronic Gross Anatomy Program.

ii. She finds the images vary significantly from the real body.

iii. The Anatomy professor reiterates the invaluable tool dissecting a real body is compared to a computer program.

III. Conclusion A. At the end of the semester, the class holds a memorial service for the donated bodies. B. The writer reiterates how invaluable the gift of donated bodies is to the science of medicine and the education of doctors.

Dual Enrollment 2 ENG1105

Option “B”—Thematic I. Introduction

A. Context details of subject B. Reasons for focusing on this particular subject C. Essential Thesis—refer to notes and class discussion

II. Body A. Relating of first focus area from observation data

i. This section will include the primary and most important quality/characteristic observed from all the data gathered from your observation/interview data. ii. Support this chosen quality/characteristic with vivid description, interview quotes, and/or your own personal response to the subject based on observation data.

B. Relating of 2nd focus area from observation data

i. This section will include the next most important quality/characteristic observed from all the data gathered from your observation/interview data. ii. Support this chosen quality/characteristic with vivid description, interview quotes, and/or your own personal response to the subject based on observation data.

C. Relating of 3rd focus area from observation data

i. This section will include the next most important quality/characteristic observed from all the data gathered from your observation/interview data. ii. Support this chosen quality/characteristic with vivid description, interview quotes, and/or your own personal response to the subject based on observation data.

III. Conclusion A. Reassertion of Importance of Subject as an observation focus B. Restatement of Essential Thesis elements C. Clincher

Option “B” Example (modeled after “Soup”*)

I. Introduction A. The writer begins with a direct quote from the subject of the essay— Albert Yegenah—to set the tone of the essay. B. Thesis—“ Working like a demon alchemist in a tiny storefront kitchen at 259-A West Fifty-fifth Street, mr. Yeganeh creates anywhere from eight to seventeen soups every weekday.” Para 1

II. Body A. Yeganeh is obsessed with Health

i. The cook extols the nutritional benefits of soup itself. ii. Yeganeh is extremely particular about the sanitation of his food preparation and cleanliness of his shop. iii. He is very proud of the purity of his soup ingredients.

B. Yeganeh has strict requirements for customer behavior

i. He is not biased by race, religion or creed of his customers. ii. All customers must follow his rules for ordering soup in his restaurant

C. He is dedicated to his craft

i. He prides himself on being the soul of his restaurant as he sees himself as the reason for its success. ii. His restaurant focuses on the soup itself—not amenities other restaurants offer. iii. Yeganeh spends countless hours researching and perfecting his soup creations. iv. He has created around 80 varieties of soups over the years.

III. Conclusion A. All types of people are attracted to his restaurant. B. Despite Yeganeh’s lack of people skill and nonchalance with customer care, people can’t stay away from his kitchen’s product. C. Clincher: “He’s abusive …. But you can’t deny it, his soup is the best.”

Dual Enrollment 3 ENG1105

Option “C”—Flashback

I. Introduction - Chronological

A. Choose a high point or pivotal moment of “action” in your gathered data to open your essay. Set up the context of the situation, physical and emotional atmosphere of the situation and then leave us hanging as you move into the Body of the paper. B. Support this section with vivid description, interview quotes, and/or your own personal response to the subject based on gathered data. C. Essential Thesis—refer to notes and class discussion

II. Body—For the body, you can organize your information either chronologically or thematically.

Chronological Organization – refer to Outline Option A for full model: A. Beginning

i. First focus area: Include a combination of vivid description, interview quotes, and/or your own personal response to the subject based on observation data …

Thematic Organization – refer to Outline Option B for full model: A. Relating of first focus area from observation data

i. This section will include the primary and most important quality/characteristic observed from all the data gathered from your observation/interview data.

ii. Support this chosen quality/characteristic with vivid description, interview quotes, and/or your own personal response …

III. Conclusion A. Bring your reader back to the scene you opened the essay with. B. You will want to recap the introductory details to some extent so that the reader can follow your “leap in time.” C. Resolve the tension of climactic moment for the reader using vivid detail and description. D. Reassert the Importance of Subject as an observation focus E. Restate the Essential Thesis F. Clincher

Option “C” Example

(modeled after “I’m Not Leaving Until I Eat This Thing”*)

I. Introduction

A. Jesse’s Place, a country juke where the writer’s personal struggle to eat a pig lip, is described for the reader. He sets up the high point of tension which his days spent gathering data has brought him to B. The writer not only gives a physical description of the setting, but uses the description to incorporate his own emotional battle. C. Thesis—“I’m not leaving until I eat this thing.” Para 2

II. Body - The Pig Lip business – thematic organization

A. The production line for processing pig parts at the Farm Fresh Food Supplier is described in detail. B. The process for acquiring the pig parts is discussed. C. The owner of the plant, Lional Dufour, explains the history of his plant and how he came into the business in the first place. D. Lional discusses his business philosophy for success.

III. Conclusion

A. The problem of eating the pig lip is reintroduced to the reader. B. The bar-owner’s wife notices the writer is having trouble eating the pig lip as does he nephew. They both comment on the situation to the writer. C. The writer utilizes a couple of different suggested strategies for eating the pig lip, and then actually follows through with taking a bite. D. The essay concludes with a final comment by the nephew before the writer intimates he may be brave enough to try eating pickled pig feet. *Example outlines based on essays from Axelrod, Rise B., Cooper, Charles, R., Warriner, Alice M. Reading Critically, Writing Well. Tenth Edition. 2014. Bedford/St. Martin’s.