Observational Report Essay

Assignment 2: Observation Report (1,000-word minimum, not including reference list)

Your Observation Report should address the elements incorporated into your Observation Proposal (as well as additional elements, as explained below). The Report should be presented in essay form (not as a list), and it is fine (but not required) to use headings, if you feel that will help with the organization of your report.

Your Observation Report should include the following:

An introductory paragraph that explains to the reader what group/event you observed, as well an introduction to the key aspects of the report.

A paragraph about the organization (church, temple, center, etc.) sponsoring the service or event.  Please cite and include a reference for your information. (You can use and build on the information provided in your Proposal.)

Write two-three paragraphs about the broader religion of which this religious group is a part.  For example, if it is a Methodist church, write 2-3 paragraphs about the Methodist denomination. Or if it is a Buddhist temple, write 2-3 paragraphs on the particular strand of Buddhism that this temple follows.  As part of this section, please briefly explain one way in which this religion has been involved in some form of community cooperation or conflict. Please cite and include a reference (or multiple references) for where you found your information.

1. A 2-3 paragraph narrative that describes what you observed, what the environment was like, and what took place in the YouTube videos or Livestream sessions that you watched. Aim to provide meaningful and interesting details to give the reader a sense of what your experience was like. Be sure to cite the source information for the program(s) you observed.
2. A paragraph that relates what you learned to one of the sociological theories discussed in Week 2 of our course. Be sure to explain the theory as part of your explanation and include citations.
3. A paragraph that relates what you learned to the Pew Research Center article in your Proposal.
4. A paragraph that relates what you learned to at least one other Learning Resource from Weeks 3-6 of our course.
5. A paragraph that reflects upon your experience of the rituals or service of another religion. Did the project broaden your ability to dialogue across religious differences?  Or, how did the project affect you personally; how did you feel about it? What was most difficult for you in this project, and why? If you had to do this assignment again, how might you try to address that difficulty?