Description
CULTURAL OBSERVATION PROJECT:ASSESSMENT PAPER ASSIGNMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
OVERVIEW
This project provides you the opportunity to personally see and experience today’s teenagers and
the lostness of their culture, as mentioned in the presentations. This allows you to see the need of
the gospel within the adolescent culture and to experience the heart of Jesus Christ as expressed
in Matthew 9:35-38. Upon the completion of this visit, you will write your paper. This paper
gives you the opportunity to reflect on what you both observed and felt during the observation
and for you to communicate this to your instructor.
INSTRUCTIONS
Context
As mentioned in the Cultural Observation Project: Location Abstract Assignment
you will choose a well-attended secular public teenage (ages 12-18) “hang out spot” and
visit this location. This should take place after you have received permission to proceed
from your instructor upon the posting of the grade of this assignment.
As mentioned in the Cultural Observation Project: Location Abstract Assignment,
the location must not be in a church or other Christian setting but in a public setting
secular in nature.
This trip is to be at least 75 minutes in length of focused observation.
You may go alone or with a small group of ministry-minded participants.
You may not use your work environment as the purpose of the observation is for you to
be fully engaged in the observation and not distracted by other responsibilities.
The interviews are to be completed during the current term.
Your assessment paper is written only after the observation is completed.
Prior to the Trip
Before you engage in the observation, make you have read these instructions and you are
very familiar with the template. (The template is explained in the Assessment Paper
section of these instructions.)
Do the following in a quiet moment:
o Before you enter the location, read over, and meditate on Matthew 9:35-38.
o Pray that God’s Spirit will begin to help you see people as Christ sees these people.
o Be careful to observe the students with the mindset of this assignment, remembering
that 96% of adolescent culture do not embrace Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
During the Trip
Just relax and blend in. Please become comfortable and just be natural. Enjoy this!
Then simply in a natural way, begin observing the students:
o Look for the various characteristics of the students.
o Look for the various types of “groups” of students.
o Look for the various activities and behavior of the students.
YOUT 201
Page 2 of 2
The Assessment Paper
You must use the provided template and follow the template outline. All the required
sections and settings are already set in the template. You simply type into the template
and save as a Word document. The template includes the cover page, the section
headings, and the integrity statement. Fill out the front cover page with the requested
information. Then underneath the provided headings (Observation, Response), type your
content into the paper. Do not delete these section headings as they are necessary for the
paper to be graded accordingly.
The written content of the paper is to be at least four pages in length, two pages or more
for each section. The settings are Times New Romans font, 12-point font, double space,
1” margin. Please do not change the font style, font size or page margins. If this occurs,
your grade will be impacted.
Observation Write at least two full pages of an observation response as to what you saw
from your cultural observation project experience. This is more of an analytical
“objective” observation; think of this as speaking from your head “what I saw.”
Response Write at least two full pages of your personal response as to what you
observed. Please be specific. This is more of an emotional “subjective” response; think of
this as speaking from your heart “what I felt.”
Submit the assignment as a Microsoft Word document by uploading the document in the
submission link. Do not email this to the instructor.
There is a sample paper provided. You would greatly benefit from reading this resource.
You are also encouraged to view the Writing Style Guide located in the Student Responsibilities
tab of the Course Overview. Once you access the Student Responsibilities area, scroll down to
locate the link to the Writing Style Guide. You will then visit the official Turabian style guide
required in formulating your assignment.
