Details of Observation

• • OBSERVATION IS LOOKING AT WHAT THE TEXT SAYS. Observation is not determining what the text means but simply looking for the "facts" without interpreting them.

  • THERE ARE TWO PARTS OF OBSERVATION:

I. Noticing

II. Examining

Reading through the text you "notice" things, for example that a word is repeated. Then you continue to "examine" that repeated word and ask further questions like "How often is this word repeated?", " How is this word used?", "In what context is it used?". Examining will help you to thoroughly observe and analyze the text.

• • LOOK, LOOK, LOOK...Take time for observation. Reading a passage for the first time you will notice a few things. When you read it a second time you will see more... In order to do good observation you need to Look, Look, Look...until looking becomes seeing. (Howard Vos, Effective Bible Study Methods)

OBSERVATION What does the text say?

♦ On the following pages you will find:

▪ List of observations: things you can look for and observe.

▪ List of example questions for examining.

♦ For examples of noticing and examining see section on "Building".

 In completing your assignments you will automatically do the following observations:

▪ Paragraph Titles (reflect main idea of the paragraph)

▪ Paragraph Points (main points of the paragraph)

▪ Main Idea of the whole book

▪ Types of Literature found in the book (see section “Types of Literature”)

▪ Structure and Composition (used for Horizontal)

Example Questions for Examining

Figures of Speech

A Figure of Speech is a literary mode of expression in which words are used out of their literal sense to suggest a picture or image.