Essay writing

The essay itself General structure and approach

What is an essay? A formal piece of written work A sustained analysis of a particular question, problem or text May be narrative, persuasive or argumentative An opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of the course material or a particular topic An opportunity to present your own (informed) point of view

What makes a good essay? Structure and coherence Focus on the argument A purposeful introduction A conclusion that is emphatic / looks outwards Focus on the argument Make sure you answer the question! Careful research Include references and a bibliography Clarity Clear expression Accurate spelling Accurate use of target language

Expressing your views: register 1 You hear a lot about this generation gap nowadays. When you hear old people talking, you get the feeling they think it’s our problem or that the thing is worse now than it was then. I mean, there wasn’t much of it about then. I think there are two things we ought to think about. First of all, we ought to think about what’s behind this generation gap, then we’ve got to work out why it’s a lot stronger in our day and age than it was then.

Expressing your views: register 2 The generation gap rarely ceases to be of topical significance. In conversation with older people, one often obtains the impression that young people are held responsible for the increase in tension between the generations. In this connection, it would seem sensible to pursue two lines of thought. An attempt should be made, firstly, to identify the causes of such mutual tension and, secondly, to explain why this phenomenon has increased in intensity.

What resources can you use to help with your research? People (fellow students, tutors) Internet sources (reliable i.e. not Wikipedia) Lecture and seminar notes Set texts/primary sources (your texts, Moodle, course handbook) Books (library, Google Books) Academic articles (journals, Google Scholar) refinement

Constructing an argument 1 Read the title carefully Underline key words and make sure you understand them Ask questions e.g. what is the essay asking for? What do you find interesting about the topic addressed by the question? Think about the texts/course studied – what material can you use? Have you selected the right essay question for you?

Constructing an argument 2 Form an (informed) opinion Do your research around the topic: historical / literary context, other scholars’ interpretations Select relevant material from primary texts, background reading and class notes Group your ideas Decide your (general) line of argument in relation to the essay title / question Draft a plan [Allow for your ideas to evolve as you write]

What might your plan include?

Choose a question and write an essay plan with a partner 1. Herrnstein and Murray’s Bell Curve suggests that inequality is ‘natural and fated’. How far do you agree with this statement? 2. Marxism and anarchism are very similar, and both are equally important. Discuss. 3. To what extent might we consider the role of centromeres essential to the process of mitosis?

Issues surrounding essay writing Plagiarism, Referencing

Acknowledging the work of others… All quotations of others’ words and summaries of others’ views must be acknowledged, and precise references provided. This is best done by using the automatic ‘insert footnote/endnote’ facility on the ‘References’ tab in MS Word. Refer to the slides from the Literature Review for guidance on how to set out references However, you do not need to provide references for statements of fact: ‘Historians believe that Napoleon underestimated British resolve’ requires a reference to the historians in question; ‘Napoleon’s navy was defeated at Trafalgar’ does not.

Not acknowledging the work of others... ...can lead to plagiarism Plagiarism briefly described for students at: Detailed information, consulted by staff: http://gap.lancs.ac.uk/ASQ/Policies/Pages/Pl agiarismFramework.aspx

The Part one essay Guidelines

Part One Culture essay 1500 word limit (+/- 10%) Must be double-spaced; include a word count Submit to departmental essay box in hard copy, with a culture coversheet attached, by the stated deadline (see WEB OFFICE Moodle, ‘Forms for Assessment’); anonymous marking Also submit an electronic copy to the course Moodle by the same deadline Penalties for short work and late submissions (up to 3 working days late = drop a grade; later = F4); see ‘Extensions’ in WEB OFFICE Moodle

Any questions?