Essay writing Politics and Society

What is an essay? An essay is a discussion or argument in which you answer a set question by doing the following: 1. putting forward your point of view 2. using real-life examples to illustrate your point 3. backing this up with evidence and research 4. using statistics to back up your argument 5. discussing the theorists (with quotes if possible) to back up your argument

How long should an essay be? In the Leaving Certificate, you will have 40 minutes to write your essay. Obviously, the more you write that is relevant, the higher your grade will be. Ideally, you should aim for at least 9 paragraphs (at higher level) which include an introduction and a conclusion. You will have a lot of time to practice essay-writing in an exam situation before the Leaving Certificate which will help improve your timing.

Criteria for Success To obtain a good grade, you should demonstrate as much of the following as possible: A thorough understanding of the ideas presented in the question An ability to make a logical argument, which shows you have clearly studied the issue or idea in detail An ability to discuss different perspectives An ability to provide evidence, including statistics, to back up your argument An ability to apply the work of the theorists An ability to present a well-written and structured (planned out) essay, with clearly defined paragraphs, an introduction and conclusion

Essay Title - Analysis While Hobbes believes humans must give over freedom to a powerful state to protect us from ourselves, Durkheim theorises that order in society is maintained as a result of shared norms and values and not because a state enforces rules. Which, if either, theorist makes the best argument concerning the need for rules in society today? Refer to both theorists in your answer and provide both qualitative and quantitative data to back up your argument.

Where do I start? Don’t panic! Wordy titles can be off-putting at first. Read the title again, highlighting what seem to be the important words or phrases. Decide on what the essay title is asking you to discuss. Use class notes and previous research to start forming a position. Research more if necessary. Decide upon a position i.e. what you think the answer is. Do more research to fully form your position and find the evidence to back it up. Make a plan and start writing the essay. Remember, your opinion is as valid as anyone else’s so don’t be afraid to express it. Just make sure you can back it up with evidence.

Introductions - Checklist When writing an introduction, keep it short and clear. Try to include the following: Reference to the question asked. What your position is – state this from the beginning. A brief statement of why your position is thus. A sample of some of the things you will include in your essay. A linking sentence to your next paragraph. * Try to have linking sentences between each paragraph to help with the flow of the essay – something to indicate what you will discuss in your next paragraph.

Paragraphs Each paragraph should discuss a relevant idea or aspect to the question asked. Some ideas may require more than one paragraph. Each paragraph should be 11-15 lines of normal sized writing. Checklist! Most important!! Refer to the question in every single paragraph. If you can’t do this, you need to review it to see if it’s relevant. Provide evidence to back up your point in every single paragraph. End each paragraph with a linking sentence to your next paragraph.

Conclusions - Checklist When writing a conclusion, also keep it short and clear. Try to include the following: A statement which clearly answers the essay question. A brief summary of why you reached this position. A brief summary of the main pieces of evidence you provided in order to reach your position. Context if possible – i.e. what might happen next in regards to the issue or idea, changing attitudes which may affect it or current events which may impact it. NB Do not change your position from your introduction!! They should always match. In this way they may sound similar but this will help strengthen your argument.

Essay Writing Tips Unlike some other subjects (e.g. history) it is important to refer to your own opinions and beliefs (“I think, I believe” etc.) Always leave a line between paragraphs; it will make the structure of your essay clearer and will help it look neater in an exam. Always make a plan, even in an exam – take 2 minutes to do it and it will help your essay stay on track. Spelling and grammar will count towards your overall evaluation so take care with them. (This does not apply if you have a spelling and grammar waiver). Use any relevant quotes you can remember as evidence to back up your argument.

And finally, remember this: You should be aiming to do your best essays in your Leaving Certificate. Until then, everything you do is practice which you can improve upon. So, when you’re stuck, ask me for help!! I can: - review your plans - point you in the right direction for research - review what you’ve written so far - discuss your position if you’re unsure of it - and… just be a support if you’re panicking!