Essay Writing Skills Tips and Suggestions

Essay writing in higher education The world of ‘academia’ is not the ‘real world’ This means you will: be learning second-hand (ie through others); be writing in ‘academic speak’ (and not ‘normal’ English ie it’s not like writing in the ‘real world’!!). frequently: ponder over the grammar and what to say and how to say it; use ‘shift F7’ to access Thesaurus to translate the meaning of words and phrases;

Writing an essay will entail a lot of reading Reading in academia: means accessing lots of sources eg books, journals, newspapers, articles etc (hard copy and online); thus entails a lot of reading (but not reading your sources from cover to cover!!). means ordinary words will have different meanings eg to discuss does not mean having a chat with your fellow students. In academia, it means to produce arguments(1) (and that doesn’t mean falling out with your fellow students either!!). Think of your sources as your valuable treasures/your jewel box!! (1) Argument = to discuss, present a case for, reason, claim (see p181 of your Skills Handbook)

So, what is an essay? It begins with a title that sets out an issue It takes the form of an argument and has a: beginning ie Introduction (say 10%) middle ie Body = 80% minimum end ie Conclusion (= 10% and don’t include anything new!!) Put another way: tell the reader ‘what you’re going to tell them’ (Introduction) then tell them (Body) then tell them what you’ve told them (Conclusion)

What constitutes a good essay? Good essays will: have an argument be logical (good sequencing of points) and fluent (flow well) have a beginning, middle and end have good signposting (paragraphs should link with previous and following paragraphs eg use words such as: for example, yet, moreover, furthermore, similarly, consequently, thus, ultimately, on the other hand etc) have good grammar (including good sentence construction, punctuation, written in the right tense, no slang/colloquial terms) include evidence to support points be well presented.

Frequently used terms in essay questions See handout; once you understand the questions, the rest is easy

Essay planning There are 3 key steps: Read and re-read the question so that you are absolutely clear on what is being asked. Select and gather material for the essay (you’ll need to note all the sources you use). Decide the shape of your essay (draw up an outline of your essay ie provide structure from which to work to include: introduction, body and conclusion)

The introduction Go straight into it; get the reader’s attention by showing you understand the demands of the essay. State which aspects of the topic you intend to deal with and why (remember, you’re not writing a book!!). Select 3 or 4 main arguments that support your answer to the question Your introduction should thus direct the reader, providing them with a clear idea of what’s to follow.

The body of the essay Take each main theme and provide examples/ illustrations to support points made (support points using evidence from materials/sources collected). Confine/restrict each paragraph to one topic. Ensure each paragraph has unity/harmony with preceding and following paragraphs (ie paragraphs should link with previous and following paragraphs using words such as: for example, yet, similarly, moreover, furthermore, thus, consequently, ultimately, on the other hand etc

The Conclusion It should: sum up your main ideas (don’t introduce anything new!). Point out any wider implications make clear your final view in a coherent manner (make sure it flows from beginning to end!)

And finally, the appearance This is often very much neglected or even disregarded but is a very important step! Have you answered the question? Have you covered the main aspects, and in enough depth? Is the content relevant? Is it accurate? Is it well laid out? Is it arranged logically? Does it flow? Is each main point supported by examples and argument? Are all sources/references been acknowledged? Is it clearly written (have you read it out loud to avoid clumsy language)? Are any paragraphs too long (16 lines maximum); are any too short (1 sentence does not constitute a paragraph!)? Is it the right length? Are grammar/punctuation/spelling tip top?

References/Websites and Hints Ashman, S and Creme, P (1996) how to write essays, London, University of North London. Levin, Peter (2004) Write great essays!, Maidenhead, Open University Press. http://www.bized.co.uk/reference/studyskills/essay.htm http://members.tripod.com/~lklivingston/essay If you go into slideshow mode, you can click onto the website and it will take you straight to it!