0. Getting started with essay writing in EC120
Topics
What’s your target mark?
Getting organised (with an example)
Writing your paper
Citations and References
Sources
Layout
Submission

1. What’s Your Target Mark?
What mark are you trying to achieve? Marking is not “Pass/Fail”
Grade classes (for pass marks):
Third class (40−49.9%): the lowest pass grade
Lower-second class (50−59.9%): serious flaws
Upper-second class (60−69.9%): good honours
First class (70+%): outstanding
Details: u/g Economics Handbook 2016/17, pp :
The Appendix is particularly helpful:
Guidance assumes target of 60+%

2. Getting Organised Check the question (title of the listed topic)
What’s it about?
Identify some relevant readings (from EC120 Reading list)
Make a start with reading (and lecture notes)
Read ahead if needed
Identify some “sub-questions” (this is part of your task)
Your reading should suggest sub-questions to you
Sketch out a plan
Organise a list of headings and sub-headings, a systematic list

3. Example question
Identify the main differences between the economies of Europe and China in the three centuries before What factors can account for these differences and what were their implications for economic well-being?
Key terms:
“Main differences”: be explicit about your criteria
“China” & “Europe” separately and in comparison
Time period (c.1500 − c.1800)
“Factors”, i.e., the causes of differences: allow for different views explicitly (citing sources as appropriate)
Implications for well-being (define what you mean by “well-being”). Acknowledge, and make explicit, differences of interpretation (citing sources as appropriate.

4. Writing the Paper
Write coherently: clearly, concisely and to the point.
Avoid ambiguity. Don’t waffle.
Write with a purpose: connected, logical arguments, not just reproducing lists of “facts”.
Focus on answering a question, e.g. one at a time of your sub-questions.
Write in sentences.
Punctuate! (Full stops, commas; even, colons and semi-colons).
Write in paragraphs − not just one long splurge.
Group paragraphs together, to form a connected argument.
Be careful − care pays dividends (marks).

5. Citations and References
BEWARE Plagiarism is an Academic Offence.
What you must never do: copy material from any source without making clear that it has been copied, and citing the source (such that the reader can find it).
Copied material must be enclosed in quotation marks “ … Quoted stuff …” followed by the citation.
Citations point to items in the Bibliography (List of references at the end).
Citation example: “(Landes, 1998, p. 59)”.
The reference: “Landes, D.S. The Wealth and Poverty of Nations, 1998, Little, Brown & Co.”
Every citation points to exactly one reference.
Every reference identifies at least one citation.
Details: u/g Economics Handbook, Appendix.

6. Sources In principle: use whatever you like.
But each must be properly referenced.
Some sources are more reliable than others:
Identify academic sources – Does the source have a named author? If not, beware!
Reliable sources:
Albert Sloman Library: anything here or accessible via the Library website is worth your attention: academic journals are now accessible electronically.
Internet: a vast resource but avoid the trash Searches: restrict yourself to Google Scholar; the results are likely to be reliable. Other sources, e.g. Wikipedia: handy for checking facts, but that’s all. Don’t just copy chunks (of anything) into essays.

7. Layout Presentation is very important. Why?
Because systematic organisation reflects a coherent argument
You are not writing a mystery story to puzzle the reader
Organise into sections, each with its own heading (title)
Introduction: brief, where you inform the reader of what follows
Sections, normally 3 or 4, which comprise the paper’s “body”
It could have sub-sections too!
Conclusion, where you remind the reader of what you have done
Bibliography, a list of references to the cited sources
An Appendix? Almost never needed for an essay/term paper
Footnotes? Include them if you wish but use with restraint

8. Implementing your plans
Leave yourself ample time: presentation is important − including the clarity of what you write
Word length:
Upper limit 3,000 words, for the entire submission Penalty for > 3,000 words, according to why the paper is overly long (just waffle or irrelevance?)
Getting feedback:
Available, but make a start yourself first
Ask for comments on your plan
Ask for comments on a draft (but don’t expect a forecast mark):
One draft per student (not multiple drafts)
Deadline for drafts at least 7 days before final deadline

9. Submission
Submit electronically via FASER well before 12:00 noon on the day of the deadline. Allow yourself ample time.
Include your name, registration number and the title of the question at the start of your essay
Don’t forget to:
Number the pages
Use a 12pt font
Double space the lines
What happens to late submissions ?
I’ll still mark your essay and give you feedback, BUT
For assessed papers a zero will be recorded as your mark unless you justify the late submission, in writing, on a late submission form. I have no authority to grant “extensions”.