1. Level 4 Counselling: Catherine Drewer
Essay Writing
Level 4 Counselling:
Catherine Drewer

2. Aims Common errors in essays Purpose Learning how to start
Understanding the question
Types of Essay

3. Common errors in essays
Lacks focus – it does not really answer the question
Not organised or structured in a cohesive, easy to follow way
There is a lack of direction
There is a lot of information but it is not clear how it contributes to the development of the answer
The ideas are not clearly linked
The connection between paragraphs is unclear
Too descriptive – more critical analysis is needed
The wrong style has been used

4. What is the purpose of an essay
Simply because learners need to look at facts in a certain way to fulfil criteria.
You are expected to present relevant knowledge.
You will need to break up the essay/assignment carefully because they are often not as straightforward as they look at first glance
They usually demand more than you think

5. How to start 1 Read the question carefully 2 Find a focus
1. You would be amazed how many people don’t do this, read it out loud, write it down, put it in the middle of a bubble what ever way works for you to connect with the purpose of the question. Spending time doing this will often mean that the rest of the work will flow better
2. If you are given a broad topic such as Humanistic Therapy you first need to find a focus because the topic is so broad. The best way to do this is to choose a focus that you are interested in and have an opinion about. Your first paragraph for an essay like this would be explicitly stating which aspect of Humanistic Therapy you will be focussing on
3. Remember the assignment may not be as straightforward as you think so spending some time assuring yourself of what is expected will definitely save you time and anguish later on. Questions often have explicit and implicit demands.

6. Understanding the question
Subject/topic – what is the question on?
Instruction – which words tell me what I should do?
Focus – which aspect of the topic or subject do I need to focus on?
To be able to understand both parts you will first need to understand the instruction words

7. Discuss the issues that new trainee counsellors have to face when going to placement
First thing to look at is the instruction word requires of you. You need to discuss the issues not list them.
You have got to say something about the issues – but what exactly?
Implicit demands - new – what are the issues that only new students face, are they issues that are common to all students but which new students may find more difficult to deal with? Also trainee – are the issues relevant to all trainee counsellors regardless of how long they have been training? – so what issues are specific to new trainee counsellors?
Analysing may make the question clearer but less straightforward than you first thought.
You should not just write an essay listing and describing all the issues, you will need a line of reasoning or argument and then organise the information in a logical way.

8. Question and Instruction Words
You have 17 words and 17 definitions, you simply need to match the definition to the word

9. What other words could we use for each of these
Analyse E
Break up an issue/event into its component parts and explain how these relate to one another
Assess I
Consider the importance or value of something
Compare K
Examine the similarities and differences
Contrast J
Concentrate on the differences
Critique G
Point out the limitations and usefulness of the subject in question
Define H
Explain the precise meaning of something
Describe O
Give a detailed account of a topic
Discuss B
Explain various perspectives and present a logical argument
Evaluate C
Weigh up the importance, success or value of something with evidence to support your view
Examine F
Give a detailed account, questioning and exploring the relevant issues
Explain P
Give a precise account, with reasons for why or how it is as it is
Illustrate A
Use examples from a range of sources to demonstrate your understanding of the subject
Justify Q
Make a case for a particular perspective. Establish the truth through supporting evidence or logical reasoning
Review L
Examine how topic has been studied and comment on the value and limitations of its treatment
State D
Write down the main points relating to the subject
Summarise M
Connect the main points/issues in a cohesive, concise why
To what extent N
Explore the case for and against a claim
What other words could we use for each of these
You have a dictionary and a list of the words, a point goes to the team with the word/explanation that no one else has

10. Common errors in essays
Lacks focus – it does not really answer the question
Not organised or structured in a cohesive, easy to follow way
There is a lack of direction
There is a lot of information but it is not clear how it contributes to the development of the answer
The ideas are not clearly linked
The connection between paragraphs is unclear
Too descriptive – more critical analysis is needed
The wrong style has been used
Now you know the focus of your essay

11. Essay Structure
Paragraph 1 This is where you introduce your topic and give the reader an idea of what to expect in the following paragraphs. Make sure you refer to each topic that will occur in the rest of the essay, in the order in which they appear. To put it briefly, the first paragraph gives an overview of the whole essay.
Paragraphs 2 – 4 There are no specific rules for the body of the essay, except that they must be logically linked with one another. If, for instance, you’re writing an essay on training a dog in 5 steps, do not include the first 3 steps in a single paragraph and your personal experience in the conclusion. Each paragraph of the body must be a single point and supported by 3 or 4 sub-points.
Paragraph 5 This is where you conclude your essay by reiterating Paragraph 1 and providing a brief synopsis of Paragraphs 2 – 4. Here you need to tie all the separate points together in a logical manner. Conclude with an impressive statement that will stay with the reader and

12. Let’s look at a simple guide

13. Use of examples
When one makes a claim about the world, it is often general or abstract in nature. The addition of an example helps to contextualise the statement in the mind of the audience (whether reader, viewer or listener). This strengthens the case, adding a reference point which can be taken a hold of, considered, checked and reflected upon.

14. Types of Essay Judgement essays – or discussion/argumentative essays
Exploratory essays – or expository/factual essays
Judgement essays require you to take a stand. The essay must be based on facts or essays. To construct an essay you will need to build up a case or an argument for defending a viewpoint
Exploratory essays require you to investigate an issue in detail, arranging the evidence or facts in a meaningful way

15. Thinking about words
You will choose a word from the bag and create a sentence that contains that word.
The next person will choose another word and create a sentence with their word, the sentence must link to the previous one in some way

16. Let’s plan an assignment
First decide what the question is asking?

17. What did you think?

18. Additional reading
MunLing Shields, (2010), Essay Writing: A Student’s Guide, London, Sage Publications