1. CILT MFL research training 2006 Prof Naomi Segal Institute of Germanic & Romance Studies how to write

2. writing an essay or chapter an essay/chapter has a form UK: they tend to ‘flow’ French: highly structured: intro – thesis – antithesis – conclusion something between the two is best

3. Who will read you? a supervisor/tutor who knows the field and your way of thinking? an unknown ‘virtual’ reader? someone likely to be hostile – uninformed – easily impressed, etc

4. take them with you no one knows what’s in your head lay out the facts and ideas clearly Think where you want the essay/chapter to go … and take the reader there by stages please them – they will attribute it to your skill

5. an essay/chapter should have… a beginning, middle and end: an introduction a number of reasoned paragraphs a conclusion that adds something (and so should a thesis)

6. the introduction don’t just ‘show what you know’ the question/topic: define key terms lay out the assumptions of your argument set out what the essay/chapter will do

7. each paragraph should (i) begin incisively carry an identifiable point explicitly contribute to your overall argument

8. each paragraph should (ii) use identifiable key-words (from the title) ensure each point carries (or is introduced by) an illustration keep the thread of the argument running

9. the conclusion should round off – and ‘lead out’ summarise the main point but also give a closing twist - end on a question?