Essays

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Essays

• A Guide

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Essays

• Extended piece of writing on a single theme
• Is in the form of continuous text
• In the form of introduction, main section,
  conclusion
• Often used to develop an argument

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Types of Scientific Writing

• Factual account of accepted knowledge
• Textbooks, many student essays
• Reporting what has been found
• Lab reports, research papers
• Arguing a point of view
• interpreting data
• making a case

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Guidelines essay questions

• Read the given title or tasks carefully
• Be sure you are clear what is being asked
• Organise your information
• Produce an outline plan
• Write your essay

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Look at the title

• The words used in the title give a clue to what
  is needed
• A factual account will contain words like
  describe, explain, illustrate in the title.
• An essay want a case making will contain words
  like discuss, evaluate, analyse.
• Sometimes comparisons are wanted e.g. compare,
  contrast, distinguish.

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Planning

• A plan is an outline of your answer
• It should show the shape of your answer without
  giving detail
• It can be in the form of headings and sub
  headings or as a diagram

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Sample plan 1

• Title
• Introduction
• Main argument
• evidence for
• evidence against
• evaluation of evidence
• Other issues
• Conclusion

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Sample plan 2
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Writing your Essay

• Once you have your plan,
• Write the essay
• When you have finished, read it through
• Make any changes you think necessary
• You have about 45 min for each essay
• Allow about 5 10 min. each for planning and
  reviewing at the end.