ESSAYS: making the transition

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ESSAYS making the transition
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You have transferable skills which are important
in essay writing eg

• problem-solving
• reporting the ideas of others
• evaluating the ideas of others
• summarising
• ordering material logically
• expressing an opinion

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What is an essay?

• An essay is a well researched and logically
  structured answer to a particular question, or
  questions, usually presented as an argument. It
  is a point of view formulated by critically
  assessing the information or ideas relevant to
  the essay topic. It is presented in the form of a
  series of main points which support your direct
  answer to the question

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• Each of these points is addressed in a
  separate paragraph and is supported with
  evidence, explanation and/or examples. The
  argument presented in an essay should be
  supported by referencing authorities in the
  relevant field. The argument should also form a
  cohesive whole this means the paragraphs need to
  be logically ordered and connections made between
  the points presented in those paragraphs..
• http//unilearning.uow.edu.au/essay/ accessed
  June 24 05

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answer to a particular question, or questions

• the task set should guide all your reading,
  planning and writing up
• analyse the task carefully the topic, the focus
  and what you are actually asked to do with it
  the instruction
• Further guidance
• See handout Analysing your assignment title
• and link http//www.uefap.co.uk/writing/
• select link to Questions

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well researched

• use your reading lists wisely
• dont try to read everything
• let the task guide your reading
• go beyond the recommended reading where
  appropriate secondary sources may well be your
  starting point but think about
  primary sources as well
• Further guidance
• http//www.uefap.co.uk/writing/ select link to
  Research

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usually presented as an argument

• what is your main idea or angle?
• this should be expressed clearly in your
  introductory section
• subsequent points should develop this main idea
• argument involves analysis of ideas, not just the
  presentation of factual information
• http//homepages.ed.ac.uk/rholton/write/writehome
  .html
• http//dissc.tees.ac.uk/Writing/writingyouressay/
  page2.htm
• http//dissc.tees.ac.uk/samplesmenu.html

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a point of view formulated by critically
assessing the information or ideas relevant to
the essay topic

• Being critical means that
• you are taking a questioning attitude to what you
  read
• you are evaluating ideas and evidence
• you are selecting from a range of sources or
  ideas, comparing and contrasting them
• you are able to put ideas together to come up
  with something new

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a series of main points which support your
direct answer to the question

• Everything you write should relate clearly to the
  task
• There is no essay question which asks you to
  write everything you know or have read about a
  topic

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Each of these points is addressed in a separate
paragraph

• a paragraph is a group of sentences on the same
  point
• it should include a topic sentence (usually the
  first sentence) with further development
• test your paragraph if its a good one, you
  should be able to give it a heading
• http//dissc.tees.ac.uk/Writing/paragraphs/Conten
  ts.htm

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and is supported with evidence, explanation
and/or examples

• Points need to be fully developed in depth
• What counts as evidence will vary from discipline
  to discipline
• Use the authority of published researchers to add
  weight to your points
• http//owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/print/gene
  ral/gl_pgrph2.html

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The argument presented in an essay should be
supported by referencing authorities in the
relevant field.

• you must reference all ideas taken from other
  writers
• failure to reference properly will result in
  accusations of plagiarism
• check your course handbook for the referencing
  conventions that you must use
• more on this later

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The argument should also form a cohesive whole
this means the paragraphs need to be logically
ordered..
http//ioewebserver.ioe.ac.uk/ioe/cms/get.asp?cid
50545054_06805 Follow links for Argument and
Argument as text
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and connections made between the points
presented in those paragraphs..

• This is achieved by good signposting and careful
  use of linking words
• Pronouns (this/these, it,)
• Repetition
• Cohesive markers (however, consequently etc)

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Signpost Language (helps guide the reader)

• In this section I set out the aims
• My first/second concern is
• I shall argue that
• Table 3 shows
• A further example
• This will be discussed in section 2
• I have described the way in which

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Try this test to see if you have structured your
points logically and clearly

• Cut your draft essay up into separate paragraphs
  or sections
• Ask a friend to put it back together again

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You should include

• A clear introduction which identifies the issue,
  gives the context and states your main idea
• Clear signpost language
• A logical development of a (limited) number of
  ideas
• An interesting conclusion which relates back to
  the question

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Introductions

• Interpret the essay title
• Give some background or context
• Present the main argument or thesis statement
• Define the terms used
• Map out the essay so that your reader can see
  where you are going

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Conclusions

• Draw together the points previously discussed,
  without repeating them
• Refer back to the question and show how it has
  been answered
• Clearly express the writers point of view based
  on the evidence presented earlier in the essay
• Bring the essay to a close
• Suggest further related ideas that could be
  explored

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• More on referencing and plagiarism

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What is Plagiarism? http//owl.english.pur
due.edu/handouts/research/r_plagiar.html
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What do I need to reference?

• everything which is not considered to be common
  knowledge
• summaries of other writers ideas
• paraphrases of other writers ideas
• direct quotations including the exact page
  number
• internet sources including the date you
  accessed the site

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Why do I need to reference?

• to give credit where credit is due academic
  integrity
• to help the reader find the material themselves
  if they wish
• to avoid accusations of plagiarism a very
  serious offence with serious consequences

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How should I reference?

• Check your course handbook or website.
• No matter which system you use, it should be
• Clear
• Consistent (eg in-text, footnotes)
• Complete (eg name, date, page)
• http//www.uefap.co.uk/writing/
• Follow links for Referencing and also Citation

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To recap

• ..Essays are used as an assessment tool to
  evaluate your ability to research a topic and
  construct an argument, as well as your
  understanding of subject content.
• http//unilearning.uow.edu.au/essay/ accessed
  June 24 05

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References

• 1. Clark R(1998) Characteristics of a good
  essay. Effective Learning/SLDC Website
• 2. Creme P Lea M (1997) Writing at University.
  Buckingham OUP
• 3. http//unilearning.uow.edu.au/essay/
• accessed June 24 05

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Useful resources

• Student Learning Development Centre
• http//www.lancs.ac.uk/depts/celt/sldc/?openpage
  
• for resources and information about the El and
  ELLIS programmes
• http//www.uefap.co.uk
• http//owl.english.purdue.edu (American English)
• http//www.phrasebank.man.ac.uk (useful phrases
  for academic writing)