Essay Writing

- Essay titles and terminology - Essay planning guide - Understanding the question - Getting started - Notes on writing structure - Notes on language - Useful links for connecting ideas - Supporting statements with evidence - References

Essay Writing Getting Started

Stage 1: The Essay Title Do not spend too long choosing an essay question. Select the one about which you have the most understanding and interest, then analyse the essay question for useful hints (cf. below) before doing further research. Stage 2: Selecting Texts and Source Material Select a few texts on the topic, which are user friendly. Do not take out too many books, you will not use them all and they can overwhelm you. If your lecturer has given you a list of recommended titles, use it. Go early and get the books you need, because as the date for handing in work draws near, everyone will be after the same books. Alternatively select other texts available in the library or through your local library. Access information from CDROMs or the Internet. From these sources you can get an instant print out and can highlight the information you need. This will save time on taking notes and give you up-todate material. User friendly reference material has A good index / appendix Clear chapter headings Chapter summaries A good type face If you open the text and find it difficult to read or to locate information, you will find you are put off using it. Use a Literary Review Sheet to record the information, ideas and quotes you have found in the books. In this way you will not spend too much time trying to remember where that good quote was when you come to write the essay. You will also hopefully avoid noting down too many similar quotes on the same topic Stage 3: Planning the Essay Every student knows essay planning is important, but many make the mistake of thinking you start with the introduction. This creates enormous problems, as you cant start before you know what you are going to write. Students can sit looking at an empty page, waiting for inspiration for hours, not realising that they are setting themselves a very difficult task. An essay plan should outline the main points or issues you are going to cover, not start at the beginning. You can note down the plan in any way that suits you. Some common methods are: A spider plan A linear plan A numbered plan A flow chart A points for / against plan A series of topic sentences Choose the strategy that suits you best. There is no right way. If you would like more information or help with this, ask for the handout on essay planning. Remember: DO NOT start by writing the introduction The introduction may include: A question that will be answered later A statement of the case to be argued An outline of the general area of focus and the specific aspects of the topic
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A quotation which covers the key ideas to be discussed An outline of the points to be discussed later in the essay

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The Stages of Essay Writing Preparation Sheet

1. Looking at the question

2.

Gathering the material

3.

Generating ideas

4.

Planning

5.

First draft

6.

Reviewing

7.

Final draft

Now try to identify the reason for each stage and how long you would expect each to take you to complete.
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Essay Titles and Terminology

Often the difficulty in starting an essay is in understanding the question. Many students lose marks because they do not answer the question but simply throw all the information they have on the topic into the essay, whether it is needed or not. Often the question indicates what the essay should do by task words like discuss or assess. It also gives the general topic you should discuss (psoriasis), as well as specific areas of it (treatment, management and patient hygiene). E.g. Patient Hygiene plays an important part in treatment and management of psoriasis Discuss

First, highlight the key words as shown above Then look at the words at the end of the question as this often tells you the area of general focus and possibly where to start. (psoriasis) You could start by explaining briefly what this condition is, its symptoms and causes. The remaining words in the question direct you to the main points that you should consider in detail in your essay (Patient hygiene, treatment and management)

You can use these words as sub-headings and briefly list the points you should make under each heading. This will help you to organise your ideas and include the information you have collected from source material. Use the form of essay plan that best suits you and the question set. Now look at these essay titles and try to work out what you are being asked to do.
1.

Highlight the key words Decide what the main area of focus is Identify the main points you should consider in detail Good stock control relies on efficient data management. Consider this statement, and what implications it has for someone starting his own business. Patient confidentiality should be treated with the utmost care, particularly when dealing with a sensitive illness, which may carry a social stigma. Discuss this statement and the implications for the Multidisciplinary Team. They key to successful learning is motivation. Consider this statement and describe other factors, which play a part in the learning process.

2.

3.

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Essay Planning Sheet

Essay question: Now highlight the key words: Main area of focus: Specific topic areas:

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Essay Writing - Understanding the Question

There are basically four types of essay questions. 1. Description 2. Discussion 3. Evaluation 4. Comparison Each of these essays require a different approach Description In this essay, you should detail, giving the facts. This is probably the easiest type of essay, as it requires you to give the main information on the given topic without comment. Sometimes you will have to support these main facts with evidence or specific examples. Essays of this type use works like detail, describe, give an account of, what are the main features. Discussion In this essay, you should give the main points on the topic examine, by argument, the various points made and sometimes look at the implications. This essay is harder as it requires you to select material and discuss it. Any comment should be on the points made and supported by evidence. It should not include comments, which do not relate to what has been written. Essays of this type use works like discuss, consider, explore, examine. Evaluation In this essay, you should select the material you want to present to develop a line of thought or argument. You are usually asked to come to a conclusion and to back your view by a discussion of the evidence or reasoning involved. This is often considered the hardest of the essay types, as it requires you to present selected facts, discuss them in such a way as to direct the reader to a conclusion. Essays of this type are introduced with words like justify, evaluate, critically evaluate. Comparison In this essay, you are usually asked to find similarities or / and differences between different viewpoints, evidence or facts. Comparative essays can require description, discussion or evaluation, depending on what you have been asked to do in the question. Essays of this type are introduced with words like Compare, contract, distinguish.

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Essay Writing - Understanding the Question

Essay questions are often framed in such a way that decoding them is the first task you have to do. Firstly you have to find the key verb which directs you to the task. Here are lists of key verbs. List 1: Essays asking for selected facts, specific examples Define, describe, detail, outline, explain, list, relate, delineate, annotate, give an account of, trace, state, summarise, present List 2: Essays asking for selected facts, supported by evidence, discussed from a variety of viewpoints Analyse, explore, discuss, comment, illustrate, account for, interpret, review, explain, consider, debate, show how List 3: Essays asking for selected facts and opinions, sifted and debated, before coming to some sort of conclusion Criticise, evaluate, critically evaluate, justify, comment, investigate, interpret, judge, reason, decide List 4: Essays asking for selected facts highlighting any similarities and differences, perhaps reaching a conclusion Compare, contrast, differentiate, distinguish, debate, show the relationship between Note that these words have been put into four lists. These correspond to the four main essay types broadly outlined: Description, Discussion, Evaluation, Comparison Also note that certain words occur in two of the lists. You then have to decide, reading the question, the level of discussion or comment required.

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Notes on Academic Writing Style

1. Avoid the use of I and We in essays (UNLESS writing a reflective essay) Instead of writing I interviewed a group of residents Write A group of residents was interviewed Instead of writing I think that it is important Write It could be argued that Research suggests that The most important issue / criteria This improves the objectivity of the work and gives it a more formal tone. You must also ensure that these statements are appropriately referenced. 2. Repetition of words and entire phrases often appear in students work. Get rid of them, either by rephrasing or restructuring the sentence or by removing them altogether. The importance of good hygiene is important in ensuring good care and the standards of hygiene must be monitored effectively to provide an effective service. The above sentence may sound impressive but it is repetitious and unclear (see words in bold text). 3. 4. When you write you can get stuck in word ruts. Use a thesaurus to vary the language, but remember to keep the correct technical terms. Vary the linking words and phrases used. Ask for the worksheet on this. Avoid overuse of and, also, then etc. These are often used to string ideas together. Removing them and using punctuation is often better. For business administration purposes, it is imperative to use up to date word processing systems and staff must be fully trained in their use so that they can maximise efficiency and also management have an important role in encouraging and promoting their use. In the above paragraph, the writer is talking about one issue word processing systems, but making three distinct statements. If you remove the and and also, and substitute a full stop, the details are clearer and the sentence less disjointed. Full stops not only mark the end of a sense group but also provide a necessary breather, when reading. 5. Keep the tenses consistent. Do not wander from the present to the past tense. In this sentence the ideas are fine it is the tenses which are wrong. To optimise productivity, it was important to introduce flexi working. In some companies a system of bonuses can be introduced which improved production levels. The above sentence should read, was introduced instead of can be introduced to keep the tenses consistent. 6. Do not simply copy large chunks of texts. Either use them in quotation form, crediting the author, or put the information in your own words.
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Notes on Writing Structure

1.

Use sub headings as a guide to writing each paragraph. You can delete these headings later (essays should be continuous prose). This will improve the structure of your writing and ensure you have covered the main points. If you use this method, you must then spend time linking one paragraph to another. If you write each paragraph under a separate heading, when the headings are removed the writing will seem disjointed. You may need to think about the order of paragraphs before your final draft and how to link them together. Linking words and phrases improve the style of your written work and can significantly improve your marks.

2. Each paragraph should deal with one piece of information or idea and be introduced by a topic sentence. The paragraph should then develop this main piece of information. A paragraph is not a very long sentence, which contains all the details, but usually a series of sentences. 3. Avoid overlong sentences. They do not make your ideas more complex. Dont be afraid to use full stops. A full stop does not indicate the end of what you want to say on the topic but the completion of one fact or detail. 4. It is always best to word process work, even if you are a slow typist. The time saved later when you need to edit is worth it. The finished result looks better and is easier to read. However, if it helps to write ideas out first, do so. To maximise your efficiency, only write on one side of the page. This will allow you to literally cut up the work and reposition the information if the sequence of ideas seems wrong. Similarly writing on alternate lines allows space for correction and change. Do not spend time writing and rewriting, it is a waste of time and energy. and very frustrating as you find yourself repeatedly writing the same paragraph. 5. When in doubt read it out. If you want to know what to change, read your work aloud or get someone to read it to you. If the meaning is unclear or the structure weak, it will be evident when you read it out.
6.

If you have been asked for personal comment, do not feel the need to comment on everything be selective. Often the conclusion is the most appropriate place for any sustained comment. However you should restrict yourself to commenting on the information and ideas in the piece of writing, not simply giving your views generally.

7. Do not attempt to write the introduction or conclusion until you have written the body of the text. The introduction literally introduces the topic and what areas you will be considering while the conclusion summarises the main points made in the essay and possibly includes your viewpoint.

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Literature Review Research Based

Below are some general guidelines for a literature review from research

First select your source material, do not weigh yourself down with books you probably wont use. Make sure you accurately record the title, author, publisher and date of all print sources used. Read through the material, highlighting or noting down important names, dates and main research findings. Identify the main propositions of the research Try to organise the information under topic areas or headings, collating research on similar areas together. This will help you when you come to write your review. Alternatively organise the information in chronological order as this may show how research has developed over a period of time. The important thing is to show evidence of reading across the subject, highlighting the main evidence, hypotheses, findings, opinions, noting any contrasts, similarities or developments in this field of study. To start the piece you need to give an overview of the topic. This can take the form of a definition, explanation or quotation, which leads the reader into the subject.

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Literature Review Sheet

Source Title: Author: Publisher: Newspaper / Magazine / Journal / Text Book / Reference Book / Net .... .... ....

Publication Date: .... Page No Notes & Quotes Topic

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Essay Checklist

Content 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Have I answered the question? Have I identified the main issues or point? Has each one been dealt with separately, using paragraphs? Have I discussed the issues, compared and contrasted them? Have I commented on the issues? Are the main points supported by published sources? Have I acknowledged the sources? Are these sources up to date? Are these sources correctly referenced?

Style 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Does the essay read well? Do I present a structured and reasoned argument? Have I linked the ideas and information? Is the length and presentation appropriate? Does the introduction focus on the topic and outline what will follow? Does the conclusion summarise the main points and not introduce new ideas? Have I considered implications for the future? Have I made a commitment to one argument or remained neutral?

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