|
Writing
essays |
|
Library
Catalogue
Online resources
Newspapers
Reference Tools
APA
Referencing
EBSCOHost
Index New Zealand
The Internet
Plagiarism
Research Process
Writing Essays
Writing Reports
Ask
a Librarian
Interlibrary Loan
Distance
Services
Requesting Resources
Contact
Us
Feedback/Suggestions
General Info
Library Staff
Library Collections
Membership
Policies
|
|
|
|
An essay considers
or answers a question by presenting a main argument. Support and
justification for the argument are developed as the essay proceeds.
An essay puts forward a case, develops an argument and explores
ideas.
Remember:
- Generally
there is no "right" answer. You need to decide what
you think and then develop a convincing case for your argument
- Analyse,
don't describe. Ask questions of yourself at all stages and keep
going back to the original essay question.
- State your
opinion. This is your essay so don't try to give the answer you
think is expected. When you put forward your ideas, you'll be
able to develop a much more convincing argument. However, your
opinion always needs to be backed up with sound and logical reasoning
and references to sources of information or individuals
(Mann, 1999, p. 57)
Writing essays & reports encourages you to explore a topic in depth, and develop skills in:
- Planning and managing your time effectively
- Locating and retrieving relevant information
- Interpreting, analysing, and evaluating facts and opinions
- Constructing a clear and logical argument.
What
are your Tutors looking for?
In your assignment,
your tutor will look to see:
- That you
have answered the question.
- That you
have presented a clear and logical flow of ideas and argument,
with evidence to support what you are saying.
- That you
provide analysis which discusses and comments on the question.
- Evidence
of research (looking for and finding relevant information resources)
and reading beyond the lectures and set textbook - e.g. journal
articles, other books, statistics, etc.
- That your
work is well presented, free of spelling and grammatical errors.
- That your
work is correctly referenced.
|
|
Keywords
used in Essay Writing and Exam Questions
Below, is a
list of key words, which are commonly used to test your understanding
of a subject.
| Analyse |
Take
apart. Examine the main ideas, and show how they inter-relate
to each other and contribute to the whole. |
| Argue |
Give
reasons/supporting evidence (facts, results from a study) for
& against an issue. |
| Compare |
Look
for and identify similarities. |
| Contrast |
Look
for and identify differences. |
| Criticise |
Express
your judgement with respect to the merits of theories or opinions
being examined. "Analyse the subject and describe to what extent
it is supported by evidence." |
| Define |
Clearly
explain the meaning of a word, term or theory. |
| Describe |
Explain
or give details about something so that it is easy to understand.
|
| Discuss |
Examine
the key points and give arguments (reasons) for and against
what is being discussed. You should also write your own conclusions
or set forth your own opinion, which may agree or disagree with
what you are discussing, so long as your views are supported
by evidence. |
| Evaluate |
Give
careful consideration to an issue, highlighting both advantages
and limitations. |
| Explain |
Give
an in-depth account of the topic with supporting reasons. State
the 'how' and 'why', the results, and, where possible, causes.
|
| Illustrate |
Explain
or make something clear with the use of written examples, pictures,
diagrams, charts, graphs, drawings etc. |
| Interpret |
Explain
the meaning of, give examples of, solve, or comment upon the
topic. |
| Justify |
Give
reasons and provide evidence for your opinions and conclusions.
|
| Outline |
Identify
and describe the main features of a subject. |
| Prove |
Show
whether something is true or false/right or wrong. |
| Show |
Demonstrate
your point through the use of examples. |
| Summarise |
Describe
the key points or main facts in brief. No details or examples
are needed. |
Top
=
|
|
Understanding
and Analysing the Question
Before beginning
to research or write your assignment, make sure you clearly understand
the question and know exactly what is required.
You may find
it helps to:
- Rewrite
the topic in your own words. This will help you to better
understand what it is that you are being asked to do.
- Identify
any words or terms that you do not understand. Use dictionaries,
encyclopaedias, your textbooks or course readings to help you
clarify these words or terms.
- List
any concerns or issues that the question may raise.
- Try and take
the question apart. You can do this by breaking the question into
manageable pieces and treating each part as a separate question.
When analysing
the assignment question, there are three kinds
of words you should look for:
Content
Words
These
highlight the subject matter the assignment should deal with.
Limiting
Words
These
specify the particular aspect of the subject on which the assignment
should focus.
Instruction
Words
These tell you how to approach the topic.
Example
1 - Media Arts
| Question
|
Henry James once said that "it is art that makes life, makes
interest, makes importance". Selecting an art period of your
choice (eg The Renaissance, Modernism), write a 1000 word essay
that identifies and illustrates the main features of this period.
|
| Content |
A
selected art period . This term indicates the main subject
of your essay. |
| Limitations
|
The
main features of this period - this narrow
of the topic. |
| Instruction |
Identify
and illustrate - Explain what the main features of this
period were with the use of written examples, pictures, charts,
graphs, drawings etc. |
Example
2 - Exercise Science
| Question
|
With rising levels of obesity occurring worldwide, health researchers
are focussing their work on the role which diet and exercise
plays in a person's life. Write a 750 word essay, which identifies
and describes the main benefits of exercise in a person's life.
|
| Content |
Exercise
in a person's life . Indicates the main subject of your
essay. |
| Limitations
|
Main
benefits - these words narrow the scope of the topic. You
should concentrate on what the main benefits of exercise are.
|
| Instruction |
Identify
and describe - these words tell you to identify and explain
or give details about the main benefits of exercise so that
it is easy to understand. |
Top
=
|
|
Structure
of an Essay
Your essay should
have three sections:
- An introduction
- A body
- A conclusion
Top
= |
|
Introduction
Generally 5-10%
of the length of the essay.
Your introduction
is an important guide for your essay, which sets the scene for your
essay. The introduction lets the reader know:
- What the
topic is about.
- Why it is
important.
- How you
plan to proceed with your discussion.
It should contain:
- A thesis
that asserts your main argument. This states what you believe
and what you intend to show, and a sense of the kinds of information
you will use to make that argument.
- An outline
of the general organisation of the paragraphs and pages that will
follow.
Ideally, your
introduction should capture your readers' interest, and make them
want to read the rest of your paper. You can do this by opening
with an intriguing example, a captivating quotation, or an interesting
question that invites your reader to see why the topic is relevant
and why it should matter.
Top
=
|
|
Body
of the Essay
Generally 70-80%
of the length of the essay length.
Primarily, the
body of your essay should develop the
argument you presented in the introduction. The information in each
paragraph should always have a relationship to this main point.
Stick to the essay topic! Ask yourself: What is the main point that
you are trying to communicate to your reader?
Once you have
decided what your controlling idea is, you should
choose information that will help to support that idea throughout
the essay. With every piece of information you decide to include,
always ask yourself: Is this information relevant? If not, no matter
how good it sounds, leave it out.
To get started,
try dividing the body of your essay into a number of headings
which cover the main points you wish to discuss. Then organise these
headings into a logical order.
For example,
if writing an essay on the benefits of exercise, you might start
with:
physical
benefits - such as increasing cardiovascular stamina and building
muscle strength, then psychological benefits - such as promoting
a positive self image and decreasing the likelihood of depression.
This would provide
a more logical flow, instead of mixing paragraphs which discuss
both benefits simultaneously.
- Arrange
any existing information, notes or relevant quotes you may have
under the relevant headings.
For each heading,
write at least a paragraph. Each paragraph should have an opening
sentence which presents one specific issue or argument related to
the question. The paragraph may then be developed through:
- Explanation
of the issue
- Expansion
of the implications the issue raises, e.g..: "This might
result in...".
- Evidence
which support the main idea of your argument. For example: quotes
or paraphrases, statistics, facts, examples, illustrations, tables.
Remember, each
sentence in your essay should be:
Unified
They
should all refer to and express the main idea, or thesis, of the
paper.
Coherent
Each
sentence of each paragraph should be arranged in a logical manner
and should follow a definite plan for development.
Well-Developed
Every
idea discussed in the paragraph should be adequately explained and
supported through evidence and details that work together to explain
the paper's controlling idea. (http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/introductions.htm).
Top
=
|
|
Conclusion
Generally 5
- 20% of the length of the essay.
The conclusion
allows you to summarise your points and demonstrate the importance
of your ideas on the subject. It should remind the reader of the
key arguments/issues that you covered in your essay.
- Your conclusion
should restate the topic in a general statement that sums up the
argument.
- It should
give your reader something to take away that will help them to
see things differently or appreciate your topic in personally
relevant ways.
- Your conclusion
can suggest broader implications that will interest and challenge
your reader, but should not discuss new material you haven't covered
in your assignment.
Top
=
|
|
Reference List
This is where
you list the resources that you cited or mentionned during your
essay. This is an important part of your essay as it:
- Shows that
you have read widely and incorporated other peoples ideas into
your work.
- Allows people
reading your work, to know where they can go to find more information
about the ideas you have discussed.
- Gives credit
where credit is due.
To learn how
to correctly cite and reference your work, click
here.
Bibliography
This is where
you list all the resources that you consulted when researching your
assignment. (Some tutors may only ask to see a reference list which
states the resources you have used as evidence in the body of your
essay. The bibliography is not always necessary, but an added extra.)
Top
=
|
|
The
Final Product
When writing
an assignment, always ask yourself:
- Is what
I am about to write or include relevant?
- Have I answered
the question?
In your final
draft be critical. Check your essay for a logical flow, clarity,
tone, structure and accuracy, spelling, punctuation, grammar, correct
format and correct references.
It often helps
to also ask someone outside of your course to read your essay for
meaning and sense. Try not to use friends, as often they will tell
you work is great, so they don't offend you. Choose someone you
feel is qualified to give you an informed, impartial assessment.
Top
=
|
|
|
