Writing an essay
Content
01 The purpose of writing essays /
Task 1
02 Getting started
03 Preparing to write /
Task 2
04 Essay writing stages
(i) Following instructions
(ii) Careful analysis of essay title /
Task 3
(iii) Identifying the meaning of 'question' words in titles /
Task 4
(iv) Brainstorming ideas /
Example of a mind-map /
Task 5
(v) Locating source material
(vi) Developing an essay outline /
Task 6
- 01 The purpose of writing essays
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It is difficult to feel motivated to achieve something unless you have consciously thought about your purpose for doing it (see motivation). However, since writing assignments at university is such an integral part of the process of academic study, very few people actually stop to consciously think why are doing it.
[Back to top] - 02 Getting started
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Writing an essay can be a daunting prospect. Unless you are an experienced or confident writer, you may feel in a total panic every time you are presented with an essay title. Where do you start?
One thing to bear in mind at the outset is that the word 'essay' is derived from the French essayer, 'to try'. One meaning of 'essay', then, is a tentative effort or attempt.
Therefore, try not to put too much pressure on yourself initially to write the 'perfect' essay - while there is general agreement amongst academics and educationalists in relation to what constitutes good essay writing, it is impossible to claim that any one essay is ever 'perfect'.
Try to think of essay writing as part of the whole learning process. If you don't get it right the first time, there is no need to be despondent. The learning process involves getting things wrong; that is when feedback can serve its purpose by showing you how to get things right the next time you approach a similar task. In this way, you should be able to develop the necessary skills to achieve success.
[Back to top] - 03 Preparing to write
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As with any other task in life, careful preparation is essential. If you leave everything until the last minute, then you're much less likely to benefit from the experience and much more likely to give yourself unnecessary stress.
The most important piece of advice that can be given in relation to essay writing is to manage your time very carefully. Refer to your wall-chart and study timetable and make sure you have clearly marked the dates for submission of any assignments. It's always a good idea to try to set yourself a deadline for submission a couple of days before the actual date set by your department. In this way, you will have enough time to evaluate your own work and seek the feedback of others.
[Back to top] - 04 Essay writing stages
- (i) Following instructions
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You may have identified that the first thing any student should do in the essay writing process is familiarise themselves with the essay writing instructions. Pay particular attention to word length since this will determine how much information you can include. If you find yourself making copious notes from a dozen or so texts, but your essay word length is relatively short, then consider whether or not you will be able to make effective use of the materials. Maybe you are not making the best use of the limited preparation time you have available and would be better just taking notes from 3 or 4 different texts which you can then use.
[Back to top] - (ii) Careful analysis of essay title
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In order to satisfy the 'task fulfilment' criterion of any essay, you will need to show that you have carefully referred to the title. One useful piece of advice is to keep the essay title in front of you at all times during the essay writing process. All too often you may be tempted to stray away from the main focus of the title, especially if you start to become absorbed in reading material which may very much interest you, but which may not be directly related to the essay title.
A good way to focus on an essay title is to underline the key words.
[Back to top] - (iii) Identifying the meaning of 'question' words in titles
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Always be sure to underline the 'question' words in any essay title. In order to fully meet the marking criterion relating to task fulfilment, you will need to demonstrate that you have understood exactly what the 'question' word in the essay title wants you to do. While some 'question' words will be largely self-explanatory, e.g. 'What are the causes and effects of .', or 'What are the advantages and disadvantages of ..', some other question words may need to be carefully analysed.
[Back to top] - (iv) Brainstorming ideas
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Having identified the key words in your essay title, you may find it helpful to brainstorm some ideas in relation to your topic area. This will help you to determine what you do and don't know about your subject and will also help you to begin to search for relevant source material.
When generating ideas it can often be helpful to verbalise your thoughts to others, so make the most of any chance to talk about your subject with your tutors and fellow students in tutorials and seminars. You may already have formed a small study group with some of your fellow students where discussions which relate to your subject take place on a regular basis.
Alternatively, you may prefer to jot down some ideas which occur to you. At this stage in the essay process, there is no need to be precise about how you write, all you need to do is to create some rough notes.
You may be the kind of person who prefers to think along linear lines, i.e. you may work best by producing lists of points line by line down a page. However, there are many people who find it very helpful to represent information by means of a diagram or chart which organizes ideas by mental association. This kind of diagram or chart is commonly referred to as a 'mind-map' and has been made famous through the work of Tony Buzan in particular.
Here's an example from a book by Buzan:
If the example from Buzan appears a little too complex for you, don't be disheartened, good mind-mapping needs practice. A more simple example of a mind-map is given below. Note that the main topic word is usually written in a central circle with other points leading off from the circle:
You can work on a 'mind-map' in the next task.
[Back to top] - (v) Locating source material
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Once you have generated some ideas in relation to your essay, you should be able to identify any gaps in your knowledge and understanding. The next stage, then, will involve locating relevant source material to develop your understanding of the topic, as well as to support and add academic authority to your ideas. Don't forget that your tutor will expect to see evidence in your essay that you have read widely in relation to your topic area and you will be expected to refer to source materials you have found yourself as well as to refer to the recommended texts on your course reading list.
Don't forget also that lecture materials are a valuable resource, as long as you have managed to keep clear, intelligible notes!
[Back to top] - (vi) Developing an essay outline
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Now that you have some useful ideas to incorporate into your essay, the next stage involves knowing how to organise them into a clear structure (remember, one of the key marking criteria for essay writing will always be an ability to organise ideas effectively.
The pattern of organisation of ideas in your writing will largely depend on the type of essay you are asked to write. However, in every case the most basic structure will be:
Introduction Main Body Conclusion
While there is no single best way to develop the overall shape of your written tasks, you may find it helpful to create a general outline or template of the essay structure. As you generate ideas, you can start to 'flesh out' the basic skeleton organisation by adding notes under separate section headings. By approaching a written assignment like this, it is more likely that you will be able to work in a focussed way since you will have a clear sense of direction. You should also be better able to establish links between your main ideas and to decide where you need to add examples or reference to source materials to support your ideas.
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