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Writing an academic essay

Writing applications

During the course of training to become a teacher, one of the forms of assessment that is likely to be encountered is the written essay.

There are certain approaches and strategies that can be taken to make the process of writing as organised and structured as possible. Some key approaches to essay writing are outlined below.

Plan to research and start reading around the subject and writing well in advance. It is ideal to do this weeks, not days, before the hand in date! Look out for links to the essay, which will arise throughout the taught element of the course, and keep abreast of news and media items that may be relevant. Try to engage with recommended reading.

Ensure you have a precise understanding of the essay requirements. Look very closely at the exact wording of the title, and ensure complete understanding of what is being asked. 

The academic essay

Deconstruct the title, and identify which particular aspect of the subject is the focus for the essay. The following should be helpful:

  • make a targeted response and avoid unnecessarily writing everything that is known about the particular subject
  • do not waste valuable time reading irrelevant material
  • begin to build a framework for the research that will be necessary and create a working essay plan from the very beginning. This can always be altered or improved as the work develops.           

Essays linked to teaching and education can often be divided into three key parts: 

  1. The instruction – what the writer is being asked to do with the material.
  2. The topic – what the subject matter is.
  3. The pedagogic elements – learning and teaching strategies.           

Essay questions usually contain one or more of the following key words, which indicate what the writer is being asked to do.

  • Analyse: consider the various parts of the whole and describe the inter-relationship between them
  • Compare: examine the objects in question with a view to demonstrating their similarities.
  • Contrast: examine the objects in question for the purpose of demonstrating differences. Examine two or more opposing ideas or arguments to highlight their differences.
  • Define: give a definition or state terms of reference to give the exact meaning.
  • Discuss: present the different aspects of a problem or question and draw a reasoned conclusion.
  • Explain: make very clear why something is the way it is, or why it happens.
  • Evaluate: examine the various sides of a question or argument, using evidence and try to make a judgement. 
  • Illustrate: make something very clear, using evidence and examples.
  • Justify: support a particular idea, using evidence, and show why particular conclusions were made. Include counter-arguments.
  • Summarise: outline the main points briefly.           

Drafting the essay

Question the question itself. Define very clearly each term used in it and use these definitions as possible headings for subsequent research. A suggested format for approaching essay writing at the draft stage is as follows:

  • brainstorm what is known about the topic
  • brainstorm areas that need further research
  • talk through the essay with someone (a peer, support group, a friend, a tutor)
  • write down any initial ideas. These may be discarded later, but this is a good way in which to begin to think about the structure and content of the essay.            

Initial ideas will probably have highlighted some key points or main themes. These can be used as tentative headings under which to group personal opinions and notes. These can be refined or discarded at a later stage. 

Plan the initial research around questions relevant to the topic. The following strategies might be helpful.

  • Use small cards on which to build up a file of material (question headings can go on these).
  • Draw up a flow chart or numbered list of the information which has been gathered.
  • Draw a spider gram of the whole essay, giving each theme or key point a number for the order they will appear in the essay. Identify links across themes.
  • Colour code key themes – this will help with the grouping of information.
  • It is useful to note ideas, facts and quotes on separate cards. This makes later organisation of material easier. Include references and page numbers.
  • Put the notes in piles, ordered in the way in which they will appear in the essay. Cut and paste – literally!
  • All of the above can also be done on the computer.           

Check that your research is not too general. Ensure that it is relevant and up to date. 

Continually check the research against the question/ title. The subject may well redefine itself as further research into the subject is undertaken.

Review all of the material and decide what particular argument or view will be presented. Sort these ideas into a framework that will support all of the ideas in the most effective manner. 

This is a very important part of writing an essay. It is rarely sufficient to summarise material. When writing an essay, the writer will be required to employ analysis (detecting unstated assumptions, identifying inter-relationships between ideas, distinguishing facts from hypotheses), synthesis (arranging ideas or information in such a way as to build up a pattern or structure not already present), and evaluation (making judgements about the value of material and methods for a given purpose).

Structuring an essay

Begin with an introduction. This should outline the question and the organisation of the answer. In the same way the conclusion should sum up the argument.

In some subjects, but not all,  sub-headings are useful – it might be advisable to check this with a tutor. Sometimes a fluent and continuous piece of prose is more effective. To achieve this, a carefully planned outline will be very helpful. 

One suggestion for a basic framework for an outline is as follows.

Introduction

  • Comment on the subject of the essay.
  • Define any key terms.
  • Introduce the main points to be discussed, first stating the case in general terms: the opinions, which are going to be supported in the rest of the essay.
  • Briefly summarise the overall theme of the essay, indicating the main points to be made and possibly the order in which they are to be presented.           

Main body

  • Develop the argument or line of reasoning through several main ideas.
  • Support each idea with examples drawn from the research that has been undertaken. Support claims and ideas with evidence.
  • As the essay develops, make it clear how the arguments in one place relate to others, which have been used or will be used. Signpost these clearly.           

Conclusion

• Summarise the main ideas and arguments.
• Make it clear why conclusions reached are important or significant.
• Form a tentative answer by way of a final comment to the question.

Referencing

• Add the references and bibliography. 

Writing the essay

Headings sometimes help to divide the text into logical units for both the reader and the writer. Ensure that the text makes sense as it stands: in other words headings should be independent of the text within the essay.

Provide signposts along the way, which will help the reader to understand what is being argued, and will enable them to see connections and relationships between key ideas. This can be achieved by using the following.

  • Link words that lead the reader forwards, such as ‘again’, ‘furthermore’, ‘finally’.
  • Link words that make the reader stop and compare, such as ‘however’, ‘although’, ‘nonetheless’.
  • Link words that develop and summarise, such as ‘obviously’, ‘therefore’, in conclusion’.           

Use a straightforward, grammatically accurate writing style. Ensure that ideas and paragraphs flow coherently. Flow or continuity of argument is a very important quality in essays.

Beware of:

  • Oversimplifying issues, or using jargon as a substitute for careful explanation.
  • Using inappropriate analogies.
  • Quoting irrelevant material, or over-use of quotations.
  • Adopting an emotive tone.
  • Making assertions or sweeping statements without supporting evidence or argument.           

Precision of language is very important. Ensure that the chosen writing style utilises:

  • Complete, straightforward sentences - avoid writing notes.
  • Grammatically correct sentences and phrases – avoid slang and colloquialisms.
  • Accepted rules for spelling.
  • Accurate punctuation.           

Preferably use double space or 1˝ space when word-processing. This makes the text far easier to read and comment upon.

Carefully proofread the essay. Re-read the draft, preferably aloud and to a critical listener. Get a friend/relative to read through the written work, or read it backwards.

The work will almost always need to be produced using a word processor. Make use of the grammar and spell-check facility but remember that spell checks are not infallible. Check the spell check!

Always use the reference and bibliography to acknowledge sources and cite them in the text. Be thorough with referencing to avoid risk of plagiarism. Plagiarism is defined as: 'taking and using another person's thoughts, inventions and writings as one's own'. This is a potentially serious problem in essays, and can be easily avoided by acknowledging sources. Failure to do this could result in work being downgraded or even unmarked.

After the essay has been submitted, a tutor will mark it, grade it and include comments and a feedback sheet. Read this feedback carefully as it should include important information that will indicate how the essay could have been further developed, or how to improve the standard of written work in subsequent essays. 

Further information

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