Essay Writing Isabelle Pottinger Effective Learning Advisor/ Academic Counsellor Effective Learning Service Careers Advisory Service  451 3391  [email_address]

Isabelle Pottinger

Effective Learning Advisor/

Academic Counsellor

Effective Learning Service

Definition of ‘Essay’ A short piece of prose writing on a specific topic.

A short piece of prose writing on a specific topic.

Essay Writing Research Topic Plan Draft Review Revise Edit

Research Topic

Plan

Draft

Review

Revise

Edit

Getting started Clarify the task - seek guidance, if required. Clarify the word length and completion date.

Clarify the task - seek guidance, if required.

Clarify the word length and completion date.

Researching the Topic Make a start on the background reading required. Consider taking bullet point notes of technical content to reduce the risk of plagiarism. Record full references for all the books/ journals/ websites etc. that you use.

Make a start on the background reading required.

Consider taking bullet point notes of technical content to reduce the risk of plagiarism.

Record full references for all the books/ journals/ websites etc. that you use.

Planning the essay Plan the whole essay before you begin to write it.

Plan the whole essay before you begin to write it.

Planning the essay Start to arrange your thoughts and ideas in a logical, sensible order that answers the question. Order and re-order your bullet point notes to match this essay plan.

Start to arrange your thoughts and ideas in a logical, sensible order that answers the question.

Order and re-order your bullet point notes to match this essay plan.

Planning the essay Ask yourself: How and where within your essay might you use the information you have so far collected? Are there still gaps in information? Is further research necessary?

Ask yourself:

How and where within your essay might you use the information you have so far collected?

Are there still gaps in information?

Is further research necessary?

Planning the essay You may need to go around this Researching-and-Planning loop more than once to collect enough relevant information.

You may need to go around this Researching-and-Planning loop more than once to collect enough relevant information.

Using Library Resources

HWU Library Home page: http://www.hw.ac.uk/library/

Home page:

http://www.hw.ac.uk/library/

HWU Library – Subject Librarians http://www.hw.ac.uk/library/faculty.libs. html Civil and Structural Engineering: Subject librarian: Sarah Kelly E-mail: S.Kelly@hw.ac.uk Tel: 0131 451 3574

http://www.hw.ac.uk/library/faculty.libs.

html

Civil and Structural Engineering:

Subject librarian: Sarah Kelly

E-mail: S.Kelly@hw.ac.uk

Tel: 0131 451 3574

References Use a suitable referencing system e.g. the Harvard system http://www.hw.ac.uk/library/howtobuilding.html#REFERENCES http://www.hw.ac.uk/library/howtobuilding.html

Use a suitable referencing system

e.g. the Harvard system

http://www.hw.ac.uk/library/howtobuilding.html#REFERENCES

http://www.hw.ac.uk/library/howtobuilding.html

Reference style - Book The correct reference for a book includes author, initials, title, edition (if not first), place of publication, publisher and year of publication. e.g. Sime, J.D. Safety in the built environment. London: Spon, 2005.

The correct reference for a book includes author, initials, title, edition (if not first), place of publication, publisher and year of publication. e.g.

Sime, J.D. Safety in the built environment. London: Spon, 2005.

- Journal/ Periodical The correct reference for a periodical article includes author and title of article, periodical title, volume and part number, year and pages, e.g. Stamp, G. Clouded vision. Architects Journal V.177(9), 1999, 25-31.

The correct reference for a periodical article includes author and title of article, periodical title, volume and part number, year and pages, e.g.

Stamp, G. Clouded vision. Architects Journal V.177(9), 1999, 25-31.

- Website The author or editor Date of ‘publication’(in brackets) Title (in italics or underlined) The type of resource (in square brackets) The URL The date the resource was accessed (in square brackets)

The author or editor

Date of ‘publication’(in brackets)

Title (in italics or underlined)

The type of resource (in square brackets)

The URL

The date the resource was accessed (in square brackets)

Referencing websites University of Bradford, (1999). Making the most of presentations [online]. Available: http://www.brad.ac.uk/admin/stedev/pres.html [accessed 12 August 2004]

University of Bradford, (1999). Making the most of presentations [online]. Available: http://www.brad.ac.uk/admin/stedev/pres.html [accessed 12 August 2004]

Essay Writing Now let’s turn our attention to writing the essay.

Now let’s turn our attention to writing the essay.

Essay Writing Essay has three main sections: Introduction: 5% of length Main body: 80% of length Conclusion: 15% of length

Essay has three main sections:

Introduction: 5% of length

Main body: 80% of length

Conclusion: 15% of length

Introduction Tells the reader how you will answer the question 5% of length of essay Written last

Tells the reader how you will answer the question

5% of length of essay

Written last

Body of Essay Answers the question In a chain of linked paragraphs that build and present a case.

Answers the question

In a chain of linked paragraphs that build and present a case.

Each paragraph: One big idea Introduce Define Offer Argument Offer evidence and discuss Make final point

One big idea

Introduce

Define

Offer Argument

Offer evidence and discuss

Make final point

Your writing should answer: What is this paragraph about? What exactly is that? What is your argument on this (in relation to the question)? What is your evidence? What does it mean? What is the final point (in relation to the question)?

What is this paragraph about?

What exactly is that?

What is your argument on this (in relation to the question)?

What is your evidence? What does it mean?

What is the final point (in relation to the question)?

Linking and signposting Use link words and phrases However; nevertheless; not only…but also Signposting In short; as we have seen; to summarise Paragraphs are part of the signposting Vary sentence length (max 40 words)

Use link words and phrases

However; nevertheless; not only…but also

Signposting

In short; as we have seen; to summarise

Paragraphs are part of the signposting

Vary sentence length (max 40 words)

Conclusion = 15% length Re-state arguments Re-state points Show that you have answered the whole question Could make recommendation NB: No new evidence introduced

Re-state arguments

Re-state points

Show that you have answered the whole question

Could make recommendation

NB: No new evidence introduced

Take-home message Allow adequate time to research and write the essay Follow the guidelines given Write in own words Acknowledge all sources of information Check that you have answered the question

Allow adequate time to research and write the essay

Follow the guidelines given

Write in own words

Acknowledge all sources of information

Check that you have answered the question

Contact Details Isabelle Pottinger Effective Learning Advisor/ Academic Counsellor Effective Learning Service Ext: 3062 E-mail: I.Pottinger@hw.ac.uk

Isabelle Pottinger

Effective Learning Advisor/

Academic Counsellor

Effective Learning Service

Ext: 3062

E-mail: I.Pottinger@hw.ac.uk