Essay WritingStrategies & Techniques for getting it right

� Thinking about essay writing (Common pitfalls

and the overarching approach)

� Planning & Writing (Getting started, generating

ideas, organising information, making the non-linear

linear)

� That thing they call critical thinking (What is

it? Descriptive v analytical)

� The dustbin category (The bits that don’t fit

anywhere else)

� Further sources of help (Where to go after this

session)

Take two minutes to write down your concerns/ questions/ worries/ thoughts you have about writing, planning and/or critical thinking or anything else about essays!

Be prepared to feed these points back to the class.

How do I reference?

How do I structure an essay?

How do I stop myself from getting

overwhelmed by material?

How do I know which sources to use?

What does it mean to write critically?

Should I write

in the third

person?

How do I focus on the

question and not go off

on a tangent?

Read through the list of statements about essay writing

In pairs, discuss whether you think each is true or false

If you are unsure of any, mark it with a question mark

� In your pairs/small groups, pick out 3 quotes to represent the traffic light system

� By the red/top light, write a quote that you feel is definitely false

� By the amber or middle light, write a quote that you feel is ambiguous

� And by the green or bottom light, write a quote that you feel is true

1. Answer the question set, not the one that you wish had been set

2. Answer the question set, not the one that you wish had been set

3. Answer the question set, not the one that you wish had been set

� Write down what it is you think you are being asked to do

� Ask yourself what you already know of this

� Work out what you need to know to complete the assignment successfully

� Only then choose your reading material

� Never let reading substitute for thinking

� Preliminary checks: your time & your

understanding

� What is the question actually asking for?

� Do a quick plan

� Collect your information/Start researching

� Write a more detailed plan

� Write the first draft (interweaving your research)

� Edit and proofread

� Redraft as necessary

� Pay attention to your feedback

� It allows you to see the big picture

� It makes you think about the question

� It makes you consider your answer in relation to the question

� It forces you to think about structure and logical order

� It helps with common stumbling blocks like ‘getting started’ and writers block’

� It provides your essay with a backbone

It could like anything!!

But it must:But it must:But it must:But it must:� Show what areas you will be covering

� Show why they are important

� Show how they will develop

� Show how they relate to the question (even if this is just for your own reference)

� And indicate how your argument will unfold

"The best thing anybody ever told me about beginning to write an essay, was to use a spider diagram. I cannot praise the spider-diagram highly enough (ironic, since I’m arachnophobic). These can be as simple or complicated as you want, and may be colour-coded, but they are invaluable in finding a structure for your essay. (I could eulogize for hours about spider-diagrams, but won’t)."

Image taken from:

http://www.learningtolearn.group.shef.ac.uk/takingnotes/notes_spider_espa.html

Tips:

- Think about the title

- Draw out subquestions

- Include what you already know

and how it might be relevant

- Have thinking time

- Do not censor anything

- After, pull out relevant points and

discard the rest

- Regularly consider ‘relevance'

Tips:

- Think about the title

Draw out subquestions

Include what you already know

and how it might be relevant

- Have thinking time

- Do not censor anything

- After, pull out relevant points and

discard the rest

- Regularly consider ‘relevance'

� Good structure = progression

of ideas underpinning

main argument

� Weak structure = unrelated

points, illogical order of points,

lack of focus, repetition

First, list key ideas relating to the question

Second, look for key ideas that ‘belong’ together and generate clusters of ideas

Third, write down the ‘clusters’ in the most logical order

Always checking, ‘how does this help me answer the

question?’

� Introduction: what am I going to do in the essay (approx 10%)

� Main body: present your argument (approx 80%)

� Conclusion: Say how you have done what you promised in the introduction (approx 10%)

� Overview of what essay is about

� Present central idea

� Give reasons why issue is important

� Explain interpretation of title

� Introduce questions the essay will tackle

� Give background, history or context of the main topic

� Make a bold statement that the rest of the essay will try to fill out

� Quote from somewhere else in order to interest the reader

� Present an interesting anecdote or example which the piece will elaborate on

� Signpost the reader to the structure of the main body

� Summarise the answers to the question set� Refer back to the question and show it has been answered

� Give a sense of ‘the ending’� Point out what the assignment has and hasn’t answered

� Put forward your point of view in the light of the evidence presented

� Allow writer to be positive about ideas presented in the essay

� Judgement is at the heart of good writing

� Not the same as ‘correctness’ but making the best

choice in the absence of no single or clear ‘right’

answer

You will need to make judgments on:

1. The strength of different views/arguments, and what they contribute to your essay

2. What to read and what to skip

3. The value of the evidence and when to cite sources

4. What to include and what to leave out

5. Balancing your time and efforts (don’t get sidetracked!)

6. The tone/stance/positioning of your essay

Adapted from http://slb-ltsu.hull.ac.uk/awe/index

Critical thinking is the intellectual process of analysing, evaluating and

synthesising observations or assertions

Critical thinking is the ability to not just describe something or accept perceived

wisdom, but develop a conceptual understanding of what happens and transfer

that to different situations

It means not just accepting what you are told but a willingness to question it,

to think it through for yourself

Taking a challenging attitude to what you read, hear and observe and being

able to develop robust and cogent arguments of your own

Stepping outside a situation and using analysis to form a judgment by

balancing different approaches or facts

The ability to reflect, recognise and synthesise key ideas so that learning

takes place. The learning then becomes part of your knowledge and effects

your future thinking

Paragraph a) contains a generalisation. The observation, based on

meetings with various accountants, does not necessarily indicate that the

same low stress level applies to most accountants. There is no evidence

provided that working with numbers is soothing. The comparison with

teachers does not clarify the idea that accountants are rarely stressed. It is

also irrelevant.

Paragraph b) is better, in that an attempt is made to provide some

evidence. But look at the evidence! Watching people for one day and

then giving them a questionnaire is not substantial enough to make

the broad conclusion. Also, the year 1921 is totally out of date for a

reference in this instance.

(Marianne Cronin 1998, www.ecu.edu.au)

Descriptive Writing Critical Writing

States what happened Identifies the significance

Explains what a theory says Shows why something is

relevant or suitable

States the different

components

Weighs up the importance of

component parts

Lists in any order Structures information in

order of importance

Gives information Draws conclusions

www.learnhigher.ac.uk adaptation of Moon in Cottrell 1999: 23

Adapted from www.learnhigher.ac.uk

Makany, Kemp & Dror (2009) carried out a study to compare the cognitive performances between linear note-takers and non-linear (NL) note-takers.

NL users recorded 20% more comprehensive information than linear controls.

There was no difference in the accuracy of information recorded and NL note-takers were also more positive about their capabilities of recording information.

(Makany, Kemp & Dror 2009)

Descriptive

AnalyticalThe participants were Information Management students. Does the subject you are studying effect the results?

This study used the SmartWisdom technique. Do these results translate to other NL note-taking modes?

Evaluative

Most researchers agree that NL are more effective than linear ones and contribute much more greatly to learner cognition and meta-cognition.

The application of any form of note-taking is going to contribute to the effectiveness of those notes, non-linear or otherwise.

� Arial or other clear font

� At least point 12, 1½ spaced

� One side of paper only

� Avoid abbreviations

� Sentence length

� Keep in mind your reader

� Use simple wording

� Keep paragraphs short

� Use structural devices eg headings

Purposes of referencing:Purposes of referencing:Purposes of referencing:Purposes of referencing:

� Intellectual honesty� Helps the reader to follow up work that may be of interest

� (In degree level work) gives the marker evidence of your depth of engagement with the academic literature

� nb different referencing systems

A reference should be used when you:

� Quote text

� Paraphrase text

� Summarise an idea

� Cite any evidence

� Reproduce a diagram, chart, table etc.

• Your module tutor• Student Life & Learning (www.keele.ac.uk/sll/whatson )• Some programmes have tutors for learning support • The K:Learn on KLE• Each other - find out if there are study groups or mentors in your

programme and if not, set one up!• There are many books on academic writing in the library (see next slide

for some favourites).

LearnHigher - Resources for Students at http://learnhigher.ac.uk/Students.html

Cottrell, S., 2008 The Study Skills Handbook. 3rd ed. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan LB2322.2 .C6

Peck, J., and Coyle, M., 2005. The Student’s Guide to Writing. Basingstoke: Palgrave PE2395 .P3

Price, G., and Maier, P., 2007. Effective Study Skills: Unlock Your Potential. Harlow: Pearson LB1049 .P7or e-book (just search the library catalogue)

Study Skills wiki at Hull University athttp://slb-ltsu.hull.ac.uk/awe/index