Essay Writing Strategies & 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 stop myself from getting overwhelmed by material? How do I focus on the question and not go off on a tangent? How do I reference? How do I structure an essay? What does it mean to write critically? How do I know which sources to use? Should I write in the third person? 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 But it must: It could like anything!! 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)." Tips: - Think - Think about about the the title title Draw - Draw out out subquestions subquestions Include - Include what what you you already already know know and and how how it it might might be be relevant relevant - Have - Have thinking thinking time time - Do - Do not not censor censor anything anything - After, - After, pull pull out out relevant relevant points points and and discard discard the the rest rest - Regularly - Regularly consider consider relevance' relevance' Image taken from: http://www.learningtolearn.group.shef.ac.uk/takingnotes/notes_spider_espa.html 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 States what happened Explains what a theory says States the different components Lists in any order Gives information Critical Writing Identifies the significance Shows why something is relevant or suitable Weighs up the importance of component parts Structures information in order of importance Draws conclusions www.learnhigher.ac.uk adaptation of Moon in Cottrell 1999: 23 Adapted from www.learnhigher.ac.uk
Descriptive 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. Analytical The 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 The application of any form of note-taking is going to contribute to the effectiveness of those notes, non-linear or otherwise. Most researchers agree that NL are more effective than linear ones and contribute much more greatly to learner cognition and meta-cognition. (Makany, Kemp & Dror 2009)
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: 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.P7 or e-book (just search the library catalogue) Study Skills wiki at Hull University at http://slb-ltsu.hull.ac.uk/awe/index