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How to prepare better essays? What is an essay?
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| Date | 03.05.2017 | | Size | 7.99 Kb. |
| How to prepare better essays? What is an essay? - “Essay” comes from the Latin word –
- “exagium” which means
- the presentation of a case!!
If you were him, what would you decide if you heard this from a lawyer? - “Your honour! Trust me, my client is innocent! He didn’t do it.
- THAT IS ALL!”
What would you expect to hear from a lawyer in the court? - no matter he / she is prosecuting or defending a client…..
- Proof & evidence!!
- Argument!!
Essay tips An essay …… - carries a formal convention
- is a set style which
- it must conform
- or it is not an essay!
The convention - The body – the key section of answering
- the question
- Paragraph structure
- - introduction, definition, argument,
- evidence & discussion, final point
- Paragraph as dialogue
- The conclusion
- (Tips: use the words from the question in your conclusion to prove that you have answered the whole question.)
- Bibliography (special note to citing!)
Essay tips - making it a continuous piece of writing, instead of dividing it up by headings or strap headlines
- set length (words) – be reasonable
- presentation counts – be professional & well cared for
- be formal – use formal English, do not abbreviate
- leave space for the marker – be considerate
How to Prepare & write an essay? Step 1: Prepare to research - It takes time
- Open a research folder
- Look at the question!
- - underline every key words in the question
- - Every word in a question is a gift!
- Read them all!”
- - Make sure that you do sth about every word –
- don’t leave any out!
- Be creative
Step 2: Systematic & targeted research - Carry out the action plan: the 4Ws & more
- - what: note what you will research
- - why: reminding yourself the reasons for
- researching that topic
- - where: collecting information from
- different sources
- - when: set a date and keep to it
- - check: check when you have done it
- Step 2: Systematic & targeted
- research
- Read with a purpose
- big notes – all your reading about 1 topic on 1
- large big sheet of paper (e.g. A1)
Step 3: Review your notes - notice the evidence for and against your topic
- think what your argument will be
- (based on the given evidence)
- Index surf – brush up your paragraphs
Step 4: Plan - plan your body first
- one main idea per paragraph
- consider opposite evidence
- order your points of argument to build a logical case!
Step 5: Write the first draft - Use paragraph questions to prompt your writing:
- What is it about?
- What exactly is that?
- What is your argument?
- What is the evidence? What does it mean?
- Therefore…..?
- What is your final point?
- Try to build a flow in your writing
Step 6: Leave it! - allow a break in your essay writing process
- to allow the your unconscious mind will seek to close the gaps that you left
- by offering yourself some distance & objectivity
- believe it or not: you are working with your brain even during this stage!
Step 7: Review, revise and edit - this is the essay writing processes!
- allow plenty of time for this process
- go through the whole essay when doing the first and last drafts
- but in between, just attack 1 paragraph at a time
- you go back and put in the “best” word
- check the links between paragraphs and make sure that they still connect with each other
Step 8: Proof read - read your essay aloud
- swap essays with a friend – proof read each other’s work
- cover the essay with paper and proof read one sentence at a time
- proof read from back to front
- proof read from the bottom of the page to the top
- proof read several times, just checking for one of “your” mistakes at a time
- proof reading gets better with practice
Step 9: Hand it in - submit it on or before the deadline
- always keep copies of your essay
- why?
10. Getting work back - to review what you have written
- to utilise the feedback you get from the marker
- to use that feedback to write a better essay next time
- to perform a SWOT analysis:
- Strengths+Weaknesses+Opportunities+Threats
SWOTing your essay - Tips:
- If you can answer an exam question on a topic previously covered in an assignment, put the assignment in your revision folder.
- If you improve the essay then the exam answer will be even better.
- Share it! read other’s work, discovering different writing styles & other approaches to answer a question – so as to stretches our thinking!
Essay development activities - Group writing
- Practice brainstorming
- Write those paragraphs
- Do not aim for perfection
- Practice writing
- Write a lot!
Why write essays? why write essays? Work Hard & Good Luck!! Reference - Burns, T. & Sinfield, S. (2004). Essential Study Skills. pp. 178-197
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