In this seminar, we had one of the academic skills tutor Dr Beth Caldwell come over and give us a talk on essay writing. Here are my notes from the seminar:
Assignments
- Plan and structure
- Research Skills
- Note making skills
- Referencing
1) Understand and analyse title - break it down
2) Remember deadline/word count
Formative - unofficial test deadline
Summative - actual deadline
Essay format - continuous text
Report format - inc sections, headings and images
*Varies depending on essays*
3) Structuring your assignment - Planning
Linear Method
Introduction
Point 1
Point 2
Point 3
Point 4
Conclusion
or mind map with the essay title in the middle and the arrows coming up for each of the subheadings above.
4) Writing
Academic writing style
- formal writing
- Avoid contractions such as didn't, hasn't or it's
- Avoid using "I", "me", "my"
- Avoid addressing reader as "you"
- Limit use of run on expressions "etc"
- USE REFERENCES!
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Paragraphs
-only device in essays to separate information
Introduction - 1 paragraph
Main body - 1 point/topic per paragraph
Conclusion - 1 paragraph
Size - 2/3 of a page so half a page.
No single sentence as a paragraph
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Writing an introduction
Why? It orientates your reader to essay, shows that you are answering the question.
What/How? Provide a bit of background.
State the aims of the essay (This essay will be..) and outline your plan
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Writing conclusions
Why? Draw together your arguments. Show reader that you answered the essay question
What/How? Recap on aims (This essay has...)
Summarise main ideas (1 or 2 not too much)
State your conclusion (What have you found)
Zoom out (Overview and then based on future research)
Referencing System we use for uni: APA 6th System
Overall, this seminar was very helpful as to how we would plan and structure our essay. It was a good way to understand how referencing is required as part of our essay and how we can do it correctly. I will use this as a guide to help me with any essays for my modules.
