Academic Writing 1
Writing an academic essay can be a daunting task. You might feel confused about
what is expected of you or you may never have written anything quite like it before.
What am I expected to do?
In an essay you are expected to:
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provide an answer to the question
present an informed opinion that shows evidence of your reading
structure ideas and present a coherent argument
quote and/or refer to relevant authors to support your argument
How do I begin?
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Read the question carefully and identify exactly what you are
being asked to do
Ask your tutor for clarification if you are not sure what he or she
wants
Think about possible approaches to the question –identify the
main issues and decide which you want to focus on and why
Find the relevant literature – look at reading lists, the course
handbook and lecture notes for guidance
Spend some time sifting through resources – you don’t want to
waste time reading things which are not relevant
Start reading
Make careful note of any references - that means interesting
ideas/theories as well as direct quotes – it will save you a lot of
time and energy (and possible accusations of plagiarism) later on
– you will need the author/s’ names and initials, the title of the
book/article/journal, date of publication, publisher and page
number of any quotes.
How do I structure it?
Your essay is like a journey, it has a beginning, middle and an end and you need to
plan your route carefully. There needs to be a coherent central argument that runs
through the middle of your work which is supported on either side by your reading.
What should go in the introduction?
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The introduction should provide an overview of the issues relating
to the question but not repeat the question
You may want to define the main terms
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Identify the focus of your answer – you won’t be able to cover
everything that is relevant
You might want to map out the key stages of your essay and
outline what is going to be discussed
Your introduction should make up no more than 10% of your word
count
What about the main body?
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This is where you have to develop your key arguments and
support your ideas with evidence from your reading
If you refer to someone else’s ideas, whether directly or indirectly,
you must provide a complete reference
Each paragraph needs an opening statement which signposts the
area you are going to address
Each point must consistently address the question
What should go in the conclusion?
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Draw together the main strands of your argument and highlight
the key points
Try and provide an answer to the question – even if that means
recognising that it is a question to which there is no clear answer
Your conclusion should make up no more than 10-15% of your
word count
What goes in the reference list?
You need to include the full publishing details of every author/source you have
mentioned in your essay so that anyone who reads your work can discover where
you got your ideas/information from. This is not just so they can check up on you,
referencing is how people share knowledge in higher education.
Visit the Academic Skills section on LearningSpace or refer to the Student
Regulations Framework for more help with referencing.
Weblinks:
http://unilearning.uow.edu.au/essay/4aii.html
The essay writing process
http://writing2.richmond.edu/writing/wweb.html
http://www.brad.ac.uk/developme/developingskills/index.php
http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice
http://www.palgrave.com/skills4study/studyskills/reading/index.asp
http://writingcenter.unc.edu/
Paragraph development,
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https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/588/03/
Structuring an argument:
http://www.unisa.edu.au/ltu/students/study/writing/expression.asp
Clarity of expression and writing shorter sentences
The 3 following links from the OU will require you to enrol to gain access to the
course materials-it is free!
http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=3359
A self access module on essay and report writing skills from the OU
http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=2502
A self access module on reading and note-taking from the OU
http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=3513
A self access module on finding, using & evaluating information from the OU
Contact information
Email hheywood@marjon.ac.uk
Twitter @DigitalFeline
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