Writing the university
essay
Take the
University Challenge
Pop Quiz
Question
1. A good thesis must have three supporting
points.
2. An essay must have five paragraphs.
3. An essay should not include the writer’s
opinion or ideas.
4. All evidence from other sources must be
in quotation marks.
5. Each supporting point should fit into one
paragraph.
True
False
Pop Quiz
Question
True
False
1. A good thesis must have three supporting
points.
2. An essay must have five paragraphs.
False
3. An essay should not include the writer’s
opinion or ideas.
False
4. All evidence from other sources must be
in quotation marks.
5. Each supporting point should fit into one
paragraph.
False
False
False
University Expectations
IN GENERAL:
• You are Analyzing and Synthesizing
knowledge, not just reporting it
• Focus is on HOW and WHY, not just
WHAT and WHEN
The Process: Ideas First!
• Plan/Think
1. Choose and Narrow your Topic or Analyze a Given
Topic
2. Do Preliminary Research/Reading/Review
3. Ask a Research Question. Develop a tentative
thesis or answer to that question
4. Research: find, evaluate, skim, read, note & develop
reference list
5. Make an Outline: with thesis (main argument and
supporting points
• Write & Revise: write draft, revise, edit and proofread draft
ANSWER
THE
QUESTION
FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS
Instructions
• Type of assignment
– Essay? Reflection? Article Summary? Report?
• Type of research
– Primary? Secondary? Professional? News? Literature?
• Length – Format - Referencing
For example:
This is an eight to ten page analytical essay using primary
sources from the text book (available at the bookstore) and
graded on analysis and interpretation of historical evidence, as
well as conformance to scholarly writing conventions (for History
papers), grammar, and English. Due November 20th at the start
of lecture. Essay is double spaced in 12-point font (2.5 cm
margins) using Chicago Style title page, bibliography, and
footnotes. Instructions are posted on the course website.
Consider this
• Course context
– Main themes & questions
• Assessment: What is valued?
– Research
– Organization
– Clarity of Writing
– Analysis & Critical Thinking
– Academic Integrity
Ask Questions
• What do you need to know about the
topic?
• Explore facts. Define terms. Outline
process. What? Who? When? Where?
• Interrogate relationships. Consider
context. Evaluate impact. Analyse
significance. How? Why? So What?
Is Canada truly multicultural?
• Big question! Quick brainstorm –
– Toronto is good example – many cultures
represented in population
– Ethnic Neighbourhoods: Kensington market,
Chinatown, Little Italy
– Cultural centres – religious centres,
educational opportunities, arts & culture
– Diverse Services – language supports
– But discrimination exists . . .
Don’t be predictable
• The five-paragraph structure can only
articulate a very simple form of argument,
involving a major claim and three
supporting claims.
As Canada’s largest city, Toronto’s ethnic
neighbourhoods, cultural centres, and
diverse services demonstrate how Canada
is truly multicultural.
Don’t write this 5-paragraph essay
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Introduction
Ethnic neighbourhoods
Cultural centres
Diverse services
Conclusion
Dig deeper.
Ask more questions.
• How do we define multiculturalism? How does the
government support multiculturalism?
• How do communities include and exclude populations?
Does this change in different communities? Urban-rural?
East-west? North-south?
• What are the perceptions of new Canadians? Does this
change for 2nd and 3rd generation Canadians?
• How important is language? Religion? Cultural norms?
• Political and economic contexts for multiculturalism?
• Why is it important to understand multiculturalism in
Canada?
A Thesis EVOLVES
Do you have an opinion?
• The topic asks a question; the thesis
answers the question according to the
writer's opinion, based on his or her
research.
• Organize your essay to best support your
thesis(your answer and your opinion),
using facts and arguments to do this.
Focused. Analytical. Clear.
Despite the Canadian government’s official
efforts over the last forty-five years to
support a multicultural society,
ethnocentrism still creates some barriers for
the social, political, and economic equality
necessary for a nation to be truly
multicultural.
A Tentative Thesis Helps You:
Avoid confusion of many possible “answers”
Avoid passively absorbing rather than
actively engaging with others’ ideas
Avoid plagiarism because you lack ideas:
you can agree with someone’s ideas and
use them in your essay, but they must be
referenced properly
Outline is CRUCIAL
• It is the map / skeleton basis of your
essay. It allows you to see a lot of
information and organize ideas clearly.
It stops your work from wandering off
topic.
Point Form Outline: Keep it Close
Tentative Thesis
Despite the Canadian governments’ official efforts over the last fortyfive years to support a multicultural society, ethnocentrism still
creates some barriers for the social, political, and economic equality
necessary for a nation to be truly multicultural.
Introduction – leads up to thesis; provide basic information. Define key
term: “multicultural”’s different meanings
1. Considering equality – how does it inform multiculturalism?
2. Outline Canada’s efforts to support a multicultural society – federal
govt, provincial govt,
3. Considering ethnocentrism: meaning, history of it in Canada
4. Impact of ethnocentrism: Barriers for social, political, and economic
equality
5. Results of ethnocentrism: ghettoization, discrimination,
Conclusion – synthesize points; restate thesis
A Collage of Information is not an Essay!
Paragraph Structure:
Develop your ideas
• Topic Sentence: introduces the idea that this
paragraph will develop
• Evidence: data, logical argument and quotations that
support and/or develop the paragraph topic
• Discussion/Explanation: shows how your evidence
supports the point made in the topic sentence and
answers the question, "So what?"
• Conclusion/Transition: sums up what your paragraph
has shown or discussed and may connect it to the next
paragraph (not always necessary)
Effectively Integrating Evidence
• Paraphrase: Use to integrate specific
argument/evidence/data into essay
According to Pazy and Ganzach (2009), in short-term or
contractual employment, pay is one of the most important
factors that affect job performance.
• Summary: Use to integrate source’s overall or more
general argument/evidence into essay
Evidence suggests that personal well-being and job
satisfaction together affect employment status (Wright &
Bonett, 2007).
Effectively Integrating Evidence
• Quotation
As Boswell, Zimmerman, and Swider (2013) point out, the
time when a new graduate enters the workforce is “one of
the most critical periods for individuals’ lifelong career
success” (p. 129).
SO WHAT ?
• Ask yourself “So What?” for each
paragraph. What is the point of this
paragraph and what am I trying to do with
this paragraph.
• Are you merely cataloguing information
(Joyce uses a metaphor) or are you
moving your thesis forward (Joyce’s use of
metaphor reinforces…) ?
Learn from Comments
• Common problems
– Vague/general writing or ideas
– Quoting without analyzing the quotation
– Not writing simply or clearly
– Improper use of sourcesor referencing
– Submitting an unrevised, unedited,
insufficiently proofread draft
All True
Question
True
1. A good thesis demonstrates critical
thinking.
2. An essay must have clear structure.
3. An essay presents an argument
that is supported by evidence.
4. All evidence is explained and linked
back to the thesis of the paper.
5. Paragraphs are organized around
one idea, as part of a supporting
argument.
True
True
True
True
True
False
Come Talk to Us!
• Do you want to ask questions about something you heard today?
• Do you want an instructor to look at work you did during these
sessions (sample thesis, lecture notes, paraphrase)?
Come see us at the Academic Skills Centre!
• We have booked and online appointments Monday-Friday.
• You can book an appointment through our NEW Online
Appointment Booking System at www.trentu.ca/sep
• You can also call us at 705-748-1720 during office hours.
Academic Skills Centre
Champlain College 206
www.trentu.ca/academicskills
705-748-1720