Academic Skills@ucpmarjon

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Writing an Essay

What is an essay?“A prose composition with a focused subject of discussion“. (Gale, 2011)

• An essay can have many purposes, but the basic structure is the same no matter what. You may be writing an essay to argue for a particular point of view or to explain the steps necessary to complete a task.

Essay Writing Critical Point

What is the question asking you to do?

What is the word count?

What are the key words?

Split it into smaller tasks

What do you mean?

Choose two artists whose work you enjoy. Make specific reference to at least three pieces by each artist and compare what you regard to be the distinctive characteristics of their work. (2000 words)

ORMonet’s depiction of the Paris urban

scene is more realistic than Degas’s. Evaluate this statement and illustrate with reference to at least 3 pieces by each artist. (2500 words)

What Should an Essay Look Like?

The essay should be produced in a particular structure, which has three main parts:

1. Introduction2. Main body 3. Conclusion+ References

Introduction (10%)

Your interpretation of the question

Issues you will exploreOutline the way you will explore

the issues

DO NOT JUST REPEAT THE QUESTION

Main Body (80%)

Develop your key arguments

Paragraph 1Covers the issues you said you

would cover firstFirst sentences introduces the

main ideaRest of paragraph gives

examples, evidence, references etc.

Main Body

Paragraph 2

first sentence links paragraph 2 to previous paragraphs and introduces the main idea of paragraph 2

rest of paragraph develops ideas

Conclusion (10%)

summarise arguments and main themes

state your conclusions

no new information should be introduced

What to avoidAvoid slang and

colloquialismsAvoid abbreviations and

contractionsAvoid questionsBe impersonalBe objective

http://elearning.net.marjon.ac.uk/arole/essay/story.html

Essay Writing Guide Link

http://tinyurl.com/c6jovw9

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