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THEOLOGY |
FOUNDATION DEGREE
SUPPORTING ACADEMIC
WRITING & CRITICAL
SKILLS
J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013
Barriers to successful essay writing
Solutions to successful essay writing
Importance of understanding the question
Structuring answers
Critical reading and writing strategies
Reviewing written work
WHAT WE WILL COVER:
J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013
WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS SUCCESSFUL
ESSAY WRITING?
J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013
Solutions to barriers
PERCEIVED BARRIERS TO WRITING
Describe the barriers to successful FD writing
J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013
Tiredness – balancing priorities
Transition to „theological‟ writing
Critical thinking / engaging
Lack of confidence
How to structure it
Gap since last learning experience
Faith perspective vs critical understanding
Cathartic rather than theological
Time
Inefficiency
J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013
MAIN BARRIERS
PLANNING AND
READING
J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013
WHAT MAKES A SUCCESSFUL ESSAY?
Understand the question first
Consider what you want to say and write an initial plan
Find the relevant books/journals on the topic that fit with your
thinking and plan
Separate your thinking into logical points that work to answer
the question and meet the criteria
Select the literature/evidence that helps support your points
In your writing, develop each main point into a
paragraph, supported by evidence that leads to a convincing
conclusionReview your work to ensure it makes sense and follows the
faculty format regulations
E
s
s
a
y
j
o
u
r
n
e
y
Break it down into its composite parts:
“Identify a particular pastoral situation in the placement context.
Using the Pastoral Cycle, write a case study of the key issues
arising from the situation and reflect theologically on them.”
2. The action or instruction – what are you doing with the
information?
1. The focus – the main subject of the essay
UNDERSTANDING THE QUESTION
3. What links exist between the different parts of the question?
4. Are there any debatable or contentious terms in the question
that might need to be defined?
STRUCTURING YOUR
WRITING
J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013
Over-arching theory, idea, approach
Specific conclusions about how theory-practice can/should relate
How the themes/ideas relate to your question, experience, or best practice
Theory broken down into key ideas or themes
Ex Ex Ex Ex
Intr
oM
ain
Co
ncl
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013
BLOOM‟S TAXONOMY
KEY SKILLS
Difficulty
Break a theory down into its composite parts by
asking critical questions
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
„Breaking down‟ and „building up‟ concepts
Locate the main idea
Examine and identify groupings/themes
Develop abstract or technical terms as heading that best describes groups of ideas
Consider the order that ideas should be presented
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Over-arching theory
Theory broken down into key ideas or themes
Factors related to the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension:
• Educate patient about hypertension
• Confirmation of hypertension
• Evaluation of newly diagnosed patient re their medical history
• Weight reduction
• Screening
• Increase physical activity
• Classification of hypertension
• Address patients concerns and questions
• Address barriers to treatment, eg lifestyle
• Reduction of sodium intake
• Quitting smoking
Identify groupings
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Factors related to the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension:
• Educate patient about hypertension
• Confirmation of hypertension
• Evaluation of newly diagnosed patient re their medical history
• Weight reduction
• Screening
• Increase physical activity
• Classification of hypertension
• Address patients concerns and questions
• Address barriers to treatment, eg lifestyle
• Reduction of sodium intake
• Quitting smoking
Lifestyle modification
• Weight reduction
• Increase physical
activity
• Reduction of sodium
intake
• Quitting Smoking
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Lifestyle modification
• Weight reduction
• Quitting Smoking
• Increase physical
activity
• Reduction of sodium
• intake
• Screening
• Confirmation of hypertension
• Classification of hypertension
• Evaluation of newly diagnosed
patient re their medical history
• Educate patient about hypertension
• Address patients concerns and
questions
• Address barriers to treatment, eg
lifestyle
Education
Diagnosis
What is the most
logical order of
ideas/groupings?
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Lifestyle modification
• Weight reduction
• Quitting Smoking
• Increase physical
activity
• Reduction of sodium
intake
• Screening
• Confirmation of hypertension
• Classification of hypertension
• Evaluation of newly
diagnosed patient re their
medical history
• Educate patient about
hypertension
• Address patients
concerns and questions
• Address barriers to
treatment, eg lifestyle
Education
Diagnosis
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
GROUP WORK: CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Read through the sheet „What is
theology?‟
In pairs:
1. Put the information in themed groups
2. Decide on what you might call the
groups
3. Decide in what order to approach them
VISUAL AND ACTIVE TECHNIQUES
This Education
Studies FD student
analysed
information for an
essay using Post-It
notes which could
then be moved
about to construct
greater meaning.
J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013
WRITING |
PARAGRAPHS
WRITING PARAGRAPHS
Be clear what points you want to make
Consider the order you want to present your
points/paragraphs
Limit yourself to one main point per
paragraph
Link your points/paragraphs together to
build towards an argument
Adapted from: http://www.soas.ac.uk/add/studyskills/helpyourself/
MAKE YOUR PARAGRAPHS COUNT
Topic Sentence (My point)
Developing sentences (Moreover, my point…)
- Defining, classifying, expanding
- Give reasons, effects or examples
- Contrasting, describing, explaining
- Refuting counter arguments
Closing or transition sentence
(Therefore…/in contrast…)
Adapted from: http://www.soas.ac.uk/add/studyskills/helpyourself/
EXAMPLE PARAGRAPH
An economic system is defined by Dixon as the system of
“production, distribution and consumption of goods and services”
(1981, p12). More abstractly, it is the set of principles and techniques by
which problems of economics are addressed such as the problem of
scarcity through allocation of finite productive resources (Castro, 1994). It
is composed of both people and institutions, including their relationships
to productive resources, such as through owning and exploiting property.
Examples of contemporary economic systems include capitalist
systems, socialist systems and mixed economies. Cuba, for instance, is
said to be socialist which refers to its domination by a
political, bureaucratic class attached to one single communist party. This
party follows Marxist doctrines and claims to represent the
proletariat, though in a non-democratic fashion. It is clear that “economic
systems” in the sense defined can be viewed broadly and is often driven by
the culture in which it is situated.
Topic sentence |Development (classifying/examples) | Closing/transition
EXAMPLE PARAGRAPH
An economic system is defined by Dixon as the system of
“production, distribution and consumption of goods and services”
(1981, p12). More abstractly, it is the set of principles and techniques by
which problems of economics are addressed such as the problem of
scarcity through allocation of finite productive resources (Castro, 1994). It
is composed of both people and institutions, including their relationships
to productive resources, such as through owning and exploiting property.
Examples of contemporary economic systems include capitalist
systems, socialist systems and mixed economies. Cuba, for instance, is
said to be socialist which refers to its domination by a
political, bureaucratic class attached to one single communist party. This
party follows Marxist doctrines and claims to represent the
proletariat, though in a non-democratic fashion. It is clear that “economic
systems” in the sense defined can be viewed broadly and is often driven by
the culture in which it is situated.
Topic sentence |Development (classifying/examples) | Closing/transition
REVIEW: BACKWARDS PLANNING
Look for main point
Consider logical order of points• Read the paragraph you have written
• Write in 10 words on a post-it note what your main point is
• If you are struggling…this indicates that:
(a) You don‟t have a point
(b) Your point is not clear enough
!! Delete/consider revising paragraph
GROUP WORK: CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Read through the following extracts
from FD Theology essays
In pairs:
1. What is their main point?
2. What feedback could you provide for
them to improve their writing?
Solutions to barriers
SOLUTIONS TO WRITING
Describe the barriers to successful FD writing
J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013
Q&A
J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013
http://www.brookes.ac.uk/services/upgrade/study -skills/a-
z.html
http://www.port.ac.uk/departments/studentsupport/ask/han
douts/
http://writing.colo
http://www.soas.ac.uk/add/studyskills/state.edu/guides/
J. Vincent | York St John University | 2013
A FEW ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Study
Development _______________
To make an
appointment or
attend a
workshop, contact
the Student Advice
Desk in Phoenix or
email:
studydevelopment
@yorksj.ac.uk