ESSAY WRITING

SKILLS

Student Development and Study Skills Service

2015/16
THE SESSION YOU ATTENDED COVERED:

The purpose and component parts of an essay suitable for HE level;

Setting out information in a logical and balanced way, using
paragraphs.
Enough information to help you fulfil the expected conventions of
writing essays whilst at University of South Wales.
The following slides help to consolidate the session.
 YOU WRITE ESSAYS TO:
Gain further understanding of a subject
Cover ground not included in lectures
Get feedback and be motivated
Improve thinking/critical/analytical skills
Demonstrate writing and communication skills
 CHARACTERISTICS OF AN EFFECTIVE ESSAY

contains a beginning, middle and end

flowing, continuous piece of writing

principally relies on the evaluation of past

research and the ideas of other people.
 DIVIDE YOUR ESSAY UP

Title

Introduction Main Body Conclusion

SPEND SOME TIME ON THE ESSAY TITLE
Consider what the task is asking of you
More marks awarded for answering the question.
Title
The title is your guide
Re-read the question several times
Can help if you break the title up into a series of sub-questions.
Set the question in context
Discuss it with someone if you have the chance Introduction

Pick the title to bits Main Body

What is the subject matter?
What are you required to do with the subject matter?
Underline key words Conclusion
Highlight instruction/direction words?
 GENERATE IDEAS
Before reading - note down your initial thoughts about the
question - a spider diagram or mind map is good for this.
Think about: -
What you already know about the topic from lectures,
seminars, general knowledge.
Things you don't know about the topic, but need to find out in
order to answer the question.

After reading Focus your ideas: Bring together the key

points from your reading to clarify what you have found out.
Include brief details of authors and page numbers for key
information.

(University of Reading (2014). Study Resources. Available at:

http://www.reading.ac.uk/internal/studyadvice/studyresources/essays/sta-planningessay.
aspx#answering)
REMEMBER YOU ARE TRYING TO
DEVELOP AN ACADEMIC
ARGUMENT
Identify the core concern
Explore all possible answers
Investigate criticisms made by other thinkers or
researchers
Write a one sentence summary of your argument
(this can become a thesis statement)
Use boxes, pictures or whatever it takes to express
your argument in a sequence!
8
 Example Plan

Main themes Topic sentences Supportingevidence Further/counter Linked to

A PLAN MIGHT HELP Mentally Para 1 - Different Severe cases:Jones

evidence

Pitt and Younger Different kinds of

YOU STAY ON TRACK disordered

offenders
kinds of MD
offenders
and Smith (2009)
Understanding mentally
disordered offenders;
NHS, 2014,
(2010), How CJS
deals with MDOs;
Belkin, J (2008,
1998) MDOs need
offenders might needto
be dealt with by
different agencies.
Who needs treatment
distinguishing mental different kinds of or support?
illness in offending support; NHS, 2014, Punishment?
behaviour; WHO, MD offenders not
2008, Too many to exempt from
deal with. punishment.
Decide the approach you intend
to take with regard to the topic.
Health Para 2 How much Green Paper,2010, Price, Maierand Cost too great. Could
System responsibility it has? The Health Systems Waite (2011), deal with some, but not
Decide on the main points. Para 3 - Should it approach to MD Rehabilitation; others. Which kinds?
have the offenders. The How can you distinguish
responsibility of MD Guardian [online], Too some MD offenders
Put them in the most logical order offenders? great a cost for the from others?
Health Service! (12th
August 2010). Chpt. 7,
Alongside the main points set all Jones and Smith, 2009;
the supporting evidence,
examples, data, quotations or
illustrations that will be used to Criminal Para 4 which White Paper,2014, Price, Maierand Special Units might be
substantiate them. Justice
System
offenders are the
responsibility of
new evidence that CJS
not equipped to deal
Waite (2011),
Rehabilitation;
able to deal with some
MD offenders. But,
CJS with MD offenders. mainstream no
Para 5 - Why support/rehab
shouldnt it have available.
responsibility?

Evidence Para 6 - Health a) Not all MD

supports System should offenders. State
what? have the which.
Linked to responsibility? b) Some could stay
conclusion(s) under the remit of
CJS to save costs.

Adapted from Payne and Whittaker (2000) Developing Essential Study Skills London: Prentice Hall.
THIS STUDY GUIDE WILL HELP YOU ORGANISE THE CONTENTS
OF THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF AN ESSAY:
SO, NOW IMAGINE YOUR ESSAY IN MORE DETAIL FOR A
2,500 WORD ESSAY

Introduction
200-300 words
Outlines your answer /issues looked at
Tells your reader what the essay will do

Main Body Main Body Main Body

Paragraph highlighting ONE issue Paragraph highlighting ONE issue Paragraph highlighting ONE issue
Presents and explores evidence Presents and explores evidence Presents and explores evidence
Refers to the question Refers to the question Refers to the question

Conclusion
250-350 words
Draws all your threads together
Provides overall and logical
response to the question

References
Full list of all sources used - Include books,
journals, websites, newspapers, conference
papers, government papers and so on.
 WHEN EDITING THINK ABOUT:
The way the Introduction sets the scene and reveals the content
of the essay.
Keeping to the point highlighted in essay question/title.

The order of paragraphs and the way the paragraphs connect.

Inclusion of critical analysis.

How well conclusion follows on from preceding information.

Inclusion of properly referenced evidence.

Guides for referencing are available from our website, by

clicking on Referencing Guides.
TO RECAP
Divide your work up into a beginning, middle and end.
Set out your ideas in a logical sequence;
Present each of your main points in paragraphs one at a time;
Each point should address an issue directly linked to the essay title;
Keep a thread (your argument) going throughout the essay;
Proofread and edit your work so that you comply with the expected
writing standards for HE.
CHECK OUT THE FOLLOWING TO HELP WITH OTHER
SKILLS IMPORTANT FOR WRITING ESSAYS:

Analytical
Grammar skills

Planning
and Writing
organising style
essays

Referencing Developing
an
argument
YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER FURTHER
WORKSHOPS FROM OUR AUTUMN PROGRAMME:
Referencing
Critical Analysis
Using reading in your assignments
English Language
Paraphrasing
The Student Development and Study Skills
Service can continue to support you.
Please visit our website for:
Information about our service and
Self-help study guides

http://studyskills.southwales.ac.uk/