Teaching Essay Writing Should Not Be Formulaic

Teaching Essay Writing Should Not Be Formulaic To ensure your writing is cohesive and coherent - use linking words. Try to synthesise your evidence into each body paragraph in order to substantiate your points. A Global Structure - structure the material in a way that allows for a logical sequence of ideas. Each paragraph / statement should follow sensibly from its predecessor. The introduction, main body and conclusion should all be linked. Notice the keywords including academic learning and literacy centres and the most effective approach. It’s very important to ensure that you fully analyse and understand the question before you start writing. Ultimately, your conclusion must demonstrate that you have fully answered the question. Please keep in mind the keywords ‘in red’, which we will identify in our sample conclusion in a moment. Always recall the essay question as you write and continually link your body paragraphs to the essay question. The purpose of the conclusion is to consolidate or integrate the various issues or researched data that have been covered in the core of your paper. Then, it must restate the key points that have been presented â€" and reiterate the thesis statement. In a previous online tutorial video we introduced you to a real-life assignment question and talked about how to structure the introduction to an essay. Notice the key words which in this case they are ‘academic learning and literacy centres’. Also notice these key words ‘ the most effective approach’. Regardless of the topic or the task, it is very important to understand and analyse the assignment question before embarking on any assignment writing exercise. A clear interpretation of the question and a well-structured plan are essential. Whenever you do use evidence you should follow the referencing guidelines that have been specified by your tutor or lecturer. Now let's try and identify the essential elements to a paragraph by looking at an example taken from our assignment question. You’ll notice the first sentence is the topic sentence which clearly states the theme of the paragraph. This is followed by the explanation or argument and then substantiated through the integration of evidence and demonstration of examples. Notice that it is important to include some form of critical analysis or observation. In order to substantiate your argument, you will also need to offer evidence. This could include examples or quotations from authoritative sources. This is designed to orientate the reader and provide them with some sort of context beforehand. It is absolutely critical to prepare your reader with this type of background information-do not immediately launch into your argument. Please refer to the assignment question on the right hand side of the screen. Finally, your concluding statement should articulate your voice or opinion. The body of your essay will consist of paragraphs which function as building blocks in the construction of your overall paper. The body is where you demonstrate your knowledge and grasp of the material that you have read. It’s also where you develop a discussion or argument. The body of the essay consists of a number of paragraphs in which you present your main points and evidence to support them. If you have planned and prepared appropriately, writing the body of the essay should be fairly easy. However, you will see from the sidebar that the guide is divided into a number of main sections. Click on any one of these and you will see that it’s divided into shorter sections or subsections. So you can either read it straight through from start to finish or you can go straight to the area that’s most relevant to you. Essentially, a conclusion consists of three main objectives. Firstly, it must summarise the arguments or information that has been presented in the body of the paper. This may involve discussing your questions, needs and concerns with your tutor, lecturer or subject coordinator to clarify the assignment question or by speaking to a HELPS Advisor. Naturally, you will need to do some background reading to consolidate your ideas before your start planning your essay. It is often best to write your introduction when you have finished the main body of the essay, so that you have a good understanding to the topic area. Don't make the mistake of simply writing everything you know of a particular topic, be selective. Each paragraph in your essay should contribute to answering the essay question.