Academic Essay Writing

Academic Essay Writing Only collect information that will be useful â€" don’t waste time compiling masses of information that will not be used. Blank sheet â€" Take a blank sheet of paper and write whatever occurs to you, anywhere on the sheet, as you think about the question. The key verbs here, need to be looked at carefully because they indicate the approach you are expected to take when you prepare and write the essay. In this structure the similarities and/or differences between two or more items, for example, theories or models, are discussed paragraph by paragraph. Your assignment task may require you to make a recommendation about the suitability of the items you are comparing. Sentences giving further explanation and providing evidence from both the literature and the data, e.g. the case study to support the topic sentence . (A dictionary can prove an invaluable help here.) The other words in the question can provide the key to the subject matter you will need to include in your answer (i.e. tourism, change). Examples of this type of essay include compare, compare and contrast or differentiate questions. Henry Ford did not, which is why he is given credibility as an expert on cars, not history. For a 1,000-word essay an introduction of approximately words would be appropriate. The workload is enormous and the study hours are on the increase to ensure the syllabus is fully covered. You will note that this second example is far more concise yet none of the meaning is lost. It also uses present tense, and avoids informal terms. Clear, concise, and precise language is a hallmark of academic writing. Logically structured body paragraphs which include supporting evidence from academic sources. It assumes you have already analysed the essay question, conducted your initial research, and determined your position on the topic . If you need help in these areas, see the tutorials on Understanding the assignment, Finding information, and Reading and Notetaking. If necessary, the term ‘the author’ may also be used. You may, however, give supported judgements which use references, including examples of data to offer perceptive comment. After getting an overview of the essay, you will be in a better position to choose a more relevant topic. Begin by brainstorming, sit down, be calm and start a free flow of thoughts and jot down ideas. Narrow your focus and choose an interesting topic depending on the type of essay and purpose so you can create a top notch essay. If you find it hard to come up with an essay topic, ask your teacher for assistance and you will get a topic which you will be required to defend with relevant sources. Essay writing is a daunting affair for most working students today. First, analyse the question and decide what it wants you to do. Next, re-write it in an easily understandable form. Your notes will vary according to you and your style â€" make any that seem relevant to the subject area, at any time â€" put the information into a box, or special essay file. Some topics require you to research more, some to think and analyse more. If you summarise another writer’s views, you must cite the source correctly. Academic writing must be objective in its approach; that is, students are not simply asked for opinions , but to analyse, judge and propose, using evidence. For this reason, the use of the personal pronouns (I, we, you…) should be avoided. Examples of this include questions which ask you to discuss, analyse, investigate, explore or review. In an analytical structure you are required to break the topic into its different components and discuss these in separate paragraphs or sections, demonstrating balance where possible. Before you start, it is important to understand what type of essay you are required to write. The language of the question, especially the directive words, will indicate the type of essay and suggest an appropriate structure to follow in your essay. More information on directive words is contained in the QUT cite|write booklet .