Essay and dissertation writing skills
Planning your essay
Writing your introduction
Structuring your essay
- Writing essays in science subjects
- Brief video guides to support essay planning and writing
- Writing extended essays and dissertations
- Planning your dissertation writing time
Structuring your dissertation
- Top tips for writing longer pieces of work
Advice on planning and writing essays and dissertations
University essays differ from school essays in that they are less concerned with what you know and more concerned with how you construct an argument to answer the question. This means that the starting point for writing a strong essay is to first unpick the question and to then use this to plan your essay before you start putting pen to paper (or finger to keyboard).
A really good starting point for you are these short, downloadable Tips for Successful Essay Writing and Answering the Question resources. Both resources will help you to plan your essay, as well as giving you guidance on how to distinguish between different sorts of essay questions.
You may find it helpful to watch this seven-minute video on six tips for essay writing which outlines how to interpret essay questions, as well as giving advice on planning and structuring your writing:
Different disciplines will have different expectations for essay structure and you should always refer to your Faculty or Department student handbook or course Canvas site for more specific guidance.
However, broadly speaking, all essays share the following features:
Essays need an introduction to establish and focus the parameters of the discussion that will follow. You may find it helpful to divide the introduction into areas to demonstrate your breadth and engagement with the essay question. You might define specific terms in the introduction to show your engagement with the essay question; for example, ‘This is a large topic which has been variously discussed by many scientists and commentators. The principle tension is between the views of X and Y who define the main issues as…’ Breadth might be demonstrated by showing the range of viewpoints from which the essay question could be considered; for example, ‘A variety of factors including economic, social and political, influence A and B. This essay will focus on the social and economic aspects, with particular emphasis on…..’
Watch this two-minute video to learn more about how to plan and structure an introduction:
The main body of the essay should elaborate on the issues raised in the introduction and develop an argument(s) that answers the question. It should consist of a number of self-contained paragraphs each of which makes a specific point and provides some form of evidence to support the argument being made. Remember that a clear argument requires that each paragraph explicitly relates back to the essay question or the developing argument.
- Conclusion: An essay should end with a conclusion that reiterates the argument in light of the evidence you have provided; you shouldn’t use the conclusion to introduce new information.
- References: You need to include references to the materials you’ve used to write your essay. These might be in the form of footnotes, in-text citations, or a bibliography at the end. Different systems exist for citing references and different disciplines will use various approaches to citation. Ask your tutor which method(s) you should be using for your essay and also consult your Department or Faculty webpages for specific guidance in your discipline.
Essay writing in science subjects
If you are writing an essay for a science subject you may need to consider additional areas, such as how to present data or diagrams. This five-minute video gives you some advice on how to approach your reading list, planning which information to include in your answer and how to write for your scientific audience – the video is available here:
A PDF providing further guidance on writing science essays for tutorials is available to download.
Short videos to support your essay writing skills
There are many other resources at Oxford that can help support your essay writing skills and if you are short on time, the Oxford Study Skills Centre has produced a number of short (2-minute) videos covering different aspects of essay writing, including:
- Approaching different types of essay questions
- Structuring your essay
- Writing an introduction
- Making use of evidence in your essay writing
- Writing your conclusion
Extended essays and dissertations
Longer pieces of writing like extended essays and dissertations may seem like quite a challenge from your regular essay writing. The important point is to start with a plan and to focus on what the question is asking. A PDF providing further guidance on planning Humanities and Social Science dissertations is available to download.
Planning your time effectively
Try not to leave the writing until close to your deadline, instead start as soon as you have some ideas to put down onto paper. Your early drafts may never end up in the final work, but the work of committing your ideas to paper helps to formulate not only your ideas, but the method of structuring your writing to read well and conclude firmly.
Although many students and tutors will say that the introduction is often written last, it is a good idea to begin to think about what will go into it early on. For example, the first draft of your introduction should set out your argument, the information you have, and your methods, and it should give a structure to the chapters and sections you will write. Your introduction will probably change as time goes on but it will stand as a guide to your entire extended essay or dissertation and it will help you to keep focused.
The structure of extended essays or dissertations will vary depending on the question and discipline, but may include some or all of the following:
- The background information to - and context for - your research. This often takes the form of a literature review.
- Explanation of the focus of your work.
- Explanation of the value of this work to scholarship on the topic.
- List of the aims and objectives of the work and also the issues which will not be covered because they are outside its scope.
The main body of your extended essay or dissertation will probably include your methodology, the results of research, and your argument(s) based on your findings.
The conclusion is to summarise the value your research has added to the topic, and any further lines of research you would undertake given more time or resources.
Tips on writing longer pieces of work
Approaching each chapter of a dissertation as a shorter essay can make the task of writing a dissertation seem less overwhelming. Each chapter will have an introduction, a main body where the argument is developed and substantiated with evidence, and a conclusion to tie things together. Unlike in a regular essay, chapter conclusions may also introduce the chapter that will follow, indicating how the chapters are connected to one another and how the argument will develop through your dissertation.
For further guidance, watch this two-minute video on writing longer pieces of work .
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Winners of the 2024 Neureuther Essay Contest
The Washington University Libraries are pleased to announce the winners of the 37th annual Neureuther Student Book Collection Essay Competition . Named for Carl Neureuther, a 1940 graduate of the Washington University School of Business who set up an endowed book fund for the University Libraries, the contest was designed to inspire reading for pleasure among students and to encourage the development of personal book collections.
The competition is open to all full-time Washington University students, and awardees win four cash prizes of $1000 and $500 at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Participants submit brief essays about the books in their collections. Washington University faculty read the essays to select the award-winning entries.
undergraduate student winners
In the undergraduate category, Brooke Sanchez , a first-year student majoring in political science, was awarded the first prize for her essay, “ Unveiling the Comfort of Female Narratives: Tragedy, Identity, and Embodied Power .” Eliana Jenkins , a senior majoring in global studies and writing, won the second prize for her essay, “ A Lust Letter to Print: Understanding Human Carnality Through the Zines of the World .”
graduate student winners
Perry Parsons , an MA student in theatre and performance studies, won the first prize in the graduate category for the essay, “ My Culture of One; Eight Relational Dances With My Books .” Nicholas Dolan , a PhD student in English and American literature, won the second prize for his essay, “ My Mother’s Planned Parenthood: A Book Sale Elegy .”
The organizing committee thanks all the students who participated in this year’s contest. Neureuther competition’s award-winning essays, from 2003 to the present, can be accessed on Open Scholarship .
IMAGES
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Academic writing is built upon three truths that aren't self-evident: - Writing is Thinking: While "writing" is traditionally understood as the expression of thought, we'll redefine "writing" as the thought process itself. Writing is not what you do with thought. Writing is thinking.
Standard American argumentative essays begin with an introduction that gives a main point (thesis). The thesis is supported by a series of body paragraphs with sub-points, and the essay ends with a conclusion. Below is a visual representation of this structure, adapted from the Seattle University Writing Center; on the back is an example of the ...
A PDF providing further guidance on writing science essays for tutorials is available to download.. Short videos to support your essay writing skills. There are many other resources at Oxford that can help support your essay writing skills and if you are short on time, the Oxford Study Skills Centre has produced a number of short (2-minute) videos covering different aspects of essay writing ...
Answer the question; keep it relevant. Develop a logical and clearly structured argument. Support and illustrate your argument. Go beyond description to demonstrate critical thinking. Practice writing and proofreading. 3. Plan Your Essay. Every essay needs a strong and clear structure, organized around an argument.
He wants his students to "suck the marrow out of life", "to seize the day", and to make their lives "extraordinary". Keating teaches poetry, but his students get a lot more than that - they learn passion, courage, and romance. A group of his students dare to form the Dead Poets Society, a secret organization.
2 4.Evidence: the data—facts, examples, details—that you refer to, quote, or summarize in order to support your thesis. There needs to be enough evidence to be persuasive; it needs to be the right kind of evidence to support the thesis (with no obvious pieces of evidence
The most common criticisms of markers often focus on the five broad skills below: ♦ Students need to be analytical. ♦ Students need to use evidence effectively. ♦ Students need to structure their essays logically. ♦ Students need to be critical and persuasive. ♦ Students need to write in an academic style.
Offer some more specific background information (as needed). 3. Provide the title of the piece and the author's name if the essay is about a specific book/poem/article/passage. C. Thesis Statement 1. State your topic and position. Remember that a thesis = claim + reasons. 2. Outline your main points and ideas.
Outlining is a vital part of the essay planning process. It allows the writer to understand how he or she will connect all the information to support the thesis statement and the claims of the paper. It also provides the writer with a space to manipulate ideas easily without needing to write complete paragraphs.
An essay is a piece of writing made up of a number of paragraphs. Each paragraph has a specifi c role in an essay. In a fi ve-paragraph essay, the fi rst paragraph is an introduction; the second, third, and fourth paragraphs form the body of the essay; and the fi fth paragraph is a conclusion (see diagram on page 4).
Academic essays are written in a formal way. Avoid using clichés, slang or contractions. Use appropriate language. A well written essay includes academic vocabulary. However, before using a particular word - ensure you understand its meaning. • Introduction. - An introduction should clearly inform the main content of your essay.
10 steps for writing an academic essay. Understand the assignment task. Research the topic and take effective notes. Establish a position. Develop a plan. Do the math. Draw up a detailed outline. Write effective paragraphs. Reference all your sources.
Essay Writing in 5 Steps . Essay Writing in 5 Steps. Decide where your essay is going. Jot down 'mini-answer'. Make an outline plan. Note gaps in your knowledge. 2. Research -. gather/record information.
This self-study workshop about academic writing will cover: odeveloping your awareness of the University's (and your own) expectations of education and academic writing otips on planning your writing and on critical thinking okey principles for academic writing, across the 3 stages of writing oother useful resources
a piece of writing that is long enough to cover many topics and present different viewpoints c a piece of writing on a single subject, usually presenting the personal view of the writer 2 An essay is a type of writing that you normally do . a in a work situation b at the high school or college level c when you want to tell a story 3
SAMPLE ESSAY NUMBER 1. She struggled to find the seat belt buckle, her left hand frantically pushing down on different places on the seat. She giggled nervously, but graciously smiled to hide her panic. After a few failed attempts, my mom pressed the button for her. The seat belt snapped back into place.
This structure includes the main point of the essay in the introduction. The supporting points (sub points or arguments) that you are making appear in the paragraphs. The number of these body paragraphs may vary depending on the length of your essay. Here we show only four. The conclusion more or less repeats the main idea from the introduction.
Many students, including extramural, internal, and both domestic and international, may fi nd this book useful, especially as the examples provided are not limited to a specifi c discipline. The book offers advice and guidance on how to write university assignments, including a section on the writing process with particular reference to essays.
1. Write one or two paragraphs discussing the 2nd idea in detail. 2. In the same section, back up the ideas with research, facts, examples, an anecdote, or some type of descriptive justification. 3. The last sentence in this section should be a transitional one as well.
English. xviii, 842 pages : 21 cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. Introduction: reading and writing essays -- Graduation / Maya Angelou -- How to tame a wild tongue / Gloria Anzaldúa -- Of studies / Francis Bacon -- Growing up / Russell Baker -- Notes of a native son / James Baldwin -- Road warrior / Dave Barry -- Attending a ...
The essay begins with a general lead into the broad topic by indicating the inadequacy of traditional teaching alone. It sets up a problem that the essay will solve. S ee essay introduction. Comment [de2]: Format: Spacing Essays are usually double-spaced or 1.5-line spaced. See formatting and layout. Comment [de3]: Structure: Introductions
Through Writing Programs at Nevada State As long as the goal for writing programs is linguistic assimilation, "monolingual assumptions regarding language and literacy [will] remain embedded in the developmental writing program through institutionalized attitudes about grammar and Standard Written English."
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accredited four year college or university in the U.S. or Canada. Humanities Required N 3 C N Y N All upper-level courses must be completed at an accredited four year college or university in the U.S. or Canada. Inorganic Chemistry Recommended Y 4 C N Y C All upper-level courses must be completed at an accredited four year college or university ...
The Washington University Libraries are pleased to announce the winners of the 37th annual Neureuther Student Book Collection Essay Competition.Named for Carl Neureuther, a 1940 graduate of the Washington University School of Business who set up an endowed book fund for the University Libraries, the contest was designed to inspire reading for pleasure among students and to encourage the ...