How To Write The Perfect Essay

How To Write The Perfect Essay Do not simply present evidence, but analyse it at each stage, always relating it back to your assignment question. Provide an overview of some of the main points, or direction, of the essay. Respond directly to the essay question and clearly state what your essay intends to achieve. Always check the assignment criteria and other information in your unit site for specific requirements. Poor spelling, reasonably or not, gives the impression of carelessness and laziness. Since your essay will be processed electronically, use the spell checker! But don’t rely on it exclusivelyâ€"proofread your essay carefully as well. You may feel that a diagram could help illustrate a point. This has the added effect of breaking up large chunks of text that can be subconsciously off-putting to the reader. You must be ruthless and exclude ideas that don't fit in seamlessly with your essay's focus. 'You may have to approach the lecturer who devised the essay to understand what precisely is being asked and the complexity of the response expected from you,' advises Michael. Generally speaking a reference list must accompany your essay. This must be submitted on a separate page at the back of your essay. Proper grammar is difficult for even the most fluent English speakers. Because you are learning English, you actually have an advantage. Many native speakers learned improper grammar from the start. It’s difficult to undo the damage caused by a lifetime of writing improperly. Proofread your essay and make sure it follows any formatting requirements required by the unit. Expand on each bullet point to build paragraphs based on evidence, which will also require with citations. It is important to begin writing as soon as soon as possible â€" think of writing as a process rather than a goal. Linking words clarify for the reader how one point relates to another. An essay flows cohesively when ideas and information relate to each other smoothly and logically. You may return to discuss the background/context of the topic, if relevant. Tell your reader how your essay has successfully responded to the essay question. Conclusions are primarily for summing up what you have presented in the body of your essay. No new information is presented in the conclusion. Use synonyms and paraphrasing so that you do not repeat all your main points word for word. Consider how you conclude your paragraph and how you might link it to the following paragraph. Integrate evidence and examples into your paragraph from your readings to support your point. You can also get further advice from a Writing Mentor or a Language and Learning Adviser. Areference list or bibliography â€" formatted according to your referencing style â€" on a separate page at the end of your essay is also usually required. Normally this is not included in the word count, but check with your lecturer or tutor to be sure. 2) report writing, which focuses primarily on reporting facts and making recommendations. Unless you are told otherwise by the course instructor, use the Departmental conventions. You should only use a quotation when you are unable to say something better, not just because you can’t be bothered to summarize a point of view! For example, if an author has summed up their argument in one pithy phrase, then it might be worth repeating. But beware the added complexities involved in formatting your document or the added time required to add a diagram by hand. Some versions of the software available on public machines produce graphics that cannot be printed from other machines. Give yourself time to test for potential glitches of this sort. Although there is no strict convention on layout, do consider how the essay looks on the page. Several studies have shown that presentation does have a subconscious effect on markers, even when they’re not explicitly marking on that criterion. Plans should have the flexibility to change as your work develops, but remember to ensure that any adjustments are consistent across the essay. Once you've done your research, create another mind map. Carefully note the key theories, information and quotes that will help you to answer all components of the question. Consider grouping these into three or four main themes, including only the most significant points.