GUIDELINES ON ESSAY WRITING

COMMON FAULTS IN ESSAY WORK; WHAT LOSES YOU

MARKS

There are many traps in writing an essay. Here are some of the most
common:

 An essay which fails to answer the question. Instead of

responding to the specific questions as asked, the student produces
an all- purpose and unfocused piece which takes the reader on a
grand tour of the literature on the subject ( ie : ‘tour d’horizon’).
Usually this is highly descriptive of the theories and models and
offers little in the way of commentary on the specific areas asked
about. It is certainly lacking in critical argumentation. Remember
the test is not to write all you know about on ‘x’. Only include
what is relevant to the case you are making.

 An essay that is too expositional/ descriptive. It reads like a

textbook chapter with diagrams, lists, bullet points. There is no
critical evaluation; no depth of argumentation or commentary, no
marshalling of evidence, references to support arguments.
Typically what the reader gets is page after page of often
beautifully reproduced models ‘lifted’ from the textbook. This
suggests that the student has completely misunderstood the task.
We are not testing your ability to use computer packages and lay
out text, but your unique perspective on what the module has
meant to you.

 An answer to an essay that is flying under a ‘pirate’s flag’.

This often turns out to be an essay that has been previously
prepared for another module and is being served up in MD as a
‘cold dish of yesterday’s scraps’ with a bit of editing. We know
how to spot these ‘elastic essays’ and you are breaking a university
rule called ‘double counting’- double submissions of the same
piece to satisfy two assessments.

 An essay that is just too thin- either literally of being just a few
pages long or in the sense of using too little material or too little
thinking and critical judgement. Because the student is light on
content (ie reading and evidence) what we get instead is a lot of
personal speculation, ‘psycho-babble’, strings of anecdotes,
gushing enthusiasm for the latest fashion in management. All this
 fails to meet the expectation of a careful, thoughtful appreciation of
the literature in terms of your perception of the issues involved.

 An essay which is really popular journalism. So we can expect

evangelical championing of a management model, fad, cause etc.
Often lack of balance, lack of maturity of judgement very evident.
Usually the text is endlessly optimistic and full of panaceas. You
can reference popular literature but show critical distancing.

 Not so much an essay more a set of notes. Here we have

disconnected jottings which are not joined together with a coherent
structure. Lack of structure, order, connectedness. Often thoughts
are not clustered into related points/ themes. Thoughts are not
interwoven in mutually supporting ways and often there is no
logical thread between paragraphs and sections. These are first
draft musings, not a finished essay.

 An essay that is plagiarised. We have talked in class about what

this means and there can be no excuse for NOT knowing what
plagiarism involves. Taking out whole paragraphs from someone
else’s work will mean that you fail.

 An essay that is really a set of personal observations. In this

case the student often rambles on for pages about her experiences
at work, often accompanied by wild generalisation and speculation.
Sometimes the essay is just a personal narrative or a journey of
self- discovery. This is may be good therapy and there is a place
for it but not here.

 The submission of a pre-existing corporate report with a bit of

‘top and tailing’ to make it fit our requirements. Although the
report may contain valuable information, in itself it is ‘raw
material’ that requires more processing to meet this brief.

 Misunderstanding the ‘reflective note’ or ‘self- learning’ audit.

This is there to demonstrate how you have developed as a person
ie: in skills, attitudes, behaviours as a result of doing the module
and in particular, doing the assignments. It is not about what you
now know professionally that you didn’t before. Don’t tell us
about your technical knowledge but about shifts in self- awareness.
If you have been coming to the sessions you will know that this is
important for being an effective manager.
WHAT GAINS YOU MARKS

Before you turn in your essay check it through for the following,
almost like a pilot checking all the instruments before s/he takes off.

 Does the opening section capture the reader’s attention and signal
what the piece will be about?

 Have you read the relevant sources, journal articles and specialist
texts as well as the basic textbooks and obviously available
material?

 Have you addressed the question and nothing but the question
(certainly not the question you wish had been asked)?

 In your answer have you gone beyond description and used the
theories etc in a way which suggests that you have thought about
the question and are selectively applying insights from the
literature to answer it?

 Have you critiqued the main ideas in the field you are examining?

 Does the essay go beyond reporting to conceptualising the issues

involved?

 Does the essay have a lot of your own voice in it ie your thinking,
your insights etc whilst avoiding the trap of seeming opinionated or
moralising?

 Do you provide evidence (could be your own experience or ideas,

facts etc from the literature) to support your argument?

 Is there a clear and coherent structure to the arguments you use?

Do your ideas follow in a logical sequence?

 Does your answer flow naturally from one point to another? Are
points clustered in terms of related themes? When you shift to
another angle do you signal this in the text?
  Do you feel that your handling of the material and the
interpretations you have made of it are as thoughtful, imaginative
and perceptive as possible?

 Is your expression elegant and accurate? Is it clearly written

without being simplistic? Have you used words precisely? Have
you used jargon appropriately? Have you proof read for issues of
grammar, spelling, punctuation, clarity etc?

 Can you honestly say that the thought and expression is your own
and that you have not opened yourself to any charge of plagiarism?
For example, have you attributed all material to relevant sources?

 Have you referenced properly (ie in terms of the guidance given to

you)?

 Is your conclusion a balanced summation of the whole? Does it

draw out the main themes and summarise the ‘gist’ of your
argument and end memorably?

 Are your appendices (if you use them) appropriate ie: only material
which supports your analysis is included and referenced in the
text?

 Have you followed all the requirements for submission eg:

electronic and hard copy submission; covering sheet; nominated
marker etc etc?

 Have you addressed all the marking criteria for essays?

If you have done all these things conscientiously and a reasonable level
of skill then your efforts will be properly rewarded.