Essay Writing Skills

Sheri Evans 2008

 Academic Writing
• Analytical
• Evidence based
• Critical
• Progression of
• Objective conceptually
• Logical linked ideas
arriving at a
defendable and
realistic
conclusion
 The TOPIC or Question….
• Write the TOPIC or QUESTION out in LARGE print on a LARGE piece of
paper

• Pin, Stick or Place your piece of paper at eye height in front of you at your
work or study desk when you are answering the question or writing the
essay or report.

• Look at the question or topic OFTEN

• Make sure everything you write relates to answering the question or

addresses the TOPIC

• Remember – adding any non-related or non-relevant material is a WASTE

of your time and effort.

• It won’t get you more marks

• It will most likely lose you marks.
 Read & Re-read & Re-re-read….
The task
• THE Most common mistake

• Not answering the QUESTION

To avoid this common error….

• Break the question down into its component
parts
• Brainstorm the question components
• Write Key Areas on a piece of paper and
organise your brainstorming into related groups
 Content = Research & Study
• THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR effort
• A good essay &/or report is built on solid research and
understanding of theoretical material
• Study the material – well ……(very well),
• Question the material
– is it really so?,
– can it be otherwise?,
– what alternative views might there be?,
• Read widely,
• Analyse
– what, when, why, how, where, who,
– +/-, SWOT, benefits/disadvantages
 What does it mean to analyse?
• Analyse
• To dissect, think about,investigate, make
inferences about, deduce consequences,
outcomes, situations et cetera.
• How might you do this? By using frameworks
such as;
– why, what, when, how, where, who
– +ves and –ves, positives and negatives, SWOT,
benefits or disadvantages, advantages and
disadvantages
• Discuss the theory with others in the unit.
– See how others understand and interpret the material.
 Structure your response
1. Introduction 1. Tell them what
you are going to
tell them
3. Body
2. Tell them
3. Tell them what
5. Conclusion you told them

Easy as 1, 2, 3….
 Tell them what
Read the topic
you are going
to tell them
Opening Introduction

Essay 1 1.1
1.2
1.3

structure 2 2.1
2.2
2.3
Tell Them

3 3.1
another way to view 3.2
3.3

the essay structure…

4 4.1
4.2
4.3

Closing Conclusion Tell them

what you told
them
 Essay structure sections
Introduction – Tell them what you are going to tell them
– set out what you are going to write about. This comes from your knowledge of
the theory and the cases and examples, evidence, statistics, data and so
on that you have learned. Define the scope of the essay – its limitations
or its extent of coverage of the topic eg broad or narrow, timeline,
changes etc.
Body – Tell them
- the body includes your supporting arguments, evidence, points etc….
1. First Para – main idea
1.1 Supporting information, argument
1.1.1 link to next paragraph
2. Second Para – main idea
2.1 Supporting material
3. Third Para – main idea
3.1 Supporting material
4. ‘X’ any other paragraphs Para – main idea
4.1 Supporting material
Conclusion - Tell them what you told them
– bring all the main ideas/ arguments/ points or issues together.
Building Your Essay House of
Quality

Conclusion
Roof

Walls
Body

Introduction Foundation
 The Foundation
• Read and understand the topic
• Answer the Question by turning the
question into a STATEMENT
• Prepare sample INTRODUCTIONS in
advance
 The Foundation
• Take the following question as an example
‘TQM has been widely used by many organisations as a
means of achieving competitive advantage. Discuss.’

• Introductory sentence
‘This essay will discuss how TQM has been widely used
by organisations to achieve competitive advantage. It will
do this by highlighting ……etc’

You now have a firm foundation for your Quality House

Building Your Essay House of
Quality

Conclusion
Roof

Walls
Body

Introduction Foundation

What a firm foundation

you have!
 The Roof
• Cap your essay off with a solid roof that protects your
foundation and walls etc..
• The Roof forms your conclusion
– Reinforce and strengthen the conclusion by using the words
from the QUESTION

• ‘In conclusion this essay has discussed TQM and …., in

particular it has covered the following points ….. And
found that TQM can/ can not lead to sustained
competitive advantage.’
• Concluding this discussion on TQM it can be said that
…..’
• After (From) discussing TQM comprehensively (in this
essay) it can be concluded that …..
Building Your Essay House of
Quality What a
strong
roof!

Conclusion
Roof

Walls
Body

Introduction Foundation
 The Walls = The Body
• Brainstorm the topic
• Cluster ideas
• Super Summary in use

The Walls, windows, doors and other

features (aka …literary techniques) add
value to your final product - Your essay
 The Walls = The Body
• Think of the layers of bricks as the paragraphs in
the essay body
Paragraph -
• Then the individual bricks are the sentences that
make up the paragraphs
sentences

• Paragraphs should be like ‘mini’ essays

– Start with a MAIN IDEA ….then,
– Support the Main idea with evidence from your Super
Summary/ brainstorming
 The Walls ….
• Think of the layers of bricks as the paragraphs in
the essay body
Paragraph -
• Then the individual bricks are the sentences that
make up the paragraphs
sentences

• Paragraphs should be like ‘mini’ essays

– Start with a MAIN IDEA ….then,
– Support the Main idea with evidence from your Super
Summary/ brainstorming
 The magic of … ‘because’
Use the magic of the word ‘because’
• And Use it often

BECAUSE it makes you give your reason

• Using because makes you say ‘WHY’
Because when you use it you have to give your
‘rationale’, your ‘reason’, your ‘evidence.
• And when you do this you are supporting your
statements, arguments, point/s of view with
(real) evidence!
 The Walls ….
Brainstorm TQM – Ideas, points, methods..
Compare, +/-, SWOT, Benefits/Disads etc..

Case Management
6 Sigma
examples Science

history TQM
define
total quality
TQM Management
organisations
Controlling
10 steps
people
 The Walls ….
Brainstorm TQM – Ideas, points, methods..
Compare, +/-, SWOT, Benefits/Disads etc..

Case Management
6 Sigma
examples Science

history TQM
define
total quality
TQM Management
organisations
Controlling
10 steps
people
 The Walls …
Where do you get the CONTENT for your paragraphs?
Answer = from your SUPER SUMMARY
Who What Where When Why How Example Defined
Cases Explained
Statistics
Quotations

FW Taylor Scientific USA 19XXs Increase Time & US Railway The

Manageme efficiency motion, Iron Workers systematic
nt Reduce study study of….
Waste best
way

By creating a SUPER SUMMARY from your study notes you have lots of
CONTENT to add to your paragraphs as supporting information and evidence!
 The Walls
- some examples of building paragraphs & sentences using your brainstorming
& super summary content

TQM has 10 steps. Below is a list of the 10 steps together with a brief
discussion. The 10 steps are, 1),….. 2),….. etc..

Knowing the history of TQM gives a context to our discussions and

improves our understanding. TQM began in 19xx. It commenced
with people like, Feigenbaum, Juran, Armand, Deming etc etc. Each
of whom contributed in different ways…

Before discussing TQM it is important to define it ……….., TQM can be

expressed or explained as

Discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of TQM will be undertake

using the SWOT analysis tool.
 Contd…
It can be seen that not all TQM organisations have
succeeded and TQM is not necessarily going to fix all
your organisational problems for example Kodak…. In
the wrong industry, changing industry etc etc…

Benefits of TQM include …. Disadvantages of TQM include

, a comparison, contrasting TQM to other management
theories and techniques…, developments and changes
to TQM over TIME, highlights of TQM, current status of
TQM….problems with TQM, Integrating TQM and …,
TQM and Strategy, TQM and Operations, TQM and
marketing
 Contd….paragraphs & sentences
TQM comes under the theoretical body of knowledge known as
Management Science. This has direct links to Scientific
Management theory as evidenced by the focus on statistical
evidence and recording..

Six Sigma is a related concept. Organisations such as GE have

extended TQM into Six Sigma to build competitive advantage…

TQM organisations include some of the following well known names;

Microsoft, Kodak, Motorola, General Electric. This indicates that…

TQM is based on quality. What is quality? How can it be defined? What

are some of the problems with quality initiatives?

And so on….
 First person……Versus…...Third person
“I” ……Versus……. “This report or essay”

• Use the THIRD PERSON (3rd)

• This is IMPERSONAL language
• And is considered more BUSINESS LIKE and
PROFESSIONAL
• And is the usual TONE for ACADEMIC work

• Only use the FIRST PERSON (‘I’, ‘my’, ‘we’,

‘our’) if specifically asked to do so
 Why is…’because’…so important?
• It is VERY important word to use and you should use it often…..
– ‘Because’….. it makes you give your REASON, your RATIONALE for
what you have stated ( and you will get more marks when you do this!)

• Your reason or reasons, or your rationale is the

EVIDENCE you have found to back up and support your
hypotheses or statements.

• When you are building an ARGUMENT in an essay or thesis, be it in

favour of, or against the thing being discussed, you must
demonstrate why the thing is good or not by using GOOD
REASONS. (*see below example, which of the REASON/S are
GOOD?)

• Reasons can come from theoretical knowledge, empirical evidence

– statistics, inferential and descriptive statistics, examples of
practice, quotations from recognised ‘experts’ and so forth.
 Using ‘because”
• As an example take the following question and judge which is the
most compelling argument/s:
• ‘Should nineteen year olds have to get parental permission to go to
the pictures with their friends”

– ‘Yes, because all 19 year olds go out without getting their parents
permission these days.
– In Australian society today it is normal for 19 year olds to be trusted to
go out and so this would be acceptable.
– Yes because the picture theatre complex is a safe venue that is well lit
and close to transport.
– If they are with their friends and they all have mobile phones it is OK.
– According to Australian law nineteen year olds are legally able to vote,
drink alcohol, drive a car, and have reached the age of consent which
means they can even get married and start a family without permission,
so they should be able to decide whether or not it is safe to go out with
friends without parental permission. However socio-cultural and other
impediments may moderate this for example, gender, religious practices
and so on.
 Personal Experience versus
Research findings…

• Only give your personal experience or

opinion if specifically asked to do so.
– Still try to communicate in a ‘professional /
business/ academic voice’

• It is always better at undergraduate level

to give examples from the textbook or
from research sources that you have
found
 Some Essay Logistics
• How much to write? What speed can you write at?
– If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it!

• Find your words per minute rate by writing for 1 minute,

copying a page of text. Add up the number of words you
now know how many WPM you can write.
– This is not under a pressure situation, so adjust accordingly

• From my research students on average write at around

23 wpm
– If you are above or below – make adjustments, practice, plan to
write Quality content.
 Exam Details
Duration 2 hours, plus 10 minute reading

50 multiple choice 2 essays

questions (wk 8-13) out of a choice of 4
questions, from whole unit

1 hour for the 30 minutes for each

Timing Multiple choice essay

Value 50% for 50 MCQ 25% for each essay

100%

Marks
Marks 20 mcq 10 marks for each essay
40
 Risk Management
• Spread the risk
• Timing
• Strategy
• Quality counts more than Qantity
• Use every opportunity to demonstrate your
theoretical knowledge
• Exams are not the time to share your ‘common
sense’ understanding of the world
• It is to show what you have learned something
from the unit you have been studying – Is this
clear?
 Risk management ctd…
• Only answer 2 essay questions
• Answer legibly
– in other words write neatly, so it can be read
• Write your NAME and ID on ALL exam
stationery
• Write double space
– Leave room for additional comments
• Leave a border
– Ditto, easier to read/ mark
 Equipment
• Pens, pencils, erasers
• Highlighters
• Tissues
• Water
• Cough lollies
• ID
• Etc etc etc
 On the day
• Know the time
• Know the place
• Arrive on time
• Freshen up before hand
• Don’t stand around gossiping and
comparing what you do or don’t know
with other students – this is bad for your
confidence or theirs
• Find a quiet spot and review your
summary notes
 GooD LucK
• L abour
• U nder
• C ontrolled
• K nowledge

• Luck is where;
• Effort meets opportunity
• Perspiration meet inspiration
 Success and Failure
• There is a fine line between success and failure,
what is a failure today may be a success
tomorrow. Management literature is full of
failures that became successes, for example,
Teflon, Post It Notes.
• Failure is the opportunity to begin again more
intelligently
• Your competitors will identify your weaknesses
even if you don’t.
• Change is constant, there are always
opportunities and choices
 …. I can do it!

• Positive self talk

• Positive self thought

• Think about your exam strategy

• Be prepared to adjust where necessary

• Do your best
• Then, leave the rest

• There is life after an exam ….you can be assured of this

 NSW Board of Studies - Glossary
of Keywords
Account Account for: state reasons for, report on. Give an account of:
narrate a series of events or transactions
Analyse Identify components and the relationship between them; draw
out and relate implications
Apply Use, utilise, employ in a particular situation
Appreciate Make a judgment about the value of
Assess Make a judgment of value, quality, outcomes, results or size
Calculate Ascertain/determine from given facts, figures or information
Clarify Make clear or plain
Classify Arrange or include in classes/categories
Compare Show how things are similar or different

You should know the MAIN ones…

 Contd..
Construct Make; build; put together items or arguments

Contrast Show how things are different or opposite

Critically Add a degree or level of accuracy depth, knowledge and

(analyse/ understanding, logic, questioning, reflection and quality to
evaluate) (analyse/evaluation)

Deduce Draw conclusions

Define State meaning and identify essential qualities

Demonstrate Show by example

Describe Provide characteristics and features

 Glossary of Keywords
Discuss Identify issues and provide points for and/or against
Distinguish Recognise or note/indicate as being distinct or different from;
to note differences between
Evaluate Make a judgement based on criteria; determine the value of
Examine Inquire into
Explain Relate cause and effect; make the relationships between
things evident; provide why and/or how
Extract Choose relevant and/or appropriate details
Extrapolate Infer from what is known
Identify Recognise and name
Interpret Draw meaning from
Investigate Plan, inquire into and draw conclusions about
 Contd..
Justify Support an argument or conclusion
Outline Sketch in general terms; indicate the main features of
Predict Suggest what may happen based on available information
Propose Put forward (for example a point of view, idea, argument,
suggestion) for consideration or action
Recall Present remembered ideas, facts or experiences
Recommend Provide reasons in favour
Recount Retell a series of events
Summarise Express, concisely, the relevant details
Synthesise Putting together various elements to make a whole
 Glossary of Keywords
• http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syll
abus_hsc/glossary_keywords.html
 WIP – work in progress…
• To be continued

• If you have any suggestions or comments

please send them to me at

• Sheridanconsulting@yahoo.com

• Thanks and good luck