week 3- writing skills: essays

Question 1

what is an essay? (3 pts)

Answer 1

• an activity to sharpen thinking and improve writing
• develop generic written communication skills
• written in a formal academic style

Question 2

5 marking criteria of essays

Answer 2

• knowledge and understanding (accurate terminology and reference to concepts)
• critical analysis
• reading and referencing
• essays that are clearly and coherently structured
• the use of language- good English and correct tone

Question 3

what are the 4 elements of an essay

Answer 3

intro, main body, conclusion, references

Question 4

what % should the intro make up

Answer 4

10

Question 5

what % should the main body make up

Answer 5

80

Question 6

what % should the conclusion make up

Answer 6

10

Question 7

what 3 things should be done in the intro

Answer 7

• explain how you interpret the question and summarise the conclusion
• identify issues that you will explore
• give a brief outline of how you will deal with each issue and in which order

Question 8

what 3 things should you do in the main body

Answer 8

• introduce the point
• discuss the evidence that supports the point
• restate the point and relate it to the thesis

Question 9

what does it mean to create an integrated paragraph

Answer 9

uses a transitional phrase or sentence linking paragraph to the previous paragraph

Question 10

what is synthesis

Answer 10

combining separate elements to form a whole to form a summary of what is known

Question 11

what are implications

Answer 11

how and why are the research findings important, and what do they mean

Question 12

what can implications be

Answer 12

theoretical, practical, social, political or technological

Question 13

what are recommendations

Answer 13

what solutions or suggestions emerge from your essay

Question 14

what 3 things should be done in the conclusion

Answer 14

• summarise the main themes and argument
• state the general conclusions
• make it clear why those conclusions are important or significant

Question 15

what should be done in the final sentence of a conclusion

Answer 15

briefly sum up the argument and link it to the title

Question 16

what are the 2 types of in text citation

Answer 16

parenthetical or narrative

Question 17

what’s a parenthetical citation

Answer 17

appears in the middle or end of the sentence

Question 18

what’s a narrative citation

Answer 18

appears at the start of the sentence

Question 19

every citation must link to

Answer 19

a reference

Question 20

what are the 4 styles of writing

Answer 20

descriptive, argumentative, evaluative, reflective

Question 21

what does descriptive writing do

Answer 21

Describes what happened
* Describes the main features or functions
* Summarises the main points of a theory or article, etc

Question 22

what does argumentative writing do

Answer 22

1. State your position
2. Support your argument with evidence
3. Consider the opposition

Question 23

what does evaluative writing do

Answer 23

Compare (emphasise points of similarity)
* Contrast (emphasise points of difference)
* Evaluate significance
* Make a judgement
* Show your criteria
* Synthesise

Question 24

what does reflective writing do

Answer 24

Scrutinise an experience and how you dealt
with it
* Evaluate a project and what could be done
differently next time
* Reflect on what you have read and how it links
to theory, practice, and reality