The Language Centre

IN-SESSIONAL CLASSES Planning

2013-2014 your assignment
INSTITUTE FOR COMMUNICATION STUDIES
Below are some tips which can be used as a guide for planning the content of your
assignment and the organisation of your arguments and counter arguments

1. TITLE OF ASSIGNMENT/ ESSAY QUESTION

Remember to address the title and the question throughout your work. Areas which do
not do this will be dismissed as irrelevant.

2. INTRODUCTION (~1/10 of your essay)

This is where you give an explanation for what you are going to wrote about in
your essay. Firstly, you will describe how you interpret the title/ question and
then give a brief description of your conclusion.

Secondly, you will mention the main issues/ aspects of the topic you are going
to explore

Thirdly, you will explain how you are going to approach each issue/ aspect and
in which order.

3. PARAGRAPH 1: Development of argument

This paragraph must follow on smoothly from the introduction and the first area
to be covered will be the first area you have mentioned in your introduction.

Sentence structure
First sentence introduces the main idea of the paragraph = topic
sentence

Following sentences: develop the topic using a basic structure of idea>

reason> example.

Final sentence: leads onto the next paragraph = concluding sentence

4. PARAGRAPH 2: Development of argument

Sentence structure
The first sentence links to the concluding sentence of the previous
paragraph an the introduces the main idea of the second paragraph

Following sentences: develop the topic using a basic structure of idea>

reason> example.

Final sentence: leads onto the next paragraph = concluding sentence

5. CONCLUSION (~1/10 of your essay)

The conclusion contains no new material

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 The Language Centre
IN-SESSIONAL CLASSES 2013-2014
Summarise
INSTITUTE your argument and
FOR COMMUNICATION main themes which you have discussed
STUDIES
State your general conclusions
Make it clear why those conclusions are important or significant
In your last sentence, sum up your argument with reference to the title/
question.
Some authors use this concluding space as an opportunity to cast a different
light on the discussed topic as a result of the arguments raised in their work.

6. REFERENCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY

A references list is a list of all of the books, articles and other materials to which
you have referred in your assignment.

A bibliography is a list of all of the materials you have read which may have
influenced your ideas but to which you have not referred.

7. CHECKING YOUR DRAFTS

Here is a suggested strategy to check your draft version

1. Read each paragraph and make sure that the topic sentence clearly introduces
the content and that the content matches the topic sentence. Some ideas may
need to be moved.
2. Make sure your ideas are supported with reasons, examples and sources
3. Check that you have referenced your sources correctly
4. Does each paragraph move smoothly on to the next?

8. CHECKING YOUR FINAL VERSION

PRESENTATION
Cover page?
Arial, 12?
Spacing 1.5?
Numbered pages?
Name, assignment title and course name on each page?

CONTENT AND ARGUMENT

All content refers to title/ question?

RESEARCH MATERIAL
Sufficient sources used to support ideas?
My own line of argument/ opinion clear?

STRUCTURE AND GROUPING

Sentences link well in paragraphs?
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The Language Centre
Ideas are CLASSES
IN-SESSIONAL linked well2013-2014
between paragraphs?
Ideas FOR
INSTITUTE are presented in the right
COMMUNICATION order to help develop the argument?
STUDIES

CLARITY
Any ambiguous points?
Clear language?
Clear argument?

GENERAL
Spelling check done?
Grammar check done?
References correct?
Introduction right length?
Conclusion right length?
Bibliography and references list included?
Tutors feedback taken into account?