Writing

Excellent Essays
Presented by Kellie Kayser
Learning Skills Advisor

Student Services
 Session Overview
This session will cover:

 Rationale for
Writing Essays
 The Essay Writing Process
 Writing Introductions
 Writing Body Paragraphs
 Writing Conclusions
RATIONALE FOR
WRITING
ESSAYS
 Why Write an Essay?
Essays give you the opportunity to:

 Explore a topic in-depth

 Develop your research skills
 Develop your written
communication skills
 Test your understanding of
content and your ability to
link theory and practice
 General Essay
Expectations
 The goal of all academic writing is to
convince the reader of something
 Consequently, academic writing
includes arguments
 You are trying to convince the reader
that you have a well-researched and
considered answer to a question
or response to a topic (a “thesis”)
based on a critical review of relevant
research literature
Common Problems with
Student Essays
 Started too late to do a good job
 Poorly organised, poorly thought through,
simplistic, …
 Didn’t answer the question
 Misunderstood the question
 Didn’t allow enough time to
assimilate the sources so as to
be able to answer the question
 Too much description, not enough analysis
 Didn’t apply the theories developed in the
course
THE ESSAY
WRITING
PROCESS
 Steps in the Essay
Writing Process
1. Analyse the topic / question
2. Brainstorm and mind map
3. Develop focus questions
4. Browse the literature &
refine focus questions
5. Analyse the literature
6. Concept map
7. Plan
8. Write and re-write
9. Reflect, edit and proofread
Attend The Assignment Writing Process for more clarification on these steps
Essay Structure
 WRITING
INTRODUCTIONS
 Writing Introductions
Introductions need to provide general information
about the topic:

 Context
 Background
 General
orientation

Source: Adapted from www.uq.edu.au/student-services/Structuring+your+assignment

Writing Introductions
Introductions can also include an outline:

 A brief outline of
issues that will and
will not be discussed
in the essay
 Point out the scope
of your essay
 A general overview of
the areas that you will
explore
Source: Adapted from www.uq.edu.au/student-services/Structuring+your+assignment
Writing Introductions
Providing an outline of your essay in the
introduction helps the reader to navigate your
writing. It helps them to understand the
structure of your argument.Your line of
argument should not come as a surprise.

Source: Adapted from www.uq.edu.au/student-services/Structuring+your+assignment

Writing Introductions
Finally, introductions require a thesis or main idea.
This is your response to the question or topic.
Thesis statements should be:
 An opinion or viewpoint Context
(not a fact) Background
 Specific
Orientation
 Written as a strong clear
Outline
claim about what it is that Scope
you believe
 Able to be supported with
a variety of evidence
Source: Adapted from www.uq.edu.au/student-services/Structuring+your+assignment
Writing Introductions
It is often a good idea to use some of the key
words from the question in the introduction
to indicate that you are on track with the
topic. (However, do not simply recount the
question word for word).

Source: Adapted from www.uq.edu.au/student-services/Structuring+your+assignment

Writing Introductions

Source: www.uq.edu.au/student-services/Structuring+your+assignment
Writing Introductions
You can also add interest to an introduction by:
 Beginning with a
relevant quote (avoid
boring, textbook quotes)
 Beginning with a relevant
question (which can be
answered in the essay’s
conclusion)
 Giving unusual or colourful
details
WRITING BODY
PARAGRAPHS
Writing Body Paragraphs
 Each paragraph should make a point which
should be linked to your outline and thesis
statement.

 The most important consideration in the body

paragraphs is the argument that you want to
develop in response to the topic.

 This argument is developed by making and

linking points in and between paragraphs.

Source: www.uq.edu.au/student-services/Structuring+your+assignment
Writing Body Paragraphs
Try structuring paragraphs like this:
 Topic sentence: start the paragraph by
making a point / a claim (that supports your
main claim – your thesis)
 Supporting sentences: support the point
with examples and evidence from quality
sources and discuss / analyse this evidence
 Conclusive sentence: close the paragraph by
linking back to the point you made to open the
paragraph and linking this to your thesis
statement (also, make sure the end of this
paragraph clearly links with the next paragraph)
Source: www.uq.edu.au/student-services/Structuring+your+assignment
Writing Body Paragraphs

Point = Topic Sentence

Information = Illustration
Demonstrate how/why your
main point is true using stories,
descriptions, examples,
quotations, facts, statistics, etc.
Explanation = Discussion
Explain how this information
demonstrated your main point.
Source: Adapted from www.laspositascollege.edu/raw/bodyparagraphs.php
Source: http://acephalous.typepad.com/acephalous/2009/05/how-to-structure-a-paragraph-with-a-hamburger.html
Writing Body Paragraphs
 Make strong links between the sections,
paragraphs and sentences in your essay.
 Use words that signpost links for the
reader so that your argument is easy to
follow
 For example, ...  Moreover, ...
 In addition, ....  In contrast, ...
 However, ...  Therefore, ...
 Alternatively, ...  As a result, ...
 In particular, ...  In summary, ...
 Furthermore, ...  Likewise, ...
 Similarly, ...  Subsequently, ...
 Consequently, ...  For instance, ...
 In conclusion, ...  Nevertheless, ...
Writing Body Paragraphs

Source: www.uq.edu.au/student-services/Structuring+your+assignment
 WRITING
CONCLUSIONS
 Writing Conclusions
The purpose of a conclusion is to:

 Tie together the different parts of your

discussion
 Make comments on the meaning of it all
 Note any implications resulting from your
discussion of the topic
 Make any recommendations, forecast future
trends, point out the need for further research,
etc
 Writing Conclusions
The conclusion should:

 Be a logical ending to what has previously

been discussed
 Summarise the arguments presented in the
body
 Refer the reader back to the thesis and
outline that you mentioned in the introduction
 Make an impact on the reader; leave the reader
with a final thought
 Writing Conclusions
Conclusions can be structured as follows:
 Describe in general terms the most important
points made or the most important linkage of
ideas
 End with a comment, a resolution, or a
suggestion for issues that may be addressed in
future research on the topic.

Source: www.uq.edu.au/student-services/Structuring+your+assignment
Writing Conclusions
Do NOT include new
information
 Writing Conclusions

Source: www.uq.edu.au/student-services/Structuring+your+assignment
Remember...