Below is some general guidance on essay writing.

Ø An introduction in which you identify key concepts in the question

and tell the reader how you interpret them. It is useful to put the
question in your own words as this shows the reader how you interpret the
question. You should also provide an agenda so the reader knows how you
are going to answer the question.

Ø The main body of your essay will marshal YOUR argument You would have
already identified key sources and my advice is to focus on a limited
number of examples that provide specific evidence to back up your general
arguments and to analyse these examples in some detail. This does not mean
providing a lengthy narrative, but rather addressing specifically the
relevance of the example and the light it sheds on the question. You will
need to reference your evidence and this will mean going back to the
Course Book. We recommend the Harvard method of referencing which occurs
within the text rather than as footnotes or endnotes.

Ø Remember to make your links between your points as explicit as you

can to build a picture of an evolving argument. Words and phrases like
'Similarly…,' 'Hence…,' 'On the other hand…,' 'Having looked at the
strengths of…,'are useful devices for helping your essay flow. This, and
the next point are ways of 'signposting' your argument.

Ø Remember to link your points back to the question by using key words
or phrases from the question at the start of particular sections of your
essay, thereby making the relevance of your points explicit, and by adding
phrases such as 'A limitation of this conceptualisation of …,' 'This would
appear to suggest that….'

Ø Finally, you need to draw your argument together in a fully rounded

conclusion. A conclusion should not introduce new evidence, and generally
will hold no surprises for the reader. It should draw together the salient
points of your argument and demonstrate explicitly how you have answered
the question by making direct reference to the question. You are rarely
going to agree or disagree with the question one hundred percent, so your
answer is likely to qualify it in some measure. How much is up to you, but
you need to provide a reasoned summary as to where the balance between the
argument lies.

Ø Remember to use the instructions on word length as a firm guideline

to the length of your answer. If you substantially exceed this limit you
will be penalised. We think writing to an agreed word limit is an
important skill at postgraduate level, encouraging you to select a balance
of evidence to answer the question, which necessarily means disregarding
other evidence. The selection is an individual thing, as is the synthesis
you achieve, and the argument you generate.

Happy writing!
Susan

Quantitative evidence could be good to include as would any new empirical detail. This should
be used to back-up your main analysis in answering the question. In other words, do not use it
too descriptively. One or two figures, graphs or illustrations might help. I would think only the
title of the figure/table would count in the word count.

Nick

Dear Fred,

thank you for accepting to be interviewed:

Hereunder you can find the relevant questions. Should you need any useful info about that, please let me
know.

- How can youth participation help strengthen social development, build organisational capacities that
changes our society for the better?

- What is the added value of youth participation? Give an example.

- What kinds of political actions are usually being encouraged by those who complain that youth are in
deficit when it comes to the political and civic realm and, in contrast, what are young people doing in this
realm?

- And, more controversially, could apathy, a refusal to vote, civil disobedience, and/or mass
resistance to government policies be more democratic alternatives than state-sanctioned or
authoritarian ‘civic’ action?

- What contributions would your project give to your community?

Thank you very much in advance.

Best wishes,
Ina