Essay Writing

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Essay Writing

• Laurie Lumsden Tamara OConnor
• Learning Support Development
• Student Counselling Service
• 608-1407
• lsdev_at_tcd.ie
• www.tcd.ie/Student_Counselling

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Writing Stages

• Planning
• Thinking
• Researching
• Writing
• Editing

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Planning the assignment

• Understand the question
• Breakdown
• Verbs
• Requirements
• Length, Wording
• Referencing
• Establish Time Frame

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Planning time frame

• Create deadlines
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• List tasks
• Preliminaries
• Gathering Information
• Organising Information
• Rough outline
• Draft 1
• Draft 2
• References
• Proofreading

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Thinking

• Brainstorm
• Ideas
• What know
• Try mindmapping
• Preliminary reading
• Refine topic
• Continues throughout process

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Researching

• Rough outline
• Gather information relevant to topic
• Keep good notes
• organise content according to outline
• choose what to include
• Keep references
• Digest and reflect on information

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Structure

• Introduction
• outline of essay
• Main section
• Main point A
• details, evidence
• Main point B
• Conclusion
• summary of main points
• personal conclusions

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Writing

• Start writing early
• extend outline
• one idea or section at a time
• get something down!
• Write first, rough draft
• Revise improve draft
• How many drafts?

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Develop your argument

• Use source material
• Compare and contrast
• Show awareness of complexities
• Show line of reasoning
• link points
• central guiding line
• Your conclusions - based on evidence

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References

• Why?
• Credit sources of information ideas
• Reader can locate for further information if
  required

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References

• When?
• Direct quotes
• Paraphrases
• Statistics/Studies
• Theories
• Interpretations
• Facts

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Sample marking criteria

• Focusing on a topic
• Structuring an essay
• Content
• Formulating arguments

• Presentation
• Referencing
• Evidence of language skills
• Use of learning resources

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Editing

• Proof read
• out loud
• time out
• peer
• Write up references
• Final draft
• presentation

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Submit!

• Final deadline
• Checklist
• Feedback