What is an essay

1
What is an essay?

• Moira Peelo
• Student Learning Development Centre

2
What is an academic essay?

• An answer to a question
• A long piece of text
• An answer to a question based on evidence
• A coherent text that links from point to point
• A text with an introductory overview a
  conclusion that draws it all together

• Text that persuades the reader of your answer to
  the question
• Communicates clearly both evidence and answer to
  the question
• An answer to a question in which all sources used
  are fully referenced

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What else?

• An exploration of a topic or theory
• A way of expressing the sense you have made of
  material BUT in answer to the question set
• A text that focuses on specific aspects of a
  course
• A text that has a beginning, middle and end

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Unpacking essay titles

• Step 1 in essay writing analyse what the task
  is asking of you

5
An imaginary - silly - essay title

• Discuss the kangaroo population in the Lake
  District

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Kangaroo?
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Discuss the kangaroo population in the Lake
District

• Kangaroos? What are they? Where do they usually
  live?
• Is there a kangaroo population?
• How did they get there?
• What is their home like?
• What is the Lake District like?
• Would there be obvious problems for kangaroos
  living in the Lake District?

8
What kind of evidence would you expect to see in
an essay like this?

• It depends on the course an ecology course
  would have different evidence to sociology or
  genetics courses
• It might be based on relevant literature that
  discusses the problem
• It might be a key body of theory e.g. survival
  of misplaced species

9
Think about the key words elements in the title

• Discuss
• Kangaroo population
• Lake District

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Discuss means?

• Investigate examine the arguments
• evaluate and debate the evidence
• give reasons - for and against
• decide where you stand - and give evidence
• examine the implications

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Beginnings the introduction

• Introductions give a summary overview of how the
  essay addresses the question
• They often signal to the reader what the shape of
  the essay will be
• They indicate what kind of answer you are giving
  to the question

• Indicating your answer is sometimes called
  stating your argument or thesis or showing
  what the authors stance is.
• Essays answer highly specific questions, so
  always relate your introduction to the title

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Introducing kangaroos

• Kangaroos are native to Australia and were
  artificially introduced into Britain by animal
  collectors in the 1930s. To understand fully how
  feral kangaroos have survived in an alien
  environment requires the application of aspects
  of Smiths Theory of Survival. In this essay
  Smiths theory will be discussed in relation to
  diet, landscape and climate because, it is
  argued, these are the three key elements that
  have ensured the survival of this small kangaroo
  population. Before exploring these issues,
  however, I will first explain Smiths theory in
  more detail.

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Introductions often include 3 types of sentence

• Contextual sentences
• analytical sentences
• signposting or route map sentences

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Contextual sentences set the scene for the reader
...

• Kangaroos are native to Australia and were
  artificially introduced into Britain by animal
  collectors in the 1930s.

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Analytical sentences outline your view...

• To understand fully how feral kangaroos have
  survived in an alien environment requires the
  application of aspects of Smiths Theory of
  Survival.
• In this essay Smiths theory will be discussed in
  relation to diet, landscape and climate because,
  it is argued, these are the three key elements
  that have ensured the survival of this small
  kangaroo population.

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Combining signposts analytical functions in 1
sentence...

• In this essay Smiths theory will be discussed in
  relation to diet, landscape and climate because,
  it is argued, these are the three key elements
  that have ensured the survival of this small
  kangaroo population.

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Signposting tells the reader what the essay will
do ...

• In this essay Smiths theory will be discussed in
  relation to diet, landscape and climate because,
  it is argued, these are the three key elements
  that have ensured the survival of this small
  kangaroo population. Before exploring these
  issues, however, I will first explain Smiths
  theory in more detail.

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Middles

• Explore, explain and back up with evidence your
  answer to the question
• Lead the reader logically through your evidence
  in the order laid out in the introduction

• Are made up of paragraphs a block of sentences
  usually exploring 1 key theme
• Contain case studies, theory, references to the
  literature whatever is evidence in your subject

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Use departmental handbooks web sites to find
out

• What sort of evidence is expected in essays?
• What information do you need to illustrate the
  points you are making?
• Is it textual analysis? Is it visual examples? Is
  it a case study? Is it secondary sources?
• Do you have to relate your examples to key
  theories?

20
Imagine your essay in sections
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Some essay titles help you to structure your
essay

• Dobbins view of animal photography is that it is
  an unreal dramatisation of mundane and cruel
  practices. Discuss this analysis of the
  reality genre of photography in relation to two
  cases studies drawn from current television. Can
  Dobbins theory be usefully applied and does it
  help us to understand how humans use animals in a
  visual medium?

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Some extra hints

• Writing is about process as well as product.
  Process is messy redrafting is usual
• All essays need drafting do not start by trying
  to write the perfect end-product first

• HEADINGS can be useful when drafting. If you use
  them, think about how to make smooth links when
  the headings are removed
• Use the web site www.uefap.co.uk if English is
  not your first language