Copyright © 2014 The University of Adelaide Dr Julia Miller School of Education.

Essay Writing:What you need to

know

Copyright © 2014 The University of Adelaide

Dr Julia Miller

School of Education

The University of Adelaide Slide 2

Help! I have to do an essay!

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http://www.adelaide.edu.au/english-for-uni/essay-writing/


Session outline1. What is an essay?

2. Why do we do essays?

3. How do I approach an essay?

4. What does an essay look like?

5. How is an essay marked?

6. What is referencing?

7. What is critical thinking?

8. What if I can’t finish in time?

9. Where can I go to improve my writing?

The University of Adelaide

What is the purpose of a university?

Slide 5

But first…‘Studying at the University of Adelaide means being part of

a rich tradition of excellence in education and research, with

world-class academic staff and a vibrant student life.’

‘We are committed to producing graduates recognised

worldwide for their creativity, knowledge and skills, as well

as their culture and tolerance. Our graduates make an

impact on the world.’

http://www.adelaide.edu.au/uni/



Count your score for the quiz questions on the following slides.

Slide 6

Are you an essay expert?


a) A collection of facts

b) A short piece of writing about a particular subject

c) A story

d) Another word for a report


1. What is an essay?

Correct answer: b

(taken from the Longman dictionary of contemporary English 2003, p. 531)



Formal

Coherent

Connected

Structured

Persuasive

Referenced

Slide 8

But what exactly is an essay?



It’s looooooonger . . .◦ IELTS essays are about 250 words

◦ university essays vary from 1000 to 5000+ words

It doesn’t follow a formula

It’s based on research◦ IELTS asks you to ‘include any relevant examples from your

own knowledge or experience’ (http://www.ielts.org/test_takers_information/test_sample.aspx)

It includes references, in the text and in a reference list at the end

Slide 9

How is a university essay different to an IELTS essay?




a) Because the lecturers like to torture us

b) Because exams are no longer in fashion

c) Because essays allow us to demonstrate our knowledge

d) Because lecturers like marking them

Slide 10

2. Why do we do essays?

Correct answer: c



Don’t we have to agree with all the literature?

Can’t we just write what the lecturers tell us?

Can’t we just do an exam with multiple choice answers?

Slide 11

Why do we need to demonstrate our knowledge?

No



‘We are committed to producing graduates

recognised worldwide for their creativity,

knowledge and skills, as well as their

culture and tolerance.

Our graduates make an impact on the world’.

http://www.adelaide.edu.au/uni/

Slide 12

An essay allows you to show your knowledge



a) Go to the library and start reading

b) Start writing immediately

c) Keep calm and carry a big stick

d) Analyse the question

Slide 13

Correct answer: d

3. What is the first thing to do when you approach an essay?

Image from zookyworld.wordpress.com



If all else fails, read the instructions!

Actually, read the instructions first!

What do you have to do?

Discuss, compare, critique . . .

How many words should you write?



What are the question words?

How accurate . . .?

How well . . .?

Can and should . . .?

Do you understand the key words?

What is your response to the question?

Why do you think that?

Response to question + reasons for response

= conclusion

Slide 15

How should I approach an essay?



Brainstorm

Slide 16

Plan your essay

Mind Map



Read Next apply a reading strategy

Can you put the strategies in the correct order and match them to the meanings?

a) Note

b) Predict the content

c) Scan

d) Skim

e) Analyse some sections

Slide 17

Reading more quickly

the abstract or first paragraph

1. Look quickly to get a general idea

2. Read the useful sections in more detail

3. Write down important information

4. Look for specific words and information

5. Look at the title and work out the content



Can you match the meanings to the strategies and put them in the correct order?

b) Predict

d) Skim

c) Scan

e) Analyse

a) Note

Slide 18

Reading more quickly

5. Look at the title and work out the content

1. Look quickly to get a general idea

4. Look for specific words and information

2. Read the useful sections in more detail

3. Write down important information



How do I know what to read?

Where can I find material?

◦ library

◦ research librarian

◦ databases

◦ Google scholar

What kind of sources should I use?

Slide 19

Reading


http://www.google.com.au/


Is this an academic source? (1)a or b – yes; c or d - no

Look at the:

author

sponsor (e.g. company)

publisher

website appearance (e.g. adverts)

methodology

references


What is an academic source?


1. __________ (about 10%)

2. _________

Body points

3. _________ (about 10%)

4. __________

Slide 26



1. a. Reference

list b.

Introduction

c. Conclusion

d. Thesis

statement

Slide 27

4. What does an essay start with?


1. Introduction a. Referencelist b. Introduction

2. c. Conclusiond. Thesis statement

Slide 28

4. What does an introduction end with?


1. Introduction a. Reference listb. Introduction

2. Thesis statement c. Conclusiond. Thesis statement

3.

Slide 29

4. What comes after the body points in an essay?


1. Introduction a. Reference listb. Introduction

2. Thesis statement c. Conclusiond. Thesis statement

3. Conclusion

4.

Slide 30

4. What comes at the very end of an essay?


Introduction (about 10%)

Thesis statement

Body points

Conclusion (about 10%)

Reference list

Slide 31



Each paragraph should make only one main point.

It should include a topic sentence.

e.g. Many people like dark chocolate because it is not too sweet.

If possible, link your paragraphs in the first sentence.

e.g. Although milk chocolate is probably the most popular, many people like dark chocolate because it is not as sweet.

Slide 32

Paragraphs


Course Reader

A collection of book chapters and journal

articles compiled by the course convenor. A

reader is compiled by the course convenor in

order to provide the basic reading material

for your course. They are available from the

university bookshop.

(Abbreviated from: University of New South Wales 2007, First steps: a beginner’s guide to University, viewed 1 March 2007, <http://www.lc.unsw.edu.au/firststeps/prep_glossary.html>.)

Slide 33

What do these words mean?


Essays

Address a question or topic, with many forms of question

Have an introduction, body paragraphs and conclusion, ideally with a flow of ideas

Slide 34

Essays vs ReportsReports

Usually investigate a specific issue or problem

Provide information used to make decisions or take further action

Contain an executive summary, recommendations and possibly appendices

Have distinct, numbered sections with headings and sub-headings


Article reviews

One article

Summary

Critique


Use several sources to talk about a topic or show a gap in the literature on a topic

Form a chapter in a thesis

Slide 36

Literature reviews


Content

Structure (introduction, body,

conclusion)

Clarity of ideas

Cohesion (how the ideas are linked)

Language

Referencing

Slide 37

5. How is an essay marked?


Feedback

example


What percentagedo you need to geta distinction?

Slide 39

Grading system for most courses

a) 85 – 100 %b) 75 – 84 %c) 65 – 74 %d) 50 – 64 %e) 1 – 49 %


High distinction Distinction Credit Pass Fail

Slide 40

Grading system for most courses

85 – 100 %75 – 84 %65 – 74 %50 – 64 %1 – 49 %


6. What is referencing?

Referencing means you give the

details of any source you have

used in your essay.

Do you reference quotes?

Do you reference ideas?

Do you reference paraphrases?

Yes, reference any source you have used.


i. presenting work that is not your own in any format, without appropriate attribution or reference to the original source.

ii. paraphrasing or copying work that is not your own, without due acknowledgement by way of reference to the original work.

iii. adopting the ideas of others, or the structure of an existing analysis, without due acknowledgement by way of reference to the original source.

The work of others may be submitted only when use of the work is appropriate and duly acknowledged.

(University of Adelaide Honesty Policy 2012)

Slide 43

What is plagiarism?


How do I reference?

There are many different referencing styles.

Check which one is used in each of your

subjects.

In the text; or

Sometimes in the footnotes at the bottom of the page; and

In a reference list at the end.


In-text

Boynton (1982, p.47) suggests that carrots

may be ‘a catalyst to weight-gain when

chocolate is present’.

It has been suggested (Boynton 1982,

p.47) that if someone has already eaten

chocolate, then eating carrots later may

cause that person to put on weight.

Slide 45

Example reference in Harvard style


National Biodiesel Board, Environmental safety and information, viewed 21 August, <www.biodiesel.org/pdf_files/Envi&Safetyinfo.pdf>.

Agarwal, AK & Das, LM 2001, ‘Biodiesel development and characterization for use as a fuel in compression ignition engines’, Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power, vol. 123, no. 2, pp. 440-447.

G Rosner 1996, Diesel fuel and exhaust emissions, World Health Organization, Geneva.

Demirbas, A 2005, ‘Biodiesel production from vegetable oils via catalytic and non-catalytic supercritical methanol transesterification methods’, Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, vol. 31, no. 5, pp. 466-487.

Slide 46

Reference List (Harvard style)How many mistakes are there? a – 1; b – 2; c – 3; d - 4


Agarwal, AK & Das, LM 2001, ‘Biodiesel development and characterization for use as a fuel in compression ignition engines’, Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power, vol. 123, no. 2, pp. 440-447.

Demirbas, A 2005, ‘Biodiesel production from vegetable oils via catalytic and non-catalytic supercritical methanol transesterification methods’, Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, vol. 31, no. 5, pp. 466-487.

National Biodiesel Board 2006, Environmental safety and information, viewed 21 August 2006, <www.biodiesel.org/pdf_files/Envi&Safetyinfo.pdf>.

Rosner, G 1996, Diesel fuel and exhaust emissions, World Health Organization, Geneva.

Slide 47

Reference List (Harvard style)


How can I be original and use references? You write the text You write the arguments in your

own words You give a reference for every

idea from another source You incorporate those ideas into

your own writing


Critical thinking means: You think for yourself You do not necessarily agree

with a reading You ask questions You solve problems You look at the evidence

7. What is critical thinking?


Fact - something which is known to have happened or to exist, especially something for which proof exists, or about which there is information

Opinion- a thought or belief about something or someone

Assumption- something that you accept as true without question or proof

(All definitions from Cambridge University Press 2011, Cambridge dictionaries online, viewed 15 February 2012, <http://dictionary.cambridge.org>.)

Slide 50

Facts, opinions and assumptions

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/


All international students have a lot of money and do not need to have a job.

Slide 51

Fact, opinion or assumption?

Fact International students often speak English very well.

Opinion All international students should have an IELTS score of 8 to enter university in Australia.

Assumption All Chinese students are international students.


Fact

Assumption

Opinion

Can you think critically?

English is the main language spoken in Australia.

If someone lives in Australia, that means they are able to speak English.

All people who live in Australia should speak English.


a) A man appeared after the owner had turned off his store lights.

b) The robber was a man.c) Someone opened a cash register.d) The man who appeared did not demand

money.

Which statement is true?

Slide 53

A business man had just turned off the lights in a store when a man appeared and demanded money. The owner opened a cash register. The contents of the cash register were removed and the man sped away.


Leite (2007) shows that most people prefer white chocolate to milk or dark chocolate.

Slide 54

Leite’s study (2007) claims that people prefer white chocolate to milk or dark chocolate. His research, however, is limited, as his sample size consisted of only five small children in Portugal. It is therefore more realistic to consider the implications of Brown’s study (2009), which found that in a sample of ten thousand adults from France, Germany, China, the United States and Mexico 65% preferred milk chocolate and 30% preferred dark chocolate, while only 5% preferred white chocolate. This suggests . . .

Assessing a sourceCompare:

Here is a good example to help you think critically about your sources:

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2009/11November/Pages/chocolate-mental-health-cut-stress-claim.aspx


How do I know if it's useful information or a reliable source?





Are you trying to write too much?

Did you have trouble finding sources?

Were you ill?

Are you having trouble doing all your work?

8. What if I can't finish in time?


Ask for an extension

Reconsider your priorities- How much do you earn in your part-time job?- What will it cost if you have to retake a topic?

Look at your time management – try the Assignment Planning Calculator

Talk to your course coordinator

Can't finish in time?

http://owll.massey.ac.nz/academic-writing/assignment-planning-calculator.php


25+ points You’re an essay expert! Would you like to give this lecture next time?

20-24 points Well done! You have lots of great essay writing ideas.

15-19 points Good. There are still a few things for you to work on, though.

8-13 points I hope this lecture was helpful – you still have quite a lot to learn.

0 – 8 points What a good thing you came today!

Slide 58

The winners


Writing Centre, Hub Central. Monday – Friday, 10 am – 4 pmhttp://www.adelaide.edu.au/writingcentre

The English for Uni websitehttp://www.adelaide.edu.au/english-for-uni/essay-writing/

Slide 59

9. Where can I go to improve my writing?

http://www.adelaide.edu.au/writingcentre








A reminder



Write down 2 things you really need to remember from this session.

Is anything still unclear?

For further thought


Have a great year!

Slide 62

Copyright © 2014 The University of Adelaide Dr Julia Miller School of Education.

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