Uni Essays - Help

[Greentinted]

Calling all who have experience of writing essays for university courses.
I am struggling to get to grips with this particular skill. Although I am passing, my grades are very disparate and I havent a clue how to improve. Because of my age (I suppose) I have a set style of writing which I find difficult to adapt to the rigid style required for essay writing. I am now at the point where my confidence is shot to pieces, it seems the harder I try, the worse I get.
Any help from all the celebrated erudites on this board would be very much appreciated as the advice I am getting from staff is conflicting and contradictory to say the least.

Thanking you in advance!

[geordie_hibs]

check your PMs (in a couple of minutes anyway)

[Speedy]

The basic rule is to explain what you're going to say, say it, then tell them what you said.

Make sure you use words that are in the question and try to refer back to it throughout the essay.

I've found that the style changes slightly depending on the topic you are covering e.g. psychology/management/etc.

And obviously what you need to write will also differ depending on the year you are in.

[HibeeEmma]

The basic rule is to explain what you're going to say, say it, then tell them what you said.

Make sure you use words that are in the question and try to refer back to it throughout the essay.

I've found that the style changes slightly depending on the topic you are covering e.g. psychology/management/etc.

And obviously what you need to write will also differ depending on the year you are in.

I just got taught this today (in my final year of uni)

Firstly, use the sandwitch technique:

Topic statement - explain the point ur making in the paragraph
Evidence/theory
Quote
Say what u said and relate it to question

Also, dont write something you dont understand

Plus, if you need to up the word count, use quote :wink:

Im doing a 4000 word essay tonight and im only at 2400 :boo hoo:

[Just Jimmy]

Calling all who have experience of writing essays for university courses.
I am struggling to get to grips with this particular skill. Although I am passing, my grades are very disparate and I havent a clue how to improve. Because of my age (I suppose) I have a set style of writing which I find difficult to adapt to the rigid style required for essay writing. I am now at the point where my confidence is shot to pieces, it seems the harder I try, the worse I get.
Any help from all the celebrated erudites on this board would be very much appreciated as the advice I am getting from staff is conflicting and contradictory to say the least.

Thanking you in advance!

One thing I'd say, Make sure your referencing is spot on. this can gain you up to an extra 10% sometimes. I know plenty folk who were in the same situation and couldnt work out why until they found out they were referencing wrong.

basic example;

Smith, A. 1875. Hibernian: God's gift. Edinburgh. Leith Press.

[HibeeEmma]

One thing I'd say, Make sure your referencing is spot on. this can gain you up to an extra 10% sometimes. I know plenty folk who were in the same situation and couldnt work out why until they found out they were referencing wrong.

basic example;

Smith, A. 1875. Hibernian: God's gift. Edinburgh. Leith Press.

Not to be fussy but i would write it like this:

Smith, A. (1875) "Hibernian: God's gift", Edinburgh: Leith Press

Is that wrong or is it just different ways?

[stu in nottingham]

Calling all who have experience of writing essays for university courses.
I am struggling to get to grips with this particular skill. Although I am passing, my grades are very disparate and I havent a clue how to improve. Because of my age (I suppose) I have a set style of writing which I find difficult to adapt to the rigid style required for essay writing. I am now at the point where my confidence is shot to pieces, it seems the harder I try, the worse I get.
Any help from all the celebrated erudites on this board would be very much appreciated as the advice I am getting from staff is conflicting and contradictory to say the least.

Thanking you in advance!

Do you have access to University study guides on the subject of essay writing GT? If you don't let me know and I'll send you some pretty conclusive stuff.

Another little tip to help your essays flow is to 'suggest' the subject of the next paragraph towards the end of the former one. This gives it a little more cohesion.

Try not to think of it as such a rigid idiom. It's not nearly as rigid as report writing. There is some freedom within an essay.

Regarding referencing, there are a few variations from the set rule. The School of Social Studies at my University stress a slightly different style to the School of Education for example. The accent is on finding exactly what your tutor requires from you and being consistent in sticking with the same style at all times.

[Greentinted]

A huge thanks to all who have replied here (and more). Returning to Further Education was daunting enough last year but Higher Ed is proving a tougher nut to crack for this old boy than I thought possible. I know sometimes "thanks" can sound like a hollow platitude but my gratitude is sincere.

Cheers :thumbsup:

[Just Jimmy]

Not to be fussy but i would write it like this:

Smith, A. (1875) "Hibernian: God's gift", Edinburgh: Leith Press

Is that wrong or is it just different ways?

Not wrong no, aslong as you do it that way all the time.

[stu in nottingham]

A huge thanks to all who have replied here (and more). Returning to Further Education was daunting enough last year but Higher Ed is proving a tougher nut to crack for this old boy than I thought possible. I know sometimes "thanks" can sound like a hollow platitude but my gratitude is sincere.

Cheers :thumbsup:

Tried to email you a couple of times mate but I'm getting a Administrative prohibition - mailbox disabled message?

[Riz]

Best of luck mate :agree:

[s.a.m]

Good luck, and don't be discouraged. Going back to study is a challenge, you're probably studying alongside younger people whose education has been continuous, but (and I know that it sounds like a platitude, but it's TRUE), you've got maturity, life experience and perspective to bring to it.:agree:

[AndyP]

Calling all who have experience of writing essays for university courses.
I am struggling to get to grips with this particular skill. Although I am passing, my grades are very disparate and I havent a clue how to improve. Because of my age (I suppose) I have a set style of writing which I find difficult to adapt to the rigid style required for essay writing. I am now at the point where my confidence is shot to pieces, it seems the harder I try, the worse I get.
Any help from all the celebrated erudites on this board would be very much appreciated as the advice I am getting from staff is conflicting and contradictory to say the least.

Thanking you in advance!

Would like to help you but according to someone on this board I'm uneducated.....


Might not be that much help and it depends what your particular discipline you are writing for, Arts degree writing is different from Sociology for instance.

First of all ANSWER THE QUESTION......if you are being asked to contrast styles/opinions then have a few primary sources and the odd secondary one to hand

Then as Stu says, list in your introduction what you are going to do, main body and then conclude by trying to make sure that you have covered and proved your point in the introduction, if you don't then ask yourself why you haven't and then decide if you want to actually include that point.

Be careful that if you expand the essay by asking another question then answer that as well in your text.

Most of all try and keep it simple, if this is your first stab at degree level work then relax a little bit, your skills will improve. Tutor support is pretty valuable and a good tutor can help you improve with every submission.

[les83]

Calling all who have experience of writing essays for university courses.
I am struggling to get to grips with this particular skill. Although I am passing, my grades are very disparate and I havent a clue how to improve. Because of my age (I suppose) I have a set style of writing which I find difficult to adapt to the rigid style required for essay writing. I am now at the point where my confidence is shot to pieces, it seems the harder I try, the worse I get.
Any help from all the celebrated erudites on this board would be very much appreciated as the advice I am getting from staff is conflicting and contradictory to say the least.

Thanking you in advance!

I don't know if they still do it but when I was at uni I got a very helpfull wee guide from blackwells bookshop for a pound which gives a basic intro into how to write a good uni essay.

[hibbytam]

Couple of little things you can do.
-Answer the question. Seems obvious, but often you're asked about a certain area of a topic, not everything you know about the topic. One thing i was told is that you should write as little as you can to answer the question fully.
- Make a plan and stick to it. It's easy to wander off course if you don't.
- Quality not quantity. A large essay is likely to just annoy the person marking it.
- The marker will want you to pass. Someone failing makes them, the lecturers and the uni look bad.

I'm sure whatever uni you're at, they'll have writing guides, and other ways to support you. Have a word with tutors/student support/advisers.
Good luck! Reminds me i have one to write for Monday that hasn't been started yet.:boo hoo:

[stu in nottingham]

Another tip which might be an obvious one is if time permits do several drafts. Two minimum and three or four if possible. It's amazing how mediocre a first draft can look when compared to a re-written draft. Don't expect to be able to write it once, read, correct and print it out. This won't be your best work. It needs time, consideration and the fresh perspective that a new day invariably brings.

[woodythehibee]

Another tip which might be an obvious one is if time permits do several drafts. Two minimum and three or four if possible. It's amazing how mediocre a first draft can look when compared to a re-written draft. Don't expect to be able to write it once, read, correct and print it out. This won't be your best work. It needs time, consideration and the fresh perspective that a new day invariably brings.

very good point Stu, the most boring part of it but it is one of the most important :agree:

[97hills]

A huge thanks to all who have replied here (and more). Returning to Further Education was daunting enough last year but Higher Ed is proving a tougher nut to crack for this old boy than I thought possible. I know sometimes "thanks" can sound like a hollow platitude but my gratitude is sincere.

Cheers :thumbsup:

I think it depends a lot on what you're studying?

[Greentinted]

I think it depends a lot on what you're studying?

MA English and Scottish Lit.
Phenomenal reading list alone and I've now had 4 different English tutors this Semester alone so its difficult knowing who wants what.
However, some really sound advice and practical help here which I will certainly take on board.

[geordie_hibs]

I'm a Literature lecturer & have a booklet about writing essays available for anyone who thinks it might be of use to them.

Just PM me your address.

[Greentinted]

Well, I applied all the advice and y'know, it all came together. Mucho ta to all who posted with special mentions to Stu in Nottingham and Geordie Hibs!

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[stu in nottingham]

Pleased to help. Let us know of your progress and keep up the good work, GT.

[GlesgaeHibby]

best advice....

do a science!!

no essays!:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

:duck:

[Steve-O]

Virtually copy entire chapters from books and make sure you reference, that's the way ahead for uni essays :agree:

[Steve-O]

Not to be fussy but i would write it like this:

Smith, A. (1875) "Hibernian: God's gift", Edinburgh: Leith Press

Is that wrong or is it just different ways?

Loads of different ways. I never put the publisher in until the bibliography in any of mine IIRC.

[Pretty Boy]

A really good piece of advice if you are studying an arts degree espeically history, politics, cultural history etc is to find out your tutors view point on the subject. Is he right wing or left? Revisionist or classical? Then basically just tailor your argument to say what he wants to hear, guaranteed to gain a few extra marks where a better essay with a different viewpoint might lose a couple. Trust me it works.

[--------]

Virtually copy entire chapters from books and make sure you reference, that's the way ahead for uni essays :agree:

Aye - provided the quotations are relevant and well-referenced, Steve. But I'd be inclined to put in three or four shorter quotes from the same source rather than one big one. Break it up, don't you know?

The same goes for paragraphing - three or four shorter paragraphs are easier to read than one huge one. That goes for sentences too. There's nothing puts a reader off more quickly than 12-line sentences and a paragraph that covers four pages without a break....




A really good piece of advice if you are studying an arts degree espeically history, politics, cultural history etc is to find out your tutors view point on the subject. Is he right wing or left? Revisionist or classical? Then basically just tailor your argument to say what he wants to hear, guaranteed to gain a few extra marks where a better essay with a different viewpoint might lose a couple. Trust me it works.

Hmm. Depends on the tutor. A lot of tutors would prefer their students to show that they can think for themselves, actually.... :cool2:

[stu in nottingham]

Virtually copy entire chapters from books and make sure you reference, that's the way ahead for uni essays :agree:

Don't do it kids. :wink:

The likes of JISC software will consistently find you out. That's if the lecturer doesn't (it's easy to get an eye for plagiariised work. I see it constantly. A shame to do it all again (if you're offered the chance after disciplinary that is...)

[Steve-O]

Aye - provided the quotations are relevant and well-referenced, Steve. But I'd be inclined to put in three or four shorter quotes from the same source rather than one big one. Break it up, don't you know?

The same goes for paragraphing - three or four shorter paragraphs are easier to read than one huge one. That goes for sentences too. There's nothing puts a reader off more quickly than 12-line sentences and a paragraph that covers four pages without a break....





Hmm. Depends on the tutor. A lot of tutors would prefer their students to show that they can think for themselves, actually.... :cool2:


Don't do it kids. :wink:

The likes of JISC software will consistently find you out. That's if the lecturer doesn't (it's easy to get an eye for plagiariised work. I see it constantly. A shame to do it all again (if you're offered the chance after disciplinary that is...)

Hey, note my use of the word 'virtually' :wink:

Also, maybe I was a little extreme.

As far as I remember, I would take various books, describe the arguments in them (whilst referencing) with relevance to the question being asked, and then attempt to come to my own conclusion based on the evidence presented...It seemed to work ok for me, and that was the style I used throughout uni. There was definitely no blatant copying, and I like to think my conclusion was always my own, rather than that of someone else.

That better? :greengrin

[fjosoo]

The rules for writing an essay are very arbitrary, which allows the author to fully demonstrate creative abilities, originality, and flexibility of thinking, the ability to express ideas in writing and convincingly argue his point of view. I hope here https://studymoose.com/cars are just such writers. All this is extremely appreciated not only by teachers of any language or literature but also by employers - it is no coincidence that candidates for positions of responsibility are asked to write an essay before an interview. Do you order essays online? Who has any experience in this matter?

[Cataplana]

I just got taught this today (in my final year of uni)

Firstly, use the sandwitch technique:

Topic statement - explain the point ur making in the paragraph
Evidence/theory
Quote
Say what u said and relate it to question

Also, dont write something you dont understand

Plus, if you need to up the word count, use quote :wink:

Im doing a 4000 word essay tonight and im only at 2400 :boo hoo:

Often one word can be broken down to two. "Successful" could be written as "was a success", or "did well"

[The_Exile]

best advice....

do a science!!

no essays!:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

:duck:

Agreed :greengrin

Doing a Science degree at the moment and so far no essays, although plenty practical projects which require a lot of careful wording and accurate maths when writing up so not sure what would be worse!

Edit: Just noticed this is an ancient thread, hopefully everything worked out well for the OP.

[WeeRussell]

Not that I used to nail every single essay with flying colours - but I think it always suited me. I used to regard structure as key. I could lay out an essay with a clear and well-written introduction, talk ***** for a few thousand words, and then manage to bring it together in a concise summary.

Very useful when you hadn't done any work or attended any lectures and had less than 24 hours to produce something :greengrin

God I miss uni.

[heretoday]

Essay writing.

Introduction - tell them how you're going to answer the question.

Do it.

Conclusion - tell them what you've done.