Need help writing my essay!

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  1. Yasin-Ali's Avatar
    • Exalted Member
    • Location: Birmingham
    • Posts: 339
    Need help writing my essay!
    I havent touched English Language since year 10 when I scraped a C. I've now just left college and I need to write an essay but I need help with a few things before I can begin.

    The essay I've chosen to do is titled: How has Chemical engineering contributed to medicine in the past five years? The essay has to be about 1500 words and so far im ok with the intro.

    1) I was thinking about picking 3 contributions I thought were interesting and then writing a paragraph about each and then just sumarising each one in the conclusion. How can I improve this?

    2) When picking out a piece of information from a source- you are supposed to paraphrase it and then reference it right? When I then explain the information I've taken do I also have to reference my explanation?

    Eg:

    If I find this on a website -reference 1: The sign is purple so even colourblind people can see it and avoid any misunderstandings.

    Could I put this in my essay:
    Sign are coloured purple, this measure is taken so colourblind people can also notice it.(1) The reason for this is because over the years many colourblind people have been unable to understand the sign and have gotten lost in the woods. Does the second sentence have to referenced?
  2. zubz91's Avatar
    • Exalted and Worshipped Member
    • Location: somewhere you cant find me
    • Posts: 1,327
    Re: Need help writing my essay!
    (Original post by Yasin-Ali)
    I havent touched English Language since year 10 when I scraped a C. I've now just left college and I need to write an essay but I need help with a few things before I can begin.

    The essay I've chosen to do is titled: How has Chemical engineering contributed to medicine in the past five years? The essay has to be about 1500 words and so far im ok with the intro.

    1) I was thinking about picking 3 contributions I thought were interesting and then writing a paragraph about each and then just sumarising each one in the conclusion. How can I improve this?

    2) When picking out a piece of information from a source- you are supposed to paraphrase it and then reference it right? When I then explain the information I've taken do I also have to reference my explanation?

    Eg:

    If I find this on a website -reference 1: The sign is purple so even colourblind people can see it and avoid any misunderstandings.

    Could I put this in my essay:
    Sign are coloured purple, this measure is taken so colourblind people can also notice it.(1) The reason for this is because over the years many colourblind people have been unable to understand the sign and have gotten lost in the woods. Does the second sentence have to referenced?
    cant help bro, but try not to use the word 'Gotten'
  3. MissBlueskys's Avatar
    • Benevolent Member
    • Posts: 787
    Re: Need help writing my essay!
    (Original post by Yasin-Ali)
    I havent touched English Language since year 10 when I scraped a C. I've now just left college and I need to write an essay but I need help with a few things before I can begin.

    The essay I've chosen to do is titled: How has Chemical engineering contributed to medicine in the past five years? The essay has to be about 1500 words and so far im ok with the intro.

    1) I was thinking about picking 3 contributions I thought were interesting and then writing a paragraph about each and then just sumarising each one in the conclusion. How can I improve this?

    2) When picking out a piece of information from a source- you are supposed to paraphrase it and then reference it right? When I then explain the information I've taken do I also have to reference my explanation?

    Eg:

    If I find this on a website -reference 1: The sign is purple so even colourblind people can see it and avoid any misunderstandings.

    Could I put this in my essay:
    Sign are coloured purple, this measure is taken so colourblind people can also notice it.(1) The reason for this is because over the years many colourblind people have been unable to understand the sign and have gotten lost in the woods. Does the second sentence have to referenced?
    Firstly I would change the start of your question to "How far...", this will allow you to debate the situation rather than just describe ways it has contributed.
    From this I would start with a brief introduction laying out the key ways that Chemical Engineering has contributed to medicine, lay out your argument, and briefly state some sources/experts opinions.
    Then I would use what you have planned by picking out three contributions but make sure to argue how they have been beneficial to medicine and improved from before. You can also, if applicable, argue how they can continue to be improved.
    Then in your conclusion I would come to a judgement such as "Chemical engineering has contributed a lot in medicince over the past five years however there are continual improvements to be/being made through...."

    When I reference, I used the Havard system (google the guidelines). Where after you have quoted or paraphrased information from another source (books/websites/journals/newspapers) you put a footnote and write in the bottom the information according to the Havard system (author, title, year, publisher place for example). Also put this information in a Bibliography at the end of your essay. Only the information you have taken from the source has to be referenced not your explanation.
    Last edited by MissBlueskys; 27-06-2012 at 15:48.
  4. funsongfactory's Avatar
    • Benevolent Member
    • Posts: 736
    Re: Need help writing my essay!
    You only need to reference things that came direct from a source. Also I really don't mean to be nasty but your grammar isn't very good so maybe get an English student friend to proof read it for you so you?
  5. Flyteryder's Avatar
    • Exalted and Worshipped Member
    • Posts: 984
    Re: Need help writing my essay!
    (Original post by Yasin-Ali)
    2) When picking out a piece of information from a source- you are supposed to paraphrase it and then reference it right? When I then explain the information I've taken do I also have to reference my explanation?
    You are supposed to directly quote from the source, not just paraphrase it.

    (Original post by zubz91)
    cant help bro, but try not to use the word 'Gotten'
    There is absolutely nothing wrong with the word gotten.
  6. rocket0612's Avatar
    • Adored and Respected Member
    • Location: Rugadh agus tógadh mé i mBéal Feirste
    • Posts: 437
    Re: Need help writing my essay!
    My main tip would be that you must provide a critical insight - show the negatives as well as the positives, they are just as important in an essay.
  7. zubz91's Avatar
    • Exalted and Worshipped Member
    • Location: somewhere you cant find me
    • Posts: 1,327
    Re: Need help writing my essay!
    (Original post by Flyteryder)
    You are supposed to directly quote from the source, not just paraphrase it.



    There is absolutely nothing wrong with the word gotten.
    its not really much used in British English , mainly north american
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