How Can I Write Better Essays?

Hannah1994xxx

last edited

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 1

Platinum Mech

12

Quick, before Coursework.info gets here! :woo:

You might be best off just practising writing essays, and asking other people you know (even on TSR) for advice etc.

Reply 2

jen-bee

8

I don't know any books on the subject but I was always quite good at it myself.

The best way I've found is just to write an introduction outlining how you understand the essay title and outline your argument in a basic way.

Then go on to discuss the essay title as you said you would. If it's a debate question, look at one side with examples and then the other side with example; or look at each example and the 2 ways it can be taken. Similarly with 'explore' and 'discuss' questions, you need to stick to PQE which is point, quotation, explanation.

Finally, conclude your essay by settling on one side of an argument with a brief reference to how you have decided this. One teacher told me to always throw in a final flourish - that is a new exciting point that really backs up your conclusion. Some people don't like this though, and you have to be careful to never end on a quote unless it really makes sense to.

Good luck!

Reply 3

Anon the 7th

Platinum Mech

Quick, before Coursework.info gets here! :woo:

You might be best off just practising writing essays, and asking other people you know (even on TSR) for advice etc.

LOL yeah i know they're quick

um i dunno, i suppose it just happens, if you're good at essays then you're good and if you're not then you're not

just practice writing some and plan before you write

perhaps, eat a thesaurus?

Reply 4

Ywiss

15

Here's my 10 point list to the well-structured essay:

1. Read the question three billion times.

2. Try and break it down into separate parts. This will help you get a structure for your question. E.g. if the question is "Analyse the presentation and importance of Uncle Peter in Frayn's "Spies"", then you know you have to split your essay into two parts: presentation and importance.

3. Think of 4 or 5 key ideas and write them down.

4. Try and order the ideas so that your strongest idea is at the beginning, then your 3rd, 4th, 5th, etc, and finally your 2nd strongest at the end. This is to ensure that your essay ends with a bang, but that you've also got your strongest idea in there should you happen to run out of time.

5. Now it's time to write your introduction. It's a good idea to think of a rough outline for how you're going to introduce your essay before the exam actually starts. Try and sum up the novel/play/poem in a couple of sentences. Then, basically say how brilliant the question is. If it's a theme, say how wonderful a theme it is, because it has such great importance in the novel/play/poem. If it's a character, he or she is also very important. If an extract, how this extract is so important because it introduces/explores/summarises (depending on whether it's taken from the beginning/middle/end) the main themes of the text/what the author is trying to say.

6. Then begin each paragraph with an opening sentence. Something like, "The author develops the theme of blah through striking imagery."

7. Now, recite after me: Make a point, prove the point (through a quotation), relate the point to the question. Repeat.

8. At the end of the paragraph, simply summarise what you've been saying in that paragraph: "In this way, it can be seen that the theme of blah is developed through the powerful images of birds and trees."

9. Now, rinse and repeat for your other four or five points.

10. Then for your conclusion, sum up by saying something like "Therefore this theme is very important, as it illuminates blah, contributes to blah, and helps to develop several key ideas." Finally, try and say something general about the whole text - something like, "The theme of blah makes the text very evocative and powerful."

How Can I Write Better Essays?

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