Writing Effectively

Writing Effectively Description of this Guide In this guide we shall examine the various aspects involved involved in academic writing. The guide is roughly divided into the process the  process and product  and product  aspects  aspects of writing with each of these sections dealing with the skills needed to produce written text suitable for a variety of purposes in higher education. Learning Outcomes 1. Analyse Analyse the langu language age of essay essay titles titles and uest uestions ions in in examinati examinations ons !. "elect "elect relevan relevantt informat information ion from from reading reading to make make notes notes #. "umm "ummar aris ise e inform informat atio ion n $. %anipula %anipulate te langua language ge to produce produce cohesiv cohesive e text text &. 'nders 'nderstan tand d the struc structur ture e of a paragra paragraph ph (. )ite reference references s effect effectivel ively y and and approp appropriate riately ly *. %anage %anage the the who whole le writi writing ng proc process ess.. Contents 1.+ 1.+ Intr Introd oduc ucti tion on to Writi riting ng Effe Effect ctiv ivel ely y 1.1 1.1 ,ev ,ever mind mind the the ua uali lity ty-- feel feel the the wid width th 1.! What is an essay/ !.+

Elemen ementts of of the the Wr Writin ting 0ro 0roce ces ss !.1 )racking the code !.1.1 !.1.1 %yths %yths abou aboutt essay essay titl titles es and and crac crackin king g the code code !.! Essa Essay y titl title e instr structi ction word words s !.! !.!.1 A sh short ort sum summar mary !.# rgani rganisi sing ng the the con conten tentt 2 stra strateg tegies ies for note3t note3taki aking ng and and organi organisat satio ion n !.#.1 4ow to impro improve ve your your efficien efficiency5 cy5 gather gathering ing and and organisi organising ng informat information ion !.#.! !.#.! 'sing 'sing mind mindmap maps s when when collec collecti ting ng infor informat mation ion !.#.# !.#.# 'sing 'sing list lists s when when colle collecti cting ng info informa rmatio tion n !.#.$ !.#.$ 'sing 'sing ind index ex card cards s to orga organis nise e infor informat mation ion !.#.& 'sing 'sing inform information ation grids6mat grids6matrixe rixes s to organise organise informatio information n !.# !.#.( A sh short ort sum summar mary

#.+

Aspec spects ts of the Writt itten 0rodu oduct #.1 The pa paragraph st structure #.! #.! 7ink 7inkin ing g Idea Ideas s 2 kee keepi ping ng your your ess essay ay cohe cohere rent nt #.!. #.!.1 1 'sin 'sing g simi simila larr words words to to link link ide ideas as #.!.! #.!.! 'sing 'sing sign signal al words words to link link your your argu argumen ments ts #.# 8rafting and editing tips #.$ )onstructing an argument

$.+ $.+

4ow 4ow do do I 9no 9now w if if I hav have Wri Write ter: r:s s ;loc ;lock/ k/ $.1 Tips Tips and and strate strategi gies es for overc overcomi oming ng
&.+

What is 0lagiarism/ &.1 Ways to Avoid 0lagiaris rism

(.+ (.+

"tra "trate tegi gies es for for 0roo 0roof3 f3=e =ead adin ing g or 4ow 4ow to to "pot "pot >ou >ourr wn wn Err Error ors s (.1 A Ti Time %a %anagement Is Issue (.! (.! "pot "potti ting ng your your own own Erro Errors rs 2 Wha Whatt too tools ls do I nee need/ d/ (.# Tips Tips for %anagi %anaging ng the the 0roo 0roof3 f3rea readin ding g 0roce 0rocess ss 3 or or how how to lear learn n from from your your mist mistak akes es (.$ >our )heck 7ist

Writing effectively

Writing Effectively 1.0Introduction to Writing Effectively E ffectively If you want to improve your marks- you are going to have to consider doing something slightly different.

?ust stop and think about two aspects of how you organise your essay writing. @irst- how you organise your writing- and second- how you you organise your thoughts5 thoughts5 1. Thinking Thinking about about how you organis organise e yourself yourself while writing writing may may change change the way you you go about the whole writing process. >es or ,o

)omments

1 I always have a framework for my essay before I start writing. ! I ust start writing and then the ideas start to flow. # I can:t start writing until I have all the information.

"ome people need the whole picture before before they start writing. >ou may want want to have a plan before you start writing. writing. This will give give you a good framework to work from. If however- you are a mixture of 1 and & think about developing a little more of !. >ou don:t want to get stuck at this phase- get writing to release your block. >ou may ust need a hint of an idea and then the writing process kick3 starts you and the ideas start to flow. flow. If you do this- let your writing flow until you you get some ideas- but you must stop early on and get a plan that gives your work a structure otherwise it could ust ramble. Th ink about oining this with $. "ee 1 and ! above 2 be careful you don:t drop into method & below. below. Bo to section !.1.

$ nce I have a plan I can read and start writing the parts I know. & I ust can:t get started and keep reading and reading. ( I am happy to go back and edit as I am writing or edit in one go at the end. * I rarely edit my work because it takes me so long to write it- I don:t have time.

This is good- it takes the pressure off you having to have the whole thing in your head. 4owever4owever- make sure sure you know where in your structure structure the parts you are writing will fit.

"ee 1-!-$. Bo to section section !.# and $.+. $.+.

This is good 2 do edit. edit. This is also
!

Writing effectively

Writing Effectively 1.0Introduction to Writing Effectively E ffectively If you want to improve your marks- you are going to have to consider doing something slightly different.

?ust stop and think about two aspects of how you organise your essay writing. @irst- how you organise your writing- and second- how you you organise your thoughts5 thoughts5 1. Thinking Thinking about about how you organis organise e yourself yourself while writing writing may may change change the way you you go about the whole writing process. >es or ,o

)omments

1 I always have a framework for my essay before I start writing. ! I ust start writing and then the ideas start to flow. # I can:t start writing until I have all the information.

"ome people need the whole picture before before they start writing. >ou may want want to have a plan before you start writing. writing. This will give give you a good framework to work from. If however- you are a mixture of 1 and & think about developing a little more of !. >ou don:t want to get stuck at this phase- get writing to release your block. >ou may ust need a hint of an idea and then the writing process kick3 starts you and the ideas start to flow. flow. If you do this- let your writing flow until you you get some ideas- but you must stop early on and get a plan that gives your work a structure otherwise it could ust ramble. Th ink about oining this with $. "ee 1 and ! above 2 be careful you don:t drop into method & below. below. Bo to section !.1.

$ nce I have a plan I can read and start writing the parts I know. & I ust can:t get started and keep reading and reading. ( I am happy to go back and edit as I am writing or edit in one go at the end. * I rarely edit my work because it takes me so long to write it- I don:t have time.

This is good- it takes the pressure off you having to have the whole thing in your head. 4owever4owever- make sure sure you know where in your structure structure the parts you are writing will fit.

"ee 1-!-$. Bo to section section !.# and $.+. $.+.

This is good 2 do edit. edit. This is also
!

!. Thinking Thinking about about how you organis organise e your thoughts thoughts and how how you structure structure your your writing may change the way you manage the writing product itself. >es or ,o 1 I:m never sure of the style I need to write in. ! %y tutor says that my writing doesn:t
1.1 1.1

)omments )heck with your tutortutor- they may stipulate a style. If not- as you read you will begin to realise the style for your subect area. Generally howeverhowever- you need to write obectively Cnot using ou need to understand understand how paragraphs work 2 see section #. Each paragraph develops an idea and each of the ideas should flow together to produce an
uite a few people have problems with spelling- however using a word processor will allow you to spot most of your errors 2 ma ke sure you use this. >ou may also also ask a friend to uickly read read your essay for spelling errors that may have been missed. This is part of your proof proof reading process that you should do at the end of your work.

There is a danger that inexperienced writers write long sentences when they would do be better with several shorter ones. ones. Always read your work out loud according according to your punctuation. If you pause and there is no comma or full stop check to see what is needed.

Improving your grammar grammar comes with practice. practice. Word processors processors can also pick up strange grammatical structure Cnot allD- so check it out but you may decide to keep a structure if you feel it is right 2 the grammar checker is not particularly good for academic English.

eve ever r min mind d the the !ual !ualit ity" y" feel feel the the #id #idth th$$

"pending a long time writing essays and writing a lot of pages does not eual not eual better marks. Improving your techniues- strategies strategies and style will help you you to gain better marks.

7ow %arks • • • •

• • • • • •

•

8oes not answer the uestion 8oes not demonstrate understanding of the tutor:s obectives for the essay Is overly descriptive "imply restates- even in your own words- what you have read in a book or heard in a lecture 7acks analysis 8oes not assert points effectively and has poor reasoning Takes only one point of view 4as weak structure and organisation 4as poor paragraph structure 4as weak sentence construction- paying little heed to formal grammar and punctuation rules 7acks reflection.

#

Writing effectively

Bood %arks • • • • •

•

• • • • • • • •

Answers the uestion 8evelops a clear and sound argument 0rovides supporting evidence for arguments made "hows appropriate selection of information- theories and issues "hows relationships between different and sometimes conflicting information- theories and issues 8emonstrates understanding of the subect by synthesising Cpulling togetherD other people:s ideas and views )an use evidence and relevant examples "hows you can develop alternative explanations or proposals "hows reflection and thought 8raws conclusions without simply repeating what has gone before Is well structured and has given consideration to
>ou could use this as a checklist when drafting your work to make sure that you have met as many of the criteria for good marks as possible.

1.%

What is an essay&

>ou may be familiar with essays from previous study but it is worth reminding yourself what is expected. 8ifferent subect disciplines may emphasise different features- but broadly speaking essays should5 ;e a piece of continuous writing5 •

•

•

• •

•

•

4ave clear paragraphs 2 some "chools encourage the use of sub3headings. )heck what your school guidelines stateF 4ave a clear line of thought. This may involve the development of an 'argument( in response to a central uestion or propositionF )ontain supplementary
In this section we have looked at what is needed to meet the expectations of your tutors. >ou have reflected on how you write essays. )an you now set some personal targets for improving your writing/

$

%.0Elements of the Writing +rocess Bood writers do not adopt a linear approach to the writing process. It is not simply a matter of ou may have used this approach when you first started writing essays at school but you will need to develop a more sophisticated way of working to respond to the more complex needs of writing at university. ne of the baffling things about writing essays is that although it is not a linear experience you are expected to produce information in a linear way so that your paragraphs hang together effectively and your information is presented seuentially. Writing an essay is about5 8eveloping thinking processes and evolving understanding and knowledge of a • subect 2 this does not happen in a neat and tidy way as in a linear process rganising your thoughts- while gathering information and writing • rganising the structure of the written product • ;eing aware of and developing expertise in the construction of well written English for • academic purposes 2 remember written style will vary according to the subect you are studying and the
,nalysing #hat you have to do

Gathering relevant information

+utting it together

Chec-ing your #or-

)racking the code

,ote3taking

0lanning and organisation

0aragraph structure "ignal words 8rafting G editing Writers block

"ection !.#

"ection #.+

"ection !.1

%.1

Crac-ing the code

9nowing what the essay title is getting at- or what you are supposed to be doing can be difficult.

A tutor has commented that you have not answered the uestion. Tick any of these apply that to you 2 tick 1

I can:t decide what is wanted for this essay

&

Writing effectively

!

What does the uestion actually mean/

#

Am I answering the uestion which has been set/

If you have problems with some of these- it would be helpful for you to think about how you interpret or decipher a uestion set by your tutor. "tart by asking yourself5 •

4ow does the essay uestion fit in with the course- the lectures and the lecturer:s expectations/

•

What is being asked for/ Is it a description- an explanation or a well3documented argument/

,ow let:s look at this in a little more detail. !.1.1

%>T4" A;'T E""A> TIT7E" A,8 )=A)9I,B T4E )8E

>ou may not think this- but the uestions have been carefully worded and the wording is there to help you understand what is reuired. The uestion will not only give you information about the content area you have to write about- but also how you should approach the topic. If you ou need to think about these keys words as these tell you what is expected. If you for example discuss a topic when you have been asked to evaluate it then you will get low marks 2 see !.1.! below. o it is #orth spending time on the title  the -ey to good mar-s starts #ith crac-ing the code of the essay title.

Crac-ing the code

The

1.

!. 3 nderline

2ox

1. +ut a

;'B

*o4

Techniue

#. Glance back to check

around the actioninstruction #ord/s5

(

An action word tells you what you have to do- i.e. the type of essay that is expectede.g. explain- evaluate- analyse etc. These are important words because they are telling you something about the type of structure expected for the essay. %. 3nderline the -ey #ords in the !uestion This will help you sort out- not only the content of your work- but also tell you of any limitations e.g. only a specific time scale or one facet to be analysed.

6. Glance *ac4ave you missed out any words that are important 2 do you fully understand the topic and what you have to do/

'sing the ;'B techniue above box and underline instruction and key words. As you will notice- at this stage you don:t need to know anything about the subect area. Try this yourself *efore you turn the page.

%entally disordered offenders should be the responsibility of health rather than the criminal ustice system. 8iscuss.

,ow check your answer overleaf.

*

Writing effectively

,ns#er

Key words: This clue tells me I should be looking at evidence to decide whether health or the criminal justice system has greater responsibility and what is meant by ‘responsibility

Key words: This is the group I must focus on. I need to explain exactly what this group is.

%entally disordered offenders should be the responsibility of health rather than the criminal system

8iscuss Instruction word : I will have to consider the arguments for and against whether the criminal justice system or health should take responsibility and come to a conclusion! backed up with evidence.

Glance *ac- and weigh up whether any important words have been left out which could make a difference to how you manipulate the facts. f course- a crucial word is should. 8id you spot this/ This makes a difference to ho# you answer the uestion and the way you gather information. This word is asking you to make decisions- based on the evidence you find.

%.% Essay title instruction #ords Each school uses these key words in a slightly different way so it is important that you check with your tutors what type of essay structure they expect when they use words such as <8iscuss: or ou are advised to check with your department. "ome instruction words is used in a very specific way by different subects.

,ccount for

Bive the reason for. ,ot to be confused with HBive an account ofH which is only asking for description.

,nalyse

8escribe the main ideas in depth- showing why they are important and how they are connected.

,ssess

8iscuss the strong and weak points of the subect. 0ut your own  udgement clearly in the conclusion.



Comment

"tate your views on the subect clearly. ;ack up your points with sufficient evidence and examples.

Compare

7ook for similarities and differences

Contrast

"how how the subects are different.

Criticise

Bive your opinion3udgement about the merit of theories3factsF back this up by discussing the evidence or reasoning involved

Define

Bive clear- concise meanings. "tate limitations of the definition

Descri*e

Bive a detailed or graphic account of 

Discuss

Bive reasons for and againstF examine implications

Evaluate

Weigh things upF look at the strengths and weaknesses and assess

E4amine

7ook closely at all aspects

E4plain

Bive reasons for something

Illustrate

%ake clear by the use of examples3diagramsF clarify points

Interpret

Express in simple terms. >ou are usually expected to include your own  udgements.

7ustify

"how adeuate ground for decisions3conclusions3ideas3theories

Outline

Bive the main features or general principles of a subect 3 should not include all the details

+rove

Establish that something is true by presenting factual evidence or giving clear- logical reasons.

8elate

"how how things are connected to each otherF how they affect each other

8evie#

%ake a survey of something

tate

0resent brief- clear information

ummarise

Bive a concise account for the main points 3 should not include details

9race

@ollow the development of a topic

9o #hat e4tent: Another way of saying evaluate but suggests that you bring out how much Cor how littleD

,ow take one of your own titles and analyse it in the same way.

J

Writing effectively

!.!.1

A

"4=T "'%%A=>

)racking the )ode  has looked at5 

  

Thinking about being more analytical when working out what is wanted in your essay from the words in the title A practical system for helping you to get started A practical system for helping you to develop the skills of language analysis 4elping you to be more confident about what your tutor is expecting from you in the assignment.

What ne4t& 0erhaps you need to improve upon your method of gathering informationevidence for your essay Csee Developing an Effective Search Strategy BuideD >ou may want to look at some examples of ways of grouping information 2 often thought of as <oined3up thinking: or ou may need to explore ways of structuring your essays and developing plans >ou might want to find out how to improve the way you express your ideas in your essay. 



 

%.6

Organising the content  strategies for note;ta-ing and organisation

>es or ,o

)omment

1 8o you spend a lot of time gathering information for an essay/

4ave you interpreted the uestion accurately and focused your research/ 8o you know how to gather information/ "ee Developing an Effective Search Strategy   Buide. Bo to section !.1.

! 8o you find that you have gathered information for an essay which is irrelevant/ # 8o you find it difficult to decide what is needed for your essay from the information you have/ $ 8o you end up with lots of notes and spend too much time picking out information that you need when you come to write your essay/

"ee 1. above. Try and focus your reading.

Again- understanding the uestion will help you focus.

This sounds like you are ust
1+

& 8o tutors comment that you have not answered the uestion/ ( 8o tutors tell you that there are irrelevant sections in your essay

!.#.1

4W

%ake sure you have understood the uestion properly and that you have focused your research.

%ake sure you have an overall framework for your essay. If you do- then you will see that some sections don:t fit.

T I%0=KE >'= E@@I)IE,)> 2 BAT4E=I,B A,8 =BA,I"I,B I,@=%ATI,

This section will give you tips about how to organise yourself when gathering information for an essay. Time is a precious commodity for all students- and it is important that you work effectively and efficiently. 0erhaps you are not well organised when researching your information. >ou may also want to look at Developing an Effective Search Strategy  Buide. If you have analysed your !uestion well- you will have a better idea of what to look for. A little time invested in the early stages of essay writing- can have huge pay3offs in terms of time management and improving your marks. If you are having problems here- take a look at Being an Independent Learner  Buide- section !.+.

Bathering and rganising Information 9E+ 1 I have analysed the title 2 so what information do I need to look for /


9E+ % Where can I look to get the information I need/

O38CE O= I=O8>,9IO • lecture notes unit handouts Celectronic3paperD • recommended reading list5 books• •  ournals Celectronic G paperD- online databases- online search engines • information from the student handbook • "ee Developing an Effective Search Strategy  Buide.

9E+ 6 What is the best way of organising the collection of information once collected/


7et:s look at bit further at how these techniues can be developed.

!.#.!

'"I,B %I,8 %A0"

W4E, )77E)TI,B I,@=%ATI,

>ou can use %indmaps in step 1 when you are collecting information. %indmaps allow you to represent your ideas visually. >ou will need to enter one centre concept from which you will link other ideas. This reflects your memory structure as a network. %indmaps are useful for5

11

Writing effectively

•

•

•

 Jotting down initial ideas - They are an excellent way to help you start linking ideas and themes for your essay. Notetaking - >ou could use a concept as your centre key word linking issues3 positions and authors that support those positions. riting - >ou can use this to organise the structure3plan of your essay.

%indmaps are not for everyone. They are preferred by random and holistic thinkers as a first stage towards a linear plan. >ou can put your ideas down ust as they come- no matter what the order or how you think about things. "ee Understanding your Learning Style if you are not sure what kind of learner you are.

!.#.#

'"I,B 7I"T" W4E, )77E)TI,B I,@=%ATI,

"ome people are not so comfortable with mindmaps and prefer to make lists. If you prefer lists you are probably a linear thinker. >our lists may be5 ,umbered 2 even to several levels- e.g. 1.1- 1.! 2 and this often reflects the structure of sections within an essay or a report. This guide is an example of
@or more information on looking for sources of information Cstep !D- see Developing an Effective Search Strategy  guide.

!.#.$

'"I,B

I,8EL )A=8" T =BA,I"E I,@=%ATI,

nce you have decided what information to collect and you have collected it- you will need to develop a method for organising it and index cards is one example.

Inde4 Cards  





These are useful for those who like to gather information in separate compartments. They can be physically moved around at a later stage to work out the seuence and structure of an essay. They are good for tactile3kinaesthetic learners. They can prevent copying out word for word what is in books and ournals because there is a limited space available for making notes They are good for developing summary skills.

Each card should contain5 A title The full reference of where your found the information Cthis will help when you come to doing your reference list or when citing references in your essay 3 see the !eferencing "our ork  Buide "ome *rief  bullet points about the information needed for the essay >our own thoughts6comments 2 preferably in a different colour to help them stand out and so that you can differentiate your and others: ideas.  

 

An example of an Index )ard


1!

• • •

•

Important information for strategies 4ow to get started at 'niversity Cp.1D  <%emory thrives on organisation: Cp.!11

Kisual maps easy to use

1#

An example of a %indmap

Writing effectively

0ttack on %ilesia '1 23 / pre+emptive attack 40ustrian threat5

'1<= + death of 8mpress of 6ussia + #eter ''' , advisor to 7red

o option but build up + large/effective

$eo+political weakness + impetus for state centralisation , territorial ac-ui sition

Primacy of Foreign Policy

:eath of )harles
$enerous leave system

)anton %ystem+ minimised expenses

)avalry 7ire power linear troop formations

Efficiency of Army

Improved communication to canals and ports

0griculture + clearing of marshes

"hy did #russia alone among the $erman %tates become a &$reat #ower& in '(th )*

#olicy of secrecy i n 7.#olicy , personal role in diplomacy / credibility with advisors

6ivalry with 7ather* 8ngendered ambition*

Personality of Fred. the Great

Father's limited, timid foreign policy

%aw himself as 980:86 + never seen out of military uniform Domestic Reforms

%ociety moulded to fit 7.#olicy

0c-uisition of %ilesia + )oal )6;)I09

,otice that %ain headings are underlined ,otice how ideas are grouped using colour and shape

@or another example of a mind map see "ection &.# of the &reparing Effectively for  E'a(inations Buide .

1$

!.#.& • •

• • •

'"I,B

I,@=%ATI, B=I8" 6%AT=ILE" T =BA,I"E I,@=%ATI,

These can help you categorise and compare information. They can help prevent copying out word for word what is in books and ournals because there is a limited space available for making notes They are good for developing summary skills. They are useful for those who like to see an overview of information. They are very good for those of you who have difficulty with seuencing and structuring essays because they act as a first stage in this process by allowing you to gather the information randomly. nce this has been completed- you can then order the information as you wish.

Information grids e4plained using an essay !uestion %entally disordered offenders should be the responsibility of 4ealth rather than the )riminal ?ustice "ystem. 8iscuss

This is ,T describe. 0resent a case for CMD and case against C3D

>our entally disordered offenders

9eep these key words in mind so that you remember what it is you have to focus on. They are not any old offenders but
,gainst )-+

,lternatives

=esponsibility of the health service

=esponsibility of the criminal ustice system

1&

Writing effectively

It is important to use the language of your uestion in your matrix. This will act as a constant reminder of what you are supposed to be finding out and will help to prevent you wandering from the point As you delve into different sources of information- you can note what is said in one colour- your comments in another colour and links to your system for recording the sources Creferencing systemsD in a third colour.

In favour of

,gainst

,lternative

2eing the responsi*ility of health service

The people concerned need help.

4ealth care is based on consent between patient and doctors. 8octors- etc. do not wish to be custodians.

2eing the responsi*ility of criminal ?ustice system

'nless held responsible for offending behaviour they will not learn

0risons are no place for people with mental disorders. %entally disordered likely to be unemployed- etc.- so fines- etc. not sensible

Why treat this group differently/ If so disordered that they have a defence it is one thing butotherwise they are responsible for themselves. What about the responsibility of family- carers- etc./ 0erhaps they should have taught- guidedhelped the individuals more.

•

•

•

•

•

With a large A# piece of paper you would have room in the boxes to place the source of your information3idea. >ou should develop your own cross3referencing system so that you can easily locate the sources of information. This will help you to cite references with greater accuracy. ,otice how the table can be used to structure your essay. After a brief introduction you could begin by developing the points in the box about why the criminal ustice system is inappropriate- why the health service is preferable- then why the health system is inappropriate and why there are arguments in favour of the criminal ustice system. Then you could develop one or more of your suggestions for an alternative approach. The order in which you develop the ideas has more to do with style than with substance. >our examiners are more interested in substance than style.

,ow decide which of these methods you are more comfortable with and try using them in the next essay you have to write. !.#.(

A "4=T "'%%A=>

We have looked at ways of organising and gathering information for your essays such as5

1(

%ethods which will help you to be more organised Ways in which you can prevent yourself from copying word for word in your note making 2 this will prevent you from the temptation of using other people:s words as your own CplagiarismD %ethods which will help you to structure your written work 4ow colour can be effective in categorising information and ideas 4ow colour can be used to differentiate different types of information.

• •

• • •

What ne4t& >ou may need to think about how to translate these graphical notes into a linear • format for drafting your work. >ou might want to look at improving your paragraph writing. • >ou might need to find out how to cite your references 2 see !eferencing your  • ork - Buide.

6.0,spects of the Written +roduct f course getting organised and finding the best strategy to suit not only you but the task and context of your writing is important. 4owever- some students find getting ideas into good essays which have structure and are well constructed is the part that takes the time. If your tutor has commented upon
6.1 9he paragraph structure Written work comprises by definition a grouping of paragraphs. These paragraphs are linked coherently so that the document you write hangs together and develops a line of argument. The diagram below schematically depicts the function of paragraphs in an essay- using five paragraphs as a basic model for explanation. The larger the oblong- the more generic the information is that you write about. The smaller bars on the oblongs represent the main idea of that paragraph. The dotted lines between the paragraphs represent coherence between the paragraphs and the heavy line from <&: to <1: indicate that you should refer back to your opening statements offering either a summary Creiterating what you have doneD or a conclusion Ca synopsis of your e valuations from the topics you discussedD to end the essay.

1

A %

6

@

1*

Writing effectively

&aragraph . will constitute the introduction and will contain5 • A (otivating state(ent 2 this is optional. >ou may find you add this statement after you have found an interesting fact or position that sums up what you want to talk about. It could be a provocative uestion. Whatever- it is used to catch the reader:s attention. • A thesis state(ent 2 this is essential Cfor the maority of essay typesD. The thesis statement is a clearly focused statement as a result of your research and analysis for the essay. It makes a clear statement of what the essay will cover and the structure it will take. &aragraphs /0102. These will constitute the *ody of your essay. 0aragraph ! will be your first topic for discussion. >ou may have indicated in your • introductory paragraphCsD what topics you will be discussing- so the reader will be prepared for this. • 0aragraph # will be a sub3topic of paragraph !. >ou will use this level if you want to further discuss some aspect of the topic mentioned in paragraph !. • 0aragraph $ can be used to link back to your introductory paragraph- or some more generalised statement about the topic from paragraph !. 0aragraphs !-# and $ will develop for as many topics you need. &aragraph 3. This is your conclusion and will sum up key factors of the topic discussedand relate back to issues in your introduction. ,ever introduce new topics in this paragraph. This &30aragraph structure is simply a model for the role of paragraphs in an essay. If you have a large essay or dissertation you will find paragraphs will become sections comprising several paragraphs. 4owever- the principle of the model remains the same.

To illustrate this point we are using a short essay which contains seven paragraphs- but does not detract from the basic model. This text is an authentic text and not contrived to fit the model- so the fit is not exact- but the principles are still there. The reference for the text is5 Warren- Adam C!++!D- Asking the right uestions- 4onnections- 1#C1D. This article was written for lecturers. )an you read each paragraph and identify the r oles of the paragraphs in the essay as well as the message of each paragraph. Also- say how it links with previous text Cif at allD. "ome of these have been done for you.

1

Asking the right uestions

1. If you ask any academic to list their least favourite tasks- the chances are that marking assignments will be freuently mentioned. This is especially true for tutors who teach large cohorts of students- where the marking burden can become crushingly heavy and must wait until sufficient time can be allocated. n the other hand- if you ask students what would help them learn- you will find that they would like detailed feedback on their assignments. They would also like that feedback soon after the completion of the assignment while it is still fresh in their minds- rather than weeks later when they have moved on to other topics.

=ole of this paragraph

%otivator 2 it is rather long though

What is this paragraph about and how does it link back

It helps to link the topic with the experience of the reader- and acts as a  
"ets out the thesis statement 3 assessment for academics is a less favourite taskwhile for students it is a very important aspect of  their learning.

! )omputer3assisted assessment C)AAD offers at least a partial solution to these challenges by enabling tutors to create online u iNNes that use automated marking to provide the students with instant feedback on their answers. The catch for tutors is that creating these online uiNNes reuires an up3front investment of time and effort before any benefits can be reaped. top here$  before you read any further note down what you think will come next in the essay. Then- read on and see if your expectations are fulfilled. This is what we all do when we read and your tutor is no exception.

# #he process should start with careful consideration of how )AA will fit in to the overall assessment strategy for the unit. @or example- )AA is most effective when used to assess recall of facts and their applicationwhereas essays allow students to demonstrate their understanding of a t opic. It follows that the choice of techniue should match the type of learning obective that is being assessed- and that )AA is simply a new and useful addition to the techniues available to the tutor.

5#he process6 links %ack to 5an up-front invest(ent of ti(e and effort6 in  paragraph / which is part of the introduction7 #his paragraph is a%out the first part of this process looking at how lecturers first need to consider the role 4,, has in the assess(ent process7

1J

Writing effectively

$ )AA is freuently used for formative assessmentF in other words the uiN is intended to help the students learn rather than contribute to their final grade. @or example- weekly lectures could be followed up with a short uiN that allows students to check that they have understood the key points. "tudents would complete the test in their own time and receive immediate feedback on their answers- including pointers to further study materials if needed. They could re3take the test as often as they wished- including later in the year when they are revising for their exams. & )reating the uestions is the most difficult and time3consuming aspect of )AA. )are needs to be taken to ensure that the uestions are accurate- unambiguous and suitably challenging. The distracters Cincorrect answersD need to be plausible and should ideally match common errors and misconceptions- while the feedback must be sufficiently detailed to help students learn from their mistakes. The uestions must then be entered into the )AA system Cfor example ;lackboardD but this only takes a few minutes per uestion. ne of the key advantages of )AA is the ability to include images as part of the uestion and6or the answers. f course the images Cphotos- diagrams- maps- music scores- euations etc.D must be located or created- then prepared for display on a computer. This adds to the time needed to create the uestion and can also introduce copyright issues- but is nevertheless an extremely useful techniue. In theory it is possible to use other types of multimedia Caudio- video- animationD but these will present daunting technical challenges for most tutors. ( The final step is to create a uiN based on the uestions. The ;lackboard system allows you to create several HpoolsH of uestionsand a uiN can include uestions drawn from one or more pools. It is even possible to include a random selection of uestions from a pool- so that the uiN is different each time it is taken. At this stage the tutor can also define when the test is available and how many marks it is worth. The latter is useful even with formative tests in order to help students assess how well they did. * nce the students have completed the u iN and read their feedback- the tutor can also look at their scores and uickly identify students who are having problems. The results from the class as a whole can also highlight problematic topics and prompt the tutor to provide additional coverage in class if reuired. @urther processing of the results in a spreadsheet will indicate which uestions are most effective at

!+

discriminating between students of different ability. top here$ This text has no real concluding paragraph. 4ow would you conclude such a small essay/

In the activity above how did you -uickly establish what a paragraph was about* :id you read the first and possibly the second sentence in each paragraph to determine this* If you were doing this! then you were reading the topic sentence4s5 of the paragraph. 0 topic sentence points to what the paragraph is about and we can skim read a text! just by reading the first and second sentences of a paragraph to get the gist of the whole text. $o back and read the first sentence of each paragraph. :o you get the flow of ideas from this* 6emember! when you write! you should also do the same for your reader.

6.% Lin-ing ideas ; Beeping your essay coherent In the five3 paragraph model- paragraphs are linked together with a dotted line. This represents the coherence that must exist between and within paragraphs if they are to make sense to the reader 3 see a diagram of the paragraph structure be low5

0aragraph "tructure

7ink sentence from previous paragraph Topic sentence

8evelop topic

%ove towards next topic3next paragraph

optionalal 

essential 

essential 

optional 

The topic sentence should concisely convey what the paragraph is about- see paragraph # in our example above- e.g. O4,, is fre8uently used for for(ative assess(ent9:  As a first sentence in a paragraph this clearly indicates what the paragraph will be about. This idea is then developed further in the paragraph.

#.!.1

'"I,B "I%I7A= W=8" T 7I,9 I8EA"

Kery often topics in paragraphs are linked using similar words or concepts and very often a straight repeat of words across paragraphs.

!1

Writing effectively

If we take our sample text- we can see how this writer has tried to produce a coherent piece of text. "ome of the table has been filled in for you. )an you complete the information for paragraphs/ ,;

T" P topic sentence- 0P paragraph

0aragraph

Words

7inks toQ

Topic is about

1

%otivator sentence that sets the scene by identifying a solution for the least favourite task of lecturers.

!

7ast sentence 77 re8uires an up-front invest(ent of ti(e97

@irst sentence links back to 01

)AA is an
#

T" #he process should start977

0! regarding the up3front nature of process in using )AA

Betting started- think why we need )AA

$

T"

&

T"

(

T"

*

T" ;nce the students have co(pleted the 8ui<97

0!- 0# regarding the process and 01 regarding students and wanting feedback

)AA as a diagnostic tool- provides feedback for staff G students

>ou should be able to see how tightly the ideas are linked together. There is constant reference to what has gone before and the readers of this text are firmly kept within the process of creating computer aided assessment. 4owever- the ideas are being developed- but since the example text is short- there has been little opportunity to develop these ideas in more detail. In your essays you may have the opportunity to develop your ideas more. ,TE There is always a balance between repeating ideas and moving on. =epetitiveness without development will drive your reader craNy. ?ust imagine you are weaving old ideas from previous paragraphs into new information so you keep the reader Cand youD on track.

!!

#.!.!

'"I,B "IB,A7 W=8" T 7I,9 >'= A=B'%E,T"

"ignal words help the reader through the text. They act as small arrows that keep the reader on track. Without signal words a text is uite difficult to read and can sound very stilted. If you are stating a new idea or giving an example in a paragraph- it is a good idea to use ou can determine this by the essay title given to you- see "ection !.!
7ook at some of the examples taken from our text5 0aragraph 15 ;n the other hand0 if you ask students what would help the( learn0 you will find that they would like detailed feed%ack on their assign(ents7 The underlined text signals contrast between the lecturers: needs Cmentioned earlierD and the students: needs. 0aragraph $5 4,, is fre8uently used for for(ative assess(ent= in other words the 8ui< is intended to help the students learn rather than contri%ute to their final grade7 The underlined text signals an explanation or elaboration of the term ou will know what to do once you have cracked the code of the assignment3exam uestion. )omplete the following table with examples from your essays. Listing

"ignal wordCsD

An example

,umbers

There are three reasons forQQ Cmake sure you discuss #D

@irst

The first isQ

"econd

The second isQ..

A maor development The most important development6idea6concept To begin with ,ext 7ater @urthermore

!#

Writing effectively

In addition Afterwards @inally In conclusion

4o(pare and 4ontrast  "ignal wordCsD

An example

Comparison similarly

The other robot was si(ilarly  affected.

likewise In the same way

In the sa(e way - the more advanced robot was unable to fulfil a series of parallel tasks.

In comparison

Contrast While

4e remained calm while his colleague lost his temper.

;ut however

;ill remained calm- however - his colleague did not.

In contrast

In contrast to his colleague- ;ill remained calm.

Even though n the other hand In comparison ,ot onlyQ but also

4ause and Effect  "ignal wordCsD As a conseuence

An example3 complete the empty spaces yourself   ,s a conse8uence of the operation- the patient was in constant pain.

because conseuently

The patient was in constant pain and conse8uently  had to

!$

undergo further medical procedures. As a result of  8ue to

Due to a serious vehicle breakdown- the crew were unable to film at all that day. The vehicle bringing the euipment broke down. #herefore- the crew unable to continue.

therefore The reason forQ IfQ.. thenQ. Q with the result thatQ

&ro%le( - solution "ignal wordCsD

An example

The dilemma facingQ. The problem facing A maor difficulty with A resolution to this problem isQ

68798)T  ext time you read a text! make a note of how the writer uses these signal words. Then look at some essays you have written. >ow well do you signal to the reader what is to come* 0lso! note how the thesis statement4s5 in texts are developed and how ideas and similar words appear throughout the text! keeping them closely woven together.

6.% Drafting and editing tips These are different activities. It helps to keep them separate. Drafting When you are drafting an essay- it can be enough of a struggle ust to get the ideas down in the right order. 8o not add to it by worrying too much about finding the right word or a particular reference. In fact- when you are stuck for a word- it is often better to leave a gap and fill it in later. ;e sure to remind yourself to go back and find the word laterperhaps by putting a note in suare brackets Rfind the wordS. Editing When you have finished your first draft and left it alone for a day or two- you need to put on your editor:s hat. %any people find it helps to print out the first draft and mark it up in a different coloured pen  you can choose the alterations you would like to make without losing sight of the original text. Also- it is e asier to flick from page to page as you check the draft. =ead the essay as if someone else had written it. Are the main points of the essay clear/ 8o the examples and references support them/ 8oes the essay move forward in a logical fashion- or does it need better structuring

!&

Writing effectively

and6or sign3posting/ Are the sentences clear and concise/ Are there instances of repetition/ waffle/ ,ow is the time to check that you have included all the references you need Cand not left any unattributedD- and filled in any blanks that you left. If you are unsure about how to reference have a look at the !eferencing "our ork  Buide. When you are happy that you have marked up all the changes that you can cope with- go back to the computer and edit the document. It is a good idea to spell3check it at this stage. 0rint it out- and repeat the process.

Stop and think77 After analysing the uestion- collecting and organising information • • • • • •

• •

%ake an essay plan 8evelop a thread that can link these ideas across paragraphs Write a thesis statement. 8evelop the evidence you have found stating who says what. ;e obective in your presentation of arguments )ome to your own conclusion by evaluating the evidence you present Edit and redraft until you are satisfied 0roof3read your work.

6.@ Constructing an argument When constructing an argument- you can use the model of the &3paragraph essay above. In this section we shall look at how we can tailor the &3paragraph model to pro duce an effective argument. Each argument CtopicD and supporting evidence Ctopic developmentD should be critically argued  in relation to your claim Cthesis statementD.

Argument P your claim Cthesis statementD M supporting evidence

,TE The easiest way to think of a critical essay is to use the
In order to develop an argument you will need to carefully write your thesis statement. 7ook at some of these thesis statements. )an you identify why one of each pair is a good and the other a poor thesis statement/ These have been taken from5

!(

'niversity of Toronto5 Advice on Academic Writing5 http56www.utoronto.ca6writing6advise.html A. 0oor

"hakespeare was the World:s greatest playwright.

Why poor/ Why is it difficult to develop from this point/

;etter

The success of the last scene in %idsummer ,ight:s 8ream comes from subtle linguistic and theatrical references to EliNabeth:s position as ueen.

Why good/ 4ow could you develop this/

0oor

4aving an official policy on euthanasia ust causes problemsas the 8utch example shows.

Why poor/ Why is it difficult to develop from this point/

;etter

8utch laws on euthanasia have been rightly praised for their attention to the principles of self3 determination. =ecent caseshowever- show that they have not been able to deal adeuately with issues involving technological intervention of unconscious patients. 4amarckian strategies can solve at least the uestion of assignation of rights.

Why good? How could you develop this?

;.

,TE5 The thesis statement is vital. It is the point from which you develop your supporting arguments. Always check that you are able to do this from the thesis statementCsD you write. "upporting evidence shows that you are looking at the evidence- findings of other researchers etc. in support of your thesis statement. >ou need to show that you are looking at this information fairly and with a critical eye.  ,ny conclusions you co(e to are due to the evidence you discuss7 The topic sentences in your supporting paragraphs will act as mini3thesis statements at the paragraph level. They help to focus your discussion. To do this you need to evaluate CcriticiseD what you read in relation to your thesis statement.

Bo back to an essay you have completed- or one you are working on now and work through the next activity5

!*

Writing effectively

>es or ,o

What to do if <,o: 

The claim I am making is clear from the thesis statement and I can easily argue from that point. I know where to get the evidence in support of my claim- e.g.  
If you really cannot get the evidence- you may need to rephrase your thesis statement to avoid having to discuss this point.

I am not sure if I have enough evidence to support my claim.

@rom the evidence I present- I am unable to come to my own position on the claim I have made.

There may not be enough evidence
@.0
>es or ,o

"uggestions

1 8o you sit for periods gaNing at a blank page3screen unable to get going/

8on:t feel you have to start from the beginning. @ree yourself up by allowing yourself to start writing at any point 2 ust think of it a s writing down what you know at this point in time. >ou will find that as soon as you start writing- the ideas will start to flow.

! 8o you find that you have
8id you write a plan/ Writing a plan and breaking the essay down into smaller sections makes it more manageable. "tart with the sections you understand best. With a word processor you ust cut a nd paste the bits you:ve written and re3arrange them.

# 8o you find yourself procrastinating and finding anything to do rather than get started with your essay/

This is often because you feel you are not
!

If you answered ‘yes to most of these you probably suffer from writers block. 6ead the suggestions to try and get  yourself out of this difficulty.

@.1 9ips and strategies for overcoming '9he 2lan- +age yndrome( We all- at least from time to time- suffer from this. "o- take some steps to try and break through. $.1.1

T4E T4I,9E=: " WA=%3'0 @= W=ITI,B "'))E""

If you have followed the guidelines for e fficient writing- you will have done some of the following5 The uasar 8eading 9echni!ues 3 see the !eading ,cade(ically  Buide • Crac-ing the Code 2 deciphering the language of the essay uestion • >ind >apping 2 smart techniues for more efficient information3gathering • Talk yourself through some of your ideas- alone or with a friend. • ;elow is an example of a mindmap created by the software
!J

Writing effectively

Talk: Tape record y our ideas, section !y section

Make use of sof tware packages which help y ou map out y our ideas and links. You might find npiration or Mind Manager useful.

"i#e each section a 'working' title and some 'working su!$ headings'. These can !e deleted for the final draft.

Talk: Talk aloud your ideas as if you were explaining your ideas to someone

Talk: Run your ideas past a friend Make a large diagram%flow chart with headings and !ullet points

$etting %tarted: ?vercoming the @lank #age %yndrome

"o through your notes and sort these into piles which correspond with your essay sections%

()'T write your introduction first. &ait until you see how your essay has e#ol#ed.

&rite down as many !ullet points as you can in f i#e minutes

)ow sort them out into y our essay order 

)reated using Inspiration©

#+

If you feel you have writer:s block- then select one of the techniues above and try it out when you come to write your next essay. Bo back over the section and make sure understand ways of freeing
A

"4=T "'%%A=>

This section has outlined some of the common causes for Writer:s ;lock. The most common cause is that you try to start writing your essay before you are • clear about what you want to say. To overcome this- make sure you know what the < big picture: is5 that is- work out a • map of what you want to cover in your essay on a large piece of paper. %ake sure you are properly organised before you start writing. • • Bet all your notes for different sections of your essay clipped together and go through these- highlighting in colour the important features. • "ome people like to use flo# charts or diagrams to keep them on track while they are writing. • Try putting some sub3headings Cin a different colour from your usual textD on the page to get you started- and some bullet points to help you think about the main points you want to put in the different sections3paragraphs.

What ne4t& nce you have got started and done your first draft- you might want to think about 5 Editing your work Cwhen is the best time to do this for you / • 8eveloping good paragraph structure 2 a good paragraph structure links ideas well • and makes your essay coherent. 8evelop your proof3reading skills 2 do this at the end 2 check for spelling and • grammatical errors.

A.0What is +lagiarism& A definition from the xford English 8ictionary is to5  OTo take and use as ones own! the thoughts! writings or inventions of another.A 0lagiarising is grounds for failure 2 so make sure you are not plagiarising when you write. >ou could be accused of plagiarism if you5 copy word for word from someone else:s work- a text book- a ournal article or a web site without referencing it. The uote above is a word for word uote- but the source is referenced >ou used someone else:s ideas or theories without acknowledging whose they are 0araphrasing the words of others and not acknowledging where the ideas came from. "o plagiarism is concerned with using others: words- ideas- diagrams- pictures etc. where the source is not referenced. 

 

#1

Writing effectively

>ou can prevent this happening by rganising your information collection 2 using bibliographic software like End,ote or =eference %anager are excellent ways of doing this. "ee , >uide t  Using Endnote 8eveloping good summary writing skills )iting your references clearly 2 see !eferencing your ork  Buide. 

 

8o any of these apply to you/ >es or ,o

"uggestions

I can:t possibly write this in a better way than the author of this book/

Write key words from what the author said 2 make a sentence from the keywords and reference where you got the idea from.

I can:t remember from my notes which are (y  words and which are the sections that I got from another source.

>ou need to organise your notes better 2 see section above. Try using cards or software like End,ote.

%y way of note3making is to copy out chunks from a source because it gives the information I need for the essay.

"ee above 2 paraphrase ideas 2 reference them- or take key uotes Cnot too longD and reference them.

%ost students do not mean to plagiarise the work of others. >ou can prevent this happening by being more organised when you gather the relevant information for your essay and by learning how to cite references properly in your essay.

 A.1 Ways to ,void +lagiarism Organise

"elect a system for organising information as you collect it5 references- notes- where you can find it again etc. "ee !.# above.

ummarise

=ead a section of information. =ead actively  2 for example- highlight6underline the key words or phrases. "ee !eading ,cade(ically  guide 0ut aside your source so you can:t see it =eflect on what you have ust read Write down the key ideas in bullet points or some other way ,ow go back to your source and check that you are correct. =E%E%;E= to record the exact details of your source in your chosen system.

Colour

4ave plenty of coloured highlighter pens available for use when doing your background reading. 'se different colours to record5 your bullet points3summaryF other people:s words and reference sources. The colours will help things t o stand out so that you do not mistake your own words and those of others in your notes.

#!

,ow try one of the techniues for yourself. 1. !.

'se colour in your notes to show your own words and those of others. 'se colour with an information grid3matrix when noting down the main ideas.

&.1.1 • • •

A

"4=T "'%%A=>

4ow information grids6matrixes can help prevent you from copying word for word. "trategies for summarising information from different sources. 4ow to use colour effectively to get over the problem of using the words of others.

What ne4t& If you are unsure about how to refer the work of others in your essay- take a look at the !eferencing "our ork  Buide. If you like to use technology to help you- you might like to look at the Using Endnote Bi%liographic Software Buide to help you get organised and to help you save time.

.0trategies for +roof;8eading or
.1 , 9ime >anagement Issue If you are going to check your work properly- you must ensure that you build in time to do it- and that you think about this when you are organising your overall essay time. • The time it takes to proof3read will vary according to the length of your essay o the complexity of the essay structure 2 third year proects- dissertationo theses are going to take different lengths of time to proof3read because of the number of chapters and sub3sections involved >our own ability to see your own errors o >ou need to esti(ate the time you need to spend on this activity. >ou will become more accurate in your estimations as you learn about your own proof3reading abilities and udging the
•

##

Writing effectively

•

Whatever system your prefer you must leave at least one day between finishing your essay and reading through it for errors. The longer you can leave it the better because creating some distance between the w riting and the proof3reading stage- will enable you to see what is on the page- rather than what you think you wrote. >ou will need to experiment with timings to ensure that your memory is flushed out before you do your own proof3reading. =emember everyone is different- so what works for your friend does not necessarily work for you.

@or more information on time management- see Being and Independent Learner  Buidesection !.+.

.% potting your o#n errors  What tools do I need& 9he *asic tool-it @irst of all it has to be said that not everyone is good at this so if you are never going • to be efficient you must develop alternative ways of doing this 2 do not simply avoid it. •

>ou need to have a very good memory for the look of words when spotting spelling errors as well as knowing something about spelling rules.

•

>ou need to have knowledge about sentence and paragraph structures to be able to check your own essays for
•

>ou need to be able to make decisions about whether the whole essay hangs together for the reader. This means that you need to understand how essays are structured effectively.

•

If you are checking your work for spelling errors- the way that professional proof3 readers go about this aspect of the ob is to start reading backwards In other wordsstart with the last word and read the previous word and so on. This makes you look at the spelling because you have taken away the element of
'Other( tool-its • 0roof3reading ou have to decide on a mutual deadline and place to get together to form a
Betting a proof3reading ou have to really trust your buddy and not feel embarrassed or threatened as they read your work while you are sitting next to them. This often appeals to auditory learners who can spot their own errors when they hear what they have written.

•

=eading your work aloud or onto a tape recorder is the other alternative to the above suggestion. If you are an auditory learner- this strategy can work well. 2ut" you must read exactly what is on paper not what it should be. When you hear what you have written- you may be able to spot poor sentence structure.

#$

3sing technology to help "pelling checkers have their limitations. They will not pick out a ou need a sound knowledge of language to spot these types of errors. •

;eware of spelling checkers which are set to an American spelling system. Tutors will be understandably irritated by American spellings of words.

•

Brammar checkers are good for those with a sound knowledge of grammar and the technical terminology which accompanies this. %any students switch this on during checking- and the computer tells you that ou must ask yourself if this information is useful to you or simply adding to your problems.

•

'sing voice recognition software can be useful if you prefer to work alone so that you can listen to your sentences and paragraphs being read aloud to you by the computer to hear if they make sense. f course- spotting the error and correcting it are two different things. 4owever- it might show you where your gaps in knowledge about language are and what you need to learn. =emember5 be an active learner.

9he 2ottom Line • There is no substitute for knowledge of how our language works and goes together to make sense. •

There is no uick route to this knowledge 2 you may have to work at this if you find that there are gaps. There are many sites on the web which give instruction and advice.

•

>ou could get someone to correct your sentences and spelling errors for you- but you will never become an independent writer and you will not be able to rectify your errors once you have spotted them

.6

9ips for >anaging the +roof;reading +rocess ; or ho# to learn from your mista-es

ver time you will begin to know the kind of errors you generally make- so look out for them. @or example5 •

•

•

If you freuently misuse the comma Cputting it in place of a full stopD- now may be the time to learn about how and when to use each. 7ook for spelling error patterns 2 do you freuently get certain words incorrect/ 8o you often miss off the endings of words or the middle bits/ ;y findings patterns of errors you will get a focus on what you need to tackle to improve.

,TE >ou can set up your word processor to correct your freuent spelling errors. In %icrosoft Word you can go to #ools 6 ,uto4orrect  on the top menu bar and fill in your freuent spelling errors with the correct spelling. "o- every time you spell that way in future- it will correct it for you. If you are relying on handwritten work- as in exams- try memorising the words you have particular difficulties with.

#&

Writing effectively

•

•

Think about a manageable number to work on at any one time. C1+ absolute maximumD >ou will have to find the best memory strategies to match learning the word- e.g. seeing them as a picture might help or pronouncing words as they look in the spelling 2 whatever system best suits you.

•

>ou will need to work on these and test yourself every day 2 it will only take a few minutes if you limit what you are trying to achieve.

•

=emember that spellings have to have 1++U accuracy rates so you cannot move to another word until you can spell the word without thinking about it 2 in other words it ust comes automatically.

•

=emember to concentrate upon the
•

%ake sure that you concentrate upon the specialist terminology for your subect. It does not look good if you are trying to argue a complex point and you cannot even spell the topic words correctly.

.@ our Chec-list =emember5

7ow %arks • • • • • • • • • • •

8oes not answer the uestion 8oes not demonstrate understanding of the tutor:s obectives for the essay Is overly descriptive "imply restates- even in your own words- what you have read in a book or heard in a lecture 7acks analysis 8oes not assert points effectively and has poor reasoning Takes only one point of view 4as weak structure and organisation 4as poor paragraph structure 4as weak sentence construction- paying little heed to formal grammar and punctuation rules 7acks reflection.

Bood %arks • • • • •

Answers the uestion 8evelops a clear and sound argument 0rovides supporting evidence for arguments made "hows appropriate selection of information- theories and issues "hows relationships between different and sometimes conflicting information- theories and issues

#(

•

• • • • • • • •

8emonstrates understanding of the subect by synthesising Cpulling togetherD other people:s ideas and views )an use evidence and relevant examples "hows you can develop alternative explanations or proposals "hows reflection and thought 8raws conclusions without simply repeating what has gone before Is well structured and has given consideration to
Also refer back to activity 1 2 have you moved on/ )an you identify a particular area in your writing that needs addressing. What steps are you going to take to improve this/

#*