WRITING LESSONThe Process, Title to Outline, Taking Notes, Thesis Statements

The Writing Stages The academic writing process involves the following

steps: Understand essay title/requirements Assess reading texts – choose most suitable Select relevant areas of texts – keep record for

references Make notes on relevant areas, using paraphrasing

and summarising skills Combine a variety of sources where necessary Select suitable structure for essay – make

plan/outline Organise and write main body Organise and write introduction Organise and write conclusion Critically read and re-write where necessary Final proof-reading

ID the requirements

When preparing to write an essay, it is essential to identify the main requirements of the title. You must be clear about what areas your teacher wants you to cover. These will then determine the organisation of the essay.

For example:

The state should play no part in the organisation of industry – discuss.

Here the key word is discuss. Discussing involves examining the benefits and drawbacks of something.

The following terms are also commonly used in essay titles.

Match the terms to the definitions on the right.

Analyse

Describe

Examine

State

Suggest

Summarise

Give a clear and simple account

Make a proposal and support it

Deal with a complex subject by giving the main points

Divide into sections and discuss each critically

Give a detailed account

Look at the various parts and their relationships

Selecting key points

After selecting and understanding the most relevant texts, the next step is usually to make notes on the sections of the texts that relate to your topic.

Note-making

Effective note-making is a key writing skill, with a number of practical uses. Good note-making techniques lead to accurate essays. Although you are the only person who will read your notes, clarity and organisation are important to save time and errors at the writing stage.

Combining Sources

Most essays require the writer to read more than one book or article.

Your essay should include a summary of the views of the different sources you have studied.

In some cases the contrast between the ideas of different writers may be the focus of the essay.

Effective note-making is part of a sequence.

What comes before and after?

Note-making

Planning Essays: Outlines

Planning gives essays a coherent structure and, most importantly, helps to ensure that they answer the question set.

Although all essays need planning, they are written in two different situations: as coursework, and in exams.

Clearly, under the time pressure of an exam, planning is more hurried, but can also be more critical.

Almost all essays, reports and articles have the same basicpattern of organisation:

Brainstorming

In the case of essays written in exams, it is best to begin planning by analysing the title and then writing down any ideas that seem relevant.

This process is called ‘brainstorming’, and at first ideas are collected in any order.

Write an outline.Title: Compare and contrast communism to

capitalism

Intro:

Body:

Concl:

Thesis Statement

Intro:

My argument: In the following essay I will “prove” that capitalism is better than communism.

Re-written: The following essay demonstrates that capitalism has far more advantages than disadvantages.

Body:

Concl: