Essay writing
By the end of the workshop you will be able
to:
• Identify the steps in the essay writing process
• Analyse key words in a question
• Organise ideas into an essay framework
• Identify ways to edit and improve your essay writing style
Learning Advisors@AUT
• Workshops
• Online resources
www.aut.ac.nz/student-learning
• 1:1 consultations
North: 09 921 9229
City: 09 921 9945
South: 09 921 9309
Email: [email protected]
https://www.youtube.com/AUTStudentLearning
Located in the AUT Library: North, City and South
Essay writing timeline/process
Start Date
Analyse
the
question
Generate
ideas
Plan how many weeks’ prep you need
Due Date
Read,
research,
reference
Submit:
final draft
Write
first draft
Analytical
framework
& Essay plan
Revise &
re-draft
Essay writing timeline/process
Start Date
Analyse
the
question
Generate
ideas
Plan how many weeks’ prep you need
Due Date
Read,
research,
reference
Submit:
final draft
Write
first draft
Analytical
framework
& Essay plan
Revise &
re-draft
Essay structure - Generic
Introduction
Body
• Introduce topic, expand on topic
• Outline structure of essay
10% of word count
150-200 word paragraphs
• Body paragraph 1
• Body paragraph 2
• Body paragraph 3
• Body paragraph 4
150-200 word paragraphs
• Summarise the main points (in same order) from body paragraphs
10% of word count
Conclusion
• References are listed
• (usually on separate page) at end of essay
References • NOT part word count
80% of word count
150-200 word paragraphs
References
Not part of word count
Essay writing timeline/process
Start Date
Analyse
the
question
Generate
ideas
Plan how many weeks’ prep you need
Due Date
Read,
research,
reference
Submit:
final draft
Write
first draft
Analytical
framework
& Essay plan
Revise &
re-draft
1. Analyse the question
Read & highlight key words
How many parts does the question have?
Check learning outcomes
Check marking criteria
Sample question
Paper: The changing world and the digital student
Assignment Task 2
Essay (2000 words)
This assignment assesses if you have met Learning Outcomes 2, 3, 4 and 5 of this
course (refer to the Course Booklet for more information).
Task
‘Why can’t we be Facebook friends?’ Examine the use of Facebook in learning and
teaching for tertiary level students and teachers. Discuss the impact of Facebook on
tertiary education and outline both positive and negative effects.
What are the key words in the question?
‘Why can’t we be Facebook friends?’ Examine the use of Facebook in
learning and teaching for tertiary level students and teachers. Discuss
the impact of Facebook on tertiary education and outline both positive
and negative effects.
activity words?
content words?
context words?
Highlight activity (instruction) words
‘Why can’t we be Facebook friends?’ Examine the use of Facebook in
learning and teaching for tertiary level students and teachers. Discuss
the impact of Facebook on tertiary education and outline both positive
and negative effects.
Highlight activity (instruction) words
‘Why can’t we be Facebook friends?’ Examine the use of Facebook in
learning and teaching for tertiary level students and teachers. Discuss
the impact of Facebook on tertiary education and outline both positive
and negative effects.
Highlight content words
‘Why can’t we be Facebook friends?’ Examine the use of Facebook in
learning and teaching for tertiary level students and teachers. Discuss
the impact of Facebook on tertiary education and outline both positive
and negative effects.
Highlight content words
‘Why can’t we be Facebook friends?’ Examine the use of Facebook in
learning and teaching for tertiary level students and teachers. Discuss
the impact of Facebook on tertiary education and outline both positive
and negative effects.
Highlight context words
‘Why can’t we be Facebook friends?’ Examine the use of Facebook in
learning and teaching for tertiary level students and teachers. Discuss
the impact of Facebook on tertiary education and outline both positive
and negative effects.
Highlight context words
‘Why can’t we be Facebook friends?’ Examine the use of Facebook in
learning and teaching for tertiary level students and teachers. Discuss
the impact of Facebook on tertiary education and outline both positive
and negative effects.
Read learning outcomes
Address at least two potential advantages and two potential disadvantages of using Facebook in
learning and teaching at tertiary level. (LO2)
Include discussion of at least one advantage and one disadvantage for students. (LO3).
Include discussion of at least one advantage and one disadvantage for teachers.(LO4)
Refer to a minimum of 10 sources of literature. At least 5 of the sources must be academic journals.
(LO5)
The essay must follow the presentation requirements (structure, language, APA referencing, word
length) as described in the Course Booklet (LO5).
Activity – own essay Q > key words?
• If you have an essay assignment with you, take some time to read
the task and identify key words.
Essay writing timeline/process
Start Date
Analyse
the
question
Generate
ideas
Plan how many weeks’ prep you need
Due Date
Read,
research,
reference
Submit:
final draft
Write
first draft
Analytical
framework
& Essay plan
Revise &
re-draft
2. Generate ideas: Lists
• You might like to start by making lists
What do I know already What do I need to find
about topic?
out?
Generate ideas: Brainstorm
• Who?
• What?
• Where?
• When?
• How?
• Why?
• Get a big piece of paper or use your
computer to write down all the
ideas you have related to your
essay.
• Be as messy as you like!
• Think of as many different ideas as
you can
• You may not use all of them but it
will help you to get started.
Generate ideas: Mind mapping
Mind-mapping is recommended for every assignment
• Organises ideas
• Shows relationships between ideas
Coggle.it
Text2mindmap.com
- two free
mindmapping
websites
Essay writing timeline/process
Start Date
Analyse
the
question
Generate
ideas
Plan how many weeks’ prep you need
Due Date
Read,
research,
reference
Submit:
final draft
Write
first draft
Analytical
framework
& Essay plan
Revise &
re-draft
3. Read, research and reference
 Start with recommended readings, text books and class notes
 Do a Library Search to find books, ebooks and journal articles on the subject
 Ask your Liaison Librarian if you need help with finding information (eg. keywords,
databases or filtering)
 Take notes in your own words
 Keep accurate notes for APA referencing (eg. author’s name, date, title, URL or doi
number)
Internet sources
Pay attention to the domain:
.com / .co.nz
commercial
.org
non-profit
.govt / .gov
government
.ac / .edu
academic /
educational
Key questions about sources
What is the source?
(e.g. university, government
department, professional body)
How current is it?
last 5-10 years?
Who is the author?
expert, highly respected, controversial?
What sort of writing is it?
Peer-reviewed journal article, website,
newspaper, academic or popular
book?
What is the purpose
of the text?
inform, argue, promote change…?
Reading synthesis grid
Organise your reading by themes/categories
Keep accurate APA 6th referencing details
THEMES
FB – student
use at uni
FB - lecturer
use at uni
Effects
positive
Effects
negative
Adams Bowman
(2012) (2014)
Davis
(2011)
Jefferson
(2011)
Lewis
(2013)
Roberts
(2012)
Smith
(2013)
References…add to the list as you read
• Learn how to paraphrase properly
• Quotes should be short and must be woven into your sentence
• APA references must be provided in the body of your essay AND be
listed at the end
 ENDNOTE software is useful (esp. if you are a PG student) but you
must learn the APA 6th requirements first
Essay writing timeline/process
Start Date
Analyse
the
question
Generate
ideas
Plan how many weeks’ prep you need
Due Date
Read,
research,
reference
Submit:
final draft
Write
first draft
Analytical
framework
& Essay plan
Revise &
re-draft
4. Organise your ideas
Start with your lists / mindmaps / grids / notes
Example topic about Malware
Spyware
Virus
emails
Worm
downloads
Adware
shared media
Look for similarities & differences
How can you group or categorise
these items?
Organise your ideas into a framework
Activity: organize these ideas into a
framework
Group/categorise these factors contributing to the risk of heart disease
diabetes
smoking
stress
depression
anxiety
exercise
sex
diet
age
obesity
multiple other
genetic factors
pill
high blood pressure
3
Example framework
smoking
behavioural
diet
exercise
age
traits
RISK
FACTORS
OF HEART
DISEASE
sex
physical
attribute
diabetes*
predisposition
to disease
genetic
non-behavioural
* = can be also be
anxiety*
behavioural
mental*
attribute
other
F - (pill+)
obesity*
high blood
pressure*
depression*
other*
multiple
3
Plan the essay body paragraphs
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 3
Use an essay planning tool
Discuss different types of Malware…
Self-replicating
viruses
Non-replicating
viruses
Have one main idea for each paragraph
Literature highlights two main types of malware: ones that replicate or copy
themselves and ones which do not replicate themselves (Blake 2016; Carter,
2007; Smith, 2012). Self-copying malware includes viruses and worms. As Smith
(2012) explains, a virus is ‘attached to a software program’ and it modifies or
damages a user’s computer files (p. 32). A worm, however, is not attached to a
program. It does not usually damage files but it is ‘designed to spread by making
copies of itself’ on other computers on the same network (Jones, 2007, p. 21).
Research has documented how worms can be far more damaging to businesses
because they send thousands of spam emails to other computers (Carter, 2007).
Non-replicating forms of malware include Spyware. Rather than replicate itself
or spread directly like a virus or worm, its purpose is to gather information
about users……
Essay writing timeline/process
Start Date
Analyse
the
question
Generate
ideas
Plan how many weeks’ prep you need
Due Date
Read,
research,
reference
Submit:
final draft
Write
first draft
Analytical
framework
& Essay plan
Revise &
re-draft
5. First draft - essay structure
Introduce the topic
Define key terms
Introduction
Explain why the topic is of interest
Outline how your essay is organised
Typical body
paragraph
 Topic sentence: main idea
 Support
 Relevance
 Concluding/ linking sentence
Conclusion
 Summarise key points
 Draw any overall conclusions
 Discuss implications
Click here for an example…
Essay writing timeline/process
Start Date
Analyse
the
question
Generate
ideas
Plan how many weeks’ prep you need
Due Date
Read,
research,
reference
Submit:
final draft
Write
first draft
Analytical
framework
& Essay plan
Revise &
re-draft
6. Revise & re-draft - electronic checks
• Grammar
Grammarly.com may be useful
• Spell check
• but remember to check yourself
• spell check will not pick up use of the wrong word
• Word count
Writing style checks
Logical argument and good flow?
Evidence to support points you make?
Unnecessary words have been removed?
Spelling, grammar and punctuation?
Read essay out loud and ask a friend to read it?
School’s style requirements (Programme Handbook)?
Marker’s eyes: check against marking criteria ...
Academic honesty checks
Your lecturer will be able to see which parts of your writing are very
similar to the sources you have used.
This software will check that you have not
copied groups of words from published
articles, websites or from other student
assignments
Check your paraphrasing, quotations and APA referencing carefully
Essay writing timeline/process
Start Date
Analyse
the
question
Generate
ideas
Plan how many weeks’ prep you need
Due Date
Read,
research,
reference
Submit:
final draft
Write
first draft
Analytical
framework
& Essay plan
Revise &
re-draft
Useful Learning Advisors@AUT resources
Bibliography – useful sources & links
APA formatting guides at AUT Library- http://aut.ac.nz.libguides.com/APA6th
Brick, J. (2009). Academic culture: A student’s guide to studying at university. Australia: Macmillan Education.
 An excellent introduction to undergraduate culture – demystifies academic conventions. Opinions; positions; analysis;
deductive arguments; academic reading; writing essays; effective group work.
Copus, J. (2009). Brilliant writing tips for students. Basingstoke, England: Palgrave Macmillan.
 Small format, easy to read and understand. Punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphs structure, style, useful sentence
starters.
De Luca, R. & Annals, A. (2009). Writing that works: A guide for tertiary students. (2nd ed.). New Zealand: Pearson Education.
 Written with NZ tertiary students in mind; emphasis on writing as a process; strong focus on reader’s expectations; useful
advice about taking control of writing process.
Go well!
http://www.aut.ac.nz/student-learning