Register to read the introduction…
Continuing your research
This is the easy part of your research because you know what information you’re looking for. You’ve done your preliminary research and organised this information into an outline, and now your task is to find more information about each of the points on your outline. At this stage, as well as more information about points on your outline, you may find another point or two that you need to add. This is OK – just reorganise your essay outline.
Writing your essay
Finally, you can begin writing. You don’t have to write your essay in the same order that people read it. Sometimes you might find that writing the introduction first helps you to be clear about the content and intention of the essay. However, at other times you might find that it’s better to write in this order: • • • Write the body first (because this is the most important part) then write the conclusion (so you can sum up while your main arguments are fresh in your mind) and finally write the introduction (because sometimes it’s difficult to write it until you’re clear about what it is you’re introducing). This is the stage when you need to think of the writing style. You need to write in an academic style (check out the Learning Links – Writing in an Appropriate Style leaflet) and you need to write clear paragraphs and sentences. Writing the body of the essay In the body of the essay, all the preparation you’ve done so far comes together. Follow the outline you’ve made already and write paragraphs with: • • • Main Points Supporting Points Elaboration Main Point Learning Links Super Tips/writing an essay www.rmit.edu.au/lsu February 2005 5 Write down one of your main ideas, in sentence form. If your main idea is 'private enterprise should not run public utilities', you might say this: The Longford Gas Inquiry revealed to the community the damaging consequences of private ownership of public enterprises. Supporting Point Next, write down each of your supporting points for that main idea, but leave four or five lines in between each point. One of your supporting points may be: Private companies are obliged to run their operations in an entirely different way to government. Elaboration You may find the visual outline useful here. In the space under each supporting point, write down some elaboration for that point. Elaboration can be further description, explanation, examples, support from research or discussion: When the main point of an operation is to make a profit, efficiency and safety can be the first to suffer. A private company is not answerable to the Victorian community in the same way that the government is. Public utilities remain a matter of political importance even when they are privatised. You flesh out your body paragraphs in this way, and use joining sentences and quotations. Once you have fleshed out each of your body paragraphs, one for each main point, you are ready to continue. For example: When the Kennett Liberal government came to power in 1992, it considered that part of its mandate was the privatisation …show more content…
You need to set out clearly, concisely and forcefully your approach to, and interpretation of, the question as well as your point of view on it. You might wish to agree with part of the question but disagree with other parts. If so, make sure this is clear in your introduction. The introduction should also include a general broad outline of the more detailed arguments you will write about in the main body of your essay. Most introductions have information organised from the general (broad) to the specific (narrow). Introductions should …show more content…
Some Departments, Schools and Faculties have a style guide for student writing, or sometimes you’re given a sheet at the beginning of the year with formatting and style instructions. If you haven’t been given any information, ask your lecturer or teacher if they or the department have any style preferences. Here are some style and formatting questions you should find out: • • • • • • How big should the margins be? Is there an official cover sheet? What information (eg date, lecturer’s or teacher’s name, course number, etc) must you include? Should I double-space my lines? Should I put it in a folder or plastic sheet? What referencing style should I
This is the easy part of your research because you know what information you’re looking for. You’ve done your preliminary research and organised this information into an outline, and now your task is to find more information about each of the points on your outline. At this stage, as well as more information about points on your outline, you may find another point or two that you need to add. This is OK – just reorganise your essay outline.
Writing your essay
Finally, you can begin writing. You don’t have to write your essay in the same order that people read it. Sometimes you might find that writing the introduction first helps you to be clear about the content and intention of the essay. However, at other times you might find that it’s better to write in this order: • • • Write the body first (because this is the most important part) then write the conclusion (so you can sum up while your main arguments are fresh in your mind) and finally write the introduction (because sometimes it’s difficult to write it until you’re clear about what it is you’re introducing). This is the stage when you need to think of the writing style. You need to write in an academic style (check out the Learning Links – Writing in an Appropriate Style leaflet) and you need to write clear paragraphs and sentences. Writing the body of the essay In the body of the essay, all the preparation you’ve done so far comes together. Follow the outline you’ve made already and write paragraphs with: • • • Main Points Supporting Points Elaboration Main Point Learning Links Super Tips/writing an essay www.rmit.edu.au/lsu February 2005 5 Write down one of your main ideas, in sentence form. If your main idea is 'private enterprise should not run public utilities', you might say this: The Longford Gas Inquiry revealed to the community the damaging consequences of private ownership of public enterprises. Supporting Point Next, write down each of your supporting points for that main idea, but leave four or five lines in between each point. One of your supporting points may be: Private companies are obliged to run their operations in an entirely different way to government. Elaboration You may find the visual outline useful here. In the space under each supporting point, write down some elaboration for that point. Elaboration can be further description, explanation, examples, support from research or discussion: When the main point of an operation is to make a profit, efficiency and safety can be the first to suffer. A private company is not answerable to the Victorian community in the same way that the government is. Public utilities remain a matter of political importance even when they are privatised. You flesh out your body paragraphs in this way, and use joining sentences and quotations. Once you have fleshed out each of your body paragraphs, one for each main point, you are ready to continue. For example: When the Kennett Liberal government came to power in 1992, it considered that part of its mandate was the privatisation …show more content…
You need to set out clearly, concisely and forcefully your approach to, and interpretation of, the question as well as your point of view on it. You might wish to agree with part of the question but disagree with other parts. If so, make sure this is clear in your introduction. The introduction should also include a general broad outline of the more detailed arguments you will write about in the main body of your essay. Most introductions have information organised from the general (broad) to the specific (narrow). Introductions should …show more content…
Some Departments, Schools and Faculties have a style guide for student writing, or sometimes you’re given a sheet at the beginning of the year with formatting and style instructions. If you haven’t been given any information, ask your lecturer or teacher if they or the department have any style preferences. Here are some style and formatting questions you should find out: • • • • • • How big should the margins be? Is there an official cover sheet? What information (eg date, lecturer’s or teacher’s name, course number, etc) must you include? Should I double-space my lines? Should I put it in a folder or plastic sheet? What referencing style should I