© 2008 Steve Campsall
© 2008 Steve Campsall
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You're about to write your best essay ever! |
There are separate Englishbiz
essay writing
guides for each of the types of text
you'll meet on your course (e.g. fiction and non fiction, media texts,
plays, poetry and film) but here you'll find some top tips that will help
you write a really effective essay.
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How do you feel about essay writing?
How do you prepare for your essays? From now on, make your essays into arguments
What will you be arguing about?
You will be arguing for your own point of view, one you have come up with after carefully reflecting on the essay question
or title
and the text(s) involved. The argument needs to be defined as a
single, overriding point of view, one that is
sufficient to form the backbone of the entire essay. How to do
this is covered later but the essay itself then consists of nothing more than
a series of
points (one per paragraph) that act to support
the point of view you stated at the beginning. Each point
you make will need to be expanded, explained and
supported in its paragraph by reference back to the text
- by a quotation usually - along with a discussion of its
merits. And that's it.
An argument
essay like this works because it helps keep all of the ideas
you express in line with the essay question; equally importantly, it
also means you're
much less
likely to lose marks by
generalising and
re-telling.
Essays are about
opinions, not facts How do you arrive at an
'overriding' point of view? Imagine for a moment that instead of
being asked to
write your essay, you were asked to answer the same question
in class. What would be expected
of you? A thousand word reply? Of course not.
What would be wanted is for you to give
a highly condensed answer -
a kind of overall conclusion or 'take' on the essay question. You might begin this with something like, 'From my understanding of the text, I think that...'.
In the written essay, this
'take' on the question - your overall conclusion - is central to making
the essay your own
argument. You write it at the beginning of the essay within a
single sentence (it's technically referred to as your thesis statement)
and it becomes the single controlling idea
that flows through the remainder of the essay.
The idea is explained in more detail later. Because the
'thesis statement' forms a 'condensed
answer'
to the essay question, it provides exactly the kind of strong initial focus
that will allow you to go on to create a highly focused and
structured essay of the kind that examiners and teachers
just love. This is the basic structure of such an essay: The essay opens with
a bold, condensed statement of
the writer's conclusion concerning the essay topic or question
and briefly states how the question will be tackled (by
examining characters, for example, or scenes, stanzas, etc...). The opening paragraph
gives brief and
relevant details of the author and any basic
context
that is relevant and important to the essay question. It also
gives a highly condensed version of the 'story'
and 'circumstance' of the text (remember that even
poems have a 'story' behind them). This is done by giving a very
brief idea of the
big picture of the text. A series of points
follows, one per paragraph. These each offer justification for the
guiding overall view stated in the opening
paragraph. The points develop an argument for this viewpoint, with each point being supported with evidence, often in the form of a
quotation, taken from the text. With a guiding argument starting off and flowing through the essay, it becomes far
easier to search through the text to find aspects and quotations
that will support the opening argument. Each point and quotation is followed by
an analysis and
comment. This
explains
how and why
the aspect of the text or the quotation 'works' within the context
of the essay question and the originally stated argument. These
questions need answering in every
paragraph: how
was the quotation created (i.e. the writer's method,
e.g. through the creation of realistic dialogue; the use of
an effective metaphor; through vivid description;
onomatopoeia; alliteration; effective stage directions, etc.) how
does the method chosen affect the reader in the way
you claimed at the opening of the paragraph (e.g. 'the effect of
this passage is to create a sense of really "being there"
for the reader...') why
was it used (i.e. the writer's purpose,
e.g. 'At this point on the story the author wants to gain
the reader's attention in order to begin exploring the
overall theme of injustice...')? If you think back to the
imaginary classroom situation, it will help. What would follow on
from the condensed answer you gave? Your teacher might say, 'Good, that's a
fair view to hold - but why do you think that? Show me from the text
itself what made you think that way.' In the written essay you'll need to
provide a whole lot more evidence along with an analysis and commentary
on the literary and linguistic ideas the evidence contains as shown
above and discussed in more detail below.
Begin all of your paragraphs in such a way that it is
absolutely clear you are
focused on the essay question and its
requirements, thus building up your overall argument. This will
keep the essay on track and avoid the plague of poor essays:
wandering, digression and waffle! Each paragraph needs to be
built around a single main new point, one that
contributes to and develops your
argument and thus adds to your answer to the essay
question. For each point, you will need to add support
from the text to show the point is sound. This usually
means finding
a suitable, brief quotation. Because this is an English
essay, you'll then need to discuss the
literary and linguistic aspects of the
language of your quotation. This is to show how the choices the author
has made have been effective in moulding your thinking about
the text. To end the essay, you will
need to add the final flourish of an interesting concluding paragraph.
Here you restate your initial argument (preferably using
different words), and, although you have just explained this already
in detail in the preceding
paragraphs, you must now condense your ideas right down (...and
down) to show why you feel the way you do! You can, here, also add
in a few well-chosen general feelings about the author and the text,
perhaps also about its universal appeal or its relevance today, for
example. The
secret is to keep the conclusion brief and to the point and,
above all else, to introduce no new
material at all. What if
your essay title isn't in the form of a question?
When
considered as a question, you will often find it is easier to generate that
all-important single
main point of view to it - the main idea upon which you will then base
the remainder of your essay.
Here is
an example of a main idea succinctly stated (i.e. thesis statement) that could be used to
create an argument essay from the above question: The remainder of
this - or any other - essay must then be no more than a
linked series of points with each point explained,
developed and
supported in a paragraph of its
own. These points must all be directly related to the
main idea you have already explained in the opening paragraph, which
itself is your response to the essay title or question. Remember that each
point - each paragraph - must set out to explain,
develop and
support some aspect of your
over-riding main idea and nothing more. In
this example, the paragraph that follows the opening paragraph - the first
of what is called the
body paragraphs of your essay
- could
be based on the point that the theme of
ambition is shown through what Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are given by
Shakespeare to say and do in Act One of the play. The third paragraph
of your essay - its second body paragraph - might then explore, develop and support how the theme of ambition is shown through these two
characters in some part of Act 2, and so on...
Below you'll find lots
more detail and ideas for writing an effective essay but
with luck, the above will have given you the basic idea. MARK-GRABBING TIP No 2! Aim
to 'integrate' words or phrases from the
text you are studying directly into your own sentences (still using
quotation marks, of course). Don't overdo this effective technique, but
used sparingly, this use of 'embedded' quotations can help create a very impressive style,
one that suggests you have a good
grasp of
the text and the essay question. Here
are some examples of how to use embedded quotations. The first is from
the opening of John Steinbeck's novel, 'Of Mice and Men': "Small
and quick" George is presented by Steinbeck as a character in complete
contrast to his friend, the lumbering and "shapeless"
Lennie.... Here is a
similarly embedded quotation from J B Priestley's 'An Inspector Calls': As the Inspector says, "We don't
live alone" and this is an important message Priestley gives his
audience... Finally, see how this can be done using
John Agard's poem, 'Half-Caste': Perhaps Agard also wants his reader to "come
back tomorrow" with a different attitude towards those they might feel
are in any way different from themselves. |
MORE TIPS AND MORE DETAIL!
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STEP-BY-STEP IN DETAIL...
1. DEVELOP A STRONG INITIAL FOCUS FOR YOUR ESSAY
The word 'essay' comes from a French word meaning 'attempt'. Your essay is your attempt to argue for your point of view. Your point of view is called your 'thesis statement'.
In your opening paragraph, write down in a single sentence the point of view you have developed that is your overall feeling or 'answer' to the essay question. This must be very concise and stated in general terms - the detail comes later
This 'thesis statement' needs to be based on your own interpretation of whatever aspect of the text is asked in the essay question.
Interpreting aspects of the text, which means discovering and considering how it works at different levels, is at the heart of your argument. Your interpretation must form the main substance of your essay.
2. FIND SOLID SUPPORT FOR YOUR VIEWPOINT
You will need to search through the text and note down a series of aspects and quotations that can be used to support the overall view you have developed.
Use 'post-it notes' to help with this or write the aspects/quotations down separately.
Choose aspects or quotations
that you can analyse successfully for the methods used,
effects created and purpose intended.
3. WRITE
AN EFFECTIVE OPENING
PARAGRAPH
Use your introductory paragraph to state
your
point of view, i.e. your thesis statement.
The opening lines of your essay are where you explain how you intend to tackle the essay question. This needs to be done in as succinct a way as you are able, explaining what your response to the essay question or title is.
Your view should be developed from a reflective, thoughtful and insightful
interpretation of whatever aspect of the text is asked in the essay question or title.
The purpose of your opening paragraph is to make clear your response to the essay question - that is, to explain the focus of your argument: your main idea or point of view.
Stated clearly at the opening to your essay this is so important because it shows how you intend to answer the essay question and what general direction your essay will take.
Crucially
too, it helps your teacher know what direction your essay will
take!
Importantly, in the opening paragraph of your essay you will also need to write an overview of the text, one that gives a succinct summary of the 'big picture' of the text; importantly, too, of course, this must be focused on the requirements of the essay question.
Giving a succinct account of the big picture of the text in the opening paragraph will show that you have engaged with and digested the detail of three key aspects of the essay: the essay question, the text and its author - perhaps also, a brief account of the author's context.
Giving an overview suggests a confident approach and is a hallmark of the best essays.
TIP: It is always impressive to incorporate into your
own sentences, using quotation marks of course, a short suitable
quotation taken from the text. Some teachers call this using
embedded quotations.
Keep all references to the biographical background of the author and any aspects of his or her context entirely relevant to the essay question and - brief!
Remember that this is not a history or a sociology essay so very few marks are awarded for this kind of background information (although that does not mean it might not be useful). The majority of marks in an English essay are awarded for the quality of analysis and interpretation you show - that is, an awareness of the author's uses of the English language and literary uses of this.
If your essay title does concern aspects of context try hard to discuss context by deriving your comments from quotations rather than by merely discussing aspects of context; in other words allow the text to introduce the context.
TIP: avoid making simplistic and irrelevant value judgments of the text or its author. Saying that Shakespeare is 'a wonderful author' or that you think 'Of Mice and Men' is 'really good' will gain no marks whatsoever - this is no more than a kind of waffle that fills space with empty words that add nothing useful to your essay.
4. USE THE REMAINING
PARAGRAPHS EFFECTIVELY
POINT > EXAMPLE > EXPLAIN
Follow the opening paragraph with a number of paragraphs that form the 'body' of the essay. Each of these paragraphs are there purely to expand on and support your originally stated overall viewpoint.
Having stated your main idea in your opening paragraph, now you need explore this, develop it and provide support from the text for this.
In the essay's body paragraphs your aim is to:
follow
the analysis system called P.E.E. or P.Q.C. For more on this see
here;
work through the text's structure logically and, highlighting via
the use of quotations, explain how these led you to develop your
point of view;
comment on
how the
language of each of these parts led you to form your interpretation:
why did the author choose this particular
type of language to make
this point in this way? How does it help a)
the
audience
and b) the writer's purpose or
theme?
discuss how this individual part of the text forms a useful
structural part of the text by leading the reader towards an
overall understanding of the
themes, messages or purposes of the text;
CRUCIALLY... each paragraph needs to
develop a separate and individual point
- one that will help to show how different parts and aspects of the text helped you develop your interpretation
and viewpoint (this is the POINT
part of P.E.E.);
A useful tip
is to open each paragraph with a
topic sentence. This is a sentence that clearly makes a point that is
developing your argument - your answer to the essay question - and, because it is, therefore, clearly focused on the essay question, it will keep your writing
on track;
Always aim to provide support for each of the points you make by referring directly to the text
(this is the EXAMPLE
part of P.E.E.).
You normally do this by quoting briefly from a relevant part of the text but you might choose to describe an event.
It's very important NOT to write a long description of WHAT happens. If you do you are merely 'retelling the story' - this loses many marks.
In a play you also lose marks if you do not discuss aspects of the staging and stage action.
You will need to follow each quotation with an
explanation of and a discussion
on aspects of the language the author used in the quotation; this means discussing, for example, how aspects of the quotations literary, poetic or dramatic language works, including mentioning the
method the writer used, the
effect the language creates and the
reasons this might have been done (this is the
EXPLAIN part of
P.E.E).
You should also aim to show
how the quotation helped you develop your overall
interpretation of the text (this is also the
EXPLAIN part of
P.E.E).
5.
CREATE A LOGICAL STRUCTURE
Always work
in a clear way through the text,
from beginning to end.
Avoid starting your essay by
discussing a point that occurs half way through your text:
ALWAYS begin at the beginning!
Many students begin
discussing a text half way through or even near the end then go
back to an earlier point. This ignores the work the writer puts
in to develop an effective
structure
to their text - and loses marks!
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WRITE ANALYTICALLY, NOT DESCRIPTIVELY...
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Here is an example of how many students go wrong; don't worry, you won't - but this is a very common mistake: In William Shakespeare's play, 'Romeo and Juliet', these are the first two lines of the 'Prologue' as spoken by 'The Chorus': 'Two households, both alike in dignity,
'Here, Shakespeare is saying that the play is set in Verona where there are two dignified families.'
'The opening lines of the Prologue are important because they paint a picture for the audience of what could and should be - fairness and dignity. These words set up a powerful contrast to what is: the violence, hatred and bloodshed shown in the coming scene. It will be against this violent backdrop that the pure love of Romeo and Juliet will have to struggle.' |
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A TEXT
FOUR KEY ASPECTS
FORM, CONTENT, STRUCTURE AND STYLE
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FORM When you consider the form of a text, you will need to analyse how aspects of it other than the meaning of its language help it in important ways. Form is important in an essay because it can assist meaning in subtle ways that many students miss in their essays. You make use of the form of language, for instance, when you choose to say a word or phrase loudly or softly, or when you email or text a friend and write in all capital letters (a use of form that signals you are 'shouting'). Also, when you create short or long sentences or paragraphs you are affecting the look - the form - of your writing and, in subtle ways, this will affect the way the writing is received and understood.
Form is always worthy of comment if it adds, even if subtly, to the meaning - the content - of a text. Literal Meaning E.g. 'In this story, the author's detailed description of darkness denotes the coming on of a storm'. Figurative Meaning
Using a pun - a play on words - is another way that meaning can be played with in an interesting way. Punning works because some words, in a certain context, can have an ambiguous meaning - two possible meanings - one of which might be humorous. Irony
Creating an 'ironic tone of voice' in writing is much harder than in speech because the original sound of voice and facial expression or body language of the speaker are absent. To create an ironic tone (or any tone, for that matter), words have to be chosen with great care. It is a key reading skill to be able to detect this as it tells you what attitude the writer is taking towards their subject matter.
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COMPARING TWO OR MORE TEXTS
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Even though it's a central part of the mark scheme, and always made clear in the essay question or title, each year many students still manage to write their comparison exam answer or coursework essay and forget to compare and contrast the texts...
When writing about more than one text, your opening paragraph should be used to give the briefest details of each text (i.e. your writing needs to be succinct!). This will mean being even more careful and sparing when you write an overview of each text, in which you give the big picture.
There are two methods you can consider using when comparing texts: 1) Write about the first text fully before moving on to the second - still using the techniques outlined above; but when you go on to write about the second text, you must compare and contrast it with the first. 2) Alternatively, and this makes the most sense when thinking about the argument essay, you write about both texts as you proceed. This allows you still, as shown above, to create a central argument, one in which examples to support the points are taken from one or both texts as relevant to the point.
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