Essay Writing

Dr. Mark Matthews

Student Learning Development

http://student-learning.tcd.ie

Discussion (5 mins)

1. How do you go about completing an assignment?

2. When do you start?

3. How do you get from the question to a

completed answer?

1 Thing you would like help with today

Writing Stages/Phases

1. Planning

2. Thinking

3. Researching

4. Writing

5. Editing

Think

Write

Plan

Planning the assignment

• Understand the question– Breakdown– Verbs

• Requirements– Length, Wording– Referencing

Planning time frame

• List tasks– Preliminaries

– Gathering Information

– Organising Information

– Rough outline

– Draft 1

– Draft 2

– References

– Proofreading

• Create deadlines– _____________– _____________– _____________– _____________– _____________– _____________– _____________– _____________– _____________

ideas

planning

writing

Brainstorm

Organise

Key message

What do you want to say?

Structure

Communicating

your ideas

Thinking

• Brainstorm– Ideas– What know– Try mindmapping

• Preliminary reading

• Refine topic

• Continues throughout process

• Who are your readers ?

• Why are they reading?

• What is your goal?

Questions?

Structure

• Introduction– outline of essay

• Main section– Main point A

• details, evidence

– Main point B

• Conclusion– summary of main points– personal conclusions

Discuss the contribution of nursing models to the development of practice

• Key Words?– Discuss– Nursing model– Practice

• Key themes & arguments– Define model– Arguments– Advantages & Disadvantages of using models

Key Message:

The are well-identified weaknesses with the dominant Nursing model that are overcome by using the new Vygotsky model.

Discuss the contribution of nursing models to the development of practice

Outlining – Level 1

1. Nursing and models

2. History of models

3. The Markov Model: Strengths & Weaknesses

4. An alternative: Vygotsky

5. Conclusions

Outlining – Level 2 1. Nursing and models

1.1 Brief history of Nursing practice

1.2 The purpose of a model

2. History of models

2.1 The first model

2.2 Development and timeline.

3. The Markov Model: Strengths & Weaknesses

3.1 What is the model

3.2 Strengths

3.3 Weaknesses

4. An alternative: Vygotsky

4.1 What is Vygotsky Model

4.2 How overcomes weaknesses

5. Conclusions

Level 3

1. Nursing and models

1.1 Brief history of Nursing practice

• Began formally 1790 (Nightingale)

• Largely disorganised

• Original mission to heal…

1.2 The purpose of a model

• Because of disorganisation, model.

• Argument for a model.

2. History of models

2.1 The first model

Johnson 1820

2.2 Development and timeline.

Model A

Model B

3. The Markov Model: Strengths & Weaknesses

3.1 What is the model

Multi-team.

3.2 Strengths

3.3 Weaknesses

4. An alternative: Vygotsky

4.1 What is Vygotsky Model

4.2 How overcomes weaknesses

5. Conclusions

Outlining – Level 3

Title: The Hazards of Moviegoing Introduction

– Introductory statement – Thesis statement: I like watching movies but I prefer watching them at

home.  Body

First Supporting Idea (Topic Sentence): just getting to the theater presents difficulties

• bad weather • long drive and limited parking space • long waiting to buy ticket

Second Supporting Idea (Topic Sentence): facing the problems of the theater itself

• old theater's problems such as smelly carpet, worn-out seat, etc • new theater's problems such as smaller size, noise from next movie theater,

etc • both floors will be rubber-like dirty at the end of the movie

Third Supporting Idea (Topic Sentence): Some of the patrons are annoying • bad behavior such as running, talking loud, etc • human noise and disturbance

Conclusion – Closing statement – Restate thesis: I prefer to watch movies at home where it is

comfortable, clean and safe.

Introduction Outline (5 mins)1. Good health v. imp • Welfare• Economic development• Social development

2. WHO’s goal• Healthcare for all• Balanced with countries able to pay for this

3. This report : • What can be done to change health systems to achieve universal

coverage• Builds on new research and countries experience

The world health report - Health systems financing: the path to universal coverage

Good health is essential to human welfare and to sustained economic and social development.

WHO's Member States have set themselves the target of developing their health financing systems to ensure that all people can use health services, while being protected against financial hardship associated with paying for them.

In this report, the World Health Organization maps out what countries can do to modify their financing systems so they can move more quickly towards this goal; it builds on new research and lessons learnt from country experience.

Taken from Executive Summary to WHO report: http://www.who.int/whr/2010/en/index.html

The world health report - Health systems financing: the path to universal coverage

Good health is essential to human welfare and to sustained economic and social development. WHO's Member States have set themselves the target of developing their health financing systems to ensure that all people can use health services, while being protected against financial hardship associated with paying for them. In this report, the World Health Organization maps out what countries can do to modify their financing systems so they can move more quickly towards this goal; it builds on new research and lessons learnt from Country experience.

Taken from Executive Summary to WHO report: http://www.who.int/whr/2010/en/index.html

Reading & Researching

• Bring evidence in as witnesses

• Gather information relevant to topic

• Keep good notes– organise content according to outline– choose what to include

• Keep references

• Digest and reflect on information

Writing

• Start writing early– extend outline– one idea or section at a time– get something down!

• Write first, rough draft

• Revise & improve draft

• How many drafts?

Develop your argument

• Use source material

• Compare and contrast

• Show awareness of complexities

• Show line of reasoning– link points– central guiding line

• Your conclusions - based on evidence

References

Why?

• Credit sources of information & ideas• Reader can locate for further information if

required• Demonstrate breadth of reading & knowledge

References

When?

Direct quotes Paraphrases Statistics/Studies Theories Interpretations Facts

Plagiarism

• Using someone’s words or ideas and presenting them as your own (Marshall & Rowland, 1998)

• Inappropriate use of ideas from books, articles, internet, or other students’ work

???

Referencing

• Harvard referencing system

• Endnote

• Library videohttp://www.tcd.ie/Library/support/referencing.php

• Cite2Writehttp://www.cs.qub.ac.uk/emm/10170987/cite2write/

Sample marking criteria

• Focusing on a topic• Structuring an essay• Content• Formulating

arguments

• Presentation• Referencing• Evidence of language

skills• Use of learning

resources

Editing

• Proof read– out loud– time out– peer

• Write up references

• Final draft– presentation

Submit!

• Final deadline

• Checklist

• Feedback

Student Learning Development

Visit our website at: http://student-learning.tcd.ie

Email qs tostudent.learning@tcd.ie

Phone us on 01-8961407