research & essay writing 2011

8/3/2019 Research & Essay Writing 2011

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Tracey Ashmore - Study Advisor 2011

How toResearch

andWrite

Essays


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Tracey Ashmore

Study Advisor

How to of A&D study

Lower 4th Floor

Sign-up sheet for 1:1

01634 888664

[email protected]


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Essay Writing is

the discussion of

what has been written on a topic

in order to analyse & apply the ideastoexamples of work

this involves:

researching what has been writtenon a topic, identifying a specific focus,

then introducing & analysing key

referenced informationfrom published sources,

in order to developa response

to the question/brief.


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Research is Not.

Writing what you know on a topic

Taking information from lectures/handouts

Trawling the internet, google or wikipedia


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Essay Writing is Not.

Copying information from books/articleswithout saying who/where the informationhas come from - referencing

Copying ideas from books/articles in yourown words without saying who/where theinformation has come from - referencing

Writing a biographical or historical account

relating to the question

Piecing together referenced informationbut not interpreting and analysing


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Finding Information: The research process

1. Analyse the brief/essay question

2. Identify key-terms from the brief

3. Use key-terms (& related lecture terms) to

search library catalogue

4. Identify relevant books or journal articles

5. Readabout what has been written on/covered by topic

6. Identify the focus of your essay

7. Choose relevant information in which toquote & discuss to form response/answer


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Research can be introduced intoyour essay in three forms

Quotations(what is it)

Paraphrasing(what is it &when to do it)

Image Analysisto explain/demonstrateapplication of theory

(Do not do this first)


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Information should NOTjust appear in youressay with NO introduction ordiscussion of

relevance

.


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It was the art work of younger children which firstattracted the attention of educators more than ahundred years ago. This focus on children's art workconvinced them that there were better ways ofteaching art to children than simply teaching themskills.John Ruskin, art critic and author, in his bookElements of Drawingcondemned formal art lessonsfor children,he statesI do not think it advisable toengage a child in any but voluntary practice of art

it should be allowed to scrawl at its own freewill(Ruskin, 1907:18).What Ruskin appears to besaying is that children should be allowed to play withart as opposed to being taught art techniques.Thisnotion could allow children to develop their ownunique style and confidence if the child is able to

express themselves in this way. However, for somechildren who are less able, for example, may bevisually impaired, without an introduction tomaterials and some basic intervention, the child maymiss the same experience.

Discussion of a Quotation & Paragraph Structure

n Explanation of paragraphfocus

n Introduction of quotationn Explanation of what

author was discussingwhen quote was removed

n Quoten (reference)n Interpretation of what

author is saying

nAnalysis & conclusionsdrawn from the quotation

n Conclude point ofparagraph & lead ontofocus of next point


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It was the art work of younger children which firstattracted the attention of educators more than ahundred years ago. This focus on children's art workconvinced them that there were better ways ofteaching art to children than simply teaching themskills.John Ruskin, art critic and author, in his bookElements of Drawingcondemned formal art lessons

for children,he statedthathe felt children should onlybe allowed to engage in the practicing of art if andwhen they felt inclined (Ruskin, 1907:18).WhatRuskin appears to be saying is that children shouldbe allowed to play with art as opposed to being taughtart techniques.This notion could allow children todevelop their own unique style and confidence if the

child is able to express themselves in this way.However, for some children who are less able, forexample, may be visually impaired, without anintroduction to materials and some basic intervention,the child may miss the same experience.

Discussion of a Paraphrase & Paragraph Structure

n Explanation ofparagraph focusn Introduce paraphrasen Explain context of

paraphrase

n Paraphrasen (reference)n Interpretn Analyse & draw

conclusions

n Conclude point ofparagraph & lead ontofocus of next paragraph


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Discussing Images

Introduce ?

Describe what is description?

Analyse - what is analysis?

Figure 1. Pimpernel Design


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Plagiarism is Stealing!!!

it is when someone

attempts to use informationor images in their work

without referencing the

sources fully and correctly.

It should be very clear what

information is book andwhat is your discussion of it.


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So What isReferencing?


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Referencing Quotations

1.Source details in brackets after information used in essay. E.g.:

always indicate where a quotation starts and ends using quotation

marks (Jones, 1999: 124)

2.With full details at the end of essay on a page headed Bibliography. E.g.:

Bibliography

Jones, P. (1999). How to Reference. UK: Palgrave Publishers

Stevens, J.C. (2011).Authors in Alphabetical Order. Oxford: Uni Press


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Referencing Images(in essay & Illustration List)

Figure 1. Praying Hands


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www.ucreative.ac.uk/referencing


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Referencing Specific Sources Using Harvard

Click on alink


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Referencing a Book


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Essay Structure

Introduction (10% 1,500 = 150)

n What, why and howMain Body this is the essay (80% 1,500 = 1,200)

n Is usually planned and written 1stn Is where all discussions take placen Is where evidence/information is introduced and analysedn Is where the answering of the question takes placen Divided into paragraphs to build discussion in series of logical stepsConclusion (10% 1,500 = 150)

n Key findings and summary of judgements


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Planning YourEssay Body

1. Remind your self of question &

then identify small points of

discussion from research notes:n approx. 7 for 1,200n each will become a paragraph

2.Order bullet points to form alinear plan:

n Ensure points are progressive (oneleads onto the next)

n Note evidence to discuss for each


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Each paragraphshould focus on only onesmall tiny point/step of your essay discussion

Approximately 5 to 10 sentences(definitely no less)

There should be a space betweenparagraphs so it is visually clear whereone paragraph ends and another starts

What is written in the last line of oneparagraph should clearly be linking ontothe focus of the next paragraph


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It was the art work of younger children which firstattracted the attention of educators more than ahundred years ago. This focus on children's art workconvinced them that there were better ways ofteaching art to children than simply teaching themskills.John Ruskin, art critic and author, in his bookElements of Drawingcondemned formal art lessons

for children, he states

I do not think it advisable toengage a child in any but voluntary practice of art

it should be allowed to scrawl at its own freewill (Ruskin, 1907:18).What Ruskin appears to besaying is that children should be allowed to play withart as opposed to being taught art techniques. Thisnotion could allow children to develop their ownunique style and confidence if the child is able toexpress themselves in this way.However, for somechildren who are less able, for example, may bevisually impaired, without an introduction tomaterials and some basic intervention, the child maymiss the same experience.

Each Paragraph Should Generally Contain.

1. Explanation ofparagraph focus

2. Introduction ofreferenced

information/evidence

3. Discussion ofinformation/evidence

5. Conclusion toparagraph & leadingonto focus of nextparagraph


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Introduction 10%

Explain the enquiry/question your essay isexploring

Explain what your essay is particularlyfocusing on

Mention examples your enquiry will be basedon and reasons for choice

Give a brief overview of the order of the main

areas of discussion your essay willhave, including the key texts/sourcesyou will be referring to for each. Ensureyou give reasons for choice

Should be in paragraph format and


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Main Body 80%Remember the reader has to follow your writing so ensure

Your paragraphs:

n are in a logical ordern deal with only one point eachn follow on from each other - last line,

first line rule

All theories/people/objects/images etcare all introduced beforediscussed

You discuss in-depth. If any elementcannot be, check its relevance


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Conclusion (10%)Your conclusion should..

n Avoid introducing or discussing anythingnew

n Highlight your key findings from your essaybody

n Emphasise the main points and form ajudgement/response to the question/enquiry


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Use Formal Englishand Avoid

Writing questions

Making definitive judgements

Generalisations/assumptions

Vague statements

Subjective descriptive words

I


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Essay Presentation

n Use only one side of A4 papern In black type clear font, (Ariel) size 12n Text should be 1.5 or double line spacedn All pages numberedn Essay should be bound or stapled togethern Ensure each section of your essay are clearly labelled:title page, contents page, introduction, main body, conclusion, list of illustrations,

bibliography


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Essay ArrangementTitle Page

n essay title/questionn your namen course and yearn hand-in daten word countn lead tutor of unit

Contents Page

Introduction

Essay Body

Conclusion

List of Illustrations

Bibliography


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Keep ALL Information on How to Write anEssay, together

Study Guides: www.ucreative.ac.uk/studyguides

n Essay Writingn Using evidencen Academic Writingn Reading and Note-taking

Referencing: www.ucreative.ac.uk/referencing

research & essay writing 2011

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