Writing Your Assignment

Writing Your Assignment More importantly, your plan will ensure that you actually answer the question. Everything you write must be related to the question, and without a plan it is all too easy to lose focus and write irrelevant nonsense. This will be immediately obvious to anyone reading the essay and gain you a few marks. Read the question several times to make sure you understand what it is asking. You'll be able to focus on expressing your ideas while remaining within the word count, rather than having to organise your thoughts as you write, which often leads to waffling. A topic sentence is the first sentence in a paragraph, and it summarizes the rest of the paragraph. You can create them first to help you stay on track when writing your essay. When you are first assigned the topic, go ahead and really explore the possible options for your thesis. The more questions you ask before you start writing, the more information you will have to use in the essay. Michael recommends that you begin writing your essay by expanding your plan. 'You may find it helpful to write the conclusion first, especially if you know exactly what it is you want to argue,' he adds. 'This can help you to clarify your ideas and also give you something to work towards. Referencing is integral to academic essay writing and shouldn’t be viewed as an ‘add-on’. When you are referencing, always use a referencing guide to help you ensure 100% accuracy. Remember to link all the points in your paragraph to the idea in the topic sentence. One way to check if you have done this is to write keywords in the margin for each sentence. If your keywords are related to the topic sentence, your paragraph is good. If there are ideas that are not related, you should remove them. The Topic Sentence should unambiguously express the topic of the paragraph and be linked with the overall thesis of the essay. The conclusion should not just repeat the ideas from the introduction. The introduction includes the background to the essay, the important issues and a thesis statement. The words you see on your screen are what we call transition signals or signpost words, and they can help the reader follow the order and flow of your ideas. The body of your essay will consist of paragraphs which function as building blocks in the construction of your overall paper. The body is where you demonstrate your knowledge and grasp of the material that you have read. The introduction leads your reader into the essay. The conclusion reminds your reader of the main points made in your essay and leaves your reader with a final impression and ideas to think about later. This is without doubt the most vital part of writing an essay. It is your plan that determines what approach you take to answering the question. If you have written your plan properly, you will know exactly what your answer is going to be â€" this is not something that should be decided while you are writing your essay. This may involve discussing your questions, needs and concerns with your tutor, lecturer or subject coordinator to clarify the assignment question or by speaking to a HELPS Advisor. Naturally, you will need to do some background reading to consolidate your ideas before your start planning your essay. Let’s look at one of the paragraphs from the chocolate essay to see how the text is an interplay of the internal voice of the writer and the external voices of other authors. It’s also where you develop a discussion or argument. In order to substantiate your argument, you will also need to offer evidence. This could include examples or quotations from authoritative sources. Please refer to the assignment question on the right hand side of the screen. Notice the key words which in this case they are ‘academic learning and literacy centres’. Also notice these key words ‘ the most effective approach’. Regardless of the topic or the task, it is very important to understand and analyse the assignment question before embarking on any assignment writing exercise. A clear interpretation of the question and a well-structured plan are essential. First and foremost, you must fully understand what you're being asked and in how much depth you're required to answer the question. Michael says that one of the biggest problems students face when it comes to essays is squarely addressing the topic. 'Many successful essay writers plan consciously and deliberately, and commit to extensive notes, lists or mind maps,' he says. 'Some - those who work less consciously - may have a very sketchy plan. Planning your essay makes the writing process quicker and easier.