Writing essays

The function of an essay is to show how much you understand about a topic and how well you can organize and express your knowledge. 

Most essays have a relatively straightforward structure and it is best to divide your time into three main parts (Fig. 51.1). For exam strategies, see Chapter 56. 

Read the title very carefully and think about the topic before starting to write. Consider the definitions of each of the important nouns (this can help in approaching the introductory section). Also think about the meaning of the verb(s) used and try to follow each instruction precisely (see Table 51.1). Don t get side-tracked because you know something about one word or phrase in the title consider the whole title and all its ramifications. If there are two or more parts to the question, make sure you give adequate attention to each part. 

Analyse examine in depth and describe the main characteristics of Assess weigh up the elements of and arrive at a conclusion about 

Comment give an opinion on and provide evidence for your views 

The spider diagram technique (p. 326) is a speedy way of doing this. If you have time to read several sources, consider their content in relation to the essay title. Can you spot different approaches to the same subject Which do you prefer as a means of treating the topic in relation to your title Which examples are most relevant to your case, and why  

Every essay should have a structure related to its title. Most marks for essays are lost because the written material is badly organized or is irrelevant. An essay plan, by definition, creates order and, if thought about carefully, can ensure relevance. Your plan should be written down (but scored through later if written in an exam book). Think about an essay s content in three parts  

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Inviting contributing authors to write essays about their current or recent research. There are four new essays for the end-of-chapter sections called Chemistry Beyond the Classroom. ... 

Professors Harry Frank (University of Connecticut), Steven Shaw (Montana State University), Greg Sotzing (University of Connecticut), and Leslie Sperling (Lehigh University) graciously consented to write essays on their research interests. Their essays are interesting and understandable to freshmen (no mean feat ). 

We have planned every chapter to be self-contained. Each commences with a general overview, before the core material is presented in depth this is followed by a list of questions that should prove useful for both students and their lecturers. Finally, there are several key articles, followed by a list of further references. Many of the chapters in this book have been tested out on our students. Not only did they report that the chapters were all excellent (in feedback sessions that were obviously not blind ) they also informed us that they particularly liked this reference format. They found it useful when writing essays, preparing projects and, most importantly, when cramming for exams. 

You ve completed 20 lessons and have learned much about how to write essays that are more effective. To see just how much your skills have improved, turn the page and take the posttest. You should see a dramatic difference in your understanding of the writing process and in your ability to write clearly and effectively in an essay format. 

Week Three Review Analytical Writing topics (go to www.GRE.org/pracmats.html), and practice writing essays. 

Week Four Practice Analytical Writing essays. 

During the final week, however, it s a good idea to actually cut back on your study schedule. Cramming on vocabulary words and math concepts or frantically writing essays now will only make you feel less prepared and more anxious. Anxiety is your enemy when it comes to test taking. It s also your enemy when it comes to restful sleep, and it s extremely important that you be well rested and relaxed on test day. 

You already have lots of practice writing essays, so this is where you get into the details about how to actually construct your essay. What is most essential to remember when you are working on the Issue task is that you are writing a persuasive piece. Ask yourself these questions ... 

The writing essay is always the first section of the SAT. The multiple-choice writing section is always the last section. The remaining sections can appear in any order. 

These types of writing essays are graded in the same way as the quotation-based essays. Refer to Chapter 5 for detailed scoring guidelines. 

Prepare 1-2-3 maps and write essays for each of the prompts in Chapter Three concerning the subject pizza, for which you have already prepared visual maps. Be sure to add the necessary shapes to complete each of your 1-2-3 maps, and conduct mental or written braintalks before writing your essays. 

Your challenge Write essays for each of the prompts using information provided by the 1-2-3 maps shown. 

The pace is often frantic for students rushing to organize and write essays, it is no surprise then that their graphic organizers and 1-2-3 maps are often messy, since writing is often a wonderfuiiy messy process. 

Write essays for each of the prompts using information provided by the 1-2-3 maps completed by each student. If you are familiar with the subject, you may add details to the maps before starting. For each essay, give yourself no more than 25 minutes. 

Read through the variety of prompts that follow. Write at least one essay for each kind of writing, or write essays for the prompts you find particularly challenging. 

The ability to find scientific information is a skill required for many exercises in your degree programme. You will need to research facts and published findings as part of writing essays, literature reviews and project introductions, and when amplifying your lecture notes and revising for exams. You must also learn how to follow scientific convention in citing source material as the authority for each statement you make. 

Prepare answers to past or hypothetical questions, e.g. write essays or work through calculations and problems, within appropriate time limits. However, you should not rely on question spotting this is a risky practice ... 

CHAPTER 13 -WRITING ESSAYS USING MULTIPLE STRATEGIES 357... 

The American Psychological Association (APA) recommends a documentation style for research papers in the social sciences. Your instructors in psychology and sociology classes, for example, may prefer that you use the APA form when you write essays for them. 

Although approaches to literature are diverse and may be studied in depth in other English courses, writing essays about literature is worthwhile in the composition classroom as well. Writing about literature offers an opportunity to practice the important skills of close reading, critical thinking, and effective expression of ideas. 

Remember to add your own questions to this list, ones that address your specific story in a meaningful way. (For help writing essays of literary analysis, turn to pages 439-441.)... 

The following are two examples of successful answers to the short essay prompt above, along with some comments to help you compare your learner s writing. Essay grading is, of course, somewhat subjective hence, the reasoning behind the categories. Remember, your evaluation may differ. 

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