How to plan an essay

Why plan?

To produce a successful essay, you need to know in advance where your line of argument is going
Starting to write without a clear plan is likely to result in an unfocused piece of work and you may well grind to a halt part way through.

For a term-time essay, it is worth spending several hours reading, thinking and making notes – this will help you actually to write the essay quite quickly
Once you are used to the idea of planning and thinking through your ideas in this manner, you should be able to use the same techniques in an examination.

Use a large sheet of paper (A4 or larger) to give yourself plenty of room
Bear the key words in mind
Allow yourself to range widely to produce the maximum number of ideas
Keep referring back to the question to ensure that what you are doing is relevant.

Begin to group ideas that belong together
Don't rewrite but use letters, number, colours or symbols and draw lines from one point to another to create links
Create a short title for each group
You should now have the main headings for your essay, each of which will form a paragraph (or perhaps two) in your essay.

This depends on the line of argument you wish to follow
Think of your essay as a case, almost as if you were in a court of law: you will set out your points, supported by appropriate evidence
You can now number your main headings appropriately.

You are now in a position to write an introductory paragraph, which will give the reader some indication of the line you intend to take
Try to make a smooth transition into your first main heading
NOTE: If you can't immediately think of a good opening don't let that stop you from starting to write your essay. Begin by writing the second paragraph or even a later one and return to the opening later on!

When you have completed all your main headings, re-read your essay and think how best to end it
Remind the reader (in different words and very briefly) of your main points
Offer a conclusion that makes clear where your argument and the evidence have led you.

Word-processed work should have 1.5 or double spacing
Hand-written work should be on every other line
- It will be easier to read on the screen / page
- Easier to check for errors
- Easier for the marker / examiner to read.

You should always check your essays carefully before handing them in.

Proof-reading word-processed work is best done by printing a hard copy. Mistakes are often difficult to spot on the screen
Spell check programs are not infallible!
Spell check programs will not help with proper names: Faustus and Mephastophilis are not in the dictionary!

When you have finished your essay, either read it aloud to yourself or ask a friend to read it for you: this is an excellent way of spotting mistakes.

Plagiarism means using someone else's words and ideas as if they were your own without acknowledgment. It is a form of cheating. Remember that:

It is very easy for a teacher or examiner to spot when you have done this - the pattern of your language, and your characteristic vocabulary suddenly change. You might just as well write such passages in red!
Universities often demand that essays are submitted online, so that they can be checked against programs that spot when unacknowledged quotation occurs
It is perfectly acceptable to use someone else's ideas in order to support your argument BUT you must either:
- Quote what they say in quotation marks with a full reference to the author and source
- Paraphrase or allude to what they say, again with full acknowledgment of the source.

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