How to Write Better Essays

critically. Rather than accept that there are authorities that are beyond

question, this asks us to criticise and evaluate received ideas and opin-

ions – to accept nothing on trust.

In this stage of essay writing, then, as we develop our arguments

in the paragraph, it’s important to remind ourselves that those

who assess our essays are not concerned so much with right

answers as they are with the abilities we use to reach our answer. Two

essays can both receive the same high mark, even though they come

to completely different answers. And, conversely, even though two

essays may come to exactly the same conclusion, this doesn’t mean

they will be awarded the same mark: one might receive the lowest mark

awarded, while the other the highest. And, of course, it’s equally true

that even though an examiner might agree with your conclusion, he or

she may still award you low marks. It’s not the conclusion you reach

that matters so much as the way in which you reach it: the way you

travel.

Travelling well

Given this, it should now be clear that in the development of the para-

graph, examiners want to see you use these higher cognitive domains.

They will want to see how well you travel from the simple description

of the case, to an analysis of its implications, to the criticism of each

one of these implications, to the evidence to support your view, and

finally to your evaluation. In such a sequence you will have travelled

far, and for this you will earn high marks.

DescriptionÆAnalysisÆCriticismÆEvidenceÆEvaluation

Of course, it may not be possible to do all of this in one paragraph.

After the analysis you may want to take up each implication as the

subject for each subsequent paragraph.

194 Writing

Æ Implication Æ Criticism Æ Evidence

Æ Implication Æ Criticism Æ Evidence

Implication Æ Criticism Æ Evidence

Analysis

Æ

In this case, in one paragraph you would describe the implication,

criticise it and show evidence for your view, before moving to the next

implication in the next paragraph, where you would do the same, and

so on. Then your evaluation may come two or three paragraphs later

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