How to Write Better Essays

general nature, say the original insight that motivated your thinking

in the first place, or an idea that revealed for you the way to tackle the

problem raised by the essay, then you can place a reference number

after the title or when you state the main idea. You can then pick this

up at the bottom of the page or at the top of the list of endnotes with

a few words acknowledging your debt. Alternatively, you may just be

acknowledging the source of a particular point, one of many in your

essay. In this case the note will appear in the middle of the sequence

of footnotes or endnotes.

The following are examples of the sort of comments you might

make, although there is almost no limit to the sort of help you might

acknowledge.

I am particularly indebted to Dr David Dockrill for many of the ideas

on transubstantiation in this section.

My understanding of intentionality is largely influenced by discus-

sions I have had with Dr Joe Mintoff.

I have benefited from Dr John Wright’s criticisms of the first draft of

this passage.

I owe this example of the Prisoners’ Dilemma to Prof. C. A. Hooker,

who used it in his lectures on Commercial Values at the University

of Newcastle in the first semester 2000.

Bibliographies and reference lists

At the end of your essay it’s usual to give both a bibliography and a

reference list, although in some pieces of work you may just be asked

for a reference list alone. This contains only those authors and works

you’ve referred to in the essay, while a bibliography is a list of all the

material you’ve consulted as background for the topic.

The latter can be very useful both to you and to your readers. Later

you might want to check back on certain points or expand and develop

some of your ideas. The aim of the bibliography is to tell your readers

in the clearest possible way what you’ve used, so don’t pad it out with

items to impress them. Nevertheless, it will no doubt help you in

your future assignments if you make it as comprehensive as possible.

If it’s appropriate, divide it into primary and secondary material.

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