How to Write Better Essays

Answers

1. 1, 4, 5, 7, 10, 11.


2. You could have chosen your three characteristics from any of the
   following:
   2.1 long rectangular base
   2.2 a circle at the centre
   2.3 a triangle surrounding the circle
   2.4 a rectangle surrounding the circle and intersecting the
   triangle

As you can see from this, even though you haven’t come across

an olic before, the concept emerges, leaving you in no doubt about

its essential characteristics. Now consider the advertising question

again.

Question

‘Advertisers seek only to ensure consumers make informed choices.’

Discuss.

Go through the first two steps, one at a time, deliberately and carefully.

Don’t rush them; they’re important. If you need to, look back at the

way we analysed the concepts of authority and power: you’re doing

exactly the same. It also helps if you can use a note-taking strategy,

like the pattern notes we used with the authority/power question. This

will allow you to capture your ideas effectively and follow your train of

thoughts quickly.

Step 1: Gather your typical examples

First choose, say, five or six examples of advertisements, that you may

have seen on the television or in magazines.

Step 2: Analyse your examples

Now do the same, with the concept of advertising, as you’ve just done

with the concept of olic. Using the question as your guide, ask your-

self if there are certain essential characteristics that are always pre-

sent, without which it would be wrong to describe something as an

advertisement.

From your examples it will no doubt be clear that they are all

trying to persuade you in various ways. Yet, at the same time, it

The Three-Step Technique – Steps 1 and 2 31

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