How to Write Better Essays

Introduction

We have now reached the point where we can confidently set about our

research. We’ve interpreted the meaning and implications of the ques-

tion, in the course of which we’ve analysed the key concepts involved.

From there we’ve brainstormed the question using our interpretation

as our key structure. As a result, we now know two things: what ques-

tions we want answered from our research; and what we already know

about the topic. The latter is important if we are to graft the ideas we

come across onto our own understanding and make them our own.

Only in this way will we be able to use these ideas skilfully and per-

suasively when we come to write.

Lastly, we’ve identified clearly the range of abilities the examiner

wants to see us use. Otherwise, as we saw, there is a danger that we

will assume the question is largely about demonstrating that we under-

stand and can recall the facts about the topic in the question, rather

than showing we can use the higher cognitive skills to analyse its impli-

cations, synthesise arguments and evidence from different sources,

discuss and argue consistently, and criticise and evaluate the ideas

we use.

This means that we must reorganise our pattern of study. Otherwise

we will continue to use our skills, like note-taking and reading, in the

way we have always used them: to meet the demands of questions that

test the simpler cognitive skills. In effect, if we don’t reorganise it, we

will be preparing ourselves for the wrong exams: for those we have

already taken, rather than for those we are about to take. In this stage,

therefore, we will examine the three key skills in research (reading,

note-taking and organisation), showing how we can reorganise our

pattern of study to meet the newer demands of the higher cognitive

skills.

Reading

To use these skills effectively in our reading we will see that it’s import-

ant to read purposefully: to be clear about why we’re reading a par-

ticular passage so that we can select the most appropriate reading

strategy. Many of us get into the habit of reading every passage

word-for-word, regardless of our purpose in reading it, when in fact it

might be more efficient to skim or scan it. Adopting a more flexible

approach to our reading in this way frees up more of our time, so that

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