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Assessment Tasks: Essays

Tips for tackling a variety of assessment tasks.

The parts of an essay

Typically, an essay includes these parts:

Introduction

  • Introduce the topic & open the discussion
  • Capture the reader's attention

Main body of the essay

  • Introduce each new point with a new paragraph
  • Provide supporting evidence for each point made

Conclusion

  • Summarise the main ideas
  • Demonstrate how you have proven the point
  • Reaffirm the introduction


(Content adapted from University of Queensland, 2019, Planning your assignment)

How to write a better paragraph

Paragraph Tips:  5 steps on how to write a paragraph
(This LibGuide material was last checked and edited in 2020).  

Essay writing: what's in it for you?

Essay writing is more than just an assessment task.  It also helps you in other ways.


Illustration adapted from:  University of NSW, Academic Skills: Glossary of Task Words, viewed August 2020. 
(Copied and communicated with permission).

 

Essay Writing Tips

  • Read the question carefully
  • Notetake as you read
  • Use relevant sources of information
  • Write a plan
  • Stay on topic by referring back to the question as your write
  • Highlight keywords in the question to begin researching the topic
  • Record reference sources as you go
  • Keep to the word limit
  • Cite all sources using the style designated by your lecturer or teacher
  • Proof read before submitting

(NSW Department of Education & Training, July 2020, Essay Writing Checklist.) 
(CC-BY-4.0-Int)

Task Words: Some Examples

Task words provide you with direction on how to answer your essay question

Glossary of Task Words

Illustration adapted from:  University of NSW, Academic Skills, Glossary of Task WordsDecember 2019. 
 

Tips for better essay writing

  1. Know your purpose
  2. Understand your audience
  3. Brainstorm about your topic
  4. Decide on a thesis
  5. Develop your essay
  6. Create an essay structure
  7. Connect ideas
  8. Choose memorable language
  9. Invent a strong title
  10. Edit and proofread

Source: Top Tips for Writing Better Essays
(Oxford Dictionaries)

https://www.lexico.com/grammar/top-tips-for-writing-better-essays