Contents page
Section 1: Introduction 2
Section 2: The shape of an essay 3-5
Section 3: Stylistic conventions of academic writing 6-11
Section 4: Checklist 12
Section 5: References 13

Section 1: Introduction
The world can thank the French philosopher Michel de Montaigne for perhaps one of
the most chilling words in the vocabulary of students, ‘essay’. For many the word is
the forbearer of panic and uncertainty, something tied to intellectual elitism,
something beyond them. This handbook looks to dispel the mythology around essays
by deconstructing their requirements and setting out what comprises a good essay.
How you approach them is key, from clearly understanding the differences in
semantics between ‘discuss’ and ‘examine’; to writing a succinct introduction;
developing your ideas and effectively linking paragraphs; to bringing everything
together into a coherent conclusion, and all written in the correct tone with due
consideration to the essay’s audience and its purpose.
Writing something comprising the above paragraph may seem beyond what you feel
is your academic limit. It is not, and this handbook was written to act as a Socratic
midwife, guiding you through the pitfalls and common mistakes to the fundamentals
of good academic writing by making sure you are asking yo英语论文网 【http://www.51lunwen.org】urself the right questions
and making sure you have the key constituents of a good quality essay.
To start you off, the following section asks the most fundamental question, what is an
essay?

Section 2: The shape of an essay
An essay is a well researched and logically structured answer to a particular
question, or questions, often presented as an argument. An essay provides you with
an opportunity to articulate your ideas, but in a certain way: using formal academic
style and the conventional structure of an essay. Conventionally, an essay includes
an introduction, a body and a conclusion.
(Unilearning, 2000)
Essay structure
Introductory paragraph
Introductory sentence (general statement linking with and leading up to the main
idea)
Thesis sentence/statement (what the essay’s focus will be)
Essay outline
(what will be examined throughout the essay: “body” paragraphs... i.e. what is
coming up
Transitional sentence (linking introductory paragraph to first “body” paragraph)

Body: The structure of the paragraph
Topic sentence
Supporting evidence
Expansion
Supporting evidence (quotes a primary source)
Further supporting evidence and discussion
Transition to next paragraph

Structure of the conclusion
Topic sentence lets the reader know that the essay is winding down
Ties up all the loose end
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