Writing for University Assessments - Essay Example

Writing for Assessments Introduction Writing is a skill which can be honed over time. It just takes a good grasp of the English language, an artistic flare, a degree of creativity and imagination, and a genuine interest for writing. However, as can be expected from this kind of theoretical discipline, writing follows a set of rules to guide practitioners into the correct line of thought and discourse to ensure a sense of reward and success in this field. College courses demand many different kinds of writing that employ a variety of strategies for different audiences. Writing offers the opportunity for students to learn different strategies for approaching writing tasks so that one may communicate theories learned and relay an understanding of a particular topic to specific audiences. In writing for university assessments a student’s task is to communicate an understanding of a topic. In this regard, this essay is written with the objective of proffering the features of an academic essay in which this aim is achieved. Academic Essay An academic essay is a short piece of literary work written for the purpose of expressing the students’ thoughts, reflections, and reactions on diverse topics usually with a developed thesis used to establish the validity of the discourse. According to Duffin (1998, par. 1), academic essays “may vary in expression from discipline to discipline, but any good essay should show us a mind developing a thesis, supporting that thesis with evidence, deftly anticipating objections or counter-arguments, and maintaining the momentum of discovery”. Several literatures are available presenting rules for effective writing. Despite the span of time which evolved, the rules for effective writing remain the same and remain true and applicable to contemporary writing. For academic essays to be effective in communicating an understanding of the defined topic there are standard features that must be present. The following portion would proffer features of an academic essay accomplishing required objectives. Features of an Academic Essay Effective writing needs more than rules to compose a fairly effective essay. Rules are merely practical guides that give the writer direction and focus on the concepts and theories which he already has a competent grasp of. An academic essay requires the following basic features to be effective in the achievement of its objective: (1) a given topic; (2) an organized structure; (3) appropriate resources or reference materials; (4) adherence to prescribed writing style, correct grammar, and citations; and (5) reviewed, edited, and revised accordingly prior to its final form. 1. Topic Topics are usually prescribed by the students’ course instructors as part of the instructions for writing the required essay. Depending on the modules, diverse topics require the students to present their views to determine the level of understanding on the subject. From the topic, students are already encouraged to plan on writing the essay following an organized structure for effective presentation. 2. Structure An academic essay follows a general structure, to wit: an introduction, body of the essay, and a conclusion. The introduction usually includes the thesis statement which is the basis for the development of the required discourse. Depending on the type of essay, the students are expected to develop an appropriate thesis statement to guide them in achieving the purpose of the essay: to describe (descriptive), to explain a theory or concept (exploratory), or to argue two sides of a situation (argumentation) (Edith Cowan University, 2008, 1). The body presents relevant information to support or validate the thesis statement. Evidence through a review of literature or through primary and secondary sources of information is used in relation to the topic. The concluding portion summarizes the highlights of the discourse by briefing restating the thesis statement and reiterating critical points of evidence. 3. Resources or Reference Materials The critical element for the academic essay is the source of materials to be used to validate the thesis statement. Some essays explicitly state the required references to be used in the discourse. Others encourage the use of diverse sources of information ranging from textbooks, journals, publications, and websites where evidences in support on the topic could be researched. All academic essays require reliable scholarly sources written by identified authors who are experts in their fields of endeavor. 4. Adherence to Rules of Writing Each student is reminded to conform to rules of effective writing focusing on correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling, among others. Examples of writing rules which students should bear in mind are as follows: “Never us a long word where a short one will do” (Orwell 1945); “Never use the passive where you can use the active” (Orwell 1945); “Don’t abbreviate” (Mantex 2007); “It is important to be consistent in using points of view” (Mantex 2007); and “Always check your work for accuracy and completeness” (Mantex 2007), among others. With the required writing styles, appropriate citation rules should also be observed for effective writing of academic essays. More importantly, the essay must be free from any form of plagiarism. As averred by Chandler (2008, par. 14), “the cardinal sin in academia is plagiarism, which we may define as the presentation as ones own of ideas or phraseology knowingly derived from other writers”. In this regard, when words are quoted verbatim, students must acknowledge the source of the ideas and cite them according to the style of writing indicated. A reference page is likewise necessary to indicate the sources cited in the discourse. 5. Review and Edit As mentioned above, the accuracy and completeness of one’s essay must always be ensured through frequent review, proofreading, editing, and revising. Contemporary writing has the advantage of the utilization of technology to assist students in checking for the grammar, spelling and accuracy of one’s work though the Word Software Program. This program makes checking virtually easily with just a flick of the fingers in the keyboard. The wonders of technology are of great assistance to ensuring one’s discourse is free from grammar and spelling mistakes. As appropriately advised by Orwell, these rules may be easy to memorize but it takes constant practice to make one’s literary work perfect. There is not shortcut to effective writing. One should remember that humans always have tendencies to make mistakes. These mistakes give the writer the opportunity to examine his work and to closely evaluate the areas for improvement. Effective writing simply aims to transmit a message that should be clear, concise, direct, and easily understood. This is the reason that most of the rules from different literatures emphasize using short words and sentences and being clear and direct. If the writer was able to achieve this objective, then, he is considered effective. Key Qualities Aside from the features of an academic essay which provide guidelines to the structure of essay presentation, there are critical qualities that students should be reminded of. As emphasized by Chandler (2008, pars. 33 – 35) the following qualities must be present in an academic essay: (1) knowledge and understanding; (2) critical evaluation; and (3) evidence and coherent argument. A thorough understanding of the subject could easily be detected from the manner of presentation and development of arguments for the essay. This is one of the means by which the instructors would determine the level of understanding on the modules discussed. Through appropriate research on related materials to support and validate the thesis statement, the student is accorded with the opportunity to critically analyze concepts and theories in relation to practical applications. A critical evaluation of previous research literatures allows the students to interpret and react to theories and concepts. Chandler (2008, par. 34) averred that “the task is not to criticize the work of experienced professionals on the basis of your own knowledge of the topic or of research methodology but to show that you are capable of thinking critically and with insight about the issues raised”. Coherence means “the quality of being logically integrated, consistent, and intelligible” (Webster’s, 2010). The sentences are arranged in a manner where ideas flow in a logical progression enabling the readers to comprehend the arguments in an effective manner. Conclusion As initially proffered, in writing for university assessments, a student’s task is to communicate an understanding of a topic. With the presentation of the features of an academic essay, together with the key qualities to ensure composition of a comprehensive content, the aim stipulated herein will definitely be achieved. Writing, to be effective, has to consider other factors such as the audience or the reader, the writing process itself, and even the elements of communication. Of greater significance, a writer should possess a genuine interest for his work to be able to excel in this endeavor. Works Cited Chandler, Daniel. Writing Academic Essays and Reports. 2008. Web. 21 April 2010. < http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Modules/writess.html> Edith Cowan University. Academic Essay. 2008. Web. 21 April 2010. Duffin, Kathy. Overview of the Academic Essay. 1998. Web. 21 April 2010. Mantex. 26 Golden Rules for Writing Well. Manchester. 2007. Web. 21 April 2010. Orwell, G. Work : Essays : Politics and the English Language. K1 Internet Publishing. 1945. Web. 21 April 2010. Webster’s New World College Dictionary. Definition of Coherence. 2010. Web. 21 April 2010. < http://www.yourdictionary.com/coherence> Read More