PAIS

ESSAY WRITING
WORKSHOP
Dr Samantha Cooke
 THE PLAN
An essay:
1. What is it?
2. What you need
3. What is the question?
4. PLANNING!!
5. Introduction
6. Sources
7. Argument Analysis
THE ESSAY: WHAT IS IT?
 THE ESSAY: A HISTORY

Michel de Montaigne developed

the essay form

Essais
‘attempts’ or ‘trials’

Applying your personal

assessment was quite
revolutionary!
 CORE COMPONENTS

Evidence of Critical
An argument
wider reading engagement

58 65 68+
 THE NEW MARKING SCALE

https
://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/pais/currentstudents/undergrad/academic/ughandbook
/criteria
/
THE SCHOLARLY TOOL
KIT
 SELF PLAGIARISM
Students may not repeat the substance of arguments, supporting reasoning or
evidence first used in an Assessed Essay in a second Assessed Essay or the
subsequent Examination for the module in question, or in Examinations or
Assessments for any other PAIS module (including the Dissertation). Repeating
material between Assessments and Examinations will be treated by markers in
the same way as repeating answers within an examination, and marked
accordingly. It is acceptable to use arguments or reasoning first developed in
Non-assessed (Formative) Essays in subsequent Examinations, as in this case
you are not marked twice on the same material.
 (AVOIDING) PLAGIARISM
“Plagiarism is a form of misconduct and is defined as taking and
using another person’s thoughts and presenting them as if they
were one’s own.”

1. Keep track of your sources; print electronic sources;

2. Plan ahead;
3. NEVER cut and paste (you fool of a took!!!);
4. Keep your own writing and your sources separate;
5. Keep your notes and your drafts separate;
6. Paraphrase carefully;
7. ACKNOWLEDGE your sources explicitly when paraphrasing;
8. DON’T save your citations for later(!!);
9. Quote your sources properly;
10.Keep a source trail.
 APPARATUS
Absolute fundamentals:
Citations
Bibliography

You must:
Thoroughly reference
Provide a full bibliography:
Name, Title, Place, Publisher, Year
 STYLE
Stay analytic
Avoid:
Put downs
‘dumb’
‘ridiculous’
‘it’s stupid to suggest’
Etc.

Text speak
‘cos’
‘dunno’

Shortening words
‘don’t’
‘wouldn’t’
 SPELLING & GRAMMAR
Careless mistakes (and whispers) detract from the strength of your analysis and tone of
your overall work:

Tips:
Turn on spell-check;
Make sure you have accepted all track changes;
Print your essay off and proofread it yourself for spell-check proof errors;
Pair up with someone and proof-read each other’s work;
Get your computer to read your essay to you;
Make a check list for the common errors you make;
Proofread more than once.
 USA VS. UK

World War One The First World War

9/11/2001 11/9/2001

Program Programme

Emphasized Emphasised

Authorize Authorised

Recognizes Recognises

Globalization Globalisation

James, Bob, and Jim James, Bob and Jim

 BE SPECIFIC

‘It can be argued’ ‘One can argue’

‘Political scientists say’ ‘Some academics believe ’
‘It is generally agreed’ ‘Some people have said’
LANGUAGE CHOICE
UNPACKING THE
QUESTION
 WHAT IS BEING ASKED?
Tip:
Write the question out and put it above your computer screen with
underlined key words;

Then when you have your argument

write it up and put it there too;

That way you never lose focus.

 THE ‘SO WHAT’ TEST
Make sure you answer the question
Everything must serve a purpose
Don’t waste time and effort
Don’t lose marks
Maintain focus
Must link back to the question
 SIGNPOSTING
“Although the President’s formal powers are not as numerous as those
conferred on Congress, they are still significant because the President holds key
powers over the legislative process and can implement checks on Congress.
Therefore, the President’s formal powers make him quite
powerful.”

Use the words from the question in

your sign posting.
PLANNING
Contemplation: What is the topic? What do you need to
answer?

Mind Map: Identify some research questions (hypotheses) to

guide your reading.

Research: Keep track of where you get information from.

Construct your argument: Identify key points & cut the less
helpful ones.

Order: Logical order for your points; and get writing!

INTRODUCTION
 WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
• Context

• Definitions

• Introduce the key thinkers, or debates

Set the scene

• Clear and unambiguous:

• ‘This essay shall proceed as follows…’
• The argument shall advance on three fronts, (a)…(b)…(c)…’
Outline the • ‘This paper shall proceed through two substantive sections, (1)…(2)…’
structure

• Unambiguous and explicit:

• ‘It shall be argued…’
• ‘This essay/paper shall argue…’
State the argument
being made
SOURCES
RELIABILITY &
SUITABILITY
FLYING THE NEST…
 RESEARCH & WIDER
READING
1. Unique examples
2. Locating key debates
3. Identifying consensus opinion
4. Primary sources
5. Statistics/data or polling

1. JOURNALS!!
2. ‘Don’t read a book cover to cover’
3. Organise your reading
ARGUMENT
 ARGUMENTS

DO DON’T
Consider Remain neutral
counter-
arguments
Replace argument
with person’s stance
Qualify
argument
Argue from
ignorance
 QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
Is this a matter that I can decide without an appeal to expert opinion?

YES
Do so
NO

NO YES
Your opinion will be as Is this a matter upon which Is the authority an Is the authority biased towards one side?
good as anyone else's expert opinion is available? YES
expert on the matter?

NO
YES
Authority may be untrustworthy
Why listen?
NO

NO Is the authority's opinion YES

Find out what the expert You can
representative of a
consensus is and rely on that rely on it
consensus?
ANALYSIS
 CRITICAL ENGAGEMENT

“identifying and examining faults and weaknesses

in arguments, acknowledging strengths and merits,
commenting on degrees of success or failure,
judging the implications, or the ultimate use or
value of something”
(PAIS UG handbook, 2017).
 DEPTH OVER BREADTH
Analysis over description:
analysis is what the assessor is after.

We are interested in your thoughts based on your research.

CRITICAL ENGAGEMENT

Tips:
Put away the highlighters
Annotate
Challenge arguments