Writing an essay at university involves undertaking research on a topic, developing a means to structure observations, information and theory into a coherent form, expressing it in a logical structure, and including an evaluation of its meaning. This last point is crucial: an essay is not simply a collection of facts or a reporting of information. It is an attempt to grapple with the significance of an issue that presents itself across a range of discursive modes. You will be expected to interrogate the simple appearance of things, ask pertinent questions of your sources, and push them to the point where their logic yields itself to scrutiny, but you will also need to draw conclusions about what your investigation reveals about the state of things. Typically, essays ask you to respond to a question. The important thing is not to stop short of providing that answer by simply presenting the material in which the reader might find an answer. It is your job to be direct about what your answer is.

Writing a good essay involves the consolidation of a number of skills. Developing these skills very much depends on the attitude you take to your work. Reading and writing skills—such as careful reading, meticulous note taking and conscientious redrafting of written work—require self-discipline and effective time-management. They will be most effectively developed if you adopt a curious and reflective disposition, a willingness to be interested in the essay topic and in the content of the course. Good writing comes from a hunger for knowledge and understanding and an interest in expressing yourself verbally

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