NURS3006 The Professional Nurse
Task
Writing A Essay
Organising your thoughts into a coherent piece of writing is an important part of academic life, but many stuients find essay writing a daunting proposition. The task can appear less formidable if it is seen as a sequence of sub-tasks, the completion of one task leading to the next. Good organisation will save time and unnecessary stress, and lead to better essays.
All essays should have an introduction, body and conclusion. The introduction attracts the reader's attention and indicatei the main points and structure of the essay. These main points are then developed in the body of the essay. A main point may take one or more paragraphs, depending on the length of the assignment. You should use linking words to connect your ideas and paragraphs, The conclusion draws your arguments together and leaves the reader with your
final thoughts on the subject. (SLC leaflets on these areas are listed at the back of this leaflet.)
Assignment Requirements
Essay requirements vary from subject to subject. Your topic course book should give details regarding the expected tormãt and which referencing style is preferred, and often provides suggestions for how to approach the topic itself' lf you are still not clear on what is required, çheck with your tutor'
Selecting a Topic
Ask yourself what you will learn by choosing to write on a particular topic. Your interest, knowledge and background will influánce your choice, You should also take into account how easily you can find resources on a particular topic. Jotting down ideas may help you to identify what you already know and what you need to find out.
Analysing The Toptc
What exactly is being asked of you? ls it a description, a well-documented argument, a personalview or something else? Read all the information and suggestions your course book contains for that assignment - often lecturers go out of their way to provide the questions that they want covered in each section, which can form the outline of your essay.
- Select the key content words of the topic and look up the deflnitions.
- ldentify the instruction words, such as compare, discuss or explain. They wÍll help you to use your information. (See the glossary below for more examples.)
- How does the topic tie in with the course and the lecturer's expectations?
- What are the main points you want to make? List any other points that could be relevant. How do these points link together?
- From this analysis, make a plan with headings and sub-headings'
- Add some notes which can be built upon under each heading and sub-heading.
The above steps of analysis help focus you on the topic so that you begin your deeper research with an idea of what you are looking for.
