Essay Writing Guidelines: Part 1 and Part 2

Major Themes (Literature Review part 1)

The Essay has two parts as follows:

Part 1 is a written essay that requires you to summarise a range of key academic and practitioner information sources, to critically analyse them and to demonstrate how you have synthesised the articles in relation to complex debates within a given essay question.

Part 2 is a critical reflection of the issues presented in part 1 of the essay in relation to implications for a range of relevant stakeholders within practice, policy and academic research.

The essay should show evidence of application of all the learning that has taken place as a result of participating in the workshops and feedback from the MAR029-3 Preparation for the Specialist Project unit and MAR030-3: Specialist Project sessions. The following points should be observed:

The essay must adhere to the word limit.

The format is an essay, but the style must be formal, serious and ‘academic, therefore we suggest that you avoid writing in the first person (“I”); rather the third person is recommended (e.g. it can therefore be suggested that...).

You may include headings and subtitles and a contents page if you feel this will help you to stay focused and create clearer sign-posting for the reader.

The best essays will demonstrate a deep understanding of the key issues of your debate (derived from your research) and ownership of the essay resulting in a critical conclusion. The main assessment criteria are listed at the end of your Project Handbook and the assessment grid is available on BREO.

The following format/structure should be observed for your essay:

1.Introduction

a.Define the scope of the question (i.e. your interpretation and focus).

b.Give brief contextual or background information

c.What key authors/works/academic frameworks will you be drawing on?

d.Set the direction for your essay

2.Major Themes (Literature Review part 1)

a.Introduce your major themes

b.Explain the connection to your research question and how each theme helps address the task

c.What evidence are you providing to support your arguments?

3.Critical Reflection (Literature Review part 2)

a.Consider the implications of your findings from your major themes in terms of implications for practice, policy, academic research etc.

b.Highlight challenging, but relevant outcomes with flair and imagination

c.Demonstrate learning from the overall task

4.Conclusion

a.Draw the key points together

b.Come back to the overall argument

c.How have you demonstrated your central point?

d.Answer the question!

5.Bibliography – IMPORTANT

a.The bibliography should comprise a variety of sources with a minimum of 12-15 academic journal articles forming the core debate of your essay.  

b.‘Other’ types of references should also be used to make the essay both current and ‘colourful’, so you should aim for about 25-30 in total.

c.Categorise academic journals separately.

What do I need to do to pass? (Threshold Expectations from UIF)

• Construct theoretically informed arguments that are supported by a range of evidence from both practitioner and academic sources
• Identify key quantitative and qualitative data related to the research question and conduct a comprehensive analysis of both as an evidence basis.
• Demonstrate independent analysis and the ability to synthesise evidence from different perspectives.
• Produce critical conclusions and recommendations that have validity and follow logically from the arguments.

How will my assignment be marked?

Your assignment will be marked according to the threshold expectations and the criteria on the following page.

You can use them to evaluate your own work and consider your grade before you submit.