Essay Writing

Essays are a common form of assessment in many tertiary-level disciplines. The ability to construct good essays involves understanding the process and the conventions of essay writing.

This section will show you how to break down an essay question, and how to plan and structure your essay.

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Reflective Writing

Reflective writing is about using the ‘I’ in reflection.

Watch the video below for a quick introduction to reflective writing.

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Reflective Writing 

Reflective writing is an activity in which you provide a personal response to an event, experience or situation.

In academic contexts, when you evaluate the experience and explain how you have been changed or influenced by it, you need to provide support using academic theory and other people’s ideas. Finally, you also need to consider what implications the experience might have for similar tasks in the future.

The following diagram summarises the features of reflective essays:

Reflective Writing with examples.

 

Research proposals

In your university studies, you may be asked to submit a research proposal on a topic related to the subject you study. You will need to establish a clear purpose for your proposal. This involves stating at least one research question, which is  a statement of what you expect to find.

The features of a research proposal are:

  • Having a clear context for your investigation
  • Addressing a gap in the literature or field
  • Having a clear methodology or research design

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