Methodology of essays

Methodology of essaysAuthor:PhDr. Mgr. Lubica Jurickova, Ph.D.Lecturer:PhDr. Miloslav Klugar, Ph.D.Social Medicine and Medical EthicsDepartment of Social Medicine and Health Care PolicyOffice number: 5.087Office hours: Friday 9:00 11: 00Faculty of Medicine and DentistryPalacky University in OlomoucContent of seminarWhat is professional essay.How to write professional essay.Whom, and when to submit professional essay.1. What is professional essayIn a broader sense:On a given topicAuthor has to study scientific literatureArguing by authorityThan write a part which express an authors own opinion (KUBATOVA H., 2009, Handbook of authors thesis, p. 23).In a narrower sense:Genre on the border of journalism and literature that uses linguistic resources, ie metaphors, direct quotations, indirect quotations, rhetorical questions, etc. (PROKOP V., 2005, Theory of Literature, p 46).2. How to write a professional essay?I choose a topic from the list offering by the Department of Social Medicine. For example: The euthanasia and a termination of ineffective treatment.The topics are written see www.usl.upol.czHow to write a professional essay?Ill get to the chosen topic at least 2 professional papers or essays (it means professional publications or professional papers or essays which will be in printed or electronic form).

Do not forget you reference from primary sources.How to write a professional essay?In introduction of essay:I formulate the question (or questions), which Ill answer, clearly; and thenI write clearly what the main aim of the essay:

The question: Do you consider the euthanasia as a help or a murder of a human being?The aim of the essay: The aim of the essay is

How to write a professional essay?When I write a professional essay I present the ideas or thoughts of other authors (the information from professional publications) and my own ideas or thoughts.! With the ideas of other authors:I distinguish a direct quotation (citation) and an indirect quotation (paraphrase);I refer to by abbreviated form in a round brackets (like surname, the of publication , page number or numbers) in a whole essay text; In the list of literature I present more information in a required order (I remind you of using different information given for publications and other given for articles in a journal etc.)

How to write a professional essay?After finishing of writing I read the whole essay carefully and I check if:The essay meets the demands in terms of content and terms of form The essay contains: a title page (see the example no. 1), its own text the text of essay and the list of literature (see the example no.2).How to write a professional essay?The own text of essay is divided to:An introduction;A body of essay the own text of essay (and the body is divided to the paragraphs);A conclusion.

Note: the words introduction, body of essay and conclusion are not written in the text of essay.

What to usually write in the introduction of the essay?I sum up the piece of knowledge about a researched topic which has been published or known till now.I present general information about the importance of the researched topic.I formulate a problem a question (or questions), which Ill answer, and the aim of essay (in an indicative sentence); a reader must know at the beginning of the essay what the essay is about and what the aim of the essay is.I define the researched topic.

What to usually write in the body of the essay?I develop a problem a question (or questions), the aim (or aims) of the essay.I explain the ideas or thoughts and I can support them by the examples.I divide the whole essay to the paragraphs.I argue by the authority (or authorities).I use my own argued statements too.I refer in the text properly (in an abbreviated form).What to usually write in the conclusion of the essay?I sum up the results of the consideration (a previous text).I have a think about the results, possibly I draw the consequences and I outline future tasks.I have a think about wider implications of the researched topic by using presented theoretical pieces of knowledge.

NotificationThe worst mistake is not to say anything, not to express what you do really think of something (of the topic, problem).The different mistake is generality, semantic emptiness (the essay is not a stylistic formation used for an empty babbling).How to write a professional essayIn the text of professional essay you quote from primary sources (printed or electronic).

Why do I have to link a source of used information?! See the Act no. 121/2000 Co. (Copyright Act) as amended.

How to write a professional essay?BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES AND QUOTATIONBibliographical referencesMore than 5000 citation styles

USE CITATION STYLE APA 6http://www.muhlenberg.edu/library/reshelp/apa_example.pdf

How to write a professional essay?Ideas of other authors and Information from texts of other professional publicationsList of literatureDirect quotation(text is in quotes)Indirect quotation(text is retold in your own words)

Just mandatory (some) data quotationYour own ideasThe abbreviated form of reference in the text of essay: (surname, year, page)Example (Nov, 2009, p 25)What is a direct quotation (citation) and how can I present it in a text?The direct quotation (citation) is a literal introduction of a passage from an other authors text with a reference to a source of information.Example no.1: The population is aging (Kalvach, 2006, p 8);Example no. 2: Kalvach (2006, p 8) says: Population is aging.

If the authors name occurs in the text, its followed by the year of publication and the page number in a round brackets.When do we use a direct quotation?We use the direct quotation then if it supports or completes our own statement or if it is a subject of our analysis, commentary etc.What is an indirect quotation (paraphrase) and how can I present it in a text?An indirect quotation (paraphrase) is a retold text of other author with a references to a source of information, which is told by our own words.Example no. 1: By Kalvach (2006, p 8) in the senior population there is the predominance of women.Example no. 2: In the senior population there is the predominance of women (Kalvach, 2006, p 8).When do we use an indirect quotation?We use an indirect quotation then if we want to reproduce the extensive passages briefly or if we want to inform about them as about a whole in order to support or development of our own thoughts or ideas.The references in the text(one author wrote two publications during one year)

1. text (Nov, 2004a, p 2-3)2. text (Nov, 2004b, p 12)

If two or more information sources have the same author and the year of publication , they are distinguished by small letters of alphabet (a, b, c etc.) and they follow after the year of publication.

How to refer to in a professional text(the examples of a direct and indirect quotation and argumentation)

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. (Kalvach, 2010, p 11). By Munzarov (2006, p 8-9) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. It follows that xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. Koenek (2004, p 9) emphasizes: Xxxxxxxxxxx. His argumentation is that xxxxxxxxxxxxx, because xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, and thats why I agree with a conclusion of Hakovcov (2010, p 20) proving xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

Notification no. 1It is important to distinguish our own thoughts from others thoughts (if you read the text in a row, just ask yourself if its absolutely clear who the author of the thought is if its you or the authority).

Notification no. 2For each a direct or indirect quotation in the text there must be a bibliographic citation of the publication in a list of literature the essay referred to (in a list of literature its enough to mention only some information, see Example no. 2 The list of literature).

How to write it in the list of literature (1)?Koenek, Josef. 2001. Medical ethics. Olomouc: Palacky University. Munzarov, Marta. 2005.Euthanasia or palliative care? Prague: Grada Publishing. !In this way you quote bibliographic citation of publication or other individually published monographic printed document (see Example no. 2 as well).Notice that the items in the list of literature are ordered alphabetical by authors surname.

The structure of bibliographic citation of a book or other individually published monographic printed document in the list of literature:Surname, Name of author;Year of publication;Name of a book;Place of publication, publisher.Notice that surname is written in capital letters and there is a dot behind the authors name and surname. The year of publication is written behind the authors name and the information is completed by a dot. It is recommended to write the name of the book in italics. A colon is written behind the place of publication, and after there is information about publisher. In the list of literature there must be used an unified punctuation (commas, dots etc).How to write a bibliographical citations if there are more authors?HAKOV, Hana, et al., 2009.Forensic psychiatry and psychology. Prague: Grada Publishing. More than three authors: All names should be mentioned if its possible. If some names are left out, its quoted the first authors name and the abbreviation et.al. (and others) follows after it. Two or three authors: All names are mentioned.Cite when writeIs here an easier way?

Reference management software.

How to write a professional essay (summary)I choose the topic from the offer of the Department of Social Medicine and Health Policy;I get at least 3 professional publications;In introduction of the essay I form the problem of the essay clearly the sentence in a form of question and the aim of essay (indicative sentence);The reader must know at the beginning of the essay what the main aim of the essay is, what the essay is about);I refer in the text of the essay properly;I check if the essay:meets the demands in terms of content and terms of form (The evaluation criteria for essays)contains a title page, its own text the text of essay (at least 3 pages) and the list of literature.Recommended literatureOffice for Standards, Metrology and Testing.ISO 690:2011 (01 0197). Information and documentation Rules for bibliographic references and citations of information sources. SLADE, John. 2011. How to write an essay. Woodgate international [online]. New York: Woodgate, [cit. 2012-09-09]. Avialable from: http://www.atlasbooks.com/woodgateintl/HowtoWriteanEssay.pdfSZYMANEK, Krzysztof, Krzysztof A. WIECZOREK and Andrzej S. WJCIK. Art of argumentation. Olomouc: Palacky University, 2004. ISBN 80-244-0834-1.

2. How to write a professional essay?FORMALITIESFormalities of the essayMargins: 2,5 cm;Script: Times New Roman (12);Paragraph: indent the first line 1cm from the left perpendicular (dont make a gap between paragraphs);Line spacing: 1,5;Align text to the block (the right edge is aligned)Number of pages of own essay: 3 or more;Page numbering of the essay: Page numbering starts from the main text 2, 3. A title page and the list of literature are not counted to the total page numbering, it means that they are not numbered (see arrangement of essay).2. How to write a professional essayARRANGEMENT OF ESSAYArrangement of essay1. first page is the title page (see Example no. 1). The title page is not counted to the total numbering of pages and the number of this page (p 1) is not stated.2., 3. pages, or else pages are the own text of essay. It starts page numbering there: Insert page numbers, placed down (foot of page). Align in the middle (on the last page of the own text you sign yourself personally).5. page is the list of literature (see Example 2). It is 5. (last) page, do not write the number.3. To whom and when to turn in the essaySubmit the essays to control to PhDr. Miloslav Klugar, Ph.D., by LMS UNIFOR

Deadline is 1. 11. 2013

Date and requirements for creditsDate of fulfillment4.1.2013On a day of fulfillment bring (except index) your personally singed essay in a printed form (Please, sign on the last page of the own text, not on page with the list of literature).The essay must meet the requirements in terms of content and terms of form (see The evaluation criteria for essays).The essays approval is a requirement to singing up for the oral exam.