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Module:Essay writing for students

An open educational resource on writing an essay,developed by the University of South Pacific at

http://www.usp.ac.fj/studyskills turned into a slidepresentation by Dr Muavia Gallie (University of Pretoria).

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1. Essay writing with readings

Essay writing withreadings

•Introduction•Understand the topic•Get started•Know about information•Gather information•Use information•Develop essay content•Construct the essay•Module summary

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1.1 Introduction

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1.2 What will I do?

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1.3 Overview Map1. Understand the topic - Look at your essay topic and understand the

language used;2. Know about information - Learn about different types of information

and how to use it;3. Get started - Brainstorm what you already know about the topic and

begin to plan your essay using one of the three approachessuggested;

4. Gather information - Learn about some useful reading techniques andmethods of selecting and recording information;

5. Use information - Discover why citing information is important and howto do it;

6. Develop essay content - Develop your essay based on your chosenapproach;

7. Construct the essay - Learn about essay and paragraph structure,grammar, style and language use;

8. Module summary - Read a summary of the module.

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1.4 How long willit take?

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2. Understand the topic

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2.1 Your topic

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2.2 Direction words

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2.3 Content words

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2.4 Relationship words

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2.5 Section Summary

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3. Get Started

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3.1 Brainstorm

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3.2 Make a plan

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3.3 Question approach

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3.4 Using tables

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3.5 Mind mapping

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3.6 Skeleton view

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3.7 Outline view

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3.8 Section Summary

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4. Know about information

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4.1 Types of information

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4.2 Books and book chapters

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4.3 Articles

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4.4 Academic journal

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4.5 Popular magazine

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4.6 Newspaper

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4.7 Government report

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4.8 Primary sources

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4.9 Secondary sources

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4.10 Section summary

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5. Gather information

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5.1 Introduction

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5.2 Matching activity

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5.3 Evaluate information

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5.4 Is it appropriate?

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5.5 Is it current?

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5.6 Reading techniques

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5.7 Survey

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5.8 Skim

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5.9 Deep read

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5.10 Scan

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5.11 Select & record

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5.12 Highlight

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5.13 Make notes

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5.14 Quote

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5.15 Short quotations

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5.15 Long quotations

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5.16 Storing quotations

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5.17 Summarise & paraphrase

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5.17.1 Summarise

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5.17.2 Paraphrase

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5.18 Section summary

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6. Use information

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6.1 Striking a balance

•Your opinions

•Personal and family experience

4.2 Unsupported personal opinion. Fail

•Personal and family experience3.2 Heavily weighted towards your own views•Quotations

•Your opinions

•Personal and family experience

2.2 If your views are well supported by the views ofothers this is likely to be acceptable

•Paraphrasing

•Quotations

•Your opinions

•Personal and family experience

1. A well balanced essay with your opinions andrelevant experiences supported by variousacademic views

•Summaries

•Paraphrasing

•Quotations

•Personal and family experience2.1 If supporting information is integrated with yourviews, this is likely to be acceptable.

•Summaries

•Paraphrasing

•Quotations

•Personal and family experience3.1 Heavily weighted towards other people’s views.•Paraphrasing

•Quotations

4.1 Plagiarism, No grade, expulsion?•Unsourced material•Paraphrasing

•Quotations

Your voiceTheir voice

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6.2 Cite information

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6.3 Why do you cite?

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6.4 Plagiarism

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6.4.1 Types

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6.4.2 Why plagiarise?

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6.4.3 Avoiding plagiarism

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6.5 How do you cite?

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6.6 Parts of a reference

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6.7 Activity

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6.8 Section summary

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7. Develop essay content

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7.1 Develop your plan

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7.2 Expand questions

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7.3 Expand table

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7.4 Expand mind map

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7.5 Expanded outline view

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7.6 Section summary

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8. Construct the essay

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8.1 Essay structure

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8.2 Paragraphs

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8.3 Grammar & style

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8.4 Active & passive voice

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8.5 Verbs & nouns

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8.6 Coherence

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8.7 Emphasis

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8.8 Language use

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8.9 Performance errors

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8.10 Final check

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8.11 Section summary

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9. Module summary

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9.1 Summary

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10.1 National Parks of OtagoP1

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10.2 National Parks of OtagoP2

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10.3 Citing informationsources with APA

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10.4 Article in print journal ormagazine

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10.5 Direct words P1

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10.6 Direct words P2

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Thank you!!