TOPIC, FOCUS & THESISStarting the essay writing process.

ACADEMIC ESSAY WRITING

What is a topic?

What is a topic?Topics are the big things in life.

What is a topic?Topics are the big things in life.

CultureEntertainment

Environment

Economy

PoliticsScience

Technology

SportEducation

and many, many, many more…

Let’s look at one of these topics…

Education

Let’s look at one of these topics…

Education

Each topic can be looked at or written about in many, many different ways.

Let’s look at one of these topics…

Education

Each topic can be looked at or written about in many, many different ways.

We could write about…

Let’s look at one of these topics…

Education

Each topic can be looked at or written about in many, many different ways.

We could write about…

Primary education

Secondary education

Media in education

Classroom interaction

Trade education

Tertiary education

Effects of educationExams

Education

Primary education

Secondary education

Media in education

Classroom interaction

Trade education

Tertiary education

Each different idea about education is a focus.

Primary education Trade education

Secondary educationTertiary educationClassroom interaction

Media in educationEffects of education

ExamsExams

What are some focuses for some of the other topics?

•Entertainment

•Technology

•Science

•Sport

•Environment

•Entertainment

•Technology

•Science

•Sport

What are some focuses for some of the other topics?

•Entertainment

•Technology

•Science

•Sport

•Pollution•Extinctions•Global warming•Rainforests•Marine•Protection•Urban areas•Desertification

•Environment

•Entertainment

•Technology

•Science

•Sport

What are some focuses for some of the other topics?

•Environment

•Technology

•Science

•Sport

•Environment

•Entertainment

•Technology

•Science

•Sport

•Movies•Piracy•Internet•Live•Comedy•Television•Drama•Magazines

What are some focuses for some of the other topics?

•Environment

•Entertainment

•Science

•Sport

•Environment

•Entertainment

•Technology

•Science

•Sport

•21st Century•Nanotechnology•Steam•Renewable energy•Computer•Design•Housing•Primitive

What are some focuses for some of the other topics?

•Environment

•Entertainment

•Technology

•Sport

•Environment

•Entertainment

•Technology

•Science

•Sport

•Innovation•Chemistry•Physics•Experiments•Elements•Space•Microbiology•Medicine

What are some focuses for some of the other topics?

•Environment

•Entertainment

•Technology

•Science

•Environment

•Entertainment

•Technology

•Science

•Sport

•Rugby•Injury•Olympic Games•Medicine•Professional•Couch potatoes•School•Basketball

Sometimes what is a focus in one essay is the topic in another.

Sometimes what is a focus in one essay is the topic in another.

One focus we identified earlier for the topic “education” was “media in education”.

Sometimes what is a focus in one essay is the topic in another.

One focus we identified earlier for the topic “education” was “media in education”.

Media in education could also be a topic

Sometimes what is a focus in one essay is the topic in another.

Media in education could also be a topic

Sometimes what is a focus in one essay is the topic in another.

What are some focuses for the topic “media in education”?

Sometimes what is a focus in one essay is the topic in another.

What are some focuses for the topic “media in education”?

•In primary school

•Effects of

•Amongst disadvantaged children

•At university•Cost

Look at this essay question…

Describe the effect of using media in education in developing countries.

Look at this essay question…

Describe the effect of using media in education in developing countries.

What are the topic and focus in this essay question?

Look at this essay question…

What are the topic and focus in this essay question?What are the topic and focus in this essay question?

Describe the effect of using media in education in developing countries.

Look at this essay question…

What are the topic and focus in this essay question?What are the topic and focus in this essay question?

Describe the effect of using media in education in developing countries.

What are the topic and focus in this essay question?

Describe the effect of using media in education in developing countries.

Look at this essay question…

What are the topic and focus in this essay question?What are the topic and focus in this essay question?

Describe the effect of using media in education in developing countries.

What are the topic and focus in this essay question?

Look at this essay question…

Describe the effect of using media in education in developing countries.

What are some thesis or paragraph ideasfor this essay question?

Look at this essay question…

Describe the effect of using media in education in developing countries.

What are some thesis or paragraph ideasfor this essay question?

•More students in schools •Better outcomes

•Increased costs•Lower teacher to pupil ratio

Look at this essay question…

Describe the effect of using media in education in developing countries.

It could be argued that the topic and focuscould be reversed.

Look at this essay question…

It could be argued that the topic and focuscould be reversed.

Describe the effect of using media in education in developing countries.

Look at this essay question…

It could be argued that the topic and focuscould be reversed.

Describe the effect of using media in education in developing countries.

You need to identify which is the topic and which is the focus, but…

Look at this essay question…

Describe the effect of using media in education in developing countries.

What is most important is that you clearly introduce the topic, focus and thesis in your introduction.

Look at this essay question…

Describe the benefits of computer technology in education?

Decide what the task, the topic and the focus are.

Look at this essay question…

Describe the benefits of computer technology in education?

Decide what the task, the topic and the focus are.

Decide what the task, the topic andfocus are.

Describe the benefits of

Look at this essay question…

Describe the benefits of computer technology in education?Describe the benefits of

Decide what the task, the topic and the focus are.

Describe the benefits of computer technology in education?

Look at this essay question…

Describe the benefits of computer technology in education?

Decide what the task, the topic and the focus are.

Decide what the task, the topic andfocus are.

Describe the benefits of

Decide what the task, the topic and the focus are.

Describe the benefits of computer technology in education?Describe the benefits of computer technology in education?

Decide what the task, the topic and the focus are.

Look at this essay question…

Decide what the task, the topic and the focus are.

Decide what the task, the topic andfocus are.Decide what the task, the topic and the focus are.Decide what the task, the topic and the focus are.Decide what the task, the topic and the focus are.

Describe the benefits of computer technology in education?

Describe the benefits of computer technology in education?

What are some thesis or paragraph ideas for this essay?

Describe the benefits of computer technology in education?

What are some thesis or paragraph ideas for this essay?

•More engaged students

•Greater variety in classes

•Interaction across cultures

•Better preparation for work

What are the task, topic and focus in these questions? What are some thesis ideas for them?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power as a fuel source to replace fossil fuels in the generation of electricity?

Assess the potential of renewable energy technology.

Evaluate the potential of bio-fuels to provide a complete alternative to fossil fuels.

In what ways can the alarming levels of noise pollution in many industrialized countries be overcome?

What are the task, topic and focus in these questions? What are some thesis ideas for them?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power as a fuel source to replace fossil fuels in the generation of electricity?

Assess the potential of renewable energy technology.

Evaluate the potential of bio-fuels to provide a complete alternative to fossil fuels.

In what ways can the alarming levels of noise pollution in many industrialized countries be overcome?

What are the task, topic and focus in these questions? What are some thesis ideas for them?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power as a fuel source to replace fossil fuels in the generation of electricity?

Assess the potential of renewable energy technology.

Evaluate the potential of bio-fuels to provide a complete alternative to fossil fuels.

In what ways can the alarming levels of noise pollution in many industrialized countries be overcome?

What are the task, topic and focus in these questions? What are some thesis ideas for them?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power as a fuel source to replace fossil fuels in the generation of electricity?

Assess the potential of renewable energy technology.

Evaluate the potential of bio-fuels to provide a complete alternative to fossil fuels.

In what ways can the alarming levels of noise pollution in many industrialized countries be overcome?

What are the task, topic and focus in these questions? What are some thesis ideas for them?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power as a fuel source to replace fossil fuels in the generation of electricity?

Assess the potential of renewable energy technology.

Evaluate the potential of bio-fuels to provide a complete alternative to fossil fuels.

In what ways can the alarming levels of noise pollution in many industrialized countries be overcome?

What are the task, topic and focus in these questions? What are some thesis ideas for them?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power as a fuel source to replace fossil fuels in the generation of electricity?

•No CO2 pollution

•Developed technology

•Radiation very dangerous

•Waste products very difficult to handle and dispose of

What are the task, topic and focus in these questions? What are some thesis ideas for them?

Assess the potential of renewable energy technology.

•Wind and solar aren’t base-load power providers

•Geothermal can provide base-load electricity

•Cost of renewables isn’t competitive with fossil fuels

•Renewable technology is developing rapidly

What are the task, topic and focus in these questions? What are some thesis ideas for them?

Evaluate the potential of bio-fuels to provide a complete alternative to fossil fuels.

•Bio-fuels are less polluting than fossil fuels

•Bio-fuels from waste and algae produced in small amounts

•Growing crops for bio-fuels uses lots of land

•True cost of bio-fuels is much higher then fossil fuels

What are the task, topic and focus in these questions? What are some thesis ideas for them?

In what ways can the alarming levels of noise pollution in many industrialized countries be overcome?

•Noisy industries need to be located away from residentialareas

•Greater use of electric vehicles

•More education

•More and better legislation