[00:09.63]Tutor:Hello Alfred and Alice. Glad you could make it. So the two of you think you need help with essay writing, correct?
[00:16.92]Alfred:Yes, we do. I mean, all the lecturers expect us to write essays but no one has bothered to explain what's required in an English Literature essay.
[00:25.20]Tutor:Right, well, let's get started, shall we? Now, how basic do you want this tutorial to be?
[00:30.92]Alice:As basic as possible. Different people - I mean different fellow students, of course - seem to disagree on what makes a good essay, so I am very confused,
[00:41.52]Tutor:Well, your number one priority is readability.
[00:44.36]Alfred:But what Is it that makes an essay readable?
[00:46.93]Tutor:Well, it's got to be interesting and enjoyable to read and easy to understand. Write an essay that you yourself would want to read. If you wouldn't want to read your own essay, you can rest assured that no one else will. No one wants to read an essay that is a mere reiteration of facts,lecture notes or other people's opinions. The second important point to bear in mind when writing your English Literature essay is planning. Don't start writing without a goal or an idea of the key points to cover.
[01:18.44]• Make a list of all the key points and ideas before you start writing. • Plan your paragraphs. • Look at the Q25 whole picture before you begin. • Give yourself a deadline for the first 300 words.
[01:32.95]Alice:One moment, could I write this down, please?
[01:36.79]Tutor:Yes, of course. So, I'll start again.
[01:41.03]1. When should you aim to have the first 300 words written by? 2. Make a list of all the key points and ideas before you start writing. 3. Plan your paragraphs. 4. Consider the whole picture before you begin. 5. Decide what your argument is going to be. 6. Who is your reader?
[02:05.96]Alfred:That's a tough one. I never know who my reader is supposed to be. I usually write for myself.
[02:11.68]Tutor:A lot of students make that mistake. And because they know what they mean to say, they do not bother to explain it clearly. No. Your reader is the person who is actually going to read it, that is, your lecturer and fellow students. In your case, it's me and Alice.
[03:06.62]Tutor:The next thing to talk about is paragraph size. Rather basic to writing a good essay I would say. If you have re-read a paragraph and got lost on the way then it is probably time to consider dividing it into two paragraphs. Paragraphs are there to help you and your reader make sense of the text: they divide up your thoughts neatly and section each part of your argument into readable chunks. Remember, you should never have a paragraph that is longer than an A4 page.
[03:37.82]Alice:I'm usually OK with most of the things you mentioned but the problem with my essays is that they usually lack flow.
[03:45.50]Alfred:Same here.
[03:46.66]Tutor:Well, what you need to do is make sure that the transition between your paragraphs and sentences makes sense. Each thought should seem to follow on effortlessly from each previous thought.
[03:58.52]Alice:And it is at this point that we might want to use connective words and phrases such as 'in addition', 'in spite of this', 'however', 'on the other hand' and so on,
[04:11.20]Tutor:Well, yes, but you need to be very careful when using connectives. Don't just use them for the sake of using them, as many students often do. Use them only when it makes sense to use them. Otherwise you're better off not using them at all.
[04:26.62]Last but not least, your argument should be perfectly clear. Instead of offering a Q30 one-sided rant, however, make sure you include several possible sides of the discussion. A great English Literature essay on the set text is a lively and thought provoking conversation.
