Brilliant Essays

Description

Ursula Hackett's tried-and-tested approach for essay success helps students to create brilliant, original, high-scoring essays that are enjoyable to write – and read. With dozens of hands-on exercises and clear examples, Brilliant Essays begins with students' everyday experience of using language, arguing a case, reading, thinking, and communicating with other people. Chapters help students to examine – and dispel – assumptions, build and control their arguments and use evidence effectively, in written assignments and timed exams. The final chapter provides clear, no-nonsense answers to frequently asked questions raised by Ursula’s students at Royal Holloway, University of London and the University of Oxford and via her YouTube channel and website. Whichever subject your students study, Brilliant Essays will take them beyond the basics and give them the tools to reach their academic potential. Contents List of ‘have a go’ exercises Acknowledgements Introduction: The Challenge of Writing Brilliant Essays How to read this book Top Ten Pitfalls in Essay Writing CHAPTER 1: Examining Assumptions in Questions Finding an assumption lurking beneath the surface Chapter 1 Exercises Examining assumptions in questions CHAPTER 2: Finding Comparator Classes in Questions Emphasizing words to find comparators Chapter 2 Exercises Finding comparator classes in questions Chapter 2 Exercises Finding comparator classes in questions CHAPTER 3: Interrogating Tensions in Questions BUT: Are your propositions complementary or in tension? OR: Are your options mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive? Why questions ‘How’, ‘what’ and ‘when’ questions Chapter 3 Exercises Interrogating tensions in questions Chapter 3 Exercises Interrogating tensions in questions Chapter 4: The Introduction Scale Level 1 introductions identify a question Level 2 introductions offer a bare ‘agree’ or ‘disagree’ Level 3 introductions present the author’s view Level 4 introductions explain the author’s view Chapter 4 Exercises The introduction scale Chapter 4 Exercises The introduction scale CHAPTER 5: Controlling Your Argument Be ruthless Avoid the voyage of discovery Don’t move off-piste Spill the beans Chapter 5 Exercises Controlling your argument Chapter 5 Exercises Controlling your argument CHAPTER 6: Writing Elegantly Excessive signposting Compulsive hedging Writing about academia versus writing about the subject matter Avoid slipping between empirical and emotional statements Why get rid of hedging and signposting? Chapter 6 Exercises Writing elegantly Chapter 6 Exercises Writing elegantly CHAPTER 7: Using Empirical Evidence Effectively Be systematic in your approach Of what is this a case? Compared with what? Typical and telling cases Hard and easy cases Chapter 7 Exercises Using empirical evidence effectively Chapter 7 Exercises Using empirical evidence effectively CHAPTER 8: Syllogisms and Summaries Summarizing effectively by paraphrasing an argument Using syllogisms to boost the power of your arguments Using syllogisms to problematize a question Chapter 8 Exercises Syllogisms and summaries Chapter 8 Exercises Syllogisms and summaries CHAPTER 9: Losing the Training Wheels Training wheel #1: The pro–con procedure Training wheel #2: Eliminating all uses of the word ‘I’ Training wheel #3: Defining your terms and moving on Getting rid of tired old formulas for essay writing Chapter 9 Exercises Losing the training wheels Chapter 9 Exercises Losing the training wheels CHAPTER 10: Reading Critically Active reading Note-taking Questions to ask yourself as you read Mapping out causal mechanisms and arguments as diagrams Chapter 10 Exercises Reading critically Chapter 10 Exercises Reading critically CHAPTER 11: Examination Preparation Prioritizing thinking time and avoiding word wastage Revising well Handwritten essays Chapter 11 Exercises Examination preparation Chapter 11 Exercises Examination preparation CHAPTER 12: Frequently Asked Questions General questions Questions about reading Questions about evidence Questions about examinations Questions about anxiety and confidence Conclusion: Techniques for Writing Brilliant Essays Answers to Chapter 1 Exercises Have a go at finding hidden assumptions Answers to Chapter 2 Exercises Have a go at finding different comparator classes Answers to Chapter 3 Exercises Have a go at uncovering false dichotomies (or trichotomies) Have a go at identifying assumptions in ‘how’, ‘when’ and ‘why’ questions Answers to Chapter 4 Exercises Have a go at deducing the question from the introductory paragraphs Have a go at identifying the question steer Have a go at identifying a logical essay structure Answers to Chapter 5 Exercises Have a go at cutting basic background information Have a go at staying on-piste Have a go at spilling the beans Answers to Chapter 6 Exercises Have a go at avoiding excessive signposting Have a go at avoiding compulsive hedging Have a go at identifying the world of studying and the world of ideas Have a go at separating empirical and emotional statements Answers to Chapter 7 Exercises Have a go at identifying core empirical cases and data Have a go at situating an example within different comparator classes Have a go at identifying hard and easy cases Answers to Chapter 8 Exercises Have a go at moving from general theme to proposition Have a go at paraphrasing Have a go at writing an argument as a syllogism Answers to Chapter 9 Exercises Have a go at responding to counter-arguments Have a go at identifying appropriate uses of ‘I’, ‘me’, ‘my’ and the passive voice Have a go at identifying different definitions Answers to Chapter 10 Exercises Have a go at rewriting definitions in your own words Have a go at joining up the dots Answers to Chapter 11 Exercises Have a go at avoiding word wastage Have a go at rote learning for examinations Have a go at examination planning Answers to Chapter Exercises End of Chapter 1 Exercises: Examining assumptions in questions End of Chapter 2 Exercises: Finding comparator classes in questions End of Chapter 3 Exercises: Interrogating tensions in questions End of Chapter 4 Exercises: The introduction scale End of Chapter 5 Exercises: Controlling your argument End of Chapter 6 Exercises: Writing elegantly End of Chapter 7 Exercises: Using empirical evidence effectively End of Chapter 8 Exercises: Syllogisms and summaries End of Chapter 9 Exercises: Losing the training wheels End of Chapter 10 Exercises: Reading critically End of Chapter 11 Exercises: Examination preparation References Index