Oxbridge Essays » Uk essays

Is This The End For UK Essays?

Elly — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 17:14:42 +0000

As British classrooms turn increasingly to digital learning aids and education technology, are we witnessing the age of the demise of UK essays? Will the traditional essay writing style of education be replaced by faster, more modern online learning and testing techniques?

Art essay writing guide: top tips!

Ed — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 10:47:07 +0000

Although the general information given on how to write an essay goes a long way to helping the Art History student, there are some parts of essay writing technique which are particular to the Art History essay. Here are a few pointers to keep in mind:- When you refer to a particular work of art, [...]

Essay guide: types of essay

Ed — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 15:14:26 +0000

Essays can be divided into different types and each type requires a particular skill in approach. Some styles of descriptive essay writing (such as narrative) are less useful in an academic environment since they do not encourage the student to display critical thinking. However, you might use pieces of all these essay styles within the confines of one essay or a dissertation, for example, the overall essay may be a discussion, but you may need a section of definition to explain terms. Here’s a brief overview of the sorts of essay you might come across during your studies.

Essay writing toolkit – Reference books

Ed — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 13:12:58 +0000

While you are writing essays it is useful to have some reference books to hand. Although there is a great deal of material online to help with general reference queries, websites are not always reliable. It pays to have some decent reference books. Some of these will be available to borrow from the local library or university library, so that you can try them out and see which titles you prefer. However, in time you will probably want to buy several of these. Below we deal with some of the general language texts that can help you with your writing and essay proofreading.

Essay writing tips: academic writing

Ed — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 15:21:43 +0000

You need to strike a balance between academic writing and pompous writing. You want to sound erudite, but not arrogant. The best way to learn how to achieve this balance is to read as many academic articles or chapters as you can by established and respected academics.

Equally, you don’t want to use long or complex words simply to show off or try to sound intelligent. The best plan is to stick to John H. Patterson's advice: "Use small words, big ideas, and short sentences".

UK essays: grammar skills

Ed — Wed, 19 May 2010 14:08:15 +0000

Your essay editing or dissertation writing wouldn't be complete without a look at grammar. Many students are now showing an interest in grammar. Internet use and text speak have eroded the way we use language and it has got to the point where sometimes we don’t have any idea about correct usage. Students also feel confused over whether they should be using American English or British English for their UK essays. The popularity of authors like David Crystal and Lynne Truss shows that many people care about good language use and want to feel confident about their writing.

Best essay advice: write my essay with style!

Ed — Fri, 14 May 2010 11:13:46 +0000

This blog often focuses on the practical side of essay composition, but what about the style of your writing? How can you make sure that the way you write and your choice of words isn’t letting you down? Follow these top essay writing pointers to make sure your writing style isn’t letting you down.

How to write an essay: Essay writing skills

Ed — Tue, 04 May 2010 09:16:23 +0000

It’s sensible to spend time on an essay plan. A well-structured essay makes it easier for the marker to understand your arguments. It also shows that you have a clear and logical mind if you’ve set out your essay in an ordered fashion. Plan the essay before you even start the reading.

UK Essays Structuring Tips

bruno — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 10:00:02 +0000

Think ahead clearly, before you begin, about how you want to put your essay together, what you want to say, and the nature of the relevant material. Strict deadlines can tempt you to put something on the page as soon as possible, but thorough planning will save you time by making the writing phase that much smoother.

UK Essay Writing Originality

bruno — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 11:30:25 +0000

It can be rather daunting to set about heavily critiquing authoritative texts, and takes some courage to put out fresh ideas of your own. As long as you are comfortable with the basic requirements of essay writing and academic conventions, you should be assured in your intellectual abilities and have the confidence to take a risk.

Top 10 Essay Referencing Tips

bruno — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 11:00:32 +0000

Familiarise yourself with the most popular referencing systems, notably Oxford (footnotes) and Harvard (parenthetical). Plenty of internet sources provide helpful assistance in gaining a thorough understanding of the notation of the major systems, and how and when to use them.

Top 10 Tips: How to Write a 2.1 Essay

bruno — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 10:30:57 +0000

A solid 2.1 grade requires the ability to keep on topic and make all of the text of your essay ultimately relevant to the question. Context and background information is often an important part of academic writing, but should not be detailed at the expense of focus. Limit even the most interesting digressions. A solid 2.1 grade requires the ability to keep on topic and make all of the text of your essay ultimately relevant to the question. Context and background information is often an important part of academic writing, but should not be detailed at the expense of focus. Limit even the most interesting digressions.

Top 10 Undergraduate Essay Writing Tips

bruno — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 09:30:06 +0000

As an undergraduate you are not necessarily always required to produce a cool, detached and balanced piece. Often the strong development of a particular thread of argument can be more rewarding, and can be countered later in seminars or group discussions.

Masters Essay Writing Tips

admin — Thu, 21 May 2009 10:53:09 +0000

Delineate the scope of your paper. Positioning the issues you intend presently to discuss within the broader field of your subject area will demonstrate not only your understanding of the breadth of the academic landscape but your ability to focus on a particular part of it. It is not enough to analyse certain ideas, you must recognise their place in the whole.

Top 10 Tips: Essay Writing Mistakes to Avoid

admin — Thu, 21 May 2009 10:20:13 +0000

1. Misreading the question. Disregard for the precise wording of the question, or poor comprehension of its meaning, can waste hours of work. Avoid this occasional but catastrophic slip by making a habit of breaking down and studying the question before you begin.

2. Beginning too late. There is nothing worse than a desperate rush to meet a deadline, especially if hours of good research are to be squandered through poor execution. Plan your time in advance and save yourself from the horror.

Essay Help & Tips

admin — Tue, 19 May 2009 08:49:11 +0000

1. Focus. In order to secure an upper 1st class mark you must demonstrate a highly sophisticated balance between context and focus. Supporting material must serve the purpose of your core arguments in a persuasive and lucid manner. Be mindful always of the question which you are attempting to answer.

2. Reading and research. The very top academic marks can only be achieved through a highly impressive demonstration of a remarkably broad background subject knowledge. What is more, your deep engagement with reading and research must be manifest in an exceptionally capable use of these materials in building and supporting persuasive arguments. Select the most relevant literature from your impressive command of classic and contemporary texts.