When you are writing an essay,
there’s only one thing that really matters.
OK that’s stupid.
But there is one thing that matters a lot, and if it’s not done, then nothing else will really work.
No prizes for knowing this …
You have to answer the question.
Answer the question.
You’ve all been told this a million times. I can see it all over the net in the advice pages. It makes me think, maybe it’s because a lot of people don’t do it?
R-e-e-a-ally??
And look, I don’t want to go too far into this, because, as I said, it is written about a lot.
You can read advice about it here https://www.matrix.edu.au/how-to-structure-a-killer-essay/
and here http://www.schoolatoz.nsw.edu.au/homework-and-study/english/english-tips/writing-essays
and here https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/eppcontent/glossary/app/resource/factsheet/4116.pdf
But it is important, so I’m using this page to point out the blinking obvious.
If you’re going to answer a question,
the first thing you need to know is what the question is actually asking.
So …
Write down the verbs in the question.
What exactly is the question asking you to do? The verbs might be:
outline, analyse, identify, evaluate, define or a lot of other things like that.
In the example question they are “compare” and “discuss”.
Write these words on a piece of paper and put them in the middle of the clue board.
I don’t need to take a picture of that. You know what I mean.
There. That was a short page.
Images
“Embarrassed woman” by Michael – Flickr: IMG_4240.jpg. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
