Before a builder begins to build a house, before he even digs the foundation, he creates a blueprint or plan. This blueprint allows him to know exactly how he should proceed in order to build a strong and steady house. You should approach your essay in the same way. Before you begin writing, plan the structure of your essay - from your introduction, to the description and analysis of the topic, right through to the conclusion.
Rough outline of essay
All essays should conform to the basic structure of:
Plan a stylish opening :
Basic opening: This essay seeks to examine excessive alcohol consumption in Ireland today.
Stylish opening: A recent EU survey highlights Ireland as the number one binge drinking nation in Europe, with 34% of Irish respondents admitting to drinking five or more drinks in every session (European Commission, 2009).
Present an essay outline :
Introduce each of the concepts which you discuss in the main body.
Write a brief summary :
Introduce the question, but do not address it at this point.
Be sure to cover how you are going to answer the question.
Define the concept:
Quote or paraphrase accepted definitions, e.g. if you are writing an essay on 'Services Marketing,' what does the phrase mean?
Put it in context of other research :
For example, describe the progression of the topic - from initial research to the most recent studies.
Analyse :
Critically answer the essay question
Remember to use research to back up your argument
Sum up the information and research supplied in the essay.
Provide a concrete answer to the question posed in the essay.
Conclude with a stylish sentence or two:
Your lecturer is about to mark your essay! Don't leave it hanging in mid-air!
