Analytical Essay Writing for Arts Subjects
Tutor: Rob Symington
Subject: Humanities
Maximum Attendees: flexible
Course Outline:
Analytical essay writing for arts subjects
Part 1 - Title construction (and deconstruction)
How to identify the right title (if you have to make your own) How to understand the implications of an essay's title (what is being asked for) How to use the essay title to frame the rest of the work (research and structure of your essay)
Part 2 - Research and information gathering
Where to search (online, offline... articles, reviews, academic books... Jstor, libraries)... hints and tips How to search within the material (advanced searching of journals, effective use of indexes, introductions & conclusions) How to understand and use primary and secondary sources How to record this information in the most effective way (to avoid repeat work)
Part 3 - Schools of thought analysis
What is understood by 'schools of thought'? (what is historiography? what is a literary interpretation?) How to identify and map competing views (orthodox, revisionist, post-revisionist interpretations) How to understand potential causes & factors behind different interpretations How to be objective (the difference between objectivity and subjectivity)
Part 4 - Organising your information
How to organise the information from your research (part 2) for your essay (practical considerations like noting, photocopying, mind-maps) How to distinguish between different types of information (facts, evidence, theories, concepts) How to create links between your 'raw materials' to begin the skeleton of your essay
Part 5 - Essay structure and logical flow
How to use the title to create the right structure for your essay (how to plan an essay) Paragraph construction and sign-posting Why the word limit determines the shape and content of your essay
Part 6 - Writing techniques and argument construction
Introductions and conclusions (uses, do's and don'ts, tactics) How to make individual points in your essay (which relate to the wider paragraph... which, in turn, relate to the wider essay) The difference between narrative and analysis How to put across your personal argument (hint: not by writing 'I think that...') How to use different types of information to build your argument (facts, interpretations, schools of thought)
Part 7 - Referencing and bibliography
Different referencing techniques and how to use them (Harvard system, notation system) How to construct a footnote How to construct a bibliography entry What can be cited as a source and what can't How to avoid unintentional plagiarism