I don't understand how to write an essay.

[ExtraPlinky]

Arggggghhhh

I've read about ten books on how to do it. I've written four or five of them (never did better than a C despite tons of research)

I don't understand how to do it.
I feel stupid!

title edited by MNHQ as requested by OP.

Oops wrote the title in shouty capitals (compounding my angst) sorry!

What in particular do you not understand about it? The format or appropriate content? I'll try and help if I can.

I think I finally understood essay writing on the last assignment for an OU degree. A tutor went through how to build and deliver the points with us.

What are you writing an essay for? Is there a tutor you could get advice from on what they are looking for. Any kind of marking guide?

Does your university have guidelines? Mine does and it is really helpful else I wouldn't have known

Tell them what you’re going to tell them.

Tell them it.

Tell them what you’ve told them.

Write the introduction and conclusion after the main bit.

Back up each point with an example.

Spellcheck it.

Read it again after a couple of days

I just looked up for my university, it's part of their study skills support that the dept for learning, teaching and access provides. Agree with pp that intro and conclusion should be written after the body. Make sure you're referencing and refer to the marking grid. I know my university will drop you a grade if referencing either isn't there or incomplete

What are you studying? You could look online for sample essays.

@Balula

What in particular do you not understand about it? The format or appropriate content? I'll try and help if I can.

I have the content and know my stuff (it's an art theory essay) I just end up rambling and my essays are more like a history than an argument if that makes sense?

References are ok - I finally understand how to do it.

It's my rambling and lack of structure that's the issue.

Rambling is a no. Choose three points you want to get across and stick to those with no extraneous facts. Your tutor knows the history. Answer the question in every section. If your information doesn't relate to the question then take it out. Be concise and don't waffle. Any waffle take out. Back up everything you say with evidence from your secondary sources. This shows evidence of wider reading.

What is the question you need to answer? I've studied some art history. Maybe I can help you?

Have you tried online sites . I found essayjack very useful as it shows you how to build different types of essays. I do think it takes practice though, to understand what the structure is and why it is set out in the format . This site breaks it down for you , gives you examples and practices

www.essayjack.com/

I know nothing about art (social scientist), but you need a structure before you write. Keep it simple:

• Intro. There are four reasons that Michelangelo is great, ABC and D.

• para two. Point A is X. Here is the evidence for that. Some people believe Y, but evidence bla bla bla contradicts that.

• repeat for BCD, new paras for each.

• Conclusion. We have seen, therefore, that Michelangelo is great because of ABCD.

I used to structure my essays as business reports, with an introduction and conclusion, then just delete the section titles when the sections are written.

Can you pose a mini question for each paragraph so that you’re answering with purpose?

Exactly as @Girlwhowearsglasses and @MartinMartinMarti have said - follow this advice and it’s not possible to ramble

If it helps think of the introduction as “this is what the question means and here’s how I’m going to answer it”, the main body as “here are the points in my answer as I set out in the introduction” (with each point a separate paragraph) and the conclusion as “in summary, this is why the points I just made answer the question”

Another tip - if you can’t end a paragraph by directly referring back to the essay question you may be rambling

Final tip - always write as if you are explaining the subject to someone who knows nothing about it. If in doubt, have someone who actually knows nothing about the subject read your essay

Good luck!

For an argument essay, an appropriate structure would be:

Introduction in which you state your opinion and include a "hook" to grab the reader's attention, e.g. a question, quotation, or interesting fact.

The body should consist of as many paragraphs as you have supporting reasons for your argument. Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence, in which you state the main idea. Flesh it out with explanatory details and examples.

You can include a paragraph for a counterpoint, in which you address differing viewpoints.

You conclusion should paraphrase and sum up your argument.

A good process is to begin by brainstorming ideas for a few minutes.
Next, plan the structure of your essay. Make brief notes of what will go in each paragraph. Then, do your writing. Finally, proofread and edit.

Can't attach doc itself as working on phone but these are photos of one of the essay guidance pieces I use with my A-level students. Happy to swap google drive details if you want more guidance and can give you access to the other stuff I use e.g essay planning sheets etc

Last two parts!

@balloonsintrees

Last two parts!

Story telling! That's what I do! Once I've got the kids off to school I'll pm you!

@Hawkins001

I used to structure my essays as business reports, with an introduction and conclusion, then just delete the section titles when the sections are written.

This is interesting - I think I have a block where I think essay writing is beyond me yet I have written business reports!

@PreparationPreparationPrep

Have you tried online sites . I found essayjack very useful as it shows you how to build different types of essays. I do think it takes practice though, to understand what the structure is and why it is set out in the format . This site breaks it down for you , gives you examples and practices

www.essayjack.com/

I did look at essayjack - I think they have changed their offerings now? I'll look again!

Do you get feedback?
i think different subjects/different institutions have different house styles so you need to understand what they want - i was always told conclusions went at the end unlike in a business report where you put the executive summary up.
i tend to have a simple structure- define the question - answer the question Yes ...then rebut But... then rebut your buts ad nauseum and conclude.....

Essay writing

Interrogate the question - what conflict is it seeking to resolve?

Research / gather (manage your references as you go along)

Idea vomit onto a side of A4

Order - this is the crucial bit that will stop you storytelling. Work in 3s. Organise the idea vomit into three areas. Put your strongest argument first. Keep returning to the question.

Topic sentences - these directly answer the question and tell the reader what your paragraph is about. They will be the first sentence of your paragraph.

Introduction: 2/3 sentences.

1. establish the conflict within the question that you are seeking to resolve
2. Identify the 3 key areas that it is necessary to investigate/ analyse / evaluate in order to satisfactorily answer the question

Write! Cite evidence early in your paragraph so that your argument is built on evidence. Don’t shy away from critical ideas that are contradictory - they give you an opportunity to enter the academic debate and clarify your own position.

If you get stuck at any stage then go back one, or go back to the beginning (that is not failure; that is part of the process).

Your course will have a handbook that says all this, and your uni will have provision for teaching academic skills.

My most useful reference for the past 20 years has been the Harvard Writing Center. Here is what they say about conclusions:

writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/ending-essay-conclusions

I recently found my essays from my art degree and the tutor feedback. My main point to you is make sure you are answering the question!
In one essay, I went off on various tangents writing about things I presumably found interesting at the time/had read in my research and thought were somehow relevant. But they weren't to do with the actual essay question as the person marking pointed out!

So I agree with PP, intro (in order to address the question of how postmodernism has affected the status of painting today, I'm going to look at point ABC), then main body with ABC in own paragraphs (but make sure ABC are relevant!) and then conclusion where you say having looked at ABC I've found that blah which answers the question.

I think in art courses there's even less "how to teach essay writing" than other courses as it's often not the central focus. Although sorry can't remember if you said it's an Art History or Art Theory course not a fine art course!
Good luck! I'm interested to know what you're writing about now! 😊

This was the basic structure for essays I was taught:

Introduction
Six (or thereabouts) points setting out your argument. Structure for each of these: point, evidence, explain
Conclusion

Write it out as an essay plan beforehand, one sentence for each of the eight paragraphs, then flesh it out.

I was taught this for A Level History, but used this basic structure through my undergraduate and postgraduate degrees too.

I’m a lecturer in the Arts and Hums. Do not use Balloons PEEL advice! We spend most of first year beating that out of first years as it produces terrible undergrad essays. PEEL / PETAL was first developed for the least able GCSE students and then was moved up - even to A Level - as it was a quick and easy way to get students collecting AOs and to keep to a rigid, markable exam essay.

You need an argument or thesis. The best way to do this is to read what other critics (aka a critical survey) have said and then consider the extent to which you agree with them. Ideally, you want to find points of disagreement because you interpret the art work or idea slightly or very differently, and then consider why based on your examination of the art work or text.

Follow the structure and tone of a secondary text that you have enjoyed and admire. What is their argument? How do they open their essay? How do they structure their argument?

You should write with a sense of your reader understanding the different arguments that sit around the question, what your argument / response is, and why and how you have arrived at that view or answer. Challenge what you read and think for yourself.

This is also useful: art.stanford.edu/sites/art/files/a_brief_guide_0.pdf