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.

Get a really big whiteboard ( I used the back of a laminated map of Europe)
Stick it on a wall, dry wipe marker pens.
Write out your plan.
Intro
Each paragraph
Conclusion
Then start typing it up.
I find if it's big it's easier for me to think through before writing /typing.
This really helped me when I did my degree. I will be doing it again now I'm studying again.

I second the suggestion of using the Harvard Writing Center and Stanford links, and agree with@Kittyinabasket and @Notanotherusernamenow's posts.

DO NOT use an essay writing service.

When I was at oU we were advised to follow PEEL.

POINT - what your point is
EVIDENCE finding some evidence to back up your point
EXPLAIN how this backs up your point
LINK. It to the next point.

there are lots of tutorials about it if you have a hunt.

Definitely advise the tutorials or have a brief chat with tutor.

Hilarious, a weirdly written post that links to what I’m assuming (I’m not clicking the link) is an essay writing service. 🤣

Interesting. I agree with pp : are you actually answering the question. Rather than waffling about what you want to write, bring it back to the actual question.

I like to see essays that don't just make an argument but show evidence of critical thinking. i.e., arguments for, arguments against, weigh that up and draw a conclusion. I've even seen an assignment not draw a conclusion, as there wasn't enough evidence to draw one at all. The conclusion being that there was no conclusion to be had. Full marks.

Interesting to see an argument against PEEL above.

I'm a uni prof and always suggest to weaker students to start with PEEL paragraphs . It is like a basic recipe where you can't go far wrong, but it can be a bit dull.

Then for the good students who want to go further, they can break the rules of PEEL and get a more effective and interesting structure.

But don't dismiss it as a starting point for those who struggle.

This is a great idea.

A massive recommendation for 'the monstrous feminine' and kristeva's work on horror.

Sounds like a fun essay!

Sorry I don't have any structural advice though!

I've reported the post above, @Goliatropina.

As @mathanxiety says, DO NOT use an essay writing service. Any tutor worth their salt will pick it straight away, and even if they don't - you will have missed out on an opportunity to develop your skills.

*Pick it UP

https://www.dmu.ac.uk/documents/dmu-students/hot-topics/2022/he-letter-from-minister-burghart-on-essay-mills.pdf

“It is now a criminal offence to provide, or arrange for another person to provide, contract cheating services for financial gain to students taking a qualification at a post-16 institution or sixth form in England, or enrolled at a higher education provider in England, or any other person over compulsory school age who has been entered for a regulated qualification at a place in England. Similarly, it is now an offence for a person to make arrangements for an advertisement in which that person offers, or is described as being available or competent, to provide or arrange for another person to provide a cheating service.”

I like a mixture of peel and seed- I think for beginners or wafflers (sorry op!) the link in peel is dangerous as it can just wend on a bit. If you do the link suggest you make that single sentence a stand alone paragraph so you can see your structure.

break out break out break out- if you are developing multiple examples beneath the statement/opinion sentence that starts the paragraph, put the statement sentence in bold and separate out each of the points, either build them up to a section or pare them down to clean enough to bring back into a paragraph. It’s a
bit clinical but structure is clinical.

read it out just the first line of each paragraph and see if that makes sense. Possibly intro, first line of each body paragraph then conclusion.

@KathleenMartin reported your post.

It’s about good planning. Bullet point what will be in each paragraph and be clear what your arguments are before you begin.

I’ve used ChatGPT AI in the past - not for plagiarism but to check against my structure. I found that quite useful.

Just coming on to say exactly this.

Get your referencing, citations,
and bibliography right. I’m just wading through first-year work and you can tell who bothered to attend the classes on it. It’s driving me mad. I have even had third years unable to reference accurately. We provide so much support on this too!