Mr Her

Essay Writing Skills

Like any written work, essays require careful planning, reading and note-making, appropriate academic style, referencing and structure. An essay is different from a report in that it is generally written as one flowing document that uses paragraphs to separate ideas rather than the section headings, underlining, numbering and bullet points that are used in reports. Essays do NOT usually have diagrams or appendices.

1. The introduction             

The introduction usually comprises about 10% of the essay, and its exact content will depend on the essay title and type. The introduction helps set the context for the essay, introduces the main ideas, and draws the reader into the subject, often by giving a comment on the importance of the topic A good introduction gets to the heart of the subject and captures the interest of the reader, acting as a trailer to what is to follow. It tells readers what to expect by addressing Who, What, When, Where, Why and How? The Introduction clarifies the parameters or scope of you essay - which issues you will focus on, which ones you intend to mention just briefly, and ones you will not cover. Your introduction defines any terms or concepts you need, states your general approach, and acknowledges possible issues raised by the essay title. An introduction might also give an overview of the issues to show an understanding of the exact question, and/or present the method of research or experiment.

Read the extract below and then click on the link and log on to StudyNet to watch the 2 minute video in which a lecturer tells you why it is a poor introduction to an essay titled: ‘Discuss the relevance of the marketing mix for a tourism organisation.’

The purpose of this essay is to discuss the relevance of the marketing mix for a tourism organisation. The basic marketing mix is known as the 4Ps and is attributed to McCarthy over 40 years ago. It is still useful and quoted today. This essay will use examples from P&O Cruises to discuss the relevance of the 4Ps – i.e. product, place, promotion and price. Because a tourism organisation offers an intangible service, the 4Ps apply in a different way to many products.

Read the extract below and then click on the link and log on to StudyNet to watch the 3 minute video in which a lecturer tells you why it is a good introduction to an essay titled: ‘Discuss the relevance of the marketing mix for a tourism organisation.’

McCarthy’s 1960 4Ps model of the marketing mix (the 4Ps are product, price, place and promotion) appears to have global recognition and is widely used. However, since the 1980s other academics such as Booms and Bitner (1981) have developed McCarthy’s theory and extended the marketing mix in order for it to apply more effectively to tourism by including other elements such as ‘People’, because tourism is an intangible, non-standard, perishable product reliant on people to deliver services.  This essay will define and discuss different marketing mix models, and consider various views for either keeping a simple 4Ps model or for extending it to 5Ps, 7Ps or more. In particular, using the example of a tourist board, this essay will outline the special challenges of the tourism industry and consider whether and why the different elements and marketing mixes are equally relevant in this context.

1. The main body

This is the place for your evidence! The main section of the work should be organised into paragraphs that present the facts and develop the arguments. The structure will depend on what you are asked to do, e.g. compare and contrast, analyse, critically evaluate, explain (see the CASE Guide for Instructional Terms). Address the exact task and focus on the question set. It is this difference that gives work better grades. Never just write down everything you know about a topic!

Paragraphs

Paragraphs usually have four to eight sentences that show your evidence and comments on one main idea.

Before you start to write the main body, decide what your main points will be. Organise these points into appropriate paragraphs to build your work in a series of logical steps that suit the essay’s length, complexity and purpose.

• PEEEL

A paragraph should group related sentences together in order to develop a main idea, making it easier to follow your points. Most paragraphs should include PEEEL – Point, Evidence, Example, Explain, Link (the link might be at the end of a paragraph to link to the next one, or at the start of a paragraph to link to the preceding one). Paragraphs need a key Point, which is often the first sentence. State your point clearly and concisely. Then include supporting Evidence such as research, information or other people’s theories that relate to the same point. Apply relevant Examples to clarify. Explain the relevance to the main point in following sentences.