5: Writing for Higher Education
Introduction
The marks you gain in assignments are largely dependent on two things:
| Knowledge | Communication |
|---|---|
| The knowledge you gain from learning about your chosen subject. | How well you communicate this knowledge to others - in essays, reports, and in exams (good writing). |
Contents of this section
Unit 1: Good Writing
This unit looks at what we mean by 'good' writing in an academic context. It also considers what tutors expect from student assignments.
Unit 2: Writing Essays
This unit considers the different stages of writing an essay, including analysing the question or task, descriptive and analytical writing, planning the structure, and writing the first drafts.
Unit 3: Writing Reports
This unit looks at the differences between essay and report writing and introduces the 'classic' five-stage report writing structure.
Unit 4: Avoiding Plagiarism
This unit examines what is meant by 'plagiarism' and how to avoid it in assignments. It also looks at the what, why, when and how of referencing evidence in assignments.
Unit 5: Sample Essay
The sample essay in this unit is an example of effective academic writing, and the reasons for this will be explained.
Workbooks
Recommended Websites and Reading
Websites
LearnHigher (Look for 'Learning Areas')
LearnHigher is a network of sixteen UK institutions of higher education that have combined to develop resources to support students' learning.
The LearnHigher resources relevant to this section are Critical Thinking (University of Plymouth); Academic Writing (Nottingham Trent University); Report Writing (University of Reading); and Referencing (University of Bradford).
University of Leeds - writing skills tutorial
This is an excellent new interactive resource for students divided into different stages such as 'getting started' and 'time management'. The site guides you through the essay writing process right through to the completion of the assignment.
Open-Learn: The Open University
This website offers free educational courses for anyone; just log in and learn anything from essay writing to Spanish in short online tutorials. The Study Skills section is particularly useful and offers advice on essay and report writing.
Getting Ready for University Study
'Writing at University' is an excellent interactive guide to writing for all new undergraduate students, and includes tips from students.
Reading
The Student's Guide to Writing, by John Peck and Martin Coyle, published by Palgrave.
This book covers all types of writing for higher education purposes, starting at the most basic level of 'writing correctly' and building up to 'writing with style'.
The Study Skills Handbook, by Stella Cottrell, published by Palgrave.
This book has lots of good advice for new students on writing essays and reports for higher education.
Writing at University: a guide for students, by Phyllis Crème and Mary Lea, published by The Open University Press.
This is a comprehensive guide to writing essays and reports, and looks at ways of developing and building confidence as an academic writer.
