Presenting your coursework

 Figures

Using figures (i.e. tables, graphs, charts, photographs) is a useful tool when writing an essay. A few well-chosen graphs or tables of data will help break up the text of the essay, and provide a useful way of summarizing numerical data which would be difficult to describe in words. Data like this will also usually be taken straight out of a textbook or article (as you won’t be able to come up with your own figures on most topics) which means there is little effort involved in copying the information into your essay  remember to reference it properly though!

Don’t use figures too excessively as this disturbs the flow of your writing. Also, it is important to make reference to each set of data and provide some basic analysis " even if it just a quick summary of the overall trend " as this will prove that you have actually looked at and understood the data, rather than just randomly including it.

TOP TIP

In Microsoft Word, use a frame to contain your data. You’ll need to have the ‘forms’ toolbar (not ‘frames’!) showing to be able to do this. Unlike a text box, a frame will stay in the same place on a page as you write more text, allowing your text to float around it.

Quotations

Always use the same style when including quotations in your essay. The way I do it is like this:

Paragraph is single spaced and indented one inch from each side of the page. The text of the quote is italic, but the reference afterwards is in normal text. The whole quote is enclosed in quotation marks, although this is optional. The page number that your quote was taken from should be included where available.

I don’t normally allow a full line of space between the essay text and the quotation, as the indentation and italics normally provide enough of a distinction.

When referencing an author but not directly quoting him, you do not need to format your text any differently. You should still provide the name of the author and the date, but the page number is not needed. For example:

It was a major change when the new regulations were introduced. Until then, competition had been almost impossible to achieve (Bloggs, 1996), with the result that the market had become vastly overpriced.

Bibliography

You should always include a bibliography or reference page at the end of an essay. If you’ve followed my advice throughout this e-book then a bibliography is your friend, as it allows you to show off the vast range of research and reading that you’ve done. Incidentally, the difference between references and a bibliography is that a reference page will normally include only books and articles which you have used and referenced in the course of your essay, whereas a bibliography will often contain the full reading list that an author has used during the course of his research (even if many of the books haven’t been expressly referred to). Usually, the person marking your essay will want to see a reference page, as this is the best indication of the range of relevant material you have consulted.

When formatting your bibliography, make sure that you use the appropriate system. The standard technique is called the “Harvard System” and has been widely used (a quick Google search will provide a myriad of links); your school, college or university will also normally provide guidance notes on how to appropriately reference reading material.

Once you’ve formatted your references appropriately, ensure that you have arranged them in alphabetical order. This is often forgotten and can lead to you losing marks unnecessarily.

Header and footer

Make use of a header and footer for including key information. I would recommend adding page numbers to the top right hand corner, then use the header (‘View -> Header and Footer’ in MS Word) to add:

To the right hand side:

Your name

To the left hand side:

The course/module name

The course code (if applicable)

This provides the person marking your essay with all the relevant information they could need. Also, by putting this text in the header, it is automatically added to the top of each page, which is useful if your pages become separated while in the possession of the marker.

NB. Some essays or other pieces are marked anonymously " that is, the marker is not supposed to know who has produced each piece of work. Clearly, in cases like this, header information should be added with discretion.

“Damaged in transit”

Look after your work! Nothing is more frustrating (and preventable) than getting an essay out of your bag and finding that it has been creased or bent during the journey to hand it in. Put the essay in a file or folder before you set off and make sure that it does not get damaged.

TOP TIP

If you haven’t already got one, sign up for an online web mail account (e.g. Hotmail, Yahoo) and email yourself a copy of each essay as you complete it. That way, if you get to university or college and notice a silly error in your work, you can quickly find a computer and print off a revised copy. This is a useful backup and tends to be easier, cheaper and more reliable than using a floppy disk or CD each time.

Author's Note

Hey, my name is Charlotte and I have been a freelance or corporate writer for the past 5 years. I used to write, edit and proofread everything from magazine columns and novels to simple one line web ads. During my practice years, I spent five years writing ad copy and web content. If you are interested in more coursework writing tips you can visit website where i work. My dream is to inspire and help others through my writing and one day to hopefully write and be successful with it enough to do it for a living rather than just a hobby. My head is full of characters and ideas, as the normal writer mind.

Reviews

[JayG]

• I have wrote a lot of coursework writing tips at writingsessay.com as well.

No one with a degree in anything would write "I have wrote."

[Chris]

The WC site's software can take exception to dashes - randomly - when you first add text to a textbox via cut/paste - after you press publish. It is wise to review your posting and correct any errors you may detect.

"your essay �" remember" - is one of several at the beginning of your posting.

It gets us all from time-to-time.