Using quotations effectively
Quotations should serve your argument. Find pertinent quotations, place them for best effect and make them fit your purpose.
The hero argument
To make your writing as engaging and convincing as possible, it’s worth giving the counter-argument sufficient space and understanding.
Weave a narrative thread—in 3 easy steps
We cannot resist the lure of a good story. A desire to see a narrative also permeates many areas of academia.
Use the essay title to plan your essay
To plan your essay, identify what you're being instructed to do, the topic area and the limits of the essay.
Paraphrasing: what it is and how to do it
Swapping the author’s words for your own, even with the help of the thesaurus, won’t save you from plagiarism. Indeed, although the thesaurus is a useful writing tool, it can also be a trap. In a PhD, dissertation or essay, successful paraphrasing is taking the nub of someone else’s argument and relating it to the point you are making.
Improve your critical thinking
Critical thinking is a skill you already have, put to work in a new environment. It gets easier with practice.
Developing a critical mindset
Developing a critical mindset involves drawing on qualities including confidence, motivation, curiosity and effort.
Writing from the bottom up
Working from the bottom up can be a creative way to grow a project. You write notes as you read to create a rough draft as you go.
Teaching critical thinking
Tutors can teach critical thinking to all students, and it is best to introduce it from the start of their university journey. Offering skills training at the beginning of the course provides a framework for students who are new to critical thinking and helps more experienced students to achieve highly.
Keeping up the momentum
Break down the job into a numbered list of tasks. Crossing off the items as you complete them will give you a feeling of achievement.
