What Is An Essay?

What Is An Essay? State the take home message â€" don’t sit on the fence, instead weigh up the evidence presented in the essay and make a decision which side of the argument has more support. If there is a word count for your essay try to devote 10% of this to your introduction. When you are writing an evaluation paragraph use the PEC system. It is more appropriate to use original content to demonstrate your understanding. Topics covered include genetics, drug resistance, pharmaceutical science, biotechnological devices and drug design. This exciting and dynamic course will be a challenging but rewarding program for all those who have a passionate interest in biotechnology and biological sciences. At undergraduate level, more so than at A-Level, you will need to demonstrate evidence of further reading. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences. It is best to structure your essay according to key themes. Themes are illustrated and developed through a number of points . The Reach Cambridge Biotechnology Course introduces students to both the academic study of biotechnology and its exciting practical applications in the real world. This fast-growing area of modern science has the potential to fundamentally alter how we produce food, treat disease and create medicines. That’s where you’ll find the specifics of the argument, the quotations and the facts. While you can have sub-points, the most important thing is that you come up with ONE coherent argument that ties together everything in your essay. In other words, as long as you introduce your topic, argue your case persuasively, and provide some closure, the number of paragraphs is completely irrelevant. For further details and examples, download the Guide to essay paragraph structure from this page. Use the Guide to essay paragraph structure and the Essay paragraph planner on this page to plan your next essay. Like vases, paragraphs tend to be more narrow in the middle. Each paragraph should have a purpose / theme, and make a number of points - which need to be support by high quality evidence. Be clear why each point is is relevant to the argument. It would be useful at the beginning of each paragraph if you explicitly outlined the theme being discussed (.e.g. cognitive development, social development etc.). You need to be concise, and clearly articulate your argument. Other websites should not be cited in essays, but you can use them to further your understanding and get lists of peer-reviewed literature to read. Finally, make sure you read carefully any feedback you are given on your essays. Lectures are supposed to be a pointer and guide for your further reading. By reading, we mean published, peer-reviewed literature; Wikipedia does not count! Have a global structure with themes arranged in a way that allows for a logical sequence of ideas. You might want to rearrange paragraphs to a different position in your essay if they don't appear to fit in with the essay structure. Ideally the conclusion should summarize the key themes / arguments of your essay. Your tutors will be keen to help you learn and progress. To improve the flow of your essay make sure the last sentence of one paragraph links to first sentence of the next paragraph. This will help the essay flow and make it easier to read. This means that the paragraphs follow a logical order .