Your Research Companion
Similarly to non-essay assignments, essays should also always start with {1} a title and {2} your personalia. The latter includes your name, student number, course & professor name, and the date of submission. If your essay assignment uses a limited word count, you should include the total word count as well. However, for essays your title is generally expected to be more original. Including a title that is original and engaging is an important step in attracting your reader’s attention. For example:
Thinking Tolkien: The Influence of J.R.R. Tolkien’s War Experiences on The Hobbit
By Jane Austen, SNR 184725
Introduction to Theory of Literature – Dr. Phil Denham – 21.04.2022 – 7,492 Words
Energy poverty is a socioeconomic phenomenon which has gained increased attention in the Netherlands in recent years as a result of the rising prices of energy, and has been called “one of the largest dimensions of poverty in the Netherlands” by Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte. Energy poverty is defined to occur when a household, after paying the monthly energy bill, is left with insufficient funds for other expenses. Research shows that 6% of all Dutch people are presently impacted by energy poverty. Despite the importance of obtaining a complete picture of the issue of energy poverty in the Netherlands, the available literature is notably fragmented, warranting a more general exploration which offers a ‘helicopter view’ of the issue. In this essay, said helicopter view will be provided through summarizing the available literature into four main dimensions of energy poverty and, in doing so, crafting a concise overview to be used by Dutch policymakers involved with the topic. After creating said overview, this essay will conclude with a discussion of lessons learned, and what they entail for how best to address energy poverty in the Netherlands.
The actual content of (basic) academic essays is generally split up into {3} an introduction, {4} a body and {5} a conclusion. Similar to non-essay assignments, if you use any source material for writing an essay, you must include {6} a reference List (see also referencing).
In {3} the introduction, you generally want to (briefly!) prepare your readers for the remainder of your essay. This is typically done through the following steps:
-
Introduce your topic in an engaging manner, stimulating your reader to continue reading.
-
Positioning yourself in the larger academic debate surrounding your topic.
-
Elaborate on the relevance of the topic; why do you address this specific issue / gap in knowledge / topic?
-
Elaborate on your objectives; what is it that you will (aim to) do in the essay?
-
Elaborate on methods; how do you reach your objectives? What will your essay look like?
On the next page, you can find an abbreviated example of an introduction in which these steps are taken. A student more experienced in the methods of academia may notice that this example does not (yet) contain any references. Referring to existing source material is of great importance in academia. However, we have yet to discuss it (this will be done in referencing). To avoid making use of a method before discussing it, no references are included in the example below.
Next, in {4} the body of your essay, you lay out the evidence and information for your central argument. In other words, you ‘do what you set out to do’ in the introduction. The body will make up the bulk of your paper, and hence it is important to structure it well. You can do this by dividing your body into (sub)chapters and paragraphs.
-
(Sub)chapters help to partition different parts of your story and help signify when you are starting on a new topic. You indicate the start of a new (sub)chapter with a (sub)title.
-
Paragraphs provide readability to your paper or assignment. Creating a new paragraph whenever you start addressing a new idea is a good rule of thumb. By employing transition words and phrases (“as discussed previously”, “as such”, “however” etc.) you can connect (sub)chapters and paragraphs and increase your paper’s ‘flow’. A good flow is important for increasing the readability of your paper, and helps your reader understand the point(s) you are trying to make.
In {5} the conclusion, you want to round off your story. You can do this by briefly reiterating your central argument and main points, discussing the implications of your findings, and/or by noting possible avenues for further research
An important rule of thumb is to not introduce any new information in the conclusion.
The reference list serves to reveal what sources you used. This will be discussed in Referencing.