The basics of essay writing / Nigel Warburton.

Includes bibliographical references.

What’s the point? -- Start writing -- Answer the question -- Research and planning -- Make a case -- Beginnings, middles, ends -- Plagiarism, quotation, reference -- The craft of writing -- Exam essays -- How to improve your essay writing.

Essay writing is an essential skill for students at all academic levels and the ability to produce clear, well-argued essays is key to good coursework and the vast majority of written exams. This book offers the new or under-confident essay writer all the guidance and advice they need to dramatically improve their skills and their grades. The book opens with a discussion of why it is so important to write a good essay and then proceeds through a step-by-step exploration of exactly what students need to think about in order to improve. It contains help on how to: * focus on answering the question asked * research and plan essays * build and sustain an argument * improve writing style and tone. Written in the author’s accomplished, student-friendly style, this guide is packed full of good advice and practical exercises. Students of all ages and in every subject area will find it an easy-to-use and indispensable aid to their studies.

Nigel Warburton has compressed the essential points of essay writing skills into an amazingly small space … His ideas and recommendations come thick and fast, and he doesn't dwell on anything for very long. The result is a highly concentrated series of tips, advice, and guidance on all aspects of academic writing … Nigel Warburton is the principal author of a very successful Open University course on essay-writing skills. In fact (without knowing him in the slightest) I have been tutoring it for the last few years, and I have been repeatedly struck by the thoroughness of its approach. All the students who follow the course recommendations pass with flying colours.' - Mantex reviews

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