Category: Essay Tips and Techniques

“Sssshhh we can’t talk about Sex!” Pointers to discuss in A2 Application Questions

On By Aimee HorsleyIn Essay Tips and Techniques, UncategorizedLeave a comment

I appreciate that writing application essays is very difficult: you will be juggling two topics with a issue, whilst desperately trying to answer the question, as well as evaluating all points and ideas = not easy. I know this. But what might help focus your mind is a few discussion pointers to consider when evaluating and discussing sex ethics. This will help you avoid writing a vague essay that never really delves into anything specific.

 Homosexuality:

  • Discuss the different laws and punishments for homosexuality (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-25927595 – I show my students this link showing which countries still have the death penalty and imprisonmeScreen Shot 2016-04-02 at 20.30.46.pngnt for homosexuality)
  • Be aware of the changes to civil partnership laws
  • Stats relating to Gay Pride, LGBT community
  • Changes in this country over the years: introduction of homosexual characters on TV and how this portrayal has impacted people’s perspectives
  • Influence of social media i.e celebrities discussing their sexual orientation and responses

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“What would Kant say about Abortion? Who knows!” Tackling the Application Essays (Old Spec)

On By Aimee HorsleyIn Essay Tips and TechniquesLeave a comment

How is your juggling technique? Well that is exactly what you need to do in these essays.juggling-too-much

You not only have to consider the topic but how it applies to an ethical issue, whilst at the same time taking into consideration the specific wording of the question. Hence why  application topics are left until the end!

You  need a lot of skills and understanding to be able to write a coherent essay that actually answers the question. Unfortunately you are pretty much guaranteed that at least two out of your four questions in Summer will be application in some disguise (if not all four questions when considering the part b) discussion questions).

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Consulting the Crystal Ball: Predicting your AS Ethics Questions (Old Spec)

On By Aimee HorsleyIn Essay Tips and Techniques1 Comment

There are a few ways to ‘predict’ exam questions within R.S.a-spooky-photograph-of-a-crystal-ball-and-a-woman-s-hands

  1. Look at the past questions asked over the years (this gives you patterns, similar wordings and ultimately there are only so many questions the examiners can ask).
  2. Examine the specification closely (this is what your teacher will teach you from – the checklist). You must know every bullet point as examiners often just add the words ‘explain’ or  ‘compare’ in front.

E.g

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If you do not have access to either of these go to the exam board website. So in this case go to OCR: http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/as-a-level-gce-religious-studies-h172-h572/ for all mark schemes, past questions, examiners comments and specification.

Finally for some topics there is a certain style of question for part a)’s. This is certainly the case with the application topics: abortion, euthanasia, genetic engineering and war and peace.

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Step by Step Paragraph Structure

On By Aimee HorsleyIn Essay Tips and Techniques1 Comment

When writing an essay, once you have mastered the structure in one paragraph, it is achievable in all paragraphs and all essays. But mastering that first paragraph is not easy. Often students over complicate the structure or try to cram too much into one paragraph. Keep it simple!

Here is a snapshot of an introduction that really works – it answers the question (Aquinas/ successful), it shows evidence of wider reading (dictionary definition), it also shows knowledge (Aquinas quote/natural law)- it captures and holds your attention as a reader. But is also quite sophisticated, for example: the quote and the definition are linked together.

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It’s Over: Concluding an Essay

On By Aimee HorsleyIn Essay Tips and TechniquesLeave a comment

Think of watching a film that cuts out 5 minutes before the end with a subtitle that says ‘ran out of time’. That is exactly what you do to an examiner if you don’t write a conclusion to your essay. You must write a conclusion and it needs to be good. Why? Because it is the last thing an examiner will read and it is your final opportunity to leave a lasting impression on them.

Do’s and Dont’s:

  • Do keep it around 5 lines long
  • Do leave yourself enough time in the exam to write it
  • Do not add new arguments (a new quote however might give it some flavour)
  • Do not write ‘I think’ (the examiner wants to read a sophisticated argument not your thoughts) So keep with third person: ‘In conclusion from the arguments presented it is clear that’ or ‘in conclusion one might believe that’
  • Do briefly summarise the main arguments mentioned in your essay (just to remind the examiner what amazing arguments you have raised)
  • Do ‘get off the fence’!! This is especially important if the question asks you to ‘discuss’. This means that you have to conclude why a side is more convincing/ coherent etc than the other based on the arguments/ evaluation you have presented.
  • Do link your conclusion back to the question.

For example:

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Let me ‘Introduce’ myself: Writing an Introduction

On By Aimee HorsleyIn Essay Tips and Techniques1 Comment

Introductions are key to a good essay and a good grade. Why? Because they are the first thing an examiner reads and judges you on. Now let me give you a little insight. Examiners, people who mark for the exam board – often teachers, will have potentially read the same answer 300 times. What does this mean? They are bored! Your challenge then is to write an engaging (or at least different) introduction to spark their interest (not easy hence the ‘challenge’).

Now in my experience of marking a lot of essays I think there are a few simple things you can do to catch your readers attention.

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