Writing
Week 1: review
What is a review?
Answer to the question of whether sth is worth time and/or money
What does a review look like?
• Opinion piece
• Neutral-informal in tone
• Persuasive
• Engaging style
How is a review structured?
• Strikening opener
• Brief summary (avoid spoilers!)
• Main impression/opinions
• Closing statement
What do we expect of the reviewer?
• Qualified to offer an opinion
• Write well and with some flair
Week 2: Essay
Content & definition
What?
Short piece of writing that explores a specific subject in greater detail
Two main types:
• Exploratory essay: describes a (more complex) fact, process or problem
• Argumentative essay: argues a subjective position on a contested issue
What about?
• Exploratory essay: almost anything (sufficient detail and relevance)
• Argumentative essay: ongoing or potential debate
Tone & register
• Many different registers possible
• Conventions of formal style apply
• Balancing act: showing own position without overemphasising author
• Greater formality →greater reliance on secondary sources1
Structure: three-part as usual
• Introduction: thesis statement
• Body: main arguments (one main idea per paragraph)
• Conclusion : restates or paraphrases thesis statement
1
“according to …”
Week 1: review
What is a review?
Answer to the question of whether sth is worth time and/or money
What does a review look like?
• Opinion piece
• Neutral-informal in tone
• Persuasive
• Engaging style
How is a review structured?
• Strikening opener
• Brief summary (avoid spoilers!)
• Main impression/opinions
• Closing statement
What do we expect of the reviewer?
• Qualified to offer an opinion
• Write well and with some flair
Week 2: Essay
Content & definition
What?
Short piece of writing that explores a specific subject in greater detail
Two main types:
• Exploratory essay: describes a (more complex) fact, process or problem
• Argumentative essay: argues a subjective position on a contested issue
What about?
• Exploratory essay: almost anything (sufficient detail and relevance)
• Argumentative essay: ongoing or potential debate
Tone & register
• Many different registers possible
• Conventions of formal style apply
• Balancing act: showing own position without overemphasising author
• Greater formality →greater reliance on secondary sources1
Structure: three-part as usual
• Introduction: thesis statement
• Body: main arguments (one main idea per paragraph)
• Conclusion : restates or paraphrases thesis statement
1
“according to …”
