| Product: |
Good Essay Writing: A Social Sciences Guide - Peter Redman |
| Date: |
18/06/09 (29 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: Straight to the point with useful examples
Disadvantages: A bit pricy
I started a Psychology degree last year and realised pretty early on that I had absolutely no idea what made a great social sciences essay. So I bought a copy of this wonderful little book from Amazon for £11.99 and I flicked through it frantically the week before my first assignment was due. I'm so glad I did.
Now it its third edition, this is a slim paperback with only 121 pages, so it is not a daunting, wordy tome. Instead, it is a succinctly written and well laid out guide to what tutors are looking for in a good essay and how to plan and write one.
The author starts with the basics of essay planning, writing introductions, addressing the question effectively and building a persuasive argument. Writing conclusions and referencing correctly is also covered, with examples, and there is a special example for Open University students, as the OU requires slightly different referencing.
The beauty of this book is that it is easy to read and straight to the point. If you are studying, you will probably have more than enough to read already, so it is great to just dip into this little guide and see immediately if you are on the right track. There is a great section of "Some Common Worries" about essay writing which answered several of my concerns about tone and structure, as well as some useful examples of student essays to peruse.
I ended up getting good results for my essays and I am positive that this was partly due to this accessible, handy guide which told me exactly what I needed to know in plain English. I highly recommend it to anyone studying social science subjects either for the first time or if you are returning to study after a short break.
Summary: Tells you what you need to know quickly and clearly
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Last comments:
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- 19/06/09 This book isn't aimed at English Grammar and Composition; such a skill is assumed, I suppose. Personally, I have a Masters degree in English but I had no experience of writing essays for social science subjects, such as Psychology, as these essays have very specific style and content requirements, and that's where this book comes in very useful. |
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- 18/06/09 Do they not teach English Composition and Grammar here as a high school subject? I was educated under the American system, and first we had formal grammar, with diagramming sentences and all that palaver in junior high, then freshman year of highs chool English Comp which covered lots and lots of essay writing along with how to do it and proper fottnoting methods etc. Then again as a freshman in uni. If not, they really should, as you say, it is a basic skill. |
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