Essay 1500 words

Stating your argument:

1. Does your introduction clearly state your argument?

Outlining your essay:

1. Does your introduction clearly explain how your argument is going to develop in the following paragraphs?

1. Are there any keywords or concepts that you need to define?

0. Remember, avoid using dictionary definitions. We want you to engage with academic debates, so try to find a definition from an article/chapter you read.

1. Are these definitions clearly referenced?

1. Is there disagreement about these definitions or concepts? If so, which definition will you be using?

1. Does each paragraph help you make your argument?

1. Does each paragraph link together? Ways of linking could include:

3. ‘Another important aspect to consider…’

3. ‘The account of… [e.g. hegemony] …offered above helps us understand…’

3. ‘While the previous section focused on… [e.g. realist understandings of war] … this can be compared with… [e.g. the post-colonial perspective] ...’

1. Does each paragraph correspond to the plan you outlined in your introduction?

1. Is each paragraph roughly the same size? If not, you should develop the shorter paragraphs in more detail.

1. Does your conclusion provide a clear summary of your argument?

1. Does your conclusion introduce any new ideas, concepts or examples that are not explained in the main body of the essay? If it does, go back and explain them.

1. Does your conclusion have a conclusion?! Does it answer the critical or evaluative aspect of the question? If your conclusion evidence-based?

1. Are all your sources appropriate for an academic essay? Remember:

0. As a starting point, use relevant articles/chapters discussed in seminar and link them to the subject of your essay.

0. Online news articles might be useful for evidencing a point you are making (e.g. US drone strikes in Yemen have killed civilians), but should not be used for analysis.

0. Wikipedia and random online website are not appropriate for an academic essay!

1. Have you read over and understood the module guide for Harvard referencing?

1. Is every statement properly referenced?

1. Does every quote include a page number in the reference?

1. Have you included a correctly formatted bibliography?

1. Is your bibliography in alphabetical order?

1. Is your title underlined and centred?

1. Is your essay within the word limit?

1. Is the text left-aligned or justified? (i.e. not centred)

1. Is the text all the same font, size (12) and colour?

1. Have you proof-read your essay? Remember:

4. Avoid contractions (e.g. cannot > can’t, do not > don’t)

4. Ensure consistency with acronyms (write out the full name first, put the acronym in brackets, then use acronym from them on)

4. Capitalise proper-nouns (e.g. names of countries, individuals, organisations, institutions)

4. Avoid unnecessarily long sentences

4. Avoid using the synonym function (repeating keywords is fine)