New Zealand politics

Essay Guidelines

Researching and writing an essay is an opportunity to engage deeply with one particular theme covered in the course. The point of this part of your assessment is to help you read and think critically, to develop your skills as a scholar of New Zealand politics, and to strengthen your communication and written skills.

For this assignment, you should research and write a 1,500-1,800 word essay (not counting footnotes or bibliography) on a topic of your choice related to the course (the essay questions are listed on Blackboard).

For reading suggestions for each essay question, please look beyond the required readings to the recommended readings for the relevant week/s. As this is a research essay, there is an expectation that you will conduct independent research and look beyond the readings listed in the syllabus.

I am primarily interested in two aspects of your essay: your structure and your argument. Below I explain in more detail what I am looking for and suggestions for how to construct your essay.

Structure:

· Your essay should have a clear structure. This includes an introduction, a main body and a conclusion made up of sensible sentences and paragraphs.

· Your introduction should include a clear thesis statement outlining the claim you will be defending. It may also be worth noting the key points you will consider in your essay.

· The body of your essay should develop a couple of focused, clear arguments.

· Your conclusion is a summary of your argument and is closely related to your introduction; however, should not be the same. A useful question to ask when considering your conclusion is ‘So What?’ You have just spent an essay developing an argument, what you have achieved? Do you think you convinced the reader of the legitimacy of your claim? Do you think further reflection or refinement might be required to more fully answer the question?

· Include appropriate citations AND a bibliography. Most important is that you are consistent in your citations. I do not have a preference for either in-text citation or footnotes, as long as you choose one style and stick with it. (I strongly recommend the Chicago Style Citation Manual, available online: https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html ).

· Please be attentive to word count – you need to make your argument effectively within the word range. Longer (or shorter) papers will be penalised. Your bibliography DOES NOT count as part of your word count.

Argument:

· Focus on a few key arguments and make them well. Do not try to cover all aspects of the topic, but explain what you are doing and why you are focusing on the arguments that you are – I am seeking depth, not breadth.

· Demonstrate good knowledge of the appropriate texts but, more importantly, show that you are engaging with the ideas of the text by reformulating them in your own words and discussing their relative strengths and weaknesses. While I don’t have specific expectations about how many texts you will cite, I would expect to see at least five good quality, peer-reviewed sources used to make your argument.

· Remember that this essay should not be a polemic, by which I mean it should not present only positive arguments in support of your claim. The strongest defence of a claim will demonstrate an awareness of counterarguments to your position, and will then attempt to address those concerns.

· Be sure that when you make assertions you also justify them. For example, it is not enough to say: “The review of the MMP electoral system was a flawed process from start to finish.” You must detail why the review was flawed.

Marking Criteria

Using the skills developed in the academic skills tasks, I expect you to write a high quality essay that:

a. answers the question

b. provides a clear, persuasive thesis statement in the introduction

c. draws on high quality sources for evidence that supports the thesis throughout the essay

d. points to possible counter-arguments, and explains why they are not persuasive

e. cites sources appropriately, including correct and accurate formatting (including page numbers).

If you are having any difficulties with your essay please talk with your tutor or see Student Learning Services – they are there to help!