The University of New South Wales (UNSW) Learning Centre offers extensive support and resources to help students develop their academic writing skills. Whether you are just starting your university studies or need additional assistance in your final years, the Learning Centre can guide you through the process of researching, planning, writing and structuring university-level essays and assignments. This article will provide an in-depth overview of the essay writing services offered by the UNSW Learning Centre.
Researching for Essays
The first and most important step in writing any successful essay is conducting thorough research. The UNSW Library provides students with access to a huge range of online databases, ebooks, journal articles and other scholarly resources. These include general databases like Google Scholar as well as specialized databases for different disciplines. The Learning Centre offers workshops to help students navigate the library resources and search tools effectively to find high-quality sources for their essays. Individual research consultations are also available to assist students in scoping their topic and developing targeted search strategies.
In addition to the library databases, the Learning Centre recommends students consult more general sources like Wikipedia for background information only. Students should not directly cite or quote Wikipedia in their assignments. It is also wise to cross-check facts and statistics from free online sources using library databases or published books and journals. Some academics may not consider websites or non-scholarly sources as credible for university-level work. Students should carefully review subject outlines and discuss appropriate sources with their course coordinators if they have any doubts.
Developing an Argument
Along with research, students must formulate a clear argument for their essays. The Learning Centre offers workshops on identifying the different parts of an academic argument, including establishing a thesis statement, providing evidence to support points, and drawing logical conclusions. Individual consultations are available for students struggling to define the key question or issue they will address, or those wishing to discuss and refine tentative argument proposals.
Students are guided on how to make an insightful analysis rather than a simple description. They learn to think critically about the evidence and go beyond a superficial discussion to develop an original interpretation or perspective. Consultants can also provide feedback on students’ work-in-progress and help strengthen and focus their argument if it is not coming across clearly on the page. Having one’s work reviewed is an excellent way to identify weaknesses or gaps that need further attention before final submission.
Structuring the Essay
All university essays require a clear structure. Workshops at the Learning Centre explain the basic essay formats students will commonly encounter, such as introductions with a thesis statement, body paragraphs with topic sentences and evidence, and conclusions that reiterate the main point. The importance of cohesion and logical flow between paragraphs is emphasized.
Individual consultations are invaluable for students unsure of how to effectively structure longer or more complex assignments. Consultants may map out sample structures and encourage students to customize these templates to best suit their topic and argument. For example, some essays involve comparing multiple perspectives or sources, so categories or chronological order could provide an apt organizational framework. Concept mapping is another useful pre-writing technique tutors recommend for planning complex essays.
Developing Academic Style
Strong academic writing demands a formal, objective style supported by evidence rather than personal opinions. The Learning Centre provides guidance on incorporating references and citations according to different academic styles like APA and Harvard. Students learn why citation is necessary, how to paraphrase and summarize sources while avoiding plagiarism, and the rules surrounding direct quotations. Workshops are held on constructing sentences and using academic vocabulary appropriate for different disciplines.
Consultants can review students’ writing and provide tailored feedback on formal elements like sentence structure, word choice, and paragraph cohesion. Common issues addressed include over-reliance on passive voice, inclusion of unnecessary words, lack of signposting for the reader, and inconsistent citation practices. With feedback and revisions, students improve their control and fluency with the subtle differences of academic writing compared to more casual styles. Strong editing and proofreading skills are also fostered through this process.
Time Management and Essay Writing
University assignments invariably come with tight deadlines, so time management is an essential essay writing skill. The Learning Centre recommends students come up with a study schedule and break down large projects into smaller, more manageable steps like research, planning, outlining, drafting and editing. Consultants provide individualized support developing realistic schedules for different assignment lengths and difficulty levels.
Procrastination is a challenge for many students. The Learning Centre suggests counteracting this through early topic selection, regular writing sessions outside of dedicated study times, and setting small sub-goals with reward systems instead of leaving everything until the last minute. Consultations are valuable for motivating procrastinators and troubleshooting time wasters like excessive internet browsing or changes of direction. Extra help becomes necessary closer to a deadline for students who find themselves behind schedule, so early planning and steady progress are emphasized.
Academic Language Difficulties
For students facing linguistic barriers, the Learning Centre provides targeted essay writing support. Specialized workshops introduce academic vocabulary, sentence structures, and rhetorical features common in English texts. Consultants have experience addressing issues like incorrect collocation of words, unclear pronoun referencing, inappropriate register or formality, and inconsistencies in verb tense or articles.
The one-on-one essay review process gives intensive feedback on formal language problems as well as exploring deeper issues with coherence or argument development. Additional proofreading and editing of drafts is available. ESL students are encouraged to start assignments early so they have time to incorporate multiple revisions. Referrals to specialist English language programs are provided if a student requires more long-term development of academic English proficiency.
Dealing with Feedback
An important final step in the essay writing process is learning to productively engage with feedback from markers and tutors. The Learning Centre recommends students view feedback as an opportunity to improve rather than a personal criticism. Workshops are held on extracting key points from written feedback, evaluating critiques objectively, and following rubrics or comments to enhance future work.
When consulting, tutors model effective responses to feedback through discussion. They encourage strategic use of lecturer’s comments for everything from grammar fixes to rethinking aspects of the argument. Students wary of feedback can get support managing their emotional response and focusing comments into an action plan for honing their writing skills and higher grades. Consultations near assignment deadlines also assist implementing feedback within tight timeframes.
The UNSW Learning Centre takes a holistic approach to developing strong academic essay writing ability through a combination of workshops, individual consultations, and online resources. By guiding students through the full research, planning and writing process – as well as common difficulties around academic style, language barriers and time management – the Centre supports undergraduates maximizing their skills and potential throughout their university studies.
Andrew Stroud