This essay is hard. I've done 3250 words and I need to do somewhere between another 750 - 1750. I think I'll hit the word count but I'm seriously doubting the quality.
This essay isn't a science essay. It's a literature essay. I was rubbish at English Literature at school. Totally rubbish. I picked this essay because I love reading and then discussing what I've read which is 40% of the marks of this special study module, but I've only just remembered how awful I am at literature essays.
Reading through what I've written most of it is total drivel. I'm now torn between just deleting it and trying for a complete and paniced rewrite, or just continuing on and hoping for the best. Ideally (although probably not realisitically) I'll finish it today and then on either Friday morning which I have off or perhaps Sunday afternoon I can fiddle around with it and improve it before I hand it in on Monday.
The other annoying thing is that I have to hand it in to my supervisor in London. Thank goodness I have next monday off but it would be much less of a bother if I could just email it. As we need to sign plagerism stuff that isn't really an option.
Anyway I better get back to it. Once the essay is out of the way I have a story about a horrible doctor to tell. I feel I need to share my rantyness and see if other people think he's as unreasonable as I do.
Lily xXx
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2 comments:
I always think it is better to write the whole thing getting as close to the required word count as possible and then go through it again to 'tart it up'. I too have problems with literature essays; give me a something on history, or the public understanding of science or communicating science any time.
My problem is trying to write this lecture that I have to give in a fortnight's time, and not only do I have to write the lecture I have to dream up some practical exercises for the students to do. The things I let myself in for. I must be mad.
I have this even now, and the majority of my essays are literature-based. The key is to plot a very, very simple argument that you want to have running through the essay. This will function as the "spine" if you will, and dictates what you place in the work.
This spine doesn't have to be ground-breakingly complex - just have a quick look at the question or topic, pick an idea about it and go with it. Break it down into seperate premises, and then link each part of the essay to one of those premises, in order. If you have something that is nothing to do with the basic spine, get rid of it.
Clearly state what the spine is at the start and finish of the essay. Finally, read through everything that you've got and tailor it so that it sounds like you're "on topic" at all times.
It's not a pretty way of doing things, but it works. Sort of like throwing paint at a wall and then running around trying to make a picture out of it.
On the drivel note, don't worry - literature and high theory essays are *all* drivel ^^
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