How to Write a First-Class University Essay
The jump between A-Level and undergraduate study is notoriously large. One of the most difficult elements of transitioning from school to university is understanding what lecturers and seminar tutors are expecting when it comes to writing essays. This blog, written by a final-year PhD researcher and experienced undergraduate seminar tutor at King’s College London, unpacks how to write a strong and well-structured university essay that can achieve a first-class mark.
Writing an essay at degree level is no mean feat. It requires thorough research, a carefully crafted argument, and evidence-based analysis. Across the humanities, precise approaches to essay-writing can vary, yet there are several universal features of a strong essay. Argument, structure, and sources are all vital elements of a university essay. We will break these down one by one.
Argument
First and foremost, argument is the most important aspect of an essay. University essays, as at A-Level, are often structured around a specific question. Recent essay questions answered by my own first-year History students include such examples as, ‘Was European decolonisation or the Cold War more consequential for the making of the modern world in the second half of the twentieth century?’ and ‘What was the role of young people in the global protests of the 1960s?’ As these examples show, essay questions at university level tend to be broad. This may feel a little intimidating at first glance, but the broad nature of the question is actually a great strength. It allows the student to bring their own interpretations and form an interesting, creative answer.
To do so, a strong, coherent argument is needed. In school essays, pupils are often encouraged to tackle a question from multiple perspectives. Many exam questions in A-Level History, for example, award the highest marks for an essay that identifies the importance of different factors in causing a specific event or phenomenon. The structure of such an essay may look like the following:
The most important reason for increasing tensions between the US and USSR in the late 1940s was the Truman Doctrine…
This was partly a result of Kennan’s Long Telegram, which was another important factor…
We must also consider the significance of the Marshall Plan, which can be seen as the most important factor for increasing tensions between the US and USSR…
Overall, the Truman Doctrine was the most important reason for increasing tensions between the US and USSR because…
This looks like a clear structure for an A-Level essay, with various factors identified and a judgement reached at the end about which factor was the most important. At university level, however, this is not the best way to structure an essay. Lecturers are looking for a coherent and strong argument, which requires students to make their position and judgement clear from the beginning. The essay’s introduction should state clearly what the main argument of the essay will be, and this should follow a logical thread through the entire piece of work. The marker should never be in doubt as to where the essay is going or what the main point is.
How can we construct a strong argument? Research and preparation is key. All reading should be completed before writing begins, so that you have a good understanding of the topic itself and of the scholarly debates around the topic. Each student has a different method of research and writing, but drawing up a detailed plan can help to clarify and streamline the argument, so that it is as clear as possible throughout the essay. You should be able to explain what your key argument is in one or two sentences. If it requires any more space than this, it is not clear or well-defined enough. A strong argument is well-evidenced. Several different books and journal articles should be referenced. Each time a claim is made or specific details invoked, the source of this information or argument should be clearly cited. Finally, blanket statements or overgeneralisations should be avoided. Including specific details can help to avoid this. A nuanced, critical approach should be adopted to present a strong argument.
Structure
The most effective structure for a particular essay depends on the specific question under discussion. There are, however, some general guidelines that should be followed to achieve a first-class essay.
Most importantly, the structure should be clear. Essays should have an introduction, a main body composed of several paragraphs, a conclusion, and a bibliography.
The introduction should outline the key question, provide some context if necessary, and, as we have already established, present the main argument or position of the essay. Depending on the essay topic, it may be relevant or important to define some key terminology in the introduction. This can help to provide context, ensuring both accuracy and consistency throughout the essay.
The main body should not be one continuous paragraph. Each new point or factor should be separated. PEEL (Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link) paragraphs are a great way to approach this. In any essay, it is impossible to cover all relevant points, unless you are writing an encyclopedia! Therefore, it is crucial to select the most significant points that best answer the question and support your argument.
The conclusion should restate and summarise the key points addressed in the essay. Different disciplines have slightly varying approaches to this, but in general, new points should not be raised in the conclusion that have not already been discussed in the main body of the essay. The purpose of the conclusion is to summarise everything that has come before, not to bring in new information or arguments.
Finally, the bibliography should contain all the references you have used throughout the essay. This helps the marker to check your citations and, if necessary, follow up on anything you have discussed. Sometimes, the bibliography is included in the overall word count; other times, it isn’t. It is worth double-checking this well in advance.
Sources and references
Almost all essays at university level will require engagement with published literature. It is important to research the topic thoroughly in order to understand what has been written about the topic, who has written on the topic, and when the topic has been written about. Often, there will be scholarly debates regarding your given topic; academics will almost always have differing methodologies or arguments. These should all be considered before you start writing your essay.
Depending on your topic or discipline, you may need to consider different types of sources. History essays will typically require analysis of both primary and secondary sources. English Literature essays are frequently centred around a specific book or piece of literature. Effective and critical engagement with each of your sources will demonstrate your analytical and evaluative skills and can help push you into the first-class bracket.
Referencing styles vary between disciplines and universities. Double-check the house style at your university or in your department. It may be in-text, such as Harvard style, or footnotes, such as Chicago. It is crucial to get this right and ensure that you are referencing each source correctly.
In sum, a first-class university essay will have a strong and coherent argument, a clear structure, and a range of sources to support the argument. There are many ways to write a good essay, and no foolproof method, but these tips should help you to plan and produce an essay of first-class standard.
