Writing an Essay is like Baking a Cake...
This easy to understand method will let you uplevel your essay writing.
At Platute we know that baking is a delicate process. All of the ingredients are essential, the consistency has to be right and the process takes time.
There are many different types of cake; chocolate, lemon and red velvet to name a few. Each type of cake has different ingredients which make them unique. Similarly, every literary work you will study has features which make it distinctive.
Cracking the Egg
Reading the question is easy. Understanding the question is another story.
Highlight the key words
Transform the question into your own words by brainstorming synonyms
Redefine your argument with the words of the question, ask a Platute tutor if you aren't sure how.
The Icing on the Cake
An introduction is like the first mouthful of cake. You want your tutor to be blown away by the power of your argument and sophisticated understanding of the question.
Thesis: answer the question and share your opinion on the unit of study
Introduce the texts: make sure you include the full title of the text(s), author’s full name, the form and when it was written. E.g. ‘William Shakespeare’s Renaissance Era tragedy Hamlet’
Points: what are the 3 mini-arguments that come together to prove your overall argument?
Slice, slice, baby!
1. Point
The topic sentence should be made up of two ingredients; the point you are making and what this reveals about the question.
2. Context
Texts are products of the contexts in which they were created; author, time, place. Take a step back and explain to your reader how the author’s environment led to the text’s formation.
3. Example
Choose evidence from the text, rich with techniques, to support the argument you are making. These quotes should move through the text, with the intention of tracking the progression of characters, themes and textual integrity.
4. Analysis
Dive deeper into the quote. What was the purpose of this quote? How does it make the audience feel? Does this reveal anything about the author’s context? What does it reveal about the characters or story? These are all questions you can answer when you analyse, in the terms of the question.
5. Link
This is the final bite of the cake; leave your reader (and tutor) wanting more. Provide a sound judgement which concludes your point and answers an aspect of the question. It is helpful to include hints into what the next paragraph may entail and bridge together your argument.
Licking the Bowl
Editing and refining your essay multiple times is essential to presenting a sophisticated and thorough understanding of the unit of study. Look for syntax errors, word choice and grammatical mishaps and with every sentence think - is there a clearer way of saying this. At Platute, this is our specialty - and we are here to help!
If assignments and studies are leaving you frustrated and worn out, help is only a few clicks away. Platute is a free resource that connects you to available tutors. These experienced mentors can help you with any subject down to course specific units.