Script 2

Essays are a major form of assessment in higher education today, a fact which causes poor writers a great deal of anxiety. But essay writing is simply a skill to be learned. Anyone can learn to express themselves coherently and effectively, and this book explains precisely how. If you are dissatisfied with your essay grades but don't know where to start, read on.

«Writing Essays» reveals the tricks of the trade, making your student life easier. It tells you:

• how to impress tutors with minimum effort

• exactly what markers look for when they read your work

• how to become proficient in every aspect of composition from introductions and conclusions, down to presentation and printing out.

In addition, this book explains stress-free methods of revision; effective library management; word processing and the internet. Demystifying the whole process of composition, «Writing Essays» is the ideal study aid; giving you practical examples and confidence to improve your grades from the word go.

(Marggraf Turley, R. (2003) Writing Essays: a guide for students in English and the humanities, New-York)

Audience and tone Script 3

There is one important part of the process of writing, however, that you must complete before you set the first word of your first draft on paper: you must decide what audience you are writing for. If you were writing an oral presentation, you would consider your audience and adjust your style accordingly. The same procedure applies to writing. Your audience will influence your choice of vocabulary, sentence structure, and even the kind of evidence you use to support your thesis. Writing a paper for a university professor obviously requires a greater level of stylistic polish than writing a letter to your friend. However, writing for one professor as opposed to another may require nearly as much variation in method. You would be well advised to keep in mind the preferences of the instructor, as well as the requirements of the essay. Even within the relatively narrow limits of the English essay, there are still a variety of approaches that may be taken and the appropriate path to follow depends to a great extent upon the person who gave the initial directions.

(http://web.uvic.ca/wguide/Pages/EssayWritingAud.html)

Script 4

The tone of your essay is dictated in part by the subject matter. An essay need not always be grim and impersonal; it may suit your thesis to be more subjective or ironic. In a university environment, it is safe to assume that a certain seriousness of tone is necessary, but there are exceptions to every rule. Another consideration is the attitude you communicate as you express yourself. Be wary of being either too timid or too aggressive. A timid essay hedges on every point, incorporating words and phrases like probably, it seems that, to some extent and perhaps. These phrases have their place, but overusing them suggests that you are not confident in what you are saying. Conversely, an essay featuring numerous examples of obviously, definitely, of course and the like is being overly confident. Often students fill essays with superlatives and flamboyant emotional outbursts in an effort to please their professors, finishing papers with sentences like "His masterful use of puns proves that Joyce is unquestionably the greatest writer in the English language." Dramatic declarations are not welcome in serious critical essays; what is welcome is carefully considered and well-supported argument. Do not shout at the reader with overstated convictions or pretentious moralizing. While many essay topics encourage an objective and dispassionate discussion, there are other occasions when it is appropriate to be critical or adversarial toward your subject. Your instructor is unlikely to be satisfied with an essay which merely regurgitates class lectures, or timidly praises to avoid controversy. If you have an opinion, declare it. Students are often afraid to write anything negative. Be honest but methodical; support your opinions and never lose sight of the opposing viewpoint.

(http://web.uvic.ca/wguide/Pages/EssayWritingAud.html)