Academic essays at university level arenʼt just a form of assessment. Academic essay writing is part of the learning process itself, and the research that you will undertake is a part of your intellectual growth. You are not expected to simply summarize the ideas that you have learned in your module. Instead, you are expected to explore these ideas in the context of your own unique perspective and put forward an argument of your own.
As you begin writing, think not only about what you already know about the topic and what you have learned about the topic in your module, but also what you might learn about the topic through your research and the writing process itself. Use these three questions during the prewriting stage of your next essay to help identify where your knowledge strengths lie, and to identify what questions or ideas you might need to research in order to fully develop your argument.
What did you know about this topic before you began this module?
What have you learned about this topic thus far in this module?
What do you need to learn about this topic in order to form an effective argument?
This post is based upon teaching resources developed while I was teaching at the University of Leeds School of English.
In the contemporary study of language and literature, single-author books customarily run to around 250 pages because that is generally just about the length needed for a highly sophisticated, yet tightly focused argument based upon the conventions of argumentation in these fields. It is likely that a great deal of your research will come in the form of printed books, physically contained within the library. Your reading list should always be your starting point when researching an essay or reading around a topic. Reading lists will contain some of the most important and relevant sources on the topic under consideration, but remember, reading lists represent a beginning, rather than an end. When you find an especially helpful source on a reading list, take a look at its bibliography. What sources does that author refer to? Are there any sources that you see several authors citing? Which scholars seem to be most authoritative on the topic that you are addressing? Paying attention to issues such as these can help to give you a richer and ultimately more valuable understanding of how to discover relevant and helpful books.
EDITED COLLECTIONS
Edited collections are a very common format for the dissemination of knowledge in academia, primarily because they allow for a wide array of voices to present quite a broad perspective on a topic. It’s important to point out that edited collections are listed in the library catalogue under their editor, rather than under the names of the authors of individual chapters. Finding an edited collection on a topic that you are working with can be a fantastic starting point to the research process. You will have in front of you 8 or more writer’s ideas on your topic, and since it is likely the case that those authors have also written about this topic elsewhere, you will already have a list of ‘leads’ to help you move more deeply into the literature
JOURNALS
Journals are a bit like academic magazines, and can range from the general (e.g. The Publication of the Modern Language Association) to the specific (e.g. Evelyn Waugh Newsletter and Studies). Articles in most reputable academic journals go through a rigorous peer review process, which makes sure that only the finest pieces go to press. Because of this, journal articles carry a great deal of academic authority, and will be an important type of source for your research. Articles in academic journals are often around the length of one chapter of an academic book — enough space to develop one element or component of a broader argument. It is very often the case that academics ʻexperimentʼ with new ideas in the form of a journal article before developing that idea into a full-length book.
ELECTRONIC SOURCES
PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SOURCE DATABASES
Although academic research is becoming increasingly digital, paper publications are still vitally important in academic communities. The great thing about databases such as JSTOR, Literature Online (LION), EEBO and others is that they make getting your hands on paper publications much easier than ever before. The great thing about the accessible of electronic sources is that you can access a wide variety of important sources directly from your computer. There are several important research databases that you can access through the library catalogue.
SEARCH ENGINES
If you use Google regularly, and feel comfortable with its features, then it may be a great idea to begin your research with Scholar Google. The interface will be familiar, and the sources that you find listed there can then be traced either through the library catalogue or through primary and secondary source databases. Google Scholar gives you the scope and power of the Google search engine, yet still generally turns up only high-quality academic sources. It is important to note that your search results on Google Scholar will not likely give you direct access to digitized publications. Instead, you should note down the relevant bibliographical material, and see if the article of book is available in digital or hard copy from the library
This post is based upon teaching materials developed while I was teaching at the University of Leeds.
Perhaps the most important advice for English literature students is to read widely. While you will certainly be doing a great deal of reading for each of your modules, don’t forget about your own personal reading interests. Periodicals such as The New Yorker, The Times Literary Supplement, The Atlantic Monthly, and Monocle are known for their high-quality features and book reviews. Newspapers such as The Times, The New York Times, La Monde, and The Financial Times are world-famous for their reportage. And, as we are living in a digital age, don’t forget about relevant blogs and other important online news sources such as Slate and Salon. There are two main goals in casting your net widely: 1) you can begin to observe and appreciate how professional writers communicate, and 2) you never know what might spark an idea for your next great essay.
Write Regularly
Writing is an art form, and, as such, it must be practised regularly. For centuries, writers have kept journals (sometimes called ‘commonplace books’, ‘morning pages’, or ‘author’s day books’) that keep a record of insights, ideas, and observations. It doesn’t really matter what the subject matter is—you choose. The important thing is to get a feel for how you write and to get into the habit of crafting and re-crafting your sentences and paragraphs. Be prepared to be your own worst critic! Show other people your writing and see what they think. Above all, learn to see writing as an active creative and intellectual process. You will improve if you keep practising. A regular record of what you have read and what insights you have come to will not only allow you to practise the art of writing, but will prove to be an invaluable tool for working through new and complex ideas explored in your modules.
Take Downtime
It can be very easy for English literature students to begin to lose sight of what led them to their degree in the first place: a genuine love of language and literature. Don’t forget about reading for pleasure, and allowing yourself time to relax and to step away from your coursework. Begin to think about what speaks to you in your recreational reading. What draws you in? Sometimes the greatest insights come during those moments when the mind is relaxed and simply enjoying something fun.
Develop Critical Interests in Other Areas
As you begin to read widely, and to discover new writers and publications, it is very likely that you will come across subjects that you find very interesting. Vinology, evolutionary psychology, trench warfare, fashion history, Kabuki theatre—it could be anything! Trust your instincts and follow your interests. You never know what important new insights will come out of your own critical interests in other areas, or how your own personal study of an intriguing topic might contribute to your coursework. The study of English language and literature is not an insular field—it speaks in many important ways to a wide variety of topics.
Develop a System
Developing a coherent, consistent system of note taking is an essential first step in achieving academic success. Everyone’s note taking system will be personal and unique, sometimes even to the extent that it doesn’t make sense to anyone else. What is most important, though, is that your system works for you, and allows you to keep track not only of your class notes, but also your own independent reading and research. While notebooks are often still the preferred method for many students, you may find it worthwhile to investigate some digital options. Evernote (free), Mendeley (free), and DevonThink (around £30) are some of the most popular digital note taking systems used by professional writers and academics.
Booth, Wayne C., Gregory G. Colomb, Joseph M. Williams, The Craft of Research, Third Edition (London: Chicago UP, 2008).
This celebrated guide offers an extraordinarily lucid account of how the writing and research process works.
Cameron, Julia, The Artist’s Way (New York: Penguin, 1992).
Julia Cameron’s famous book is designed to help develop creative awareness. While it is not intended only for writers (and certainly not specifically for academic writers), you may find the exercises helpful in forming ideas for your essays.
Gordon, Karen Elizabeth, The Deluxe Transitive Vampire: A Handbook of Grammar for the Innocent, the Eager and the Doomed (New York: Pantheon, 1993).
This amusing, lavishly illustrated book offers a fantastic introduction to Low-Order Elements. Highly recommended if you find yourself struggling with grammar.
Cover via Amazon
Graff, Gerald and Cathey Birkenstein, They Say / I Say: The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing (London: Norton, 2010).
Graff and Birkenstein’s clear and helpful book offers some insight into the effective use of secondary source material in academic writing.
Pope, Rob, The English Studies Book (London: Routledge, 2002).
Pope’s textbook specifically considers essay writing in the context of English language and literature studies. This is an extremely comprehensive guide, and one which you will undoubtedly find extremely useful.
Strunk, William & E.B. White, The Elements of Style (1918; repr. New York: Longman, 2000).
This small, inexpensive book is one of the most famous and highly regarded books on writing. Strunk & White encourage readers to develop a clear, precise writing style, and their suggestions are ideally suited for university-level academic writing.
