Essay Writing: The Basics

Researching Your Topic

One of the first steps in essay writing is researching. You must research your essay by reading and finding relevant information. Reading on the topic enables you to develop a thesis and answer the essay question.

Where to Start?

Your starting point for your essay is your initial response to the essay topic or question. Your response is based on what you already know. But this is only the starting point. You then need to research, question your response, and find some evidence to help form your answers.

Reading for Your Essay

Begin reading for the essay as early as possible. This will give you plenty of time to familiarise yourself with the topic and develop your ideas. When you begin to look at your readings more closely, remember to read with a purpose. Ask yourself:

• What do I already know about the topic? Start with what you know. If a topic is unfamiliar, do some introductory reading. Look at your lecture notes and course readings for help.
• What do I need to read to be able to answer the essay question?
• Is this material useful to my topic/argument?
• Can I use this material to support my answer?

Reading Lists

If you are given a list of suggested readings, consult as many as possible. Otherwise, locate relevant material in the library. Use the catalogue to perform topic and subject searches.

Once you have your readings:

use the table of contents and the index to find relevant material

skim through the text to locate specific information

when you find something you need to read closely, flag the pages with a post-it note so you can return for a close reading

photocopy useful sections of texts so you can underline and make notes

Taking Notes From Your Readings

When you read in-depth and find information relevant to your essay, note it down. Your notes will be the basis of your essay.

Don't take notes during your first reading
If you are using photocopies, underline or highlight relevant information. You can return to it when you reread and take notes.

Always make notes with the question clearly in mind
You must use evidence to support your argument, so look carefully for relevant information. This can include summaries or direct quotes from texts, useful examples, case studies or statistics.

Make a note of any sources of information you use
Copy down all the bibliographic details of what you read. Include:

• author
• date
• title
• publisher
• place of publication

For journal articles, include volume and issue numbers. This will help with your referencing.

See The Learning Centre guide Effective Note-making from Written Text

Next Step: Organising your ideas