In this assessment task, you are required to write a long essay plan in response to the following topic:
Why do the humanities and sciences use different types of primary sources? In your answer, make specific reference to examples from two or more disciplines.
The aim of this task is to understand how to organise research-based writing and develop arguments that are clearly linked to evidence. For this reason, you are required to write the plan in the form of a nested list (see below) in which claims are separated from evidence. To structure the plan, you are expected to use Brick, Herke and Wong and other material from week 4, for example the discussion of the deductive approach, as well as Turner, K, Ireland, L, Krenus, B, & Pointon, L 2011, ‘Basic academic writing skills’ in week 6. The content of the plan should be based on ideas and principles from the unit, in particular week 5.
You are required to write the main framing elements of an essay including the introduction and conclusion, each of which should be structured as a list. In each paragraph, you will write the topic and final/linking sentences. In between these sentences, you should state some of the main claims and refer to the type of evidence that you will use in one or two sentences – for example, ‘the study by author (date, page number) provides support for the claim because…’. The paragraph sentences (except for topic and final sentences) will be much less detailed than those in a complete essay. In order to meet the overall word limit, you should vary the size of your plan (decrease or increase the detail or alter the number of paragraphs).
In the plan, the paragraphs, introduction and conclusion should be clearly separated, and in each of the body paragraphs, there should be a breakdown into topic sentences, key arguments, evidence and relevant research. The main idea is to create a logical sequence in which each paragraph is linked externally to the adjacent paragraphs, and in which each key statement is linked internally to minor statements and evidence.
You will need to complete some research to develop the argument, but this may take the form of reading through abstracts rather than complete journal articles. The research can be referred to without providing detailed summaries or quotations. Most of the plan can be written by reflecting and speculating on the question.
Below is a rough guide to how you should write the assignment using a nested list, although you will have more points and sub-points. The use of nesting is important, as it indicates sub-points within a claim or within a paragraph. You can vary this as long as you follow the essay planning principles described in the readings, and it is important to demonstrate that you do understand these principles.
Write out the essay question
Introduction
1. First sentence…
2. Second
3. Third
4. Final/linking
Paragraph 1
5. Topic sentence
5.1. First claim
5.1.1 Evidence (introduce an article or book chapter)
5.2 Second claim
6. Final/linking sentence
Paragraph 2
7. Topic
7.1 Evidence, etc.
Paragraph 3
Conclusion
Reference List
Presentation requirements:
The assessment task should be submitted as a .doc or .rtf file online via Moodle.