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The chapter outlines seven main steps, from analysing the essay prompt and gathering information through research and reading, to noting sources, forming a thesis, organising material, drafting, and revising. It explains how to define purpose, analyse key words, consider wording that shapes argument scope, and record source details to avoid plagiarism.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":20,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/exam/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/writing-an-academic-essay-chapter-1-key-steps-and-prompt-analysis/488567/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/writing-an-academic-essay-chapter-1-key-steps-and-prompt-analysis/488567.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"pixelkiddo","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-04","2026-10-01",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":44},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"What are the seven main steps for writing a good academic essay?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"The chapter lists seven steps: analyse your prompt, gather information by research and reading, note where information comes from, think of your thesis, organise your material, draft your essay, and revise your essay.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"How should you analyse an essay prompt?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"You should decide what kind of essay you are being asked to write, identify key words that must be defined, and consider other important wording that affects how you delineate or gather points.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"Why is it important to note where your information comes from?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"It is an academic convention to acknowledge sources and distinguish others’ ideas from your own thinking, which helps you avoid plagiarism and shows you are not cheating.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},488567,1790987064,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":19,"category_name":20,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":44,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":29,"language":139,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":143,"read_time":144,"preview_page_count":4},962090883892,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/e00115db34f3e0f11b?x-image-process=image/resize,m_fixed,w_180,h_180&k=1790152879550218658","1  \nWriting an Academic Essay  \nThe academic essay is one of the most common assignments you will be asked to write in the university. The essay is a reflection of how well you have understood the basic course material, how much extra work you have put into  \nresearching the essay topic and how analytical you have been in selecting and commenting on the material you use. Of course, your essay needs to be well written so that your reader can follow and appreciate your ideas. In short:  \nAcademic Essay = understanding of course + research + analysis + good writing  \nThere are seven main steps to writing a good essay. These are:  \n● Analyse your prompt  \n● Gather your information by research and reading  \n● Note where your information comes from  \n● Think of your thesis  \n● Organise your material  \n● Draft your essay  \n● Revise your essay  \nThis chapter explains the process of writing a good essay and suggests specific things you can do to write one.  \n1.1 Analyse Your Prompt  \nThe first thing to do is to look at the essay prompt (the essay question) carefully and decide what kind of essay you are being asked to write.  \n3  \n4  \nWr it ing an Academic Essay  \n1.1.1 De􀀆ne your purpose  \nDifferent essay prompts require you to do different things. Some essays need you to explain a concept, while others expect you to compare and/or contrast; yet others expect you to argue a position. Table 1 shows the main essay prompts:  \nTable 1: Essay Prompts  \nIf you are asked to… Then you will need to…  \nAnalyse Find some systematic or methodical way of categorising or  \ndefining a topic.  \nFind the cause and effect of some phenomenon.  \nFind the solution to a given problem.  \nArgue Present your thesis—that is your stand and the reasons for  \nit and persuade the reader by the points that you raise.  \nCompare and/or contrast Focus on similarities and/or differences in a topic.  \nDiscuss Present your view of a topic; you need to choose your own  \nfocus.  \nExplain Show how well you understand a topic or phenomenon.  \n1.1.2 Analyse the key wordsin the prompt  \nSome words are significant and will need to be defined as part of your essay. In the example below, the key words are in bold:  \nSurrogate motherhood should be legalised in all countries so that everyone has a chance to have their own children. Discuss.  \nYou will need a working definition of surrogate motherhood and legalised. A working definition is one that you will work with so you would choose one that suits your thesis.  \n1.1.3 Consider other important words in the prompt  \nThe other important words are ones which will affect how you delineate or gather your essay points.  \nYou could pick up on the words all, everyone and own children. You may ask if surrogacy would suit all countries in the world or who is meant by everyone—should these people include single people as well as couples and people of different sexual orientations? You may also ask why it is important to have one’s own children.  \nIn short, analysing the prompt in detail will have an impact on how you search for material and how you select and analyse it later.  \nThe first thing to do is to look atthe essay prompt carefully and decide what kind of essay  \nyou are being asked to write .  \n1.2 Gather Your Information by Research and Reading  \nGathering information through interview, questionnaire, survey or laboratory experiments is called primary research. It involves collection of data which does not exist yet. You should have a good idea of how your essay will develop before you begin so that you can look for the appropriate amount or scope of information.  \nTo gather information by reading, secondary research, you need to read selectively either from a recommended bibliography or read around the topic trying to ascertain which information could be most useful to your essay.  \n1.3 Note Where Your Information Comes From  \nIt is an academic convention to acknowledge your sources and to distinguish where source information ends and yo","cbCaip4rUujxVove","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaip4rUujxVove","pdf",267520,"English","# Writing an Academic Essay\n## Analyse Your Prompt\n### Define your purpose\n### Analyse the key words in the prompt\n### Consider other important words in the prompt\n## Gather Your Information by Research and Reading\n## Note Where Your Information Comes From\n## Think of Your Thesis\n## Organise Your Material","[{\"question\":\"What are the seven main steps for writing a good academic essay?\",\"answer\":\"The chapter lists seven steps: analyse your prompt, gather information by research and reading, note where information comes from, think of your thesis, organise your material, draft your essay, and revise your essay.\"},{\"question\":\"How should you analyse an essay prompt?\",\"answer\":\"You should decide what kind of essay you are being asked to write, identify key words that must be defined, and consider other important wording that affects how you delineate or gather points.\"},{\"question\":\"Why is it important to note where your information comes from?\",\"answer\":\"It is an academic convention to acknowledge sources and distinguish others’ ideas from your own thinking, which helps you avoid plagiarism and shows you are not cheating.\"}]","Writing an Academic Essay - Chapter 1 - Key Steps and Prompt Analysis | PDF",1790814855,15]