Getting the right question and stating the question

1. Missing coursework title: You must start with your piece with the coursework title – make sure it is in bold. This reminds you exactly what the assignment is that you are trying to address. Remember the whole point is to answer that question so it becomes a constant reminder and something your can refer back to. It also lets the marker know which question you have chosen!
2. Incorrect coursework title: Make sure the coursework title is correct to the last dot and comma. Getting it right tells the marker that you have attention to detail and helps to ensure you are answering exactly the right question.

Formatting your pages

3. Not enough space for comments (various problems)

This might seem technical, but it is about having a serious attitude towards the presentation of your work and to getting feedback from your essay that will help you improve. The basic rule is that you must allow enough space for the marker to put comments on your work. Getting comments back will ensure you improve your work and your understanding. Without the space you will get less feedback – and less readable feedback.

Not double spaced: You must double space your text to allow space for comments.

Small margins: Your margins should be the default size – again for space for comments.

Font too small: The font you use must be 12pt double spaced. When fonts are too small the work is difficult to read and even double spacing does not leave enough room for comments.

No vertical space between paragraphs: again this space is needed for comments. You want comments on each paragraph – it is at the end of paragraphs which is often the place for substantial comments.

Borders around the work: They really do get in the way of comments.

4. Missing page numbers: You should at minimum have the page numbers on each sheet. The marker may want to refer to something on a particular page and it helps as a check to make sure everything is there.
5. Double sided printouts. From experience, it really is a pain to turn over each sheet and try to mark on the back of pages and to flip through the work looking for points to highlight.

Formatting references

Many students have problems with references. So getting your references right gives the marker a sense that you have an eye for detail and can follow a complex set of rules: if the references are poor then very often so are other details. It is vital to have clear references as it lets the marker see how you build your argument – see section on referencing for a fuller explanation.

10. In-text references incorrect: The references used inside the text should be only:
    (Surname, Year: Page) for example (Smith, 2010: 57) if more than one page (Smith, 2010:57-58)

If the document has no pages then use “(Surname, Year)” only.  Include page number(s) wherever possible i.e. not only for direct quotes but also for when you paraphrase an argument or simply want to refer to an idea. If the reference has no personal author, then use the name of the institutional publisher in its place. Place the in-text reference after a point is made or directly after a quote. Leave out the author surname if you have just mentioned it in the text.

11. In-text reference has web address: You should not have web links in your main document (even as part of an in-text reference). I know some methods of referencing specify this, but these are really ugly and spoil the flow of your writing. Just use the simple in-text reference shown above.
12. End references incorrect: For detailed information see the references section of this document and pick up a referencing guide from the library. But there are three general points to note here. Do not use “Bibliography” for your header above the end references – you are not showing everything you read. Use “References” as the header instead. Second, put the references in surname order. Third, put everything in one list: do not create separate sections for books and then for web pages etc.

To jog your memory here are three referencing examples of (in order) a book, a journal article and a web page:

Barker, R., Kirk, J. and Munday, R.J. (1988) Narrative Analysis. 3rd ed. London: Routledge.
Perry, C., (2001) “What a Health Care Assistant Should Know About Clean Hands.” Nursing Times, 97(22), pp.63-64.
Smith, D. (2003) “National Library of Guidelines” Available at: http://www.library.nhs.uk/guidelinesFinder [Accessed: 10 October 2013].

If you have slight differences, for example a different style of capitalisation, fine. But be consistent.

Formatting (style)

13. No bold except for the title: You should not use bold in the body of your text.
14. Quotes should not be in italics. Italics are used for emphasis. The exception is with italics in the original quote which you should include.
15. Pull-out quotes incorrect format: If a quote is over three lines long then you should break it out of the text with a space before and after and an indentation, e.g.:

“Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Ex ea commodo consequat” (Surname, Year: Page)

English

16. Confusing subject: Sometimes when stand-in words such as this”, “it”, “them”, “those” are used it is not clear what they stand in for. Check carefully – by looking back through the text – that with each occurrence of “this”, “it” etc. that it is clear what the word stands in place of. Think, would be clear to a reader of your work, who you must assume is not fully familiar with the subject.

English (sentences)

17. Run-on sentences: This is a very common problem. If you introduce a new subject (i.e. a person or thing that does a verb) then you should have a new sentence – unless you use conjunctions such as “and” or “but” to combine sentences. For example: “Clegg took the step of apologising for the rise in tuition fees, clearly this itself shows the power of the coalition”. This should read: “Clegg took the step of apologising for the rise in tuition fees. Clearly this itself shows the power of the coalition”. “This itself” is the new subject and “shows” the new verb. See section on sentences in this document.
18. Incomplete sentences: A sentence should have a subject and a verb at least, i.e. a person or thing that does a verb. See section on sentences in this document.

English (formality)

19. Use of “I”: Using “I” or “my” is to be avoided. This is because the academic essay seeks to give some distance from the subject matter so that you can analyse it. An essay is not personal opinion.
20. Use of “you”: Using “you” or “your” is to be avoided. This is because in using “you” the writer is making assumptions about the reader – that should not be done with an academic essay. The assumption should be that you do not know the reader but – whoever that reader is – the essay can make sense to him or her.
21. Use of “we” or “our”: Using “we” or “our” is to be avoided. This suggests that you know the reader agrees with you or is from the same background as you – which you simply cannot assume. Further something like “our country” implies an agreement with the reader in nationality and in identification with the nation politically. The idea of the essay is to step back so that you can objectively analyse.
22. Use of slang or conversational English: Do not use slang. You should write in an academic or formal style or “register”. You should avoid the use of slang or conversational English.
23. Use of contractions. Do not use contractions such as “isn’t” use “is not”. You need to establish quite a formal tone in your writing. Also note that “it’s” = “it is” – this is a regular mistake.

English (quotations)

24. Overlong quotes: Quotes must not be overlong and must relate directly to the point that you are making. They must not become a substitute for your own argument or your own voice. When you are choosing a quote find the parts that make a point in a very particular, pithy or arresting way. You may well be able to paraphrase, or put in your own words, some parts of the quote that make simple factual points.
25. Quotes are “stuck in” – they must be introduced and explained: You should introduce a quote to integrate it into the flow of your writing. Otherwise it seems like someone else has just shouted something out in the middle of your writing. Think of the essay as being your voice. Do not let the quote substitute for your own writing. Importantly, you should also try to make the point in your own words after a quote. It is not enough to put the quote in – you need to explain a difficult quote explicitly and also explain what it means in terms of your overall argument/analysis.

English (paragraphs)

26. Poor paragraphs: Try to create a new paragraph for a new point. The first sentences of a paragraph should state a point and subsequent sentences should explain it, discuss it, qualify it (i.e. show where it doesn’t work), or give examples. You may find that while writing a paragraph you will have to revisit the first sentence to ensure it introduces what you are discussing. Ensuring that the paragraphs are clear in this way will help you to organise your piece. As a test find a good academic book. Read the first sentence of each paragraph for a few pages. If it is well written, you will see that you can get the main points just from these sentences.
27. Poor links between paragraphs: The links between points/paragraphs can also often be poor or insufficient – this means the piece can seem to jump from one topic to another. Take time to read what you consider good writing and see how the author creates and links each paragraph.

English (other)

28. Capitalisation: Capitalisation is for official titles or proper names. So, for example, “Journalism” should be “journalism”; also “the Society of professional journalists” should be “the Society of Professional Journalists”.
29. Clichés: Avoid clichéd expressions such as e.g. sweep under a rug, rake in the cash, what’s really going on, their every move. Generally speaking they make points less clear and explicit than they need to be.
30. Misused apostrophes: One use of apostrophes is for abbreviations where missing letters are indicated. However, “1960’s” has no missing letters. Use “1960s” instead.

Introductions

32. 32. Missing intro: An essay should have an introduction. An introduction, to help the reader, should explain what the question means and give a sense of the structure of the argument being made. For this type of undergraduate essay this is important.
33. Intro did not relate to title: Try to relate your introduction to addressing the question. Otherwise a reader having seen the question will be confused as to why you are discussing something else. One way to start an essay that you might incorporate into your introduction is to explain and unpack the question.
34. Structure not in intro: The structure of the essay should be made clear in the introduction. There is little clarity to what each step of your answer to the essay question is. You should explain each main step you take and how it helps you to get to an answer.

Overall points

35. Essay jumped: The points in an essay should proceed smoothly and logically. If the writing suddenly starts discussing a different topic this is jarring and confusing for the reader. While the structure may seem in the writer’s mind, a reader needs some sense of progression to be spelled out. See if each paragraph starts in a way that links it with the previous paragraph. Ensure each paragraph is discussing clearly related points. Check out good academic works to see how they do it.
36. Insufficient references: There is no fixed number of references for a given assignment. Overall, you need to ensure that your piece references important debates and works on your subject. As a rule of thumb, if you only have five or fewer there is usually something wrong.
37. Wikipedia as reference: Wikipedia should not be used as a reference. Because authors cannot be traced, Wikipedia articles have no provenance or sense of who created them and when. This means that it is not possible to give weight to the arguments or facts used as a reference. It is a bit like having an anonymous witness at a trial – would we accept what that person said?
38. Did not answer question: This is a very common problem and can lead to the essay being marked down severely. Make sure you understand the question. Make sure you answer it. See other sections on this.