Subject Guide Links First Class Evaluation Study Skills Skills for essay writing Plagiarism Administration Skills for essay writing Essay writing at university may be different to writing you have probably been doing up to now, and may require the development of some new skills. One of the most important skills you need in answering essay questions is the skill of analysis. Another is the skill of being able to develop your own argument and conclusions. Perhaps some of the questions you will be asked and ideas you will come across will challenge your beliefs. As well as being asked to describe or discuss, your will be asked to analyse issues.
Analysis involves, amongst other things, investigating why something is happening.
It looks at the consequences of issues or events, and may explore the roles of the different people involved. This describes a situation which, of course, needs redressing. Analysis would involve asking questions. Think of some more short question words. The second essay writing skill we look at here is the development of your own conclusions.