Students are assessed on their ability to select the appropriate and relevant information to illustrate their argument or claim. Good academic writing has a formal structure, unlike fictional or personal writing. Exploiting this means that readers know what to expect, which greatly helps the communication process. The burden of communication is not carried at the word or sentence level alone but through the overall structure and organisation of the text. The content should be individual and reflect the writer's argument and research.
Essays contain the following basic elements .
These may be in the form of paragraphs for undergraduate essays, or sections for postgraduate essays or dissertations. The why and how , the central issue, claim or question addressed, and the aims and outline structure of the text must be included. The personal pronoun 'I' is acceptable when used to explain the text's organisation. This refers back to the introduction - how the aims were met. The limitations of the present work and suggestions or recommendations for future action, study or more research is also often part of the conclusion.