Essays You will generally be required to write two essays for each course for each whole term. It sometimes helps to imagine that your essay is being read by someone who is reasonably well-read but who needs to be convinced that you are right. Take time to plan your essays carefully, and to think as honestly as you can about whether your views make sense and your arguments are reasonable. In your first year, we do not insist that you type or word-process your essays, though in fact the vast majority of students do so. Pay particular attention to matters of style and punctuation, and use a spellchecker.
Poor punctuation is one of the commonest failings in student essays.
This lecture, together with detailed advice on matters of grammar, style, and the correct presentation of citations, will be mounted on our website and should be consulted by all students. Half way through the Spring Term of your first year, there will be a lecture outlining the course choices you face in your second and final years. At the end of your first year, you will be given a revision lecture and a lecture on examination technique. The information given at this latter lecture will be mounted on our website for all students to consult. If you feel you could do with more of the sort of help which we already provide, or help of a different sort, please let us know.