Writing an Essay or Project at an MA Level

In the first paragraphs/ section

 define your aim, or the issue you will deal with either as a question or a thesis.

Start with a story that identifies the issue

Or a parable or a tricky question to capture people's attention

Content

• Make sure your paper achieves its goal,
• Does it demonstrate you have fulfilled one of the learning outcomes of the course?
• Have you interacted with material from the course but with your own perspectives?

Issues of Style

• Does it have momentum?
• Is there a clear flow from section to section?

• Logic

• does each paragraph contribute to the logic of what you are discussing, is it linked to the previous thought and to the next?
• Do you show enthusiasm for dealing with the issue?
• Yet objectivity
• Is there a balance of the various themes you are covering
• Show a breadth of readings/research through 3-4 quotes in the document, plus references to key ideas
• Is your data valid?

• Diagrams

• Do you diagram your thoughts well and are they labelled (i.e. caption above and description of what each part means below -  a picture is worth 1000 words
• you have a conclusion that shows how you have accomplished what you set out to do in the introduction
• Originality Are you bringing new perspectives, something that the reader will find enlightening?

• Creativity. 

• Does it have the pizzazz factor?

Formatting

• References are clear and consistent
• There is a bibliography
• You have 3-5 Headings or subheadings
• it is readable (for example you have done a spell check and a grammar check)
• quotes are inset and single spaced if over 4 lines
• the cover page is according to the requirements of the school
• If English is your second or third language state this as a note on the cover page.