This document discusses the stages of planning an essay. It begins by having the reader reflect on their current planning process. It then outlines the main stages of planning an essay: analyzing the question, researching and planning, writing a plan, and refining the plan. For each stage, it provides guidance on tasks like identifying key terms, making an outline plan, taking effective notes, evaluating sources, and structuring paragraphs. The overall message is that thorough planning is essential to writing a high-quality essay and involves analyzing the prompt, researching the topic, and creating a detailed writing plan before drafting.

1. Planning an Essay
You will be able to…
Explain the stages of planning and
structuring an essay
Apply and evaluate the processes
Start planning for your next essay

2. How have you been planning so far?
Let’s take a few minutes to reflect….

3. Analyse
the
Question
Research
and plan
Writing
Plan
Write
When does planning start?
What is it asking you to do? What key
issues and concepts will you need to
include? What debate will you have to
discuss? Get down some initial ideas.
Gather evidence for your writing. What
do you need to know? What will your
reader need to know? Are there key
points and themes starting to form?
How will you communicate your knowledge,
understanding and ideas?
You will need to
write and re-
write until your
ideas are clear
are
communicated
clearly

4. Planning: each stage is essential
• Think of planning an essay as going for a walk….you
need to get to your destination logically and not
take any detours.

5. e.g. “Discuss the role of Higher Education in
the UK in the 21st Century”
THEN:
 Think about what you already know
about the topic
Make a rough plan or diagram of all
relevant material
Ask yourself: What do I need to find
out? Where might I look for information?
FIRST:
Identify the subject,
key terms and
instructional words.
Analyse
the
Question

6. e.g. “Discuss the role of Higher Education in the UK in the 21st Century”
How would you start to plan out
the type of theme/information
you would include. How will you
decide?
Analyse
the
Question

7. Make a rough plan based on
themes/factors
• Now make a rough outline plan at this stage, before you do
your research. The aim of this is to help you focus your
reading, and make some decisions about how to structure
the material.
• Use this as a guide when you map out the main sections of
your essay.
Analyse
the
Question

8. Good for
society:
A ‘thinking’
people
Technological
progresses
Economic
growth
Encourages
appreciation of
equality and
diversity
Personal/Intellectual:
Interests fulfilled
Become a critically
aware individual
Develop a questioning
mind
Personal/employment:
Better job prospects in
competitive market
Get the job I want
Benefits to family
This is one way of making a rough
plan based on themes/factors
Analyse
the
Question

9. Reading and Note-Making
• Using your initial thoughts and categorising,
start reading
• Never just write everything down.
• Have a clear purpose.
Why am I writing these
notes?
How am I going to use
them?
Remember that books and
articles are not written
around your assignments.
Ask yourself whether it will
help you, how much of it is
relevant and how/why.
Research
and plan

10. Is your reading relevant?
• Skim titles, chapter heading, content pages, abstracts, and
opening paragraphs.
Research
and plan

11. A reading grid can help you keep track of your research and analysis, and think
about how you will use or refer to it in your writing:
Author, title Topic Key idea Strengths/Weakn
esses
How to use
Bill Johnston (2010)
The First Year at
University:
Teaching Students
in Transition:
Teaching Students
in Transition
(Helping Students
Learn)
Effect of
stress on
university
students
Students need to
have differences in
study practices
made clear at the
outset: this is
primarily the
responsibility of
the university
Very small sample
but longitudinal
study –
appropriate
methods
Rich data – see
transcripts
Compare to
sources which
emphasise the
responsibility of
the student
Don’t forget, use diagrams like mind maps too if you prefer
Research
and plan

12. Reflect and evaluate refine
your plan
• Check the question –have you addressed every part of it in
your plan?
• What is your conclusion?
• Have your ideas changed about the structure of the essay?
• How and where will you use the research?
• Does each point relate to the question?
• Are you dealing with counter-arguments to show balance?
Now make a detailed paragraph plan of the main body,
with notes on where your reading will fit in.
Writing
Plan

13. Introduction What I am going to
write about and why.
Evidence to use /
works to cite
Key point 1 1
2
3
Key point 2 1
2
3
Key point 3 1
2
3
Key point 4 1
2
3
Conclusion Summarise/highlight
noteworthy
points/future research?
Make associations and relationships
Each main point you want to make is a
reason for why you have reached your
conclusion.
Plan each paragraph and briefly note
the evidence you will present.
What will each paragraph be about?
It is important to remember that we all
plan at this stage differently BUT the
principle is the same.
Or mind map it, or create a post-it wall
Writing
Plan

14. Planning your paragraphs:
WEED
What is your paragraph about? This will be
your topic sentence. Try writing each of
these first
Explanation: what do you mean? Offer
some evidence and explanation
Examples: make sure that you illustrate your
point with examples.
Do: What do I do with this information?
How is it relevant? Keep thinking ‘So what?’
Writing
Plan

15. Writing
Plan
This online planning tool can help you with
this.

16. So, thinking back to your reflections
at the start of this presentation,
what will you start trying to do to
make improvements to your essay
planning?