Glossary of studying

Abbreviations
A shortened form of a word. In academic writing there is a tradition of using shortened forms of Latin terms when discussing matter. The term e.g. is an abbreviation of the expression for example. Abbreviations are often used in footnotes, but you should not use them in the body of an essay.

You should also make a clear distinction between abbreviations and contractions. (The term can't is a contraction of two words - can not.) You should avoid the use of contractions in an academic writing.

Bibliographies
Literally, 'a list of books'. In the case of academic essays, this is a list of books you have read, referred to, or quoted from during the course of the essay. It is normally appended as a separate list at the end of the essay.

Brainstorming
The activity of generating ideas or arguments for a piece of writing. It involves writing down any ideas which come to mind, without censoring your thoughts. You would then normally go on to select those which were most appropriate.

Categorizing
When you have generated ideas for an essay, you will normally wish to put them in some order. You often need to group together ideas which are similar in kind, topic, or subject. This stage of the process is known as categorizing .

Conclusions
The conclusion to an essay should draw together and summarise the arguments you have been making. You should relate these to the original question, thus demonstrating that you have provided an answer to it. Your concluding remarks might also consider the general significance of the subject in question.

Drafts
The preliminary versions of an essay. They might be expanded notes, sketches, or a rough attempt which is then used as material on which further work is done. When you have produced the first draft of an essay, you should re-write and check your work.

Editing
The process of revision and correction which takes place on the later drafts of an essay, when the final version is being created. The difference between editing and drafting is that editing is normally concerned with smaller rather than larger details. You are likely to check details of punctuation, spelling, grammar, and layout.

Footnotes
The traditional means of giving bibliographic details of material quoted in the text. They can also be used for adding supplementary information or comment. Modern word-processors will arrange footnotes automatically; but they should not be employed for their own sake, or to show off the technology.

Generating ideas
This is the process of assembling suitable concepts, arguments, or topics in preparation for writing the essay. Generating ideas might include brainstorming; it is usually best done in rough note form, on paper; and it is a process which might be repeated before the essay is completed.

Grammar
This term is used to describe the relationships between items of language which produce comprehensible writing and good style. It includes the conventions of syntax, vocabulary, and punctuation. The 'rules' of grammar are rarely absolute, but the conventions of formal prose should be followed to produce clear, effective academic writing.

Instruction terms
The words used in essay questions which tell you what you should do with the subject. They direct you to take a particular approach, or they might put limits or restrictions on how you treat the topic(s) in question.

Introductions
The first part of an essay normally offers a general response to the subject in question. It might indicate the approach you are going to take to the topic(s) you will discuss, or to any special considerations which have been requested. It should not occupy more than ten percent of the total length of the essay. The most important thing is that an introduction should be directly addressed to the subject of the question.

Jargon
The special technical language of a profession or a group. In academic terms, it refers to the specialist language of various disciplines. It should be used with restraint and discretion.

Key terms
The important words in an essay question which signal the concepts or ideas which you are being asked to consider.

Layout
A general term used to describe the visual presentation of your essay on the page. There are academic conventions which suggest the most effective manner for presenting your work. You should follow them.

Notes
You can either take notes or make notes. In both cases you are dealing with an abbreviated version of longer statements. Notes taken during a lecture record its most important features. Notes made during the planning of an essay are a brief guide to what you will expand as your full arguments.

Paragraphs
A single unit of argument in prose. It is defined by the fact that it deals with just one topic. In academic essays this point needs to be fully developed and illustrated. Avoid very short or very long paragraphs.

Plans
The outline notes made to assist the writing of an essay. They might be a series of headings or topics to be covered. They can be items of information or the stages of an argument to be developed. Their most important feature is that they will be arranged in some logical and persuasive order.

Presentation
A term used to describe the physical appearance of your finished essay. There is no doubt that your work will be more effective if it is tidy and well-ordered. All research shows that well-presented essays tend to score higher grades.

Punctuation
This is used to create sense, clarity, and stress in sentences. It should be used sparingly and accurately.

Questions
These are posed as academic exercises. Your task is to demonstrate that you understand them, and can answer them. Pay very close attention to the key terms which signal their most important element(s), and any instruction terms which direct your approach to the subject.

Quotations
Used to illustrate points of your discussion, or as evidence to support your arguments. They should be selected carefully, and used as sparingly as possible. The sources of quotations should be given as endnotes or footnotes, and given in full bibliographical detail.

Research
The work you might do in preparation for writing an essay. It might be no more than reading textbooks, but it could be the conduct of experiments, the pursuit of an investigation, or an original enquiry into some aspect of your subject.

Structure
This term is used to describe the arrangement of the main parts of an essay. It describes the underlying shape or pattern of its arguments. In some subjects the structure may be dictated by academic convention, in others you may need to create your own.

Style
A term which describes the manner in which an essay is written. This style should be appropriate to the subject-matter. The style of most academic essays should be plain, objective, and dispassionate. [Essays should not be an excuse for 'creative writing'.]

Topic
A distinct unit of meaning. It is normally a sub-division of a subject, but it can sometimes stand as the purpose of an essay in its own right. In most essays, the subject in question can and should be broken down into a series of separate topics. These are then arranged in some persuasive or logical order at the planning stage.