#studyfab

SEX. 

State 

Example 

eXplain

(don’t @me. It’s supposed to be SEE or SEEX but don’t lie, when you saw “sex” y’all decided to read on)  

The tip with essays is to have a clear structure. This helps your reader to understand the argument you are making. 

By no means is this structure the only structure. This is probably targeted at the middle school - high school level.   

But it’s a basic structure which you can tweak and add to depending on your level of study (e.g. university) and discipline (e.g. Lit, history, pol sci). 

 So here we go. 

State

Topic sentence 

What is your paragraph about? 

What is the key idea or argument in this paragraph? 

If I needed a one liner about this section, what would it be? 

Example

Back your argument up with examples

These can be quotes, literary techniques etc. 

What evidence supports your topic sentence? 

Explain 

How do your examples support your argument/ thesis  

To what extent? Are they strong examples? Why? Why not? 

Gaps 

If you have absolutely no idea, basically answer the godamn essay question here.  Seriously. Re word it as a statement and incorporate your example. 

If you really have no idea - then reconsider this paragraph. Delete the damn thing.  

Example 1: 10 minute paragraph

[for educational purposes only] 

Let’s say I only have 10 mins to plan and write a paragraph on our good ol’ Irish poet mate Seamus Heaney: 

Using the SEX Method, I’d plan out a paragraph like this: 

Then when it comes to writing an essay, I’d reword those points, fleshing them out as below: 

Ta-da, one paragraph down, 2810178641 more to go! 

If this was a ‘take home essay’ I’d refine some of the sentences. They’re a little clunky + verbose (esp that last sentence). But for a quick in class exam under timed conditions, fuck it, my argument is there, MOVE ON. 

WRITING IS 90% EDITING ANYWAY. SO GET IT ON THE PAGE. 

For info re introductions, conclusions etc see the full post here. 

Other resources

The best (or most frustrating thing) about english is that there’s no one way to do things. So here’s some tips from some other studyblr’s that may suit your style! 

Essay Masterpost by @highscoolering (working link by @elkstudies) 

10 Steps for Essay Writing by @3tznius5this 

Persuasive Essay

THIS POWERPOINT by wittacism (working link by @studyign) 

Essay writing tips by @study-well

Essay writing masterpost by @stuudytips

This answer by @succulentstudy

Essay checklist by @wonderfullifee 

5 tips by @studyfab 

Writing research papers by @post–grad

Stuff you need to write essays by @studyign 

Hello Lovelies!

Last night I attended a fancy dinner for all of the school captains of the schools in my area hosted at a prestigious university nearby. It was an absolute blast of a night (the food was delightful :P), albeit initially an intimidating one. All of the people around me urged me to make the most of my company, and to treat the evening as a ‘networking opportunity’, which is still really weird for me, because I’m 16!

However, I discovered that ‘networking’ doesn’t have to mean fake, schmoozy, forced conversations with people who you feel no real connection with. By the end of the night, I’d talked to a plethora of other young people who had common interests and goals as me, and gained a real insight into how other school leaders ran their initiatives. Today, I thought I’d share a couple of tips with you all that helped me feel super satisfied with the evening.

Have a wingman One of my co-captains is immensely involved in programs run by our city council which had already connected her to many other young people across town, and coincidentally, about a third of the people in attendance at the dinner. A good way to ease into the pool of talking to strangers was to tag along with her as she did a round of the floor and introduce myself to people she ran into. 

Make a good first impression A big smile, and visible confidence as you introduce yourself can go a long way. Be genuinely interested in meeting somebody new, finding out a little bit about them, and in turn, they will show you the same courtesy, minimising the awkwardness of feeling like the last thing someone wants to be doing is talking to you. 

Ask questions This might seem like a no brainer, but do try to learn more about the person you’re speaking to, and how they relate to and connect with your experience. Any networking function is generally composed of people who have something in common - whether it’s an interest in STEM or volunteering, a high level of achievement in a national program, or a desire to interact with people from a particular field - which gives you an instant platform to relate on. The best way to avoid short-lived connections is to eliminate shallow small talk, and segue into deeper (but still interesting!) discussion

Follow Up If you’ve really made an effort to uncover the experiences, stories and goals of the people you’ve met, you’re bound to have one or two individuals who you really hit it off with. Don’t just leave it at that - follow up on the conversation! The next day, find a way to maintain the relationship - social media works really well for this - and send them a message letting them know that you really enjoyed talking to them, and if it’s relevant, that you’d love to get involved if they need help with a project or are looking for a partner to collaborate with.

And that’s it - you’ve officially met, and retained a potential professional bestie! Congratulations :D