Have you done your research?

You may think you know enough to write the perfect essay but do you? Are you so overly confident of your subject matter that you are actually going to miss out on the opportunity of stumbling across that nugget that will make the difference to your essay?

It is important to research your subject matter. It will have been covered by your tutor but in the time you have for your lectures but how much more information is out there waiting for you to discover it. Knowledge is power after all. When you are planning your essay make sure that you allow time to research. If it’s a subject that just sends you into a complete panic then don’t worry there are essay writing services that can help. From assigning an essay writer to help you to produce unique and original work or just to guide you through the process there are people that can help.

Where do you start your research?

You will find the university library to be a huge source of information. It can be tricky to master the cataloguing so make sure you enlist the help of the librarian and learn what to do for next time. You will also find the internet to be a mine of information – sites like Google Scholar and Project MUSE are a huge source of information. You will find the latest journals on your subject matter and other references sources which will be the most up to date available.

Ask your tutor for their help and guidance – they will be able to refer you to good reference and reading material like essays already written on the subject matter or books about your subject. It is important to have the reading material by the key researchers, authors and theorists in the field – not only those on your reading materials list but other sources of material that you may come across.

What difference will thorough research make?

Quite simply you want the best mark possible. If you do the bare minimum research then you can expect a lower mark. Like anything the more you put in the more you will get out. Thorough and researched reference will prove to the assessors just how well you understand your subject matter and will make your arguments and theories more impactful and robust. Showing how much research you have done through the understanding of your subject will impress the assessors and gain you a higher mark.

Use your research effectively

Don’t just write a list of quotes without backing them up and use them as effectively as possible within your essay. Research thoroughly – if you don’t understand something don’t attempt to write about in the hope that it won’t be noticed. You need to know and comprehend your arguments in order to communicate them effectively so do the research, understand it and use it wisely.