Hints and tips for writing psychology essays
Writing an essay is like telling a story. Give your work a clear structure, with a beginning (the introduction), a middle (the main body of your argument) and an end (the conclusion). Back up your arguments with evidence from the psychological literature. If you don't tell me where your ideas are coming from, I have to assume that it's just your own opinion and/or intuition. Make sure that you explain any technical terms, or abbreviations. This helps to demonstrate that you understand the concepts you are introducing. Use examples to illustrate your point. Write things in your own words. If you just copy something from a book, I can't tell how well you've understood what you're writing about. Before you include a direct quote from a textbook, ask yourself whether it adds anything to the story you are telling. Could you explain the same thing just as well in your own words? If you do decide to include a direct quote from another source, make sure you tell me who wrote it (i.e. the names of the author/s), the date of publication (when the original source was published), and give page numbers. Think critically. Try to evaluate the theories you discuss, or to offer explanations for the experimental findings. It's important to show that you've thought about the implications of the studies and theories you cite. The first time you cite the course textbook in your essay, you must give a full reference, i.e. Gleitman, Fridlund and Reisberg (1999). Thereafter you can say Gleitman et al. (1999). Please don't just call it 'Gleitman'! Cite primary sources (i.e. not just Gleitman et al.!), and include a full reference list presented in APA style. Here is a sample reference list to help you format your references. Word process your essay. Use 12 point font, double line spacing, and leave wide margins if possible. All of these things make it easier for me to give you feedback. Put your name on every page, and use page numbers (this will help us put your essay back together if anything untoward happens to it!). Staple the pages together, along with the cover sheet. Use a spell checker, but remember that spell checkers don't pick up on every mistake! Here is a list of words which are frequently used and often mis-spelled in psychology essays -- check them out before handing in your work! Read through your essay carefully before you hand it in, keeping an eye out for grammatical errors. If possible, get someone else to read through it as well, to check that it makes sense. Psychologists generally don't include autobiographical details, or write in the first person. You should aim to use quite a formal style for your essay, but remember that it's more important to be clear and concise than to write in long, 'flowery' sentences! [ top of page ]
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Last updated 3rd April 2002