How to write an essay
Analyse your title
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Identify the key things
you are being asked.
Is it your view or
someone else's that
is important?
What is NOT being
asked?
Write down key
questions.
Reflecting on your home Church or placement Church how
would you use the Book of Job to explain a
particular situation of undeserved suffering.
Reflecting on your home Church or placement Church how
would you use the Book of Job to explain a
particular situation of undeserved suffering.
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Which church?
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Which situation?
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Key question is how?
What are my options?
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Bible study?
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Preaching?
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Inform my ethos?
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Park your side questions
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Would I use the book of Job at all?
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Did Job deserve it?
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I don't like the book of Job.
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The sources of Job and the literary
structure are really
interesting....Hmm I wonder
about....
Read the marker's mind
(and check the learning outcomes!)
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What do they want
me to prove I can do?
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Reflect critically not
go for the first answer.
Be aware of my
context and pastoral
needs
Back my answer up
with academic
knowledge.
How to read a book.
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Focus on the
Question and your
key points.
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Contents/index
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Skim read
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Commentary intro
and text section
Make notes and
gather a few key
quotes.
Form an essay plan (write it down?)
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List or mind map.
Introduction (write it
last)
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Set up
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Argument(s)
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Each paragraph
should make a point
moving you towards
the:
Conclusion
Writing an Introduction.
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Map of your essay.
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In this essay I will
demonstrate/reflect
on/identify/examine
etc (refer to question)
By doing x, y and z.
I will show
that/conclude that
The 'set up'
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Define your terms if
needed.
Say what you are
NOT going to do and
why if needed.
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Intro: This essay will reflect on the
ways in which the Book of Job may be
used to explain a situation of
undeserved suffering. Having
summarised the Book of Job's
theology of undeserved suffering and
reflecting upon it, I will discuss the
merits and dangers of using the text
directly in preaching, on a pastoral
visit, in bible study and in informing
my own attitudes and actions. I will
argue that the latter is the best
approach when engaging pastorally
with this book, and will reject as not
pastorally beneficial for addressing
particular pastoral situations, the other
approaches considered.
The set up: To provide focus to this
subject I will reflect on my placement
church of St Llanllanllan's since this is
where most of my practical experience
is gathered, and on a situation I met
there recently (names have been
changed).
The arguments
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Part 1.
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Paragraph(s) on
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The theology of Job
on undeserved
suffering.
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Any relevance the
context (exile?) may
have to this
understanding
Summary and
critique/reflection – is
this a good theology or
not? What lessons can
be learnt?
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Part 2
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Para on placement
church for context
Para on situation
(careful to protect
anonymity (or make a
case study up and say
that you have done
so)).
Arguments
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Part 3
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Paragraph on how
you might use Job (1)
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Pros
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Cons
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Decide – good this
this situation? Or not.
Paragraph on how
you might use Job (2)
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Pros
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Cons
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Etc etc
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Part 4.
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Reflective decisions –
which is the best
approach for you in
your context and what
have you learnt?
Conclusion
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Like the Introduction
in reverse.
Say what you have
done, and what this
showed/concluded/
suggested.
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So, as we have seen,
A worked example
– how (not?) to do it.
Expound Hebrews’ understanding of the person
and work of Christ. Consider how the O.T. is
used, and the pastoral implications of this
theology.
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Expound Hebrews’ understanding of the
person and work of Christ. Consider how the
O.T. is used, and the pastoral implications of
this theology.
Park it.
Key q's?
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Who wrote Hebrews?
When and why did they write
it?
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Who did they write to and
what was going on for them?
What did THEY think about
Jesus? What does it say and
NOT say? What is assumed?
Who's this Melchizedek
chappie? (note I don't park it in
the essay)
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That bit's a bit harsh!
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Who do I think Jesus is?
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How do they use the OT?
What are the pastoral
implications?
How come Hebrews is in the
Bible anyway?
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Maybe Hebrews builds on
John's gospel
A much better pastoral theology
would be...
My favourite bit of the bible is
Corinthians 13
Essay plan
Introduction
Jesus in Hebrews section
Paras on – deity, pre-existence, revelation,
humanity, priesthood (inc work), messiahship.
Hebrews context section
Paras on – OT use (link from priesthood)
background, context, purpose,
Pastoral Implications
Conclusion
Critique
Good introduction.
Good structured first page.
Terrible referencing.
Second page chases after random interesting
thoughts – why is Paul discussed so much? Too
much Melchizedek. It is not answering the
question.
A collection of random thoughts at the end.
Does the conclusion actually answer the
question?
Engaging with the academic
community
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Level 4 essay writing is journalism.
Your opinion may or may not matter – read the
QUESTION carefully.
You don't have to be the source of all knowledge
– it is good to base your views on others who
know more.
You need to show how you can find out
information and evaluate and apply it.
Hidden in the questions is “What does the
academic community have to say about this
topic?”.
Referencing
(all references here are made up!)
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When you make a
point that you have
got from your reading,
reference it:
E.g. The Book of
Common prayer
shapes Anglican
identity (Collins 2004
p87)
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When you take on a
scholar's point, give
her/him the credit:
e.g. Collins (2004
p86) suggests that
the BCP 1662 still
shapes Anglican
worship today.
Can I quote you on that?
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Illustrate key points
with quotes:
Collins identifies the links
between the BCP and
the Roman mass saying
'Cranmer was not only
reacting against what
was wrong in the mass,
but also keeping what
was right' (Collins 2004
p88) (Single quotes unless quoting
within a quote or reporting speech.)
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Scholar fight!
Collins (2004 p56)
argues that Cranmer
wanted to keep close to
the mass but Herbert
(2005 p27) argues
against this. He cites the
number of strongly
different features of the
BCP text, particularly...
On balance I support
Herbert's view as better
accounting for the
features of the text.
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Do
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Quote and reference
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Do's and don't
Critique gently “Collins seems not
to account for....and Herbert's
account does.”
Make claims you can back up. “I
think x because y”
Respect the Hebrew Scriptures
and the context they were written
for. They speak to us THROUGH
that context.
Use inclusive language “it might
occur to a scholar that (s)he may
instead consider...”
Quote peer-reviewed articles or
books from good publishers –
SCM, SPCK, University Presses,
books on the reading list etc
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Don't
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Plagiarise
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Criticise or judge “Collins is an idiot
who wouldn't know Christianity if it
bit him on the....”
Claim strongly what you have not
argued for or backed up. “As
everyone knows, Cranmer wrote
the BCP while drunk.
Read the NT back into the OT,
except in reflective passages. e.g.
“Christians might say....”
Make sweeping generalisations
“One things Jews never
understand about God is....”
Quote random wacky internet stuff.
(Wikipedia can still be good for
helping with concepts and terms).
10 commandments of essay writing
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Answer the Question
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Answer the Question
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Answer the Question
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Answer the Question
Don't throw everything you know vaguely connected
with the subject at it.
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Answer the Question
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Answer the Question
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Answer the Question
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Reference your work
Proof read your work. (To make sure you answered the
question!)
Boundaries
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For a 3rd
The work examined is acceptable but
provides barely sufficient evidence of
the knowledge, understanding and
skills appropriate to the Level of the
qualification. There is also acceptable
but barely sufficient evidence showing
that all the learning outcomes and
responsibilities appropriate to that
Level are satisfied.

For a 2.1
The work examined is good with
evidence of the knowledge,
understanding and skills
appropriate to the Level of the
qualification. There is also evidence
of a good standard showing that all
the learning outcomes and
responsibilities appropriate to the
Level are satisfied.
For a 1st
For a 2.2

The work examined is sound but
provides limited evidence of the
knowledge, understanding and skills
appropriate to the Level of the
qualification. There is also sound but
limited evidence showing that all the
learning outcomes and responsibilities
to that Level are satisfied.
The work examined is excellent with
evidence of comprehensive
knowledge, understanding and
skills appropriate to the Level of
the qualification. There is also
evidence of an excellent standard
showing that all the learning
outcomes and responsibilities
appropriate to that Level are
satisfied.
Marking an essay

Handbook (on the Exploring Faith Website –
click Resources for Current Students on left and
select Handbook)
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Contains more guidance (pages 70-80)

You will be given a mark out of 100.
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70+ is a first
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60+ a 2.i and 50+ a 2.ii
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40+ is a third (and a pass!)
Your turn
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For a question you
have NOT yet
attempted.
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Write down the key
issues and interesting
side issues (to avoid!)
Identify questions to
ask the literature
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If you have enough
information, go on to
sketch out the
structure of the essay
as a mind map or list.
Worship - Assignments
Worship learning outcomes
On successful completion of the unit, students will be
able to:
demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the biblical
and theological foundations of church worship
demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the
development of worship within Anglicanism
demonstrate knowledge of the authorised liturgies of the
Church in Wales.
demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the
principles that inform the structures of worship
evaluate ways in which worship works best in different
physical, social and spiritual contexts
Worship - Assignments
1 In 750 words, address the question
How are the categories of Sacred
People, Place, Time and Action
expressed in the Order for the Holy
Eucharist 2004?
Worship - Assignments
In 750 words address the question
How might Morning and/or Evening
Prayer be used as a resource to
enable the story of salvation to be told
through the changing seasons of the
Church’s year?
Worship - Assignments
In 1,500 words each address the
question
What must the minister consider when
planning, preparing and delivering an
act of worship?
Candidates should show knowledge
and understanding of
i) the nature of Christian worship
ii) ways in which worship can be
Worship - Assignments
Create an act of worship (1000 words)
for one of following contexts and write
a 500 word commentary explaining
the decisions on structure and content
you have made.