WRITING YOUR EDUC10002 ESSAY
Your essay topic is:
Drawing on a range of disciplinary perspectives, discuss how education systems can impede or encourage social change.
Using the theory and evidence which relates to the disciplinary perspectives that we have covered in the unit, what evidence would you use to support an argument that education causes social change and social change has an impact on the way that we deliver education.
You should draw on theory and research in education to support your argument, drawing on concepts from the disciplinary perspectives you feel most strongly support your argument. To do this, use readings from the unit and your own further research.
Here are some top tips for writing a strong essay:
1)Develops a clear argument. In other words, ensure that it answers the question.
2)Develop your argument by drawing on theoretical concepts and research evidence that support it. The theoretical concepts and research evidence can and should come from the readings you have been doing on the unit. Very good essays will also extend beyond these readings, using sources that you have found thanks to your own research.
3)Be sure to introduce your chosen discipline and use key concepts from it in order to develop your arguments.
4)Avoid very long paragraphs and very short paragraphs. Each paragraph should develop one idea or key point.
A suggested structure for your essay is:
Introduction –
A clear statement of the question the essay is addressing and the argument that it will make. Make sure you include the following in your introduction:
-The examples of social change that you will focus on in this essay. The example may draw on ideas related to societal attitudes and values, behaviours, relations between groups in society, inequalities, social justice, attainment gap, social mobility etc.
-An explanation of what it means to adopt your chosen disciplinary perspectives e.g. what does it mean to adopt a sociological perspective when considering education systems
-A statement of the 3-4 key points that you will make to support your argument (this will be evidence based)
Discussion –
Support for the argument, drawing on theoretical concepts and research evidence from the discipline that you are focusing on. An example of evidence might be changes in society related to secularisation or political agendas, attainment data for different groups, data to show the socio-economic background of children attending grammar schools or quotes from policy documents or political speeches.
Your discussion should include at least three concepts and/or pieces of research evidence that support your argument. Very good assignments may include more than this and may also engage with the other side of the argument in order to refute it.
Conclusion
A summary of your essay and the argument that it has made.
