Writing and assignments

Your first step in understanding your question or topic is to define your research topic or assignment title. To do this, think about:

1. What are the directional or instructional words in the title?

2. What are the main concepts in the subject or assignment? What are the relationships between the concepts?

3. What would be the most useful keywords to use when searching for information on the topic?

Directional words or instructional words are:

• words that tell you what to do in your essay
• action words
• NOT words you use to search for information

Example

You get the essay topic: "Discuss the impact of advertising on young people's purchasing decisions"

Q. What are you being asked to do in the essay for this example?  What is the directional / instructional word?

A. To discuss: to examine the key points or arguments, to debate and to explore solutions regarding the impact of advertising on young people's purchasing decisions.

What are key concepts / keywords?

• These are words that are the main focus or subject matter of your essay.

• They are the words you will use to search for information for your topic.

Let's see how we can define our key concepts using an example essay title: "Discuss the impact of advertising on young people's purchasing decisions".

✔ First we'll ask questions such as how, what, where, who, why, when? This will help us to find out more about the topic.

• Who?  Young people
• How?  How does advertising impact young people's purchasing decisions?  
• What?  What do advertisers understand regarding consumer behaviour?  What are the known impacts or influences of advertising on this section of the population?

✔  Next we'll think of alternative keywords.  This will help when we come to search.

• Think of synonyms: 
  • young people ➡ teenagers, tweens, adolescents, youth 
    purchasing decisions ➡ buying decisions, purchasing behaviour, buying behaviour                         
    advertising ➡ marketing, promotion
• Is there alternative or American spelling for your key words? 
  • behaviour  ➡  behavior
    advertising  ➡  advertizing                                                       
• Could your keyword have alternative endings? 
  • advertising  ➡  advertise, advertisers, advertisments      
• Are there any broader terms to expand your search or more specific terms to narrow it?
  • teenage boy is more specific than young people
• Are there terms that need to be kept together as a phrase? (e.g. purchasing decisions)
• Are there any countries you want to focus on?

Now that you have understood your question and gathered your keywords, what next for your assignment?  Follow the steps below and check out the relevant guides.

1. Decide what to read
   • Decide on the relevant academic sources.
   • Decide where to find information.
   • Finding information - key academic sources
      
2. Research your topic
   • Search for quality information.
   • Search academic databases and library search.
   • Finding information - search
      
3. Read for understanding and analysis
   • Skim read to start- is this the right source for my topic?
   • Choose the most relevant sources.
   • Read and take notes.
   • Studying at London Metropolitan University- reading
   • Studying at London Metropolitan University- notemaking
      
4. Analysis
   • Reading comprehension.
   • Analyse and summarise the research.
   • Studying at London Metropolitan University- critical thinking
      
5. Writing and proof reading
   • Refer to tutor instructions on approach, structure and layout.
   • Writing and assignments - writing
   • Referencing, academic integrity and avoiding plagiarism