ANTH0003/0004/0208: Introduction to Social Anthropology
Essay Writing Guidelines
1. The marking criteria for this module are the Standard UG criteria which can be found in the Undergraduate Handbook on Anth Student Hub.
2. Use your initiative to select relevant readings from the reading list. You should aim to explore beyond the essential tutorial readings, and you may also wish to draw upon literature from multiple weekly topics. You will find that, as you read around the literature for your chosen essay topic, different possible answers to the question emerge. There is no one correct answer; on the contrary, you are encouraged to explore different perspectives before coming to a conclusion.
3. You should aim to discuss both theoretical and ethnographic literature in your essays. Ethnographic case studies constitute anthropological “evidence”, and should be used to substantiate (i.e., to back up) your argument. It is not possible to put a precise number on this, but in a 2,500-word essay, you may want to consult 3-4 case studies (depending on the approach you choose to take). Be selective in your use of ethnography – only choose the most relevant examples that support your wider argument or point at hand. Remember, the marking criteria reward a demonstration of your ability to evaluate evidence to support an argument, analyse evidence and theories in relation to one another, and synthesise these ideas into an overarching argument. An essay that tends to just list different ethnographic examples and simply describe the details of the case studies will not score highly.
4. You should aim to advance a coherent and original argument which engages with the literature relating to your chosen essay topic. Aim to be critical in your use of the literature. The best anthropology essays critically engage with a range of relevant and well-chosen sources in constructing a compelling argument.
5. There is no single correct or standard way of structuring an anthropological essay, but the structure should be logical, and should facilitate the construction of a coherent argument. In the most basic sense, any anthropology essay should have an introduction, a main body (analysis and discussion), and a conclusion. The classic formula (attributed variously to Kant, Fichte, and Hegel) of (a) thesis, (b) antithesis, (c) synthesis is one way of structuring an essay – i.e., you present one proposition or possible answer to the question, then offer a counter-argument, before assessing to what extent both arguments are compatible in order to arrive at a new proposition.
6. In general, the writing style. for anthropology essays should be in line with the academic style. of the anthropological texts on the reading list. Please pay attention to grammar and syntax (sentence structure), and avoid writing in overly long sentences and paragraphs. Aim for clarity and concision wherever possible; brevity is beauty!
7. You can find some helpful advice and materials on the ANTH Academic Skills Moodle page and the Writing Guidelines tab in the Anth Student Hub. This includes information on how to reference in your essay, how to format your essay, as well as tips for writing style, structuring an argument, and so on. You can also make an appointment to see our departmental writing tutor at one of their drop-in sessions.
8. Please following the referencing conventions listed under the Writing Guidelines in the Anth Student Hub. In anthropology, we use the author-date in-text citation format (rather than footnotes), and all referenced sources should be listed under the title ‘References’ at the end of the document. When citing published literature, always include dates with authors’ names mentioned in the text, e.g., Durkheim (1912). Always provide page numbers with quotations or direct references to specific points or passages in the literature.
9. You must submit your coursework on Moodle using the official Anthropology Coversheet and your candidate number (available on Portico). The Coversheet can be downloaded from the Assessments tab on the Moodle site. N.b. Do not include your name on the coversheet. You can find further instructions on essay submission in the Undergraduate Handbook and under the Assessments tab on the Moodle site.
10. Remember to double check important regulations about late submissions and maximum essay word counts.
11. Finally, always make sure to thoroughly proof-read your essay before you submit it. You will lose marks for excessive typographical errors.