How I wrote 1st class essays at Cambridge University (how to write the best essay)

Summary

In this educational video, Shane, a qualified doctor and Neuroscience supervisor at Cambridge University, shares a proven formula for writing top-scoring scientific essays. He breaks down the process into five parts, emphasizing the importance of a well-structured essay with a clear introduction, a main body focused on three key points supported by scientific evidence, and a conclusion that summarizes the argument. Shane also highlights the value of diagrams and active subheadings for clarity and engagement, aiming to help students achieve first-class essays.

Takeaways

• 📚 The script provides a formula for writing the best scientific essay, which has consistently earned top marks at university.
• 🏆 The speaker, Shane, is a qualified doctor and Neuroscience supervisor at Cambridge University, offering credibility to the advice given.
• 📝 The essay structure should include an introduction, main body, and conclusion, each serving a specific purpose in the argument.
• 🔑 The introduction should define key concepts and outline the essay's coverage and argument, capturing the reader's attention from the start.
• 🔍 In the main body, focus on three key points, providing scientific evidence and critically analyzing it, then relating it back to the question.
• 📈 Use diagrams and active subheadings to enhance the main body, making the essay more accessible and visually appealing to examiners.
• 📝 The conclusion should summarize the argument, bringing it to a mature end and providing a final verdict, similar to a more developed introduction.
• 📖 The essay should be well-planned, with an outline in the introduction that sets expectations for the reader and examiner.
• 📊 Critical analysis is key; not only should evidence be provided, but its validity, reliability, and potential for improvement should be discussed.
• 📚 The script emphasizes the importance of understanding the question, knowing what's important, and how to structure an essay for maximum impact.
• 🎓 The advice is aimed at achieving high marks in scientific essays, suggesting that following this formula can lead to success in academic writing.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video?

The main topic of the video is about how to write the best scientific essay, with a focus on structure and content.

Who is the presenter of the video?

The presenter of the video is Shane, a recently qualified doctor and Neuroscience supervisor at Cambridge University.

What are the five parts of the video?

The video is split into five parts: a general overview of essay structure, a deeper dive into the introduction, the main body, the conclusion, and a worked example.

What is the foolproof formula mentioned for writing the best essay?

The foolproof formula for writing the best essay includes having a clear introduction, a well-structured main body with three key points, and a conclusion that summarizes the argument.

What are the key components of an essay introduction according to the video?

The key components of an essay introduction are defining the important concepts and outlining what the essay will cover and the argument it will present.

What is an example of a past exam question from Cambridge University used in the video?

The example exam question used in the video is 'Discuss the extent to which humans use negative feedback and feed forward mechanisms to control movement.'

What are the three key concepts identified in the example exam question?

The three key concepts identified in the example exam question are negative feedback, feed forward, and movement.

How should the main body of the essay be structured?

The main body of the essay should be structured around three key points, with each point having a paragraph dedicated to it, including the key point, supporting scientific evidence, critical analysis, and a relation back to the question.

What is the purpose of using diagrams in the main body of the essay?

Diagrams in the main body of the essay serve to convey a lot of information quickly to the examiner, showing that the writer understands the topic and making it easier for the examiner to assess the essay.

What are active subheadings and how do they benefit the essay?

Active subheadings are sentences that summarize the whole paragraph and are placed at the beginning, underlined. They benefit the essay by quickly conveying the main focus of the paragraph to the examiner and reader.

What should the conclusion of the essay do?

The conclusion of the essay should summarize the whole argument, bring it to a nice end, and provide a verdict, essentially reflecting on the evidence and analysis presented in the main body.