Help:Essay: Difference between revisions
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[[Image:LesCorsetsLeFuretParis18cutB.jpg|250px|right|thumb|Essay-writing]] | |||
An '''essay''' | An '''essay''' is generally a non-fictional piece of writing, and is one of many [[Help:Resource types|resource types]] on [[Wikademia]]. Like a [[Help:paper|paper]], an essay reflects the work and views of a single individual or a group and may be commented on and discussed by any Wikademia contributor. An essay could be one or more of the following: | ||
* an opinion-based piece of writing which is not sufficient to be considered an "academic paper" | |||
* a piece of writing which uses a lower degree of formality than is normal for an academic paper (e.g., may contain a lot of personal opinion) | |||
* a piece of writing where the author simply prefers the designation "essay" | |||
* a piece of writing set as an assignment in a course (or "term paper") | |||
== Distinguished from related resource types == | == Distinguished from related resource types == | ||
* '''[[Help:Papers|Papers]]''': a paper is an '''academic article''' or academic paper (or draft thereof) which has been published or is being drafted on | * '''[[Help:Papers|Papers]]''': a paper is an '''academic article''' or academic paper (or draft thereof) which has been published or is being drafted on Wikademia. A paper typically reflects the work and views of a single individual or of a closed group of authors. A paper may be commented on and discussed by any Wikademia contributor. | ||
* '''[[Help:Blog|Blogs]]''': a blog, like a paper, reflects the work and views of a single individual and may be commented on and discussed by any | * '''[[Help:Blog|Blogs]]''': a blog, like a paper, reflects the work and views of a single individual and may be commented on and discussed by any Wikademia contributor. However the blog is usually in the personal User namespace of a particular registered Wikademia user and conforms to the style of a "blog" (e.g. shorter; lower level of formality; stronger opinions; somewhat journalistic). | ||
* '''[[Help:Article|Articles]]''': this term is used on | * '''[[Help:Article|Articles]]''': this term is used on Wikademia in the sense of "encyclopedia article". The "academic article" is known as a ''paper'' (or ''academic paper'') on Wikademia. An article must adhere to the ''neutral point of view'' and is a collaborative effort, just as Wikipedia articles are. | ||
== Guidelines for the form of an essay == | == Guidelines for the form of an essay == | ||
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=== Examples === | === Examples === | ||
An essay is | An essay is a less formal kind of paper, so guidelines are fewer. For examples of a set of essays (or term papers), please refer to: | ||
# The [[Design for the Environment]] project, a collection of about 28 essays created by about 100 to 150 students of the University of Toronto in Spring 2008. The students were working in teams, under the supervision of [[User:SRego|their professor]], who was also a Wikademia user. | |||
# [[Social psychology (psychology)]] is an undergraduate unit at the [[University of Canberra]], Australia, with about 80 students are each writing essays, July to October, 2008, under the supervision of their [[User:Jtneill|lecturer]], a Wikademia user/custodian. For more information, see [[Social psychology (psychology)/Assessment/Essay]]. | |||
=== Short and long titles === | === Short and long titles === | ||
Keep the page title short. If your essay has a longer title (e.g. because your professor gave you a longer one), then put the longer title at the top of the page, but don't use it for the official title of the page on | Keep the page title short. If your essay has a longer title (e.g. because your professor gave you a longer one), then put the longer title at the top of the page, but don't use it for the official title of the page on Wikademia. | ||
=== General guidelines relating to opinion pieces on | === General guidelines relating to opinion pieces on Wikademia === | ||
# The author(s) should always be clearly identified '''at the top'''. | # The author(s) should always be clearly identified '''at the top'''. | ||
# It should be possible to contact the authors - e.g. | # It should be possible to contact the authors - e.g. Wikademia username given. | ||
# Disclosures: | # Disclosures: | ||
#* Either: the resource should very clearly be of a type in which readers would expect to find views, opinions or research findings which have not achieved a wide consensus (e.g. in an academic field) | #* Either: the resource should very clearly be of a type in which readers would expect to find views, opinions or research findings which have not achieved a wide consensus (e.g. in an academic field) | ||
#* Or: the resource should be clearly tagged '''at the top''' with a tag which warns readers that the resource may contain views, opinions or research findings which have not achieved a wide consensus. | #* Or: the resource should be clearly tagged '''at the top''' with a tag which warns readers that the resource may contain views, opinions or research findings which have not achieved a wide consensus. | ||
# If the resource contains multiple pages, the points above (1-3) should be repeated on every page of the resource. | # If the resource contains multiple pages, the points above (1-3) should be repeated on every page of the resource. | ||
# | # Wikademia contributors not named as an author should, as a matter of [[Wikademia:civility|civility]], refrain from editing the resource itself. However it should be possible for all Wikademia contributors to '''comment and discuss''' the piece of writing '''on the page itself''' (rather than resorting to the talk page). A discussion section at the bottom of the page is recommended. This is effectively an exchange for other contributors refraining from editing the authored section of the resource. Comments and discussions should be signed in the normal wiki manner. | ||
=== Relevant policies and proposed policies === | === Relevant policies and proposed policies === | ||
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A good essay is not just a statement of your views on a topic. Try to include footnotes and bibliographies which show how good your research was. Remember that even blogs (if they are really good) cite other sources, give reliable information and offer verifiability. | A good essay is not just a statement of your views on a topic. Try to include footnotes and bibliographies which show how good your research was. Remember that even blogs (if they are really good) cite other sources, give reliable information and offer verifiability. | ||
* [[ | * [[Wikademia:Reliable sources|Reliable sources]] | ||
* [[ | * [[Wikademia:Verifiability|Verifiability]] | ||
== Linking an essay to related resources == | == Linking an essay to related resources == | ||
An essay may well be part of a series of related resources on | An essay may well be part of a series of related resources on Wikademia. For example, there might be related '''[[Help:course|course]]''' and '''[[Help:assignment|assignment]]''' pages, and there might be essays written as part of the same course by fellow students. Try to link these resources together - e.g. use hyperlinks in the page, create a special category for all the related pages, and assign the essays to this common category. | ||
== Essays on Wikipedia == | == Essays on Wikipedia == | ||
''See [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia essays]].'' | Wikipedia has a resource type known as "essays", defined as "pages that typically address some aspect of creating and managing an online encyclopedia". They contain opinions/advice/suggestions which fall short of guidelines or proposed policies. Wikipedia has over 600 essays of this type, all located in the Wikipedia namespace. ''See [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia essays]].'' Among Wikimedia projects, the word "essay" has therefore come to be used (occasionally) as a derogatory term for a proposal which has no hope of achieving consensus. | ||
Wikipedia also has a category for essays ([[Wikipedia:Category:essays]]), which lists encyclopedia articles ''about'' famous essays of the past. | |||
== Essay contests == | |||
A proposal was made by [[User:CQ]] in October 2006 to run [[Wikademia:Essay Contests|essay contests on Wikademia]]. | |||
== See also == | == See also == | ||
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{{rtnav}} | {{rtnav}} | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Wikademia help]] | ||
[[Category:Learning]] | [[Category:Learning]] | ||
[[Category:Essays]] | [[Category:Essays]] | ||
Latest revision as of 18:19, 11 April 2009
An essay is generally a non-fictional piece of writing, and is one of many resource types on Wikademia. Like a paper, an essay reflects the work and views of a single individual or a group and may be commented on and discussed by any Wikademia contributor. An essay could be one or more of the following:
- an opinion-based piece of writing which is not sufficient to be considered an "academic paper"
- a piece of writing which uses a lower degree of formality than is normal for an academic paper (e.g., may contain a lot of personal opinion)
- a piece of writing where the author simply prefers the designation "essay"
- a piece of writing set as an assignment in a course (or "term paper")
Distinguished from related resource types
- Papers: a paper is an academic article or academic paper (or draft thereof) which has been published or is being drafted on Wikademia. A paper typically reflects the work and views of a single individual or of a closed group of authors. A paper may be commented on and discussed by any Wikademia contributor.
- Blogs: a blog, like a paper, reflects the work and views of a single individual and may be commented on and discussed by any Wikademia contributor. However the blog is usually in the personal User namespace of a particular registered Wikademia user and conforms to the style of a "blog" (e.g. shorter; lower level of formality; stronger opinions; somewhat journalistic).
- Articles: this term is used on Wikademia in the sense of "encyclopedia article". The "academic article" is known as a paper (or academic paper) on Wikademia. An article must adhere to the neutral point of view and is a collaborative effort, just as Wikipedia articles are.
Guidelines for the form of an essay
Examples
An essay is a less formal kind of paper, so guidelines are fewer. For examples of a set of essays (or term papers), please refer to:
- The Design for the Environment project, a collection of about 28 essays created by about 100 to 150 students of the University of Toronto in Spring 2008. The students were working in teams, under the supervision of their professor, who was also a Wikademia user.
- Social psychology (psychology) is an undergraduate unit at the University of Canberra, Australia, with about 80 students are each writing essays, July to October, 2008, under the supervision of their lecturer, a Wikademia user/custodian. For more information, see Social psychology (psychology)/Assessment/Essay.
Short and long titles
Keep the page title short. If your essay has a longer title (e.g. because your professor gave you a longer one), then put the longer title at the top of the page, but don't use it for the official title of the page on Wikademia.
General guidelines relating to opinion pieces on Wikademia
- The author(s) should always be clearly identified at the top.
- It should be possible to contact the authors - e.g. Wikademia username given.
- Disclosures:
- Either: the resource should very clearly be of a type in which readers would expect to find views, opinions or research findings which have not achieved a wide consensus (e.g. in an academic field)
- Or: the resource should be clearly tagged at the top with a tag which warns readers that the resource may contain views, opinions or research findings which have not achieved a wide consensus.
- If the resource contains multiple pages, the points above (1-3) should be repeated on every page of the resource.
- Wikademia contributors not named as an author should, as a matter of civility, refrain from editing the resource itself. However it should be possible for all Wikademia contributors to comment and discuss the piece of writing on the page itself (rather than resorting to the talk page). A discussion section at the bottom of the page is recommended. This is effectively an exchange for other contributors refraining from editing the authored section of the resource. Comments and discussions should be signed in the normal wiki manner.
Relevant policies and proposed policies
A good essay is not just a statement of your views on a topic. Try to include footnotes and bibliographies which show how good your research was. Remember that even blogs (if they are really good) cite other sources, give reliable information and offer verifiability.
Linking an essay to related resources
An essay may well be part of a series of related resources on Wikademia. For example, there might be related course and assignment pages, and there might be essays written as part of the same course by fellow students. Try to link these resources together - e.g. use hyperlinks in the page, create a special category for all the related pages, and assign the essays to this common category.
Essays on Wikipedia
Wikipedia has a resource type known as "essays", defined as "pages that typically address some aspect of creating and managing an online encyclopedia". They contain opinions/advice/suggestions which fall short of guidelines or proposed policies. Wikipedia has over 600 essays of this type, all located in the Wikipedia namespace. See Wikipedia:Wikipedia essays. Among Wikimedia projects, the word "essay" has therefore come to be used (occasionally) as a derogatory term for a proposal which has no hope of achieving consensus.
Wikipedia also has a category for essays (Wikipedia:Category:essays), which lists encyclopedia articles about famous essays of the past.
Essay contests
A proposal was made by User:CQ in October 2006 to run essay contests on Wikademia.