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The idea of setting essays is to offer you the chance to make a longer, more complex argument. Nonetheless, in the model we recommend, the fundamentals remain the same. In each paragraph, a flow of main idea (thesis) - explanation / reasoning (justification) - evidence / example (support) is an excellent structure to use. If you read through academic writing, you will find this structure over and over. The same is true for professional writing. There are of course other structures, however this one always works and makes you sound concise and clear.
An essay has conventional sections that it is wise to follow. These are an introduction, main body and a conclusion. The 'LSE' essay structure can be described as 'say what you're going to say (intro), say it in detail (main body), say what you've said (conclusion)'. Although this may appear repetitive, it offers the reader great clarity. Also, if you think about the executive summary, background, analysis and conclusions / recommendations sections of a business report, you can see that a similar structure holds.
In your essay, try to follow this structure for your essay sections.
Intro
Statement about the context of the question - explain why the question in important (either in the 'real' world or for the discipline of economics)
Give you answer to the question
Summarise your argument in support of this answer - this summary should match the order of your paragraphs
Main body
Decide on the most logical order of your paragraphs - this might be importance, chronology or causation, but the basic flow should be simple and clear
Start each paragraph with a sentence that clearly addresses the question itself - this will be your thesis for the paragraph and if a reader only read these opening sentences, they should make sense one after the other and provide a summary of your argument
Follow the opening 'topic' sentence with your reasoning and evidence for why this opening statement is valid. Be specific, not general. The more detail you can bring in, the more expert you will sound and the more persuasive your argument will be
Conclusion Summarise your argument again - as you did in the intro (different words though!)
Restate your answer to the essay question
So what? - say what the significance of your answer is either in the 'real' world or to the discipline of economics
Bibliography
List the books / articles you read while researching your answer
Below you'll find two essays written by students last year. Bearing the above in mind, decide which one makes the clearer argument and which, therefore, got the higher mark.
http://www.economicsnetwork.ac.uk/archive/lse_writing/page_11.htm
The idea of setting essays is to offer you the chance to make a longer, more complex argument. Nonetheless, in the model we recommend, the fundamentals remain the same. In each paragraph, a flow of main idea (thesis) - explanation / reasoning (justification) - evidence / example (support) is an excellent structure to use. If you read through academic writing, you will find this structure over and over. The same is true for professional writing. There are of course other structures, however this one always works and makes you sound concise and clear.
An essay has conventional sections that it is wise to follow. These are an introduction, main body and a conclusion. The 'LSE' essay structure can be described as 'say what you're going to say (intro), say it in detail (main body), say what you've said (conclusion)'. Although this may appear repetitive, it offers the reader great clarity. Also, if you think about the executive summary, background, analysis and conclusions / recommendations sections of a business report, you can see that a similar structure holds.
In your essay, try to follow this structure for your essay sections.
Intro
Statement about the context of the question - explain why the question in important (either in the 'real' world or for the discipline of economics)
Give you answer to the question
Summarise your argument in support of this answer - this summary should match the order of your paragraphs
Main body
Decide on the most logical order of your paragraphs - this might be importance, chronology or causation, but the basic flow should be simple and clear
Start each paragraph with a sentence that clearly addresses the question itself - this will be your thesis for the paragraph and if a reader only read these opening sentences, they should make sense one after the other and provide a summary of your argument
Follow the opening 'topic' sentence with your reasoning and evidence for why this opening statement is valid. Be specific, not general. The more detail you can bring in, the more expert you will sound and the more persuasive your argument will be
Conclusion Summarise your argument again - as you did in the intro (different words though!)
Restate your answer to the essay question
So what? - say what the significance of your answer is either in the 'real' world or to the discipline of economics
Bibliography
List the books / articles you read while researching your answer
Below you'll find two essays written by students last year. Bearing the above in mind, decide which one makes the clearer argument and which, therefore, got the higher mark.
http://www.economicsnetwork.ac.uk/archive/lse_writing/page_11.htm
