Lecture 14 - Essay writing

The Social Brain: Critical Perspectives on Science, Society and Neurodiversity

Richard Ramsey

Today


Part 1

  • Essay writing


Part 2

  • Q&A plus discussion



Part 1 - Essay writing: assessment details

Assessment type

  • There is one piece of assessment in this course, which is a written assignment in essay format.

  • 2000 words maximum.

  • Submission date: Monday January 6th, 2026.

  • There is NO exam

  • Just email me the file. If I do not write back to you with confirmation within a few days, then email me again.

Assessment format

You can write your essay in two different ways.

1. Address a general question.

e.g., Is psychology a science or a pseudoscience?

2. Address a more specific question.

e.g., Should Autism be considered one diagnosis or multiple different diagnoses?

Assessment structure

Example structure (it seems obvious, but nonetheless…):

  • Introduction
  • Main body of the essay
  • Conclusion

Assessment content

Things to cover:

  • Identify an open research question, which warrants further attention
  • Provide a brief background to the topic
  • Highlight a gap in knowledge (what we do not know)
  • Be critical
  • Identify a novel research question or research direction
  • State your hypotheses and/or aims
  • Discuss the implications of the research (why is it worth doing?)

Assessment criteria

Threshold

  • Adequate understanding of the material is demonstrated, which is largely based on information provided within lectures.

Good

  • Generally accurate coverage of relevant material, which shows evidence of independent thought that extends lecture materials. Well organised and structured.

Excellent

  • Consistently accurate coverage of relevant material, which shows a depth of independent thought that comprehensively extends lecture materials. Well organised and structured with a clear and efficient writing style.

Part 1 - Essay writing: tips and style guide

Narrow focus

  • Your essay should have a narrow focus, I do not want a detailed literature review.

  • You are not being assessed on the breadth of your knowledge. Therefore, I will not mark you down for having a narrow focus.

  • However, I expect a very clear and well-supported rationale for your critical viewpoint and future direction.

  • I will reward attempts to think on your own.

Keep it simple !!!

  • Find an experiment or topic from my lectures that interests you
  • Go away and read around the topic
  • Think of a feature that limits understanding – i.e., be critical – and suggest a way to extend current knowledge

Plan, plan and plan some more

  • Plan your written assignment BEFORE you start to write. You will find it easier to write if you organise your ideas first into a structure.

  • Consider the balance of your assignment, in terms of the amount of text per section.

  • Make multiple plans, rather than one. One page A4 per plan.

  • Review the plans and consider revision and/or consolidation.

Writing style

  • Clarity is crucial
  • If you can say it with less words, do so (i.e., keep sentences short).
  • Try to link paragraphs to promote the flow and pace of your writing.
  • Have a friend or classmate read it.

Take a break

Part 2 - Read articles and discuss

Discussion material

Discuss essay writing:

  • See the resources on course website.
  • Do some of your own research on what makes a good essay.
  • Consider the structure and content of your essays.
  • Then let’s discuss as a group.

References

Acknowledgements