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oxford uni essay writing

Time management

Making the most of your study time

At University you may often be required to work independently and you will need to learn how to effectively manage your workload to ensure you submit your essays and other work on time.

A short guide to managing your time

However obvious it may seem, time management is of the utmost importance. You should buy a diary and use it. Work out how much time you should allocate to each element of your course and try to stick to a timetable.

You should aim to study in a regular pattern, perhaps by working a set number of hours a day. Make sure you allow sufficient time to plan and write your assignment so that you do not have to work into the small hours of the morning.

Watch this short video on time management.

Tips for essay writing

The ‘essay crisis’ may be an Oxford tradition, but you are unlikely to produce your best work this way. Watch this video to learn about interpreting questions you may face, and watch this video for advice on planning and structuring your essays. 

Essay writing in science subjects

Writing an essay for a science subject requires you to consider additional areas including how to present any evidence and diagrams. Watch this video for advice on how to approach the reading list, planning which information to include in your answer and how to write for your audience. You can find additional material in the PDF on the right of this page.

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For the Counselling Service's advice on overcoming procrastination and how to get more done, visit the supportive resources page .

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Essay Guide

Writing essays is a predominant part of the learning for many courses here at Oxford. This essay-writing guide is intended for students who want to learn more about the skills associated with crafting an essay, as well as those seeking out course-specific advice. This resource is particularly useful for incoming or first year students who want to learn more about planning and writing tutorial essays. If you are a prospective applicant you can read our guide for writing essays for admissions tests here .

The resource is split into four parts, shown below - The ‘General Advice’ section has information that can help you develop key skills, such as active reading and structuring an essay. Course-specific advice can be found under their division heading. For example, if you want information about writing a History essay, you can find the History guide page in the ‘Humanities’ section.

General Advice

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Your Step-By-Step Guide To Writing An Academic Essay (& Review Checklist)

High school student writing in a notebook.

Writing a formal essay can be scary! It requires a lot more work and research than other assignments, and there are many rules to follow when writing it. It’s difficult to know where to start, and even the thought of writing it can be stressful.

However, with the right information and tips or even with the aid of services like the essay writing service reddit , preparing and writing your essay becomes a lot easier. Check out our guide for essay writing below to help you write a paper you can be proud to hand in.

Before You Start Writing The Essay

1. pick your topic.

Unless your teacher has given you a very specific topic, you will need to pick one. If possible, choose a topic that interests you. Once you have a topic in mind, narrow it down to make your paper more specific. You want to be able to prove a point with your chosen topic.

Example: “Golden Retrievers as therapy dogs” is too broad of a topic. A topic that is narrower, such as, “Golden retrievers as therapy dogs for residents in nursing homes” keeps your research and ideas focused.

2. Determine Your Thesis Statement

Your thesis statement is the main point you are trying to prove in your essay—it ties all of your ideas and arguments together into one or two concise sentences. A good thesis statement gives your reader a preview of what you will be discussing in the body of your essay.

Example: Golden Retrievers are ideal therapy dogs for seniors in nursing homes because they provide emotional support and companionship to residents.

How To Write A Strong Thesis Statement

3. Find Sources

Once you have an idea of what you want to say in your essay, start finding sources you can use to back up your points. Aim to have at least 2-3 credible sources in your paper, unless your teacher says otherwise.

Some examples of sources include:

Always check with your teacher to find out what kind of sources he or she is looking for. Once you have found (and read) your sources, take note of pieces of information you think could back up your thesis.

4. Create An Outline

Creating an outline of your essay will help make the writing process much easier. It is a way to organize your thoughts and structure them in a way that makes sense. Try to come up with three arguments that support your thesis. These arguments will form the body of your essay.

Example: Arguments to support the thesis could be:

Writing Your Essay

All essays, regardless of length, have an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Each of these sections serve a different purpose in your paper.

The Introduction

The introduction of an essay is one paragraph that introduces your topic and gives an overview of what will be discussed in the body of the paper.

The introductory paragraph is where you will state your thesis and the arguments that you will be presenting in the body of the essay. Avoid talking about the conclusion or findings in the introductory paragraph—you will be discussing those in the rest of the essay.

Helpful Tip: Even though it appears at the top of your essay, write your introduction last. This way, you can summarize the rest of your essay easily—it’s difficult to summarize something you haven’t written yet!

The body of your essay is where you present your arguments/evidence that back up your thesis. Each paragraph in your essay should have:

Every paragraph in your essay should have a unique claim/argument that supports your thesis. Always structure your essay to have the strongest argument in your first paragraph, and the next strongest argument in the final paragraph of the body. Your other argument should be sandwiched between your stronger paragraphs.

The Conclusion

The conclusion is the last paragraph in your essay. This is where you wrap up your findings from your discussion in the body paragraphs.

Start your paragraph by restating your thesis (although not in the exact same words). In a few sentences, summarize your arguments from the body paragraphs, and avoid discussing any new ideas that you didn’t talk about in the body of your essay. Finally, wrap up your findings in one final sentence.

Helpful Tip: Your final sentence should convince your reader that you proved your thesis.

References/Bibliography

The final page in your essay is the references page (sometimes called the bibliography). This is where you document all the sources you have cited in your paper. There are several different formats that can be used to reference sources, such as APA or MLA style. Your teacher may have specified a certain format he or she would like in your paper. If you are unsure, double-check with your teacher before starting.

Polishing Your Work

After writing the first draft of your essay, take one or two days before you go back and read it so your mind is fresh. Make any changes you think are necessary to improve your paper, such as reordering sentences, adding extra information, or taking out sentences that don’t add value to your arguments.

If possible, ask another person to review your essay for spelling, grammar, and clarity. A second set of eyes is helpful to catch small errors you may have missed.

Helpful Tip: Read your essay out loud to make sure it flows and your sentences are clear.

The Oxford Learning Essay Review Checklist

Use our essay review checklist to make sure your essay is polished and ready to go before the deadline!

Essay Review Checklist

More Essay Writing Tips

Time To Get Writing!

Writing an essay can seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be! Give yourself plenty of time to pick your topic, find your sources, and preparing your outline. Once you are happy with your ideas, just start writing! If you begin your essay well before the due date, you will have lots of time to edit and rework your essay. This way you can be confident in your work when it comes time to hand it in.

If you need more help with writing your essay, Oxford Learning is here to help!

Writing And Essay Help Time Management Help

11 Tips For Helping Your Child Manage A Lot Of Homework

How to study at home (without getting distracted), related checklists resources.

Academic Resolutions and Action Plan for the New Year

Checklists, Goal Setting

Academic resolutions and action plan for the new year.

Tips to Develop Stronger Organization Skills at Home

Checklists, Organization

Tips to develop stronger organization skills at home.

Your Step-By-Step Guide To Writing An Academic Essay (& Review Checklist)

Checklists, English, High School, Writing

Your step-by-step guide to writing an academic essay (& review checklist).

How to Start The School Year Off Right (Plus Back-to-School Checklist!)

Back to School, Checklists

How to start the school year off right (plus back-to-school checklist), find an oxford learning ® location near you, we have over 100 centres across canada.

Oxford and Cambridge Essay Competitions

We have gathered together some of the key essay competitions to enter, hosted by colleges at oxford and cambridge university..

If you are applying for Oxbridge or a top UK university that interviews, it is worth noting that many of the competition questions are very similar to interview-style questions. You may only have time to enter one competition, but check out similar ones relating to your course of application, and practise brainstorming/ verbalising an answer to the question.

Oxbridge Essay Competitions

Could you be interested in having an Oxbridge-educated mentor support your writing process? Minds Underground™ is the brainchild of the wider educational company, U2 , with offerings curated by a team of 700+ Oxbridge-educated mentors , who would be able to support both your essay competition entry and wider Oxbridge application (sessions from £75/h).

Do also check out online Oxbridge Summer Schools , hosted by our team of Oxbridge graduates, with 12 different subject categories! (Registration deadline in June 2022)

Course-wide Oxbridge Essay Competitions:

Robinson college, cambridge’s essay prize.

2020 Essay Questions:

Discuss, with reference to any academic discipline, any area of interest raised by one of the following quotations/ questions:

1. "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.” (Benjamin Franklin) Do you agree?

2. Does the theory of evolution by natural selection tell us anything interesting about how we should live?

3. Watch the following TED talk by novelist Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie: The Danger of a Single Story.  TED Global . (2009) Available online via:  https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_ngozi_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story . What are novels for? Answer in light of the TED talk and any one or two text(s) you have read recently

4. “A true war story is never moral. […] If a story seems moral, do not believe it. If at the end of a war story you feel uplifted, or if you feel that some small bit of rectitude has been salvaged from the larger waste, then you have been made the victim of a very old and terrible lie. There is no rectitude whatsoever.” (Tim O’Brien,  The Things They Carried , 1990). Write about any piece of war literature or art about war in light of O’Brien’s claim

5. There is no such thing as ‘untranslatable’. Discuss

It is designed to give students the opportunity to develop and showcase their independent study and writing skills

Girton College, Cambridge’s Humanities Writing Competition

Aimed at giving Humanities applicants an insight into research at university level - candidates expected to produce extensively researched, clearly written and well-referenced essays ranging well beyond the set curriculum

Archaeology

Fitzwiliam college, cambridge’s archaeology essay competition.

Past questions: What are the challenges in reconstructing cultural identities from the archaeological record?// How does reconstructing diet help us understand past societies?

Fitzwilliam essay Competition

Architecture

Fitzwilliam college, cambridge’s architectural design competition.

This is an exciting opportunity for secondary school students to analytically approach a design problem and creatively develop architectural design solutions. Students will design and communicate their design solutions through drawings and a design narrative

Oriel College, Oxford’s Lloyd Davies Philosophy Prize

2019 questions included: Is anything special about the present moment?// Can one be mistaken about one's own state of mind?// Which is more important in determining the wrongness of a person's action: the person's intentions or the action's effects?

Trinity College, Cambridge’s Philosophy Essay Prize

2020 Question 1: If you learn that humanity will be extinct in twenty years, what difference should it make to what you value?

Question 2: Could you be friends with a robot?

Newnham College, Cambridge’s Philosophy Essay Prize

Designed to give students the opportunity to think and write about philosophy and philosophical matters in the broadest sense, while developing their independent study and writing skills. This prize may be of particular interest to those either currently studying, or considering studying, Philosophy, but welcomes entries from interested students studying any combination of subjects

2020 Question: 'Amid all the profuse waste of the means of happiness which men commit, there is no imprudence more flagrant than that of Selfishness in the ordinary sense of the term' (Henry Sidgwick). Are we happier if we are unselfish? Does this show that ethics is indirectly a matter of self-interest?

St. Hugh’s College, Oxford’s The Julia Wood Prize

Trinity college, cambridge’s robson history prize.

2020 Questions : E.g. Can one write a history of women in Ancient Greece? Is it meaningful to speak of a ‘renaissance’ in intellectual life in twelfth-century Europe? What can historians learn from coins?

Classics essay competition

Peterhouse College, Cambridge's Vellacott History Prize

Newnham college, cambridge’s history essay prize.

May be of particular interest to those studying History, Politics, English Literature, Philosophy or Sociology, but welcomes entries from interested students studying any combination of subjects

St. Hugh’s College, Oxford’s The Mary Renault Prize

At least one prize will be awarded a pupil who is not studying either Latin or Greek to A-level standard

“Essays can be from any discipline and should be on a topic relating to the reception of classical antiquity – including Greek and Roman literature, history, political thought, philosophy, and material remains – in any period to the present; essays on reception within classical antiquity (for instance, receptions of literary or artistic works or of mythical or historical figures) are permitted.”

Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge’s Ancient World/ Classics Essay Competition

Trinity college, cambridge’s gould prize for essays in english literature.

“This Essay Prize has the following aims. First, to encourage talented students with an interest in English Literature to explore their reading interests further in response to general questions about the subject.”

Peterhouse College, Cambridge’s Thomas Campion English Prize

Newnham college, cambridge’s the woolf essay prize, queen’s college, cambridge’s the estelle prize for english.

Example question from 2019 competition: The following two poems, (a) 'To Autumn' by John Keats, and (b) 'Halcyon Days' by Walt Whitman, might be said to create for their readers an experience as well as an understanding of time. Making reference to the distinctive temporality of one or both poems, write about the experience of time in any other poem or poems you like

Linguistics

Trinity college, cambridge’s linguistics essay prize.

It may be of interest to students taking A-Levels in Modern Languages, English Language or Classics, but also to students taking Psychology or Mathematics

Newnham College, Cambridge’s Medieval & Modern Languages Essay Prize

May be of particular interest to those currently studying languages, but welcomes entries from interested students studying any combination of subjects

Land Economy

Fitzwilliam college, cambridge’s land economy competition.

Past questions: ‘Governments should be accountable to their citizens for loss caused by climate change’. Discuss.// Critically analyse the costs and benefits of a large-scale infrastructure project of your choice. In making this assessment, consider in particular any regional disparities and how they are affected by such projects

Trinity College, Cambridge’s R.A. Butler Politics Prize

Aims to encourage students with an interest in modern politics and world affairs to think about undertaking university studies in Politics, International Studies or a related discipline; it is not limited to those already studying these subjects or indeed other social sciences

Trinity College, Cambridge’s Robert Walker Prize for Essays in Law

Aims to encourage students with an interest in Law to explore that interest by researching, considering and developing an argument about a legal topic of importance to modern society.

2020 Question': ‘Should legal disputes be determined by artificial, rather than human, means?’

Law Essay Competition

Newnham College, Cambridge’s Music Essay Prize

This prize may be of particular interest to those currently studying Music or History, but welcomes entries from interested students studying any combination of subjects

Peterhouse College, Cambridge’s Kelvin Science Prize

Newnham college, cambridge’s engineering essay prize.

Intended to encourage students to think creatively about how some of the scientific knowledge gained at school may be applied in later life, in particular in industry, so as to improve matters (the aim of most engineers)

Engineering essay competition

The Weston-Smith Physical Sciences Essay Prize and The Biological Sciences Essay Prize

May be of particular interest to those studying Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics or Geography but we welcome entries from interested students studying any combination of subjects. Entrants are invited to submit one response to either a Physical or Biological title

Computer Science

Newnham college, cambridge’s computer science essay prize.

This prize may be of particular interest to those studying Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, or Chemistry, but we welcome entries from interested students studying any combination of subjects

The Psychological and Behavioural Sciences Essay Prize

Psychology Essay Competition

The prize may be of particular interest to those studying Biology, Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, Psychology, or Sociology, but welcomes entries from interested students studying any combination of subjects

Are you applying to Oxbridge? Join our Summer “Beyond the Syllabus” Classes for Oxbridge Preparation

Oxford and Cambridge offer environments where individuals are enriched through constant interaction and discussion with the world’s leading academics in intimate tutorial sessions of 1-3 students. At interview, prospective applicants are expected to demonstrate how they would perform in a tutorial session – they must exhibit high performance capability in their specific academic field as well as creative or abstract thinking. This means your preparation must go beyond school learning and activities. Excelling in an academic field or skill to the level required by Oxbridge, whether that be in the Social Sciences, Humanities or STEM subjects, requires exploring new material and ideas outside the standard curriculum, verging on 1st year university level learning.

Which is why our Oxbridge subject specialists have curated summer courses in 17 subjects, replicating the Oxbridge style of teaching and learning.

Online Summer Schools

Our Online Summer Schools are specifically designed to encourage university level thinking and give you exposure to a range of exciting topic areas outside the curriculum

You’ll learn from our all-Oxbridge team of subject specialists

Let us know if you have any questions via email or call (+447772211241). We would be delighted to have you join us

Do also check out our free Oxbridge resources on our tuition division website, U2 Tuition! We have new blogs on MLAT, BMAT and HAT preparation, Psychology personal statement writing and more!

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Tips from my first year - essay writing

This is the third of a three part series giving advice on the essay writing process, focusing in this case on essay writing.

Daniel is a first year BA History and Politics student at Magdalen College . He is a disabled student and the first in his immediate family to go to university. Daniel is also a Trustee of Potential Plus UK , a Founding Ambassador and Expert Panel Member for Zero Gravity , and a History Faculty Ambassador. Before coming to university, Daniel studied at a non-selective state school, and was a participant on the UNIQ , Sutton Trust , and Social Mobility Foundation APP Reach programmes, as well as being part of the inaugural Opportunity Oxford cohort. Daniel is passionate about outreach and social mobility and ensuring all students have the best opportunity to succeed.

dd profile

History and its related disciplines mainly rely on essay writing with most term-time work centring on this, so it’s a good idea to be prepared. The blessing of the Oxford system though is you get plenty of opportunity to practice, and your tutors usually provide lots of feedback (both through comments on essays and in tutorials) to help you improve. Here are my tips from my first year as an Oxford Undergraduate:

I hope this will help as a toolkit to get you started, but my last piece of advice is don’t worry! As you get so much practice at Oxford you get plenty of opportunity to perfect your essay writing skills, so don’t think you need to be amazing at everything straight away. Take your first term to try new methods out and see what works for you – don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Good luck!

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oxford uni essay writing

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  2. Oxford Uni Essay Writing Workshop!!

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  3. Help With University Essays

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  4. Oxford Thesis Template

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  5. Oxford Student's Tips for Essay Writing Part 1

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  6. Oxford Thesis Template

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VIDEO

  1. Essay on Importance of Science in Urdu Essay

  2. my favorite food english essay/english essay/my favorite food pizza essay writing/AJ pathshala

  3. First Uni Essay Tips (part 1)

  4. Words to use in your essay

  5. I Wrote 1000 Essays. Here’s What I Learned

  6. Common Mistakes in Academic Writing

COMMENTS

  1. Essay and dissertation writing skills | University of Oxford

    Writing your introduction Essays need an introduction to establish and focus the parameters of the discussion that will follow. You may find it helpful to divide the introduction into areas to demonstrate your breadth and engagement with the essay question.

  2. Making the most of your study time | University of Oxford

    Tips for essay writing. The ‘essay crisis’ may be an Oxford tradition, but you are unlikely to produce your best work this way. Watch this video to learn about interpreting questions you may face, and watch this video for advice on planning and structuring your essays. Essay writing in science subjects

  3. Essay Guide | Christ Church, Oxford University

    Writing essays is a predominant part of the learning for many courses here at Oxford. This essay-writing guide is intended for students who want to learn more about the skills associated with crafting an essay, as well as those seeking out course-specific advice.

  4. How To Write An Academic Essay (+ Review Checklist) | Oxford ...

    Check out our guide for essay writing below to help you write a paper you can be proud to hand in. Before You Start Writing The Essay 1. Pick Your Topic Unless your teacher has given you a very specific topic, you will need to pick one. If possible, choose a topic that interests you.

  5. WRITING PHILOSOPHY ESSAYS - University of Oxford

    WRITING PHILOSOPHY ESSAYS VolkerHalbach New College,Oxford ˇŁthAugust}“ˇŁ IntutorialsandclassesIhavefoundmyselfrepeatingthesameinstructionsand

  6. Oxford and Cambridge Essay Competitions — Minds Underground

    “Essays can be from any discipline and should be on a topic relating to the reception of classical antiquity – including Greek and Roman literature, history, political thought, philosophy, and material remains – in any period to the present; essays on reception within classical antiquity (for instance, receptions of literary or artistic works or …

  7. Tips from my first year - essay writing | Faculty of History

    Say what you are going to say, say it, say it again – this is a general essay structure; an introduction which clearly states your argument; a main body which explains why you believe that argument; and a conclusion which summarises the key points to be drawn from your essay.

  8. Oxford Uni Essay Writing Workshop!! - YouTube

    Oxford Uni Essay Writing Workshop!! Jesus College Oxford 15.2K subscribers Subscribe 2.5K Share 77K views 2 years ago Learn about how essays saved the world, and how you can write better...

  9. Oxford University Essay Example For FREE 📝 - New York Essays

    Oxford University Stating that think it’s unfair that some people can’t get a visa, does not count as much. However, urging you not to use I in essays can fail in two ways. Firstly, you could still write about your own feelings and opinions using different phrases, and secondly, not all uses of the first person are bad.