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help with pol sci essays.. =(

siuying
edited June 2007 in General
so I got my first essay back from pol 151 today and suffice to say.. i'm not happy with the mark.. normally i get B and B+ for my essays sometimes an A too but this one.. i got a C+.. =( i wrote it exactly like how i would approach any other essays but ended up with such a low mark.. i'm wondering if there's a way or tips i need to know in writing pol sci essays because right now they seem so abstract to me.. @_@

my prof left me some comments about using examples to illustrate my ideas (like current news) and references to support them.. is referencing heavily used in pol sci essays? and how detailed do these examples have to be?

someone help.. =(

Comments

  • Malakaiii
    edited June 2007
    The best person to ask about this would be your prof or TA. I've found in writing essays that there isn't always the best way to write an essay for a certain type of course (Poli Sci, English, Psych, etc.), but there IS the best way to write for a certain prof or TA. Make sure that you find out what their expectations are and aim for those!

    That said, if your prof requested examples and references, go for it. Remember that generally examples are used in essays so you have "back up" for the claims you make, so you want to be heavy on the explanations and analysis, and not just on the examples. I would say use enough examples and thorough explanations of them to meet the essays length requirements. Make sure that your argument remains solid despite the use of examples.

    Additionally, you may want to pop in to the Student Learning Commons and chat with someone who has experience with Poli Sci. I got some amazing advice there when I was struggling with an English class, and it gave me a TON of confidence and greatly improved my grade. Remember that it's one of the services you earn by going to SFU, so don't feel weird by using it! You will be glad you went. :smile:

    GOOD LUCK. Remember that the grade is a chance to improve your skills as a student and will definitely result in you feeling more confident in this course and others!

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