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Getting Started with Essay Writing

Tamy Chapman and Helen Nam

Course 2: Getting Started with Essay Writing

This is the second course in the Academic English: Writing specialization. By introducing you to three types of academic essays, this course will especially help prepare you for work in college classes, but anyone who wants to improve his or her writing skills can benefit from this course.

After completing this course, you will be able to:

- create effective thesis statements for your essays

- plan and write compare/contrast, cause/effect, and argument essays

- write well-developed body paragraphs

Course 2: Getting Started with Essay Writing

After completing this course, you will be able to:

- create effective thesis statements for your essays

- plan and write compare/contrast, cause/effect, and argument essays

- write well-developed body paragraphs

Note: The lectures and practice activities are available for free, but you must upgrade to the pay version in order to take the quizzes and get feedback on writing assignments.

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What's inside

Syllabus

Course Introduction

This is the second course in the Academic English: Writing specialization. In the last course, you reviewed sentence types and punctuation. You'll use that information in this course to make your writing great. In this course, you'll learn all about academic essay writing and, specifically, how to write three types of essays: compare/contrast, cause/effect, and argument. To pass this course, you need to pass all four quizzes and pass all three writing assignments. When you finish one activity, you can continue to the next one. Enjoy!

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Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Develops thesis statements, body paragraphs, and compare/contrast, cause/effect, and argument essays, which are core writing skills for college coursework and personal growth

Taught by Tamy Chapman and Helen Nam, who are experienced instructors in the field of academic writing

Examines essay writing, which is widely employed in higher education and beyond

Provides ample practice activities to enhance writing skills

Introduces multiple types of academic essays, catering to diverse writing needs

Requires paid upgrade for quizzes and feedback, which may pose a barrier for some learners

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Reviews summary

Solid introduction to academic essays

According to learners, this course provides a solid foundation in academic essay writing, specifically focusing on compare/contrast, cause/effect, and argument essays. Students frequently mention that the course structure is clear and the lectures and examples are helpful, making it particularly effective for beginners or those new to college-level writing. While many find it a valuable starting point, some reviewers note that the content can be too basic for more advanced writers seeking in-depth techniques. A significant point highlighted is that access to quizzes and feedback on writing assignments requires payment, which can limit the full learning experience for free users.

Ideal for beginners, potentially basic for others.

"As someone completely new to academic writing, this was exactly what I needed. It wasn't overwhelming and covered the fundamentals well."

"I was hoping for more advanced techniques or complex essay structures, but this course really focuses on the absolute basics."

"Good for refreshing the basics of essay structure and common types, but if you've written academic essays before, it might move too slow."

"The course is great if you are just starting out, but intermediate or advanced writers might find it redundant."

Effectively teaches specific academic formats.

"Learning the structure for compare/contrast and cause/effect essays was the most useful part for my college classes."

"The module on argument essays gave me practical tools and strategies I could use right away for my school assignments."

"This course specifically taught the essay types (compare/contrast, cause/effect, argument) that I needed to learn for university applications and studies."

"I found the breakdown of each essay type very thorough and helpful for structuring my own papers."

Instructor explains concepts effectively.

"The instructor's lectures were easy to understand and she explained the concepts of essay writing very clearly."

"I liked the way the video lectures were presented. They weren't boring and held my attention while teaching crucial points."

"The lessons on thesis statements and topic sentences were particularly helpful thanks to the clear and concise instruction provided."

"The videos were well-produced and the instructor's delivery was engaging and easy to follow."

Well-structured and easy to follow lessons.

"The course structure is very clear and easy to follow, making academic writing less intimidating for a beginner like me."

"This course was a perfect starting point. The way they broke down essay structure made it simple and understandable."

"I struggled with essay writing before, but this explained the basics really well. The step-by-step approach was great and helpful."

"Very helpful course, especially for those who are not native English speakers. The explanations of essay structure were very clear."

Key learning elements require paid access.

"It's frustrating that the quizzes and writing assignments, which are crucial for practice and feedback, are behind a paywall."

"You only get the real benefit of feedback on your writing if you pay for the certificate. The free lectures are useful but not enough for practical application."

"The course syllabus says you need to pass assignments to pass, but you can't submit or get grades without paying, which is a major limitation for free learners."

"Found the free content useful, but felt like I missed out on necessary practice because I couldn't afford the paid version."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Getting Started with Essay Writing with these activities:

Read 'A Writer's Reference' by Diana Hacker

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Review the essentials of English grammar, punctuation, and style to strengthen your writing skills.

View A Writer's Reference with Writing about... on Amazon

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Identify areas of weakness
Read relevant sections
Take notes and practice exercises

Review your notes and assignments from previous English courses

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Refresh your knowledge of grammar, punctuation, and essay writing principles.

Browse courses on Essay Writing

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Gather your previous coursework materials
Review key concepts and examples

Attend a workshop on essay writing

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Gain insights and feedback on your writing from experienced professionals.

Browse courses on Essay Writing

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Find and register for a relevant workshop
Attend the workshop and participate actively
Implement the feedback received into your writing

Five other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all eight activities

Complete the Coursera Specialization in Academic English Writing

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Enhance your understanding of essay writing techniques, structure, and argumentation.

Browse courses on Essay Writing

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Enroll in the Coursera specialization
Complete the video lectures and readings
Practice writing different types of essays

Join a study group or writing circle

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Collaborate with peers to exchange feedback and improve your writing skills.

Browse courses on Essay Writing

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Find a study group or writing circle
Meet regularly and discuss writing assignments
Provide and receive feedback on each other's writing

Write and review 5 sample essays

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Apply your understanding of essay writing by practicing writing and reviewing various types of essays.

Browse courses on Essay Writing

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Choose topics for each type of essay
Outline and write the essays
Review and revise your essays

Develop a presentation on effective essay writing techniques

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Demonstrate your understanding of essay writing principles by creating a presentation to share with others.

Browse courses on Presentation Skills

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Identify key essay writing techniques
Create visual aids and slides
Practice and deliver the presentation

Create a blog or website dedicated to academic writing

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Solidify your understanding of academic writing by creating and publishing your own content.

Browse courses on Blogging

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Choose a niche and create a platform
Research and write informative articles
Promote and engage with your audience

Career center

Learners who complete Getting Started with Essay Writing will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Consultant

A Consultant provides advice and guidance to businesses and organizations on a variety of topics. Getting Started with Essay Writing may be useful for this role because it can help you develop the skills you need to write clear, concise, and persuasive consulting reports and other documents.

See salaries and explore the career path for Consultant

Speechwriter

A Speechwriter writes speeches for politicians, business leaders, and other public figures. Getting Started with Essay Writing may be useful for this role because it can help you develop the skills you need to write clear, concise, and persuasive speeches.

See salaries and explore the career path for Speechwriter

Professor

A Professor teaches and conducts research at a college or university. Getting Started with Essay Writing may be useful for this role because it can help you develop the skills you need to write clear, concise, and persuasive academic papers and other documents.

See salaries and explore the career path for Professor

Policy Analyst

A Policy Analyst researches and analyzes public policy issues to make recommendations for policy changes. Getting Started with Essay Writing may be useful for this role because it can help you develop the skills you need to write clear, concise, and persuasive policy reports and other documents.

See salaries and explore the career path for Policy Analyst

Lawyer

A Lawyer advises clients on legal matters and represents them in court. Getting Started with Essay Writing may be useful for this role because it can help you develop the skills you need to write clear, concise, and persuasive legal documents.

See salaries and explore the career path for Lawyer

Project Manager

A Project Manager plans and executes projects to achieve specific goals. Getting Started with Essay Writing may be useful for this role because it can help you develop the skills you need to write clear, concise, and persuasive project plans and other documents.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

Business Analyst

A Business Analyst analyzes business processes and systems to identify areas for improvement. Getting Started with Essay Writing may be useful for this role because it can help you develop the skills you need to write clear, concise, and persuasive business proposals and other documents.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Marketing Manager

A Marketing Manager plans and executes marketing campaigns to promote products or services. Getting Started with Essay Writing may be useful for this role because it can help you develop the skills you need to write clear, concise, and persuasive marketing materials.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Manager

Public Relations Specialist

A Public Relations Specialist manages the public relations of an organization or individual. Getting Started with Essay Writing may be useful for this role because it can help you develop the skills you need to write clear, concise, and persuasive press releases and other public relations materials.

See salaries and explore the career path for Public Relations Specialist

Journalist

A Journalist gathers, analyzes, and reports on news and current events. Getting Started with Essay Writing may be useful for this role because it can help you develop the skills you need to write clear, concise, and accurate news articles.

See salaries and explore the career path for Journalist

Copywriter

A Copywriter creates written content for advertising and marketing campaigns. Getting Started with Essay Writing may be useful for this role because it can help you develop the skills you need to write clear, concise, and persuasive copy.

See salaries and explore the career path for Copywriter

Content Writer

A Content Writer creates written content for a variety of media, such as websites, blogs, social media, and marketing materials. Getting Started with Essay Writing may be useful for this role because it can help you develop the skills you need to write clear, concise, and engaging written content.

See salaries and explore the career path for Content Writer

Grant Writer

A Grant Writer writes grant proposals to secure funding for non-profit organizations, government agencies, and other organizations. Getting Started with Essay Writing may be useful for this role because it can help you develop the skills you need to write clear, concise, and persuasive grant proposals.

See salaries and explore the career path for Grant Writer

Technical Writer

A Technical Writer creates instruction manuals, technical reports, and other documentation that explains complex technical information to a non-technical audience. Getting Started with Essay Writing may be useful for this role because it can help you develop the skills you need to write clear, concise, and easy-to-understand technical documentation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Writer

Editor

An Editor is responsible for overseeing the creation and revision of written content. The content they oversee may be for a variety of media, such as books, magazines, newspapers, websites, and social media. Getting Started with Essay Writing may be useful for this role because it can help you develop the skills you need to create clear, concise, and engaging written content.

See salaries and explore the career path for Editor

Reading list

We've selected 15 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Getting Started with Essay Writing.

Teaching Mathematics Using Interactive Mapping

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Classic guide to writing style. It provides clear and concise rules for writing effectively. It useful reference tool for writers of all levels.

Getting Started with Essay Writing

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What's inside

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Solid introduction to academic essays

Activities

Career center

Reading list

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