How to Write an International Relations Essay

Undergraduate BSc IR & Politics Study and Exam Skills building

How to Write an International Relations Essay 

Learning to write quality essays is the most effective way of developing the skills needed for success on your International Relations course: the skills of conceptual clarity, rigorous argumentation, critical interpretation, and the effective marshalling of multiple sources of evidence. Yet the essay itself is only the tip of the iceberg, the concrete outcome of extensive preparation.

Answering the Question

The first rule in writing an essay in international relations is to make sure that you answer the question set. No matter how well you may write or how persuasively you may argue so long as you are not answering the question you cannot reasonably expect to attain the mark your essay might otherwise merit.

Even when you are undecided about the right answer, it is always better to argue that the available evidence is not sufficient to justify taking a firm position rather than to evade the question altogether. 

Broadening Your Perspective

International relations is a complex subject covering topics as diverse as current affairs, international diplomacy, global policy-making, political theory, international organisations, military interventions, human rights and much more. Unsurprisingly, this makes it a reading- and writing-intensive degree, requiring the ability to absorb, condense and synthesise information quickly and efficiently, as well as to keep abreast of the most recent developments in world affairs.

For these reasons, consulting papers or books in addition to those on the recommended reading list will help you gain a broader perspective and demonstrate an ability to conduct independent research. This is highly recommended – but again, always make sure what you include is relevant to building your argument and answering the question.

Structuring an International Relations Essay

Nearly all papers in international relations involve constructing an argument. The thesis for which you are arguing should be stated at the outset, in the opening paragraphs.

An international relations essay is not an opportunity to indiscriminately jot down everything you know about a given topic. Rather, you need to carefully decide which aspects of your knowledge are relevant and which are not. 

Your introduction should aim capture the reader’s attention while avoiding broad ‘background’ narratives, unsupported generalisations or irrelevant information.

The main body of your essay should then be structured in accordance with the logic of the argument presented in order to substantiate your thesis.

Rather than simply giving opinions, whether your own or somebody else’s, you must provide reasons for your claims, bolstered wherever possible with factual evidence. Relevant data, examples, statistics and other information should be marshalled to bolster each substantive point you make.

Each paragraph should cover a single idea. After writing each paragraph, ask yourself how it relates to the essay question and supports your argument. If it doesn’t clearly do so, amend it so as to avoid irrelevant diversions.

An international relations essay is not an exercise in political partisanship, so be sure to address counter-arguments. Put yourself in the position of a sceptical reader and consider possible objections to your arguments and use of evidence. If these objections can be rebutted, offer a counter-argument; if not, your position will need to be appropriately qualified. 

The final paragraphs should comprise a strong conclusion, pulling all your points together. Restate your main thesis and succinctly remind the reader of the arguments and evidence you have used to support it. You may also briefly address the wider implications of your position.  Introducing new arguments or evidence at this point, however, would only be a sign of poor essay planning.

How to Structure a Politics BSc Essay

It is Important you widely research your topic before you begin writing - Your Politics essay must be well researched, referenced and have a good structure.  Thus you should ensure you read widely, using recommended textbooks, also read outside the reading list, read journals and articles and include if possible any current political issues.  Politics is a subject which is alive and constantly changing.

1.    Read ahead of the lecture or seminar.

·         Firstly read to just to get an understanding of the topic and do not produce any notes, read a number or range of different resources e.g. textbooks, articles, journals, to ensure you have breadth and depth to your discussion.

·         Secondly read to prepare yourself for your lecture or seminar.

·         If you have a seminar or lecture question, then structure your notes as a debate/essay around this topic.  Colour code each section.  Also include some evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of these different argument and suggest which you think is the most useful and why.

·         They key is to include relevant studies, theorists, concepts, debates and contemporary examples within your notes.

·         Use the above to create some of the resources referred to in your study skills toolkit

o   Key concept diary

o   Key study sheets

o   Topic posters

o   Cue cards

o   Evaluation grid

o   Mind maps

·         Thirdly, read after your seminar or lecture, to consolidate your notes, your lecture and any seminar notes.  It will also highlight any issues you might have missed.

·         Divide your topic into and number of different themes, perspectives or issues. And keep your notes under these themes

·         Then finally further subdivide these notes so that will either support or refute one of the relevant arguments (you can colour code your answer in relation to for or against it…)  You should also ensure you include an evaluation grid, highlight the limitation of both interpretation and if possible make a judgement.

·         The above plans and notes will be used by you later in the course to either write a course assignment or to revise from a planned essay.

2.    Visit your Personal Tutor

      Make use of other 2nd/3rd year students, have group and mini-discussions with other regarding your seminar topics.
Even review essays the have completed to different topics to the ones you have done, and share your good ones with them.

      3.    Ask to have a meeting with your seminar tutor and discuss your feedback.  Also download the mark schemes from the websites

     4.    When you actually write your essay, it is important to keep your description to a minimum and ensure you analyse and evaluate effectively the topic and provide as much real word examples as you can.

      5.    As noted in the introduction hand out – ensure you define any key terms, briefly explain in a few sentences what you will be examining or discussing in your essay, demonstrate how your essay will be structured and make a judgement.

      6.    1) Read the question.
2) Plan
3) Answer the question.

      7.    Reading widely may mean that you have a range of different interpretations and reviews on your essay.  However if you stick to your plan this will keep you focused.

      8.    Finish your assignment ahead of time, so you can review it with fresh eyes.  To ensure you have written what you intended to write and answered the question you have been asked.

      9.    The key to good Politics essay is structure, you should focus on the question you are answering, present a balanced debate, justified with evidence and embedded with analysis throughout.

     10. Don’t just regurgitate what the different studies have said, briefly explain, analyse ensuring you maintain your focus on your question, illustrate with examples.  Then evaluate the strengths and limitations of the approach, (even if you are arguing in favour of it) you are discussing, really critically assess each argument, and link back to the question and justify your own argument

     

     11.                       Ensure your argument is concise and coherent (read it out loud to yourself).

12.                       The secret to a high grade for essays are to disagree entirely with the question set (and then back it up obviously).

13.                       Then finally conclude by answering the question.

The mumpreneur project: An excellent A2 History coursework in 13 easy step...

The mumpreneur project: An excellent A2 History coursework in 13 easy step...: 1.  Stick to your word limit, it's 2000 words for a reason.  Also you do not want to be penalised for writing too much. 2. In your in...

An excellent A2 History coursework in 13 easy steps

1.  Stick to your word limit, it's 2000 words for a reason.  Also you do not want to be penalised for writing too much.


2. In your introduction really focus on the historic event you are assessing, make explicit reference to it, supporting with statistics or relevant historic policies.


3. Clearly concentrate on your coursework question, make clear in your introduction what the different interpretation's views of this question are.  Which ones you think are the most credible and why, support with historical evidence.  Then make your judgement.

4. Remember at the end of the day your coursework is indeed similar to an AS History source exam.  So structure it and think of it as an essay.

5. Some schools may have given you a structure for how to tackle the sources. If they have use it, it will assist the flow and structure of your essay.  If they have not given you a structure, familiarise yourself with each of the interpretation.  Additionally you might find it useful to start with the interpretations which support the question.

6.  In your planning stages ensure you include all of the relevant quotes from whichever of the interpretations you are examining.  You might find it useful to create a table for this.

7.  Then you want to briefly examine or explain this quote in your own words and demonstrate how this supports the historian's interpretation or view.  Again you could include this in the table in a new column.

8. Next still using your table justify and support your analysis so far with relevant historical evidence to support the interpretation.  This could be another column in your table.

9. Ensure you frequently refer to and demonstrate with quotes, explanation/analysis or historic evidence the historian's crediblity, persuasiveness or demonstrate the strength of their argument. Again use the terms "crediblity", "credible argument", "credible", "supported" etc...

10.  Introduce the next interpretation by noting how it is similar to the first.  E.g. "Similarly " then follow the same format as before.

11.  Then highlight the limitations or weaknesses of these interpretations by explaining what they have omitted or not examined.

12. Next demonstrate how the next interpretation differs from the previous interpretation, then follow the same format for this and your final interpretation.

13.  Your conclusion should explain which two sources are the most credible and why, then answer the question

Best wishes with your coursework everyone.

The mumpreneur project: 4 Study Skills Tips for Undergraduates 1

The mumpreneur project: 4 Study Skills Tips for Undergraduates 1: In previous blog posts I have generally focused on the study, revision and exam skills or dissertation skills necessary to be successful in...

4 Study Skills Tips for Undergraduates 1

In previous blog posts I have generally focused on the study, revision and exam skills or dissertation skills necessary to be successful in your A levels or your dissertation.  Today I shall impart some wisdom that should prove insightful and useful to all the undergraduate students who follow or read my blog posts.

So most of you have had or are having exams, however let us think about your second semester for a moment.  How can you ensure you develop effective study skills during semester 2 to make sure you are on top of all your learning, produce brilliant assignments and or presentation and are well prepared for your second semester exams in the summer?

1.     Include study and assignment preparation time in your timetable.

a.       Extend your lecture/seminar timetable by including in your timetable, your study skills, assignment preparation and revision sessions as soon as you have your semester timetable. 

b.       This will mean you can prepare for your assignments and exams gradually over the course of the semester, rather than leaving it all to the end.

Please see exemplar below

	9.00-11.00	11.00-13.00	13.00-15.00	15.00-17.00	Travel	19.00-21.00
Monday	Research/Study ½/3	Lecture preparation deconstructing the problem of crime (study) 1	Deconstructing the crime problem (lecture)	Deconstructing the crime problem (seminar)		Consolidating Notes, study skills, assignment /exam/essay preparation (study) 2
Tuesday	Work	Work	Work	Work	Work	Research/Study ½/3
Wednesday	Psychological research methods preparation (study) 1	Psychological research methods (Computer labs)	Consolidating Notes, study skills, assignment /exam/essay preparation (study) 2	Research/Study ½/3	Travel	Lecture/seminar preparation introducing Psychological approaches (study) 1
Thursday	Introducing Psychological approaches (lecture)	Introducing Psychological approaches (seminar)	Consolidating Notes, study skills, assignment /exam/essay preparation (study) 2	Research/Study ½/3	Travel	Free Time
Friday	Research/Study ½/3	Work	Work	Work	Work	Work
Saturday	Work	Work	Work	Work	Travel	Research/Study ½/3 /Social Life
Sunday	Work	Work	Work	Work	Travel	Research/Study ½/3 /Social Life

Timetable key

Black - General study or research, or embedding independent research/learning for module lecture, lab, seminar, or assignment or exam preparation.

Green – reading ahead of and around the topic

Red – Lecture

Blue – seminar

Purple – consolidate your independent notes/research, with lecture hand-outs/notes, seminar hand-outs/notes and any additional notes or research for topic.

1 2.  When creating you prep notes before the lecture you will often use journals, research papers or other textbooks, the same applies to your consolidation sessions or research sessions. 

a.     It is imperative that you reference the notes you have made to be included later in your bibliography and include page numbers, this important to avoid accidental plagiarism. 

b.     Additionally you call also colour code your notes as done in the timetable to demonstrate and distinguish your ideas from the author’s and your lecturer’s and again avoid plagiarism.

1.        3. During your lecture you will be given a hand-out, which will offer you a very basic overview of the given topic.  You should notes to your lecture hand-out, this can be done in more of a number of ways.  However, please don’t write out everything single thing the lecturer says as you will find it impossible to absorb any information and when reading it back later, you probably won’t remember anything.

a.       Taping the lecture and transcribing later or the lecture presentation may even be available on the University’s intranet.

b.       Nevertheless I would encourage you to develop your own short-hand technique (as I did) which will enable you to take good and effective lecture notes and assist your learning.  You could learn short-hand, devise your own with a key and abbreviation any long or words constantly used in the lecture for instance, SLT= social learning Theory, CD= Child Development or middle class = mc, working class = w/c, or civil rights =cr, politburo = pb, between = btw etc…  You may also find symbols such as arrows useful, especially when concluding. 

c.       Many students find that hand-outs are not that useful, especially if they mirror the lecture presentation.  Additionally they are often vague and general, lacking depth and any real insight, thus they should be kept with your lecture notes but can be examined further after your lecture.

d.       At your earliest convenience during your consolidation study time, write the lecture notes you made out in full and synthesis with information from your prep, seminar and any other reading you have done, to make the notes and explicit and detailed as possible to gain understanding on later reading.

e.       Ensure the notes you take include any in-depth explanations that the lecturer provides as these main not be on the intranet or hand-out and should give you a wealth of understanding and insight into the topic. (These can be typed up and will be returned to in another session)

1.        4. At the start of each new semester you will be given a module outline for each module, this should include a full list of topics to be covered weekly for each module, it may also include a reading list for each week and seminar questions.  (see separate PDF)

a.       I would encourage you to use your study and independent research time as accommodated in the timetable above to read around the topic ahead of your lecture and seminar. 

b.       Read the texts for your topic each week, on the reading list to engage in active learning by creating your own study notes, key study sheets, evaluation grid, topic posters and essay mapping (these components will be examined further in a later session).

c.       Also have group discussions or pair discussions on seminar topics or even when preparing for lectures to share and gain new insight and information – this can be done face-to-face, via Facebook, google hangout, skype or any other medium you can think off.

Dissertation tips day 1

By Michele Scott-Akanbi

1. Make sure you read at least 3 dissertations from the previous cohorts, before you start your research.

2. Make sure you choose a subject and topic that you are passionate about from the modules you have studied over the past 2 years, more next week.