Research and Bibliographic Materials
The primary aspect you have to understand when learning how to write a political science essay is that political theory and practice may vary a lot, depending on the various types of diplomatic and legal circumstances. Conducting research into the field of politics is the first step in learning how to write a political science essay. If the subject of your paper is new to you, spend a couple of days in your local library, familiarising yourself with the theory. It is always necessary that you verify how recent your sources are, because politics is a subject that is constantly revised and improved. Moreover, make sure that the political theory books you find apply to the specific space and countries you want to focus upon.
Even students who consider themselves keen on politics are advised to spend a day or two at the library, as there may have been new developments in the field. The online environment can prove useful for research, but many sources do not offer the amount or quality of information worthy of an academic essay. Books and papers may be incomplete or available at a cost, but certain sites like SpringerLink or Google Scholar do offer quality material. Other good sources are academic journals, the specialised press, as well as government publications.
Keep in mind that a poorly written essay that offers strong and credible arguments will receive better marks than a well-written one that fails to back up its arguments properly. Therefore, it is best to avoid altogether less valid sources such as encyclopaedia entries or outdated textbooks.
Nevertheless, the student who wants to learn how to write a political science essay has to be very thorough when searching for bibliographical sources. By gathering good materials, the student will be able to identify the key concepts regarding his thesis, and locate relevant debates and arguments that can support a certain perspective.
Overview materials are useful for introducing the reader to the subject, and works that are more specific will strengthen your arguments and prove your points of view; therefore, you should gather as many bibliographical sources as you can. After gathering a sufficient amount of materials, it is time to begin writing the paper.
Writing Your Paper
The student who knows how to write a political science essay needs to be convincing. Compelling arguments and conclusive evidence need to be the strong points of his or her paper.
- In order to have a powerful impact on the readership, you need to first develop a plan for your paper, under the form of an abstract or outline. This plan will be a sketch of the structure of your essay, and should provide good support for arguing your perspective on the subject of the paper. This way, you will have your thoughts and ideas organised; all you need to do next is expand on each one of the points mentioned in the outline. Knowing how to structure a paper well is another required skill for those who know how to write a political science essay.
- Your introduction needs to be written in a shrewd language in order to catch the attention of the readership. There are certain ways to achieve this: try to render your subject interesting by emphasising on its importance or on the eventual consequences that might occur in a given situation. Be formal and concise, avoiding jargon and clichés; politics requires a good use of communication skills, and so do you when learning how to write a political science essay.
- The main body of the paper should have several separate sections. A first section would present the theoretical approaches to your subject, as presented by the primary literature. Every perspective upon the matter should be described, and in the next section, you will present compelling facts and evidence, together with case studies and examples, in order to argue for or against the opinions of one or more authors. Political science does allow personal opinions on the student's behalf; nevertheless, your opinions should be included near the end of the body of the essay, as you approach the conclusion.
Remember, learning how to write a political science essay implies a certain degree of convincing power. The more evidence you bring, the better your chances are of scoring a top mark.
- The conclusion should convince the readership of the importance of your claim. Recap all your arguments in brief, and answer any remaining issues. Do not introduce new details or facts in your conclusion, and try to inspire a sense of self-confidence through your use of language. Do not forget to include the bibliography page at the end of your paper.
The Final Adjustments
An often overlook step in essay writing, the revision of the paper can spell the difference between a high and a mediocre mark. Check the spelling and the grammar, but mind also the use of the language. If any adjustments need to be performed, do so without hesitation: rearrange paragraphs, include additional charts and figures, or whatever might improve the aspect and convincing power of your paper. You might experience a bias when revising the paper yourself, as different ideas that might improve your work might not occur to you then. Asking someone to read it and come back with feedback might be very useful in this regard; learning how to write a political science essay implies taking into consideration other opinions as well. Moreover, make sure that you respect the required format style. For political essays, the most often used style is Harvard, if your instructor has not already requested the use of a particular style.
If you really desire a top mark, you may hire a professional to revise the paper. The proofreading and editing services offered by Academic Sciences can be used to make your political science essay worthy of your instructor's appraisal. Moreover, if you lack time, resources or you are not too sure how to write a political science essay, the dissertation and essay-writing sections of Academic Sciences are at your disposal.
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