OT - Essay writing techniques

[Sharky]

Is it considered bad taste to use 'headings' for each section in an essay?

I'm writing a technical essay and it would be so much easier if i could break it up like that. I need to get it finished pretty **** quickly becuase i have another essay+program to write for monday.

Cheers

[KC Elbows]

I'd avoid it. I don't have my style book handy, but if I think a teacher is anal, I won't do stuff like that.

At the same time, I can't think of any reason why it would be wrong.

Basically, my instinct is not to, but I can't give you a logical reason. If your instinct is to do the headers, then don't let me stop you.

Hopefully, someone more used to formal writing than me will get on and give the difinitive answer.

[Sharky]

That's what i was thinking. It's a technical report and some how i feel like that validates the use of headers :confused: :confused: :confused:

But then i've always been wierd.

[KC Elbows]

I know, it seems like I can picture having read essays on literature and stuff where they've used headers for different sections, but I can also remember taking shrums in large dosages, so I have to take that into account.

Sorry I can't be more help. Good luck.

[Sasha]

What's the size of the essay? There's a snobbish belief that you need far more space than you really do to make a point in humanities essays, so it's only when they get *really* large (ie. book size) that I've seen them get broken down into chapters.

If it helps you write it, write it with headers, then when you've finished, look back and delete them if you want, or don't if you don't.

[Sharky]

3000 word technical essay

Title: 3G Networks + Applications

(yes, that's the whole title)

[Sasha]

I've never had to write a technical essay. I don't even know exactly what one is :P

I would say if its only a descriptive essay, use headings. If it's evaluative (particularly if it's in any way subjective), don't; one section of the argument should flow into and the next, or you're likely to end up with a series of assertions.

But that's only secondary to what I said in my first post. Do what you feel most comfortable with. Worst case scenario, if it turns out to be the 'wrong' approach they might deduct a couple of marks, and you'll know for next time.

[Cody]

There's nothing the matter with using headings, for clarity, in an essay, a Ph.D. thesis, or something written for publication. In the latter, you might need to conform to style if it's for a journal. Even so, in scientific writing, headings are used all the time. Just don't use them decoratively. Headings are for clear separation of ideas or sections (for instance "Conclusions").

Cody

[Sharky]

It's not a scientific investigation, where i would use Aim, hypothesis, results etc it's still an essay

oh who cares

i'm doing it with heads just to get the content. i'll probably remove them later

cheers guys

[IronFist]

I'd say do it. Last semester my prof. gave us precise format for each of our papers, and most of the time she wanted headings. However, this was a business writing class, and the papers weren't exactly technical.

Oh wait, I had to write a technical paper on gigabit ethernet for my networking class, and I used headings there, too.

I'm talking abou college classes, and I assume you are, too.

Go for it. If the professor didn't specify, you can't be wrong.

IronFist