The first book that literature students should read, this guide reveals the distinct set of skills, conventions and methods of essay and dissertation writing.Taking students through the various stages of writing, from planning to final submission, it offers specific guidelines and a lively, detailed commentary on actual examples of student work at each stage.

This essential guide to writing essays and dissertations for English literature students offers step-by-step instruction on each stage of writing, from organising initial ideas through to submitting a completed piece of work. It also explains the general principles that underlie essay topics and exam questions, building on a description of those principles to help students develop effective writing and editing strategies.

Fabb and Durant offer a clear account of what makes a successful essay in literary studies, and demonstrate why alternative forms of argument and presentation are not considered to work so well. They outline various ways of solving problems encountered during the process of writing, and emphasise the importance of finding solutions that suit the writer and the topic.