All schools and universities in the UK – be it the more popularly known universities such as the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge, or other universities such as the University of London or Durham University – it is all the same. All students, at some point in their stay in the university, will be required to write an essay and hand it in as part of his or her coursework requirements.
All courses offered within these universities – be it centred on the sciences or the arts – will require some form of written compositions from their students. The most common are the essays required of students ranging from the undergraduate levels to those studying for Masters or Doctorate degrees. Most of these courses, even those that are practise-based such as Photography, will also require the completion of a dissertation from the students looking to get a degree in that specific field.
There is not a lot that separates Oxbridge essays from any other essays required of students all over the UK. An essay is an essay, no matter what school a student is enrolled in or what course he or she is taking. An essay is a short piece of writing that is, in the context of a coursework assignment, usually written to answer or discuss a question or statement posted by the professor in relation to a topic within the subject area being dealt with.
Essays are used to evaluate a student’s knowledge on the topic and also to further improve on his understanding of the subject. These short written pieces make up for a significant part of a student’s grade and should be written with utmost care. There are some who may breeze through such assignments and there are others who may find the task challenging. It all depends on the student, his skills, and his determination to finish the task at hand.
Students who find essay writing a bit difficult need not worry too much. Successfully writing an essay comes with practice and time. There is no specific formula for writing an essay. What works for one student may not work for others. Students should, however, try to establish their own style or approach to writing to make tackling such assignments easier.