Help, It’s Not an Essay!

Higher education assessments are changing: they are becoming more diverse, more real and more digital. Essays and exams are increasingly losing favour as universities and colleges understand that students need to be better prepared for the visually-rich, multimodal and digital landscape we now inhabit.

Help, It’s Not an Essay! responds to the changing landscape and gives help and advice to support students with more authentic, real-world assessment formats. Ranging from more traditional assessments such as academic posters and presentations (which have themselves become more visual as improved technologies facilitate this development) to newer communication methods such as blogs, infographics, videos and podcasts, this book equips students with the knowledge and the skills to produce assignments with confidence.

The first part of the book outlines the core principles of effective academic communication which lie at the heart of all types of assessment. Part B shows students how to nail the assignment brief, by thinking about the needs of the audience, and getting key design principles right. It includes guidance on how to work effectively in groups and how to engage with AI ethically.

Part C consists of short, accessible chapters which give targeted guidance on each form of assignment. Whether it’s a video, a visual essay, a report (or anything else), this book helps students to understand what’s expected – and shows them how to deliver brilliant assignments.