Steps of Essay Writing and

Techniques of Brain Storming

Dr Awdhesh Singh, IRS (Retd.)
Director, Awdhesh Academy,
Former Commissioner, Customs & Indirect Taxes (Central Excise/GST)
Continued from previous session..
What is tested in essay paper?
• Knowledge
• Integrity
• Attributes of a civil servant
• Loyalty towards the Constitution
5: Clarity of Thought
• Clear thinking leads to clear writing.
• A confused person’s writings is confusing.
• A confused person can’t take right decisions quickly
• Give diverse point of views, but clear & unambiguous conclusion
• Provide clear solution to the problem with justifiable reasons.
6: Writing Skill
• A civil servant acts on file through the written orders.
• His orders must be clear, unambiguous and contain no spelling/
grammatical mistakes
• His orders can be challenged in higher judicial forums.
• An essay should follow an order in a logical manner that
communicates clear thoughts
7. Presentation
• Handwriting
• Quotations
• Anecdotes
• Studies
• Data
• Figures
• Diagrams
Preparation Strategy
Importance of Preparation
• "Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four
sharpening the axe." (Abraham Lincoln)
• A gymnast prepare for years of a few seconds of performance
• You need years of preparation to perform well in competitive
examination.
• Writing is an skill that can be developed only gradually over long time.
1: Learning from multiple sources
• A good writer is always a good reader.
• ‘When the student is ready, the teacher will appear’. (Buddha)
• Learn from multiple sources.
• Develop the habit of reading something of everything and everything
of something.
• Develop depth and width of knowledge of different subjects.
Sources of learning
• Text book
• Internet
• Blogs
• Newspapers
• Social and Electronic Media debates
• Friends
• Experts
• Successful civil servants
2. Width and Depth of Knowledge
• It is difficult to predict the questions in the CSE.
• No prescribed book to cover the syllabus.
• All topics are not equally important
• Questions from some topics repeated regularly
• Questions from some topic are rarely asked.
• Know something of everything and everything of something
• Acquire width and depth of knowledge
3. Analysing
• Different point of views possible on the same issue.
• Multiple views are possible on the issues like demonetisation,
Lockdown, GST or Triple Talak,.
• Develop the ability to analyse different opinions and come to a
conclusion of your own.
• All government policies have positive and negative sides
• Prefer to take a view that is optimistic, in favour of the government
policies and serve the larger public interest.
Two Salesmen
• Two salesmen were sent to an African country by a shoe
manufacturing company to scout new markets where they could sell
their company shoes. The salesmen spent a couple of weeks there,
then came back to report their findings to their manager.
• The first salesman said, 'There is no market in that country. I did not
see anyone wearing shoes there.'
• The second salesman said, 'There is a huge market for shoes in that
country. I did not see anyone wearing shoes there.'
4. Thinking in English
• English is not the mother tongue for Indians.
• We think and speak in our native language.
• When we have to write in English, we first think in our mother tongue
and then translate.
• This slows down the writing speed and the writing is prone to error.
• Develop the habit of thinking in English.
5. Discussing
• Speaking and writing are interconnected.
• If your speaking is not clear, writing would be confusing.
• Discuss important issues with your friends or with your teacher in
English or the language of your essay.
• You get instant feedback about the content and presentation while
discussing.
• You also learn different points of views while discussing an issue
passionately.
• Fluent speaking also helps in interview.
6. Practice
• No amount of reading/learning can help you become a great writer.
• Capture the whole thoughts and express them in logical and orderly
manner.
• Develop the habit of writing regularly to develop proficiency in writing.
• Write at least one essay or one thought every day.
• Read different answers from books, newspapers or Quora and then write
them in your own words including your own perspective.
• Practice actual questions of the UPSC and finish them within time and
word limit.
• “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and
bleed”. (Ernest Miller Hemingway)
7. Review and feedback
• It is difficult to notice your own flaws in writings immediately.
• Review your answers after couple of days to find out the
shortcomings.
• Collaborate with your friend to check each other’s answer and point
of strength and weaknesses.
• Write on blogs, Quora etc. and get the feedback of your writing.
• Join an online coaching that provides feedback of your essays.
• Accept criticism and keep improving the quality of our writing.
Steps of Answer Writing
Essay Paper 2019
SECTION A
1. Wisdom finds truth
2. Values are not what humanity is, but what humanity ought to be
3. Best for an individual is not necessarily best for the society
4. Courage to accept and dedication to improve are two keys to success
SECTION B
5. South Asian societies are woven not around the state, but around their plural cultures
and plural identities
6. Neglect of primary health care and education in India are reasons for its backwardness
7. Biased media is a real threat to Indian democracy
8. Rise of Artificial Intelligence: the threat of jobless future or better job opportunities
through reskilling and upskilling
1. Selection of an Essay
• 1. Proper Understanding the Topic
• Don’t choose a topic which you don’t understand properly.
• Example: Don’t choose essays like Wisdom finds truth, unless you understand the
topic
• 2. Knowledge of the Topic
• Some essays can’t be written unless you have accurate knowledge
• Example: ‘Rise of Artificial Intelligence: the threat of jobless future or better job
opportunities through reskilling and upskilling’ (CSE 2019)
• 3. Availability of Material
• Most essay topics comes from the syllabus of General Studies (GS)
• Don’t choose essay if you don’t have sufficient material like data, anecdotes, quotes,
stories, information to write an essay of 1000-1200 words.
2: Dissecting the topic
• Dissect the topic into different parts to plan the essay.
• A good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge’ has
three components, which must be included in essay
• What is good life?
• How love inspires people to have a good life?
• How knowledge guides people to have a good life?
• Include all three dimensions in your essay
3: Brainstorming
• Brainstorming is a common method in the management and
administration to generate new ideas and solutions.
• It is often done in groups when the participants are encouraged to
think aloud and give their suggestion freely.
• No idea is judged at this stage. The evaluation takes place when the
brainstorming session is over.
• Do brainstorming by self and jot down all ideas.
• Select the good ones and reject the bad ones.
• Arrange the ideas in proper order in the order of priority as well as in
the order of presentation.
4: Structure of an Essay

1: Introduction:
• One or two paragraphs that introduces the readers to the topic.
• Provides the first impression to the examiner.
2: Body
• Discuss the issues is details presenting all sides of the story.
• Captures ideas produced during the brainstorming process.
• Should flow logically and connect one para to the next.
3: Conclusion
• Must provide solution or the result of the discussion.
• Happy ending i.e. must be optimistic.
5: Originality
• There is no best way to write an essay or and answer.
• Copying others style make an essay boring and limits its ambit
• Learn facts and reasons from great writers, but don’t copy their style.
• Examiners don’t expect too experienced and matured view of great
writers, but the idealism , energy and optimism of a youth to derive
the country.
• Be creative and develop your own style of writing.
Steps to Develop Creativity
• Assimilate various thoughts harmoniously
• Come up with a different hypothesis or introduce new evidence.
• Make the answer interesting and unpredictable till the last
• Don’t be too innovative or revolutionary
• Don’t use too many quotations and references
• Use personal experiences of self and others
• Discuss issues with friends and learn new ideas
• Learn from the discussions and debates on TV, newspapers
• Write blogs, answers on Quora
• Develop the habit of writing extempore answers and essays
3-Part Structure of an Essay
1. Introduction
• The purpose of introduction is to explain the issue in brief and create
some sort of curiosity in the reader to read the answer further.
• It sets tone of what to expect next in the subsequent body
paragraphs.
• It creates the first impression in the mind of the examiner
• Don’t write introduction spontaneously whatever comes to your mind
• Spend a few minutes thinking different types of introductions and
then begin your first sentence.
Body Paragraphs
• Body is the largest component of an essay.
• Body should constitute 60-70% of the total essay.
• There are chances of losing track in the process and write many things that
are not really relevant to the topic.
• You may exhaust your time and words limit and may not have enough time
to the important ideas of the topic.
• Keep going back to the topic and the ideas produced during brainstorming
so that you don’t skip anything important.
• Maintain flow in the essay within the para and also between the para.
• Link the paragraphs well so that the transition from one paragraph to
another is smooth.
3. Conclusion
• Must provide solution of a problem instead of leaving the problem
unsolved.
• End up with optimistic notes however dark the topic may be.
• Conclusion must show the idealism, ethics and values of the writer as
a civil servant.
• Conclusion must create and cement a lasting impression.
Brainstorming
What is brainstorming
• Brainstorming is a group activity technique designed to generate lots
of ideas for solution of a problem.
• It involves coming up with many, often radical, ideas.
• The underlying principle is that the greater the number of ideas
generated,the possibility that a quality solution will be found.
• Brainstorming helps us think outside of traditional the patterns we
are programmed with to think of new ideas.
Why brainstorming needed
• As a child, we were quite creative and we always like to experiment
and explore.
• As we grow, we get ‘stuck’ with patterns and think within them rather
than coming up with creative ideas.
• Our brains are ‘pattern recognition systems’ and that we get ‘stuck’
within known patterns and think within them versus outside of them.
• We need to get out of the conventional thinking to solve a complex
problem.
• The process of brainstorming helps us think out of box and generate
new ideas.
Conventional vs. Lateral Thinking
• Conventional Thinking: We use a structured or logical framework to
create a product, system or service or solve a problem.
• Lateral thinking: It deals with creative, out-of-box and innovative
approach. It means jumping outside of traditional patterns that we
use to solve problems.
Where does the conventional thinking work?
• Solving routine problems
• Answering prepared questions
• Analysis of a well known issue
• Design of a product, service or system that has been identified
• Root cause analysis
When does the lateral thinking works
• Solving new and unconventional problem
• Writing answers to unprepared questions
• Arts, music, poetry, writing
• When incremental innovation or methods are not working
• When breakthrough discoveries and innovation is needed
Rules of Brainstorming
• Set a time limit – depending on the problem’s complexity, time available.
• Begin with a target problem –Defined problem precisely, plan or goal and stay on
topic.
• Refrain from judgment/criticism – Don’t be negative about any idea.
• Encourage weird and wacky ideas –Feels free to blurt out ideas, as long as it is on
topic.
• Aim for quantity – “quantity breeds quality”; the sifting-and-sorting process
comes later.
• Combine and improve ideas–expand on others’ notions and get new insights.
• Note down points, make diagrams –It keep you focused and help bring ideas to
life.
• Allow one conversation at a time – Think all related aspects on an issue
Challenges of Brainstorming
• Lack of clarity of goals and purpose
• Too many goals may diffuse the focus and waste energy
• Too much time spend on brainstorming
• Create too many useless ideas
• Getting confused in prioritising the ideas.
Essay Practice
Question brain storming
• This process involves brainstorming the questions, rather than trying
to come up with immediate answers and short term solutions.
• Develop a list of questions to reach to the best solution in an orderly
way.
• Who?
• Why?
• How?
• What?
• When?
• ???
Customary morality cannot be a
guide to modern life
(CSE 2018)
Brainstorming the question
• What is morality?
• What is customary morality?
• What is modern life?
• What are modern values?
• How morality changes with place and time?
• Why people are guided by customary morality?
• Why should one follow modern values?
• How can we best balance modern values and traditions?
Definitions
• Morality are the principles concerning the distinction between right
and wrong; proper and improper; or good and bad behaviour.
• Morality can be a body of standards or principles derived from a code
of conduct from a particular philosophy, religion or culture, or it can
derive from a standard that a person believes should be universal.
• Customary Morality are the morality which are related to customs,
tradition, religion, society, state or nation.
Quotes
• Morality is the basis of things and truth is the substance of all
morality. Mahatma Gandhi
• “Compassion is the basis of morality.” ― Arthur Schopenhauer,
German philosopher
• “Tradition becomes our security, and when the mind is secure it is in
decay.” ― Jiddu Krishnamurti
• “When men are oppressed, it's a tragedy. When women are
oppressed, it's tradition.” ― Letty Cottin Pogrebin, Writer
• “Tradition is a guide and not a jailer.” ― W. Somerset Maugham,
English writer
Example of Customary Morality
• Caste based profession, marriage,
• Role of women in a society, homemaker,
• Traditional Dress-code like covering face, burka,
• Sacredness of marriage, no divorce
• Heterosexual marriages
• Obeying elders
• Follow traditions and cultures strictly
• Prohibition of extramarital relationship
• Not eating meat
• Not consuming alcohol
Modern concept of morality
• Democracy
• Focus on individuality and freedom
• Equality of caste, religion, races
• Freedom to choose religion, profession, spouse,
• Marriage permitted between any caste, race, religion or gender
• Divorce is acceptable and marriages are revocable
• Live-in relationships
• Freedom of choice and LGBT Rights
Recent Issues relating to customary morality
• Sabarimala Temple Issue,
• Triple Talak case,
• Decriminalise of Section 377 dealing with unnatural sex and accepting
LGBT rights
• Supreme Court striking down Section 497 that dealt with adultery
• Decriminalising suicides
• Criminalising the killing of cows and banning of beef eating
Introduction of Essay

• What is morality?
• Benefits of morality for people and society
• How morality change with time and place?
• Meaning of customary morality?
Body of essay

• Examples of customary morality which have become outdated (caste

based profession, sacredness of marriages, role of women)
• Role of parents, elders, traditions, cultures to develop moral values
• Why people are still guided by customary morality?
• The reasons for emergence of modern values (globalisation, internet,
social media,
• Modern morality (freedom, democracy, individuality, gender equality,
love marriage, divorce, live-in, LGBT)
• Recent issues of morality (Triple Talaq, Sabrimala verdict, Article 377)
Conclusion
• Customs and Traditions are important for continuity, peace and
stability
• Moral values change with time and place
• Discard obsolete customary values
• Adopt modern values with care and caution
• Synergize modern with traditional values