The Essay Route Map: helping students to navigate their academic writing

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.vi37.1725

Keywords:

essay writing skills, higher education transition, blended learning, academic support, inclusivity

Abstract

The Essay Route Map is an institution-wide initiative designed to help improve students’ essay writing skills. The interactive online course guides students through the process of writing an essay and brings together the wealth of resources and tools available at the University of Lancashire. Students can feel overwhelmed due to the volume of information available and do not always know what is expected of them in HE, particularly as many of our students come from non-traditional backgrounds. Students enter university with preconceived ideas about what to expect based on previous schemas, such as school, college or the workplace, and often these do not align with expectations at HE level, leading to low attainment. As McEwan (2017, p.511) highlights, the ‘transition into higher education…and the early experiences of higher education (HE) during the transition period could impact on the academic outcomes of students well into their program of studies’. This has implications for student attainment and retention.

The Essay Route Map therefore sought to provide scaffolding to help students with the transition to HE by supporting their development of key academic skills. The course can be embedded on a VLE or completed independently via the Learning Development Team resources webpage. This paper outlined the pedagogical rationale for the Essay Route Map and the pilot of the project with two apprenticeship cohorts. It covered the benefits of embedding the course on the VLE as part of a blended learning approach as well as the inclusivity aspects accounted for throughout the project.

Author Biographies

Angela Kilpatrick, University of Lancashire

Angela Kilpatrick is a Lecturer in Learning Development at the University of Lancashire, with 14 years’ experience in higher education as an associate lecturer in English Language and Linguistics and an employability co-ordinator. Over the last four years, she has worked in a central service supporting staff and students in academic skills development through co-creating bespoke workshops and resources. Diagnosed with dyslexia in adulthood, she brings empathy and advocacy to her work, driving inclusive learning practices. In 2022, she co-founded the Neurodivergent Staff Network, where she serves as Co-Chair, promoting institutional support and awareness for neurodivergent staff and students.

Andrea Evans, University of Lancashire

Andrea Evans is a Subject Librarian for the School of Psychology and Humanities and Partner College Liaison Librarian at the University of Lancashire. With over 25 years of experience within the Information Literacy field, Andrea’s current role promotes library engagement, developing information literacy sessions and introducing staff and students to the university’s e-resources. Andrea was delighted to take part in ALDCon 25 to showcase the Essay Route Map and share the experience of being involved in this exciting project.

Francesca Robinson, University of Lancashire

Fran Robinson is a Subject Librarian for the School of Psychology and Humanities and the University Archivist at the University of Lancashire. Having worked in higher education for over a decade, Fran's current roles promote student researching skills, both using online and archival sources as well as taking an interest in the rise of misinformation. After taking on the role of University Archivist in 2023, Fran has recently been appointed Co-Chair of the ALN Special Collections and Archives Special Interest Group.

References

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McEwan, M.P. (2017) ‘The essay as a lens on transition to the university: student and staff perceptions of essay writing’, International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 29(3), pp. 511-522. Available at: https://www.isetl.org/ijtlhe/pdf/IJTLHE2755.pdf (Accessed: 5 September 2025).

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Yeadon, W., Inyang, O., Mizouri, A., Peach, A. and Testrow, C.P. (2023) 'The death of the short-form physics essay in the coming AI revolution', Physics Education, 58(3), p. 035027. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6552/acc5cf

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Published

30-09-2025

How to Cite

Kilpatrick, A., Evans, A., & Robinson, F. (2025). The Essay Route Map: helping students to navigate their academic writing. Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, (37). https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.vi37.1725

Issue

No. 37 (2025): Special Edition, ALDinHE Conference Proceedings and Reflections

Section

Conference Proceedings

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