I just want to ask some imp questions I have in my mind.
First of all,is it good to start and end an essay with a poetic verse or any quotation?
Secondly which type of essay should be attempted for high scoring as I am an English literature student.I mostly have two three good options in CSS essay paper.
1 A current affair related topic
2. A general one
3. A literary essay
Authentic guidance needed.

1) As you know "First impression is the last impression" so the beginning must be striking.It is the basic requisite of good communication.You know that you have to attract the examiner so you should throw a flower in the very beginning

2)You know Amna who checks your paper?Of course a professor of EnglishSo what should be your choice to impress him? Of course a 'Literary Essay'.Being a student of English literature,You have edge over other candidates as you can easily deal with a literary essay.
Let's suppose,there comes not a single literary essay,then what should be your choice?The essay which is nearest to the literary one or the one in which you can easily blend literature

I attempted in 2011,"Truth is a rare commodity despite the freedom enjoyed by media". I started it with a quotation and I gave literary touch to my essay,like as I wrote quote by Keats on truth.I got 45 marks with zero preparation and no practice at all.This time I attempted "The suffering soul in the scientific age" and I'm expecting something unexpected

Hope you got my point

Here are my two outlines of literary essays,perhaps they may help you in any way;

Outline in C.E 2012,"The Suffering Soul in the Scientific Age"


http://www.cssforum.com.pk/408086-post44.html


Outline in PMS 2012,"Books are my friends that never fail me"

http://www.cssforum.com.pk/css-compu...tempt-pms.html

All the best !

__________________
Love is my Shield,Truth is my Sword,Brain is my Crown,Smile is my Treasure and I'm a Queen;
Quitters never win and Winners never quit..!!!

Dear Farah, I have been following your essays and i find them superb
I, like amna, am curious and confused about writing poetry or verses in the beginning and end of an essay, or even in the middle where relevant.
I have asked this from a couple of CSP's and none of me recommended writing any, while attempting my paper. Though i am in favour of writing them if they are relevant and appropriate even though if I m not a literature student.
I would be grateful if you clarify this

Well,dear all CSPs are not masters in English literature and even they are far away from literature So how one can recommend a thing which one hasn't done oneself ?

References,quotes,poetic verses, all support your essay.They are considered worthy as they are words of some famous/renowned persons.Let's take an example,

If I want to discuss the negative impact of power,I would write(being an ordinary candidate) Power is dangerous,it makes man mad and he doesn't follow the right path etc etc.They are average words and reflect average thinking.My vision would be limited so if I add quotation of Conrad here,

Power corrupts man and absolute power corrupts absolutely

It will make my words more convincing as a renowned writer has declared the same.

I strongly recommend to write quotations in essay and even in questions but they should be relevant and free of mistakes.

Keep in mind one thing;you must not write verses in Urdu in paper of English essay,you should give its translation in English as well.

__________________
Love is my Shield,Truth is my Sword,Brain is my Crown,Smile is my Treasure and I'm a Queen;
Quitters never win and Winners never quit..!!!

you should include quotations in your essays if you think that it is appropriate in a given situtaion....and rightly matches the circumstances
writing a quotation definitely gives you credit as it is advised by many professors of english....
if some CSP is saying that he did not added quotes and he secured good marks then he ll be right but it does not means that the same will work for you....might be he has written such a good essay that he passed without quoting even a single quote....but if you do it...it will give you credit....
i think you should prefer the views of a subject specialist over a CSP

Yeah, you are absolutely right. The language of an essay should be different from ordinary conversation. I learned a plethora of quotations of a number of writers, authors and for science essays, researchers. I was only confused about verses as i am fond of writing them, but was discouraged by csp's so stopped thinking about them
I am now clear about the query. Thanks a lot

Remember,"Excess of everything is bad" Use them but not in excess and they should be quite relevant.

All the best

__________________
Love is my Shield,Truth is my Sword,Brain is my Crown,Smile is my Treasure and I'm a Queen;
Quitters never win and Winners never quit..!!!

If you read Essays of Rabindranath Tagore, his most of Essays possess verses and poetry. Because, he is a poet with a literary mind.

I shall say, if you are too good in literary Essays. Do go for that.

I am waiting for the result of Sis Farrah. She has written both Essays splendidly. If she takes above 50-55, I shall attempt a literary Essay in CSS.

I have got good remarks by CSPs and Seniors on this Essay which Sis Farrah had written.

"Suffering SOul IN Scientific AGe."

http://www.cssforum.com.pk/css-compu...ase-check.html

Do read it for assurance.

how to start an ordinary essay...and how to count the words...i mean after headind one should give outlines or what?seniors plz help...thanks

I think quoting something in the same language as of the original source should not be a problem. If one wants to quote an Urdu shair, one may quote it as it is. It is same as when one quotes Islamic references in Arabic in attempting Islamiat paper in Urdu or English. In 2008, I wrote an Urdu shair in Essay paper. Although it was not best of the attempts, yet I managed to score 47. The book 'Exploring the world of English' also contains some essays where persian ashars have been quoted.

However, as Farrah said, if one can translate the relevant verses into English, its better.

__________________
Best end of life is not knowledge but action.
Don't limit yourself to what you think people are expecting!