Top Tips for Writing a First-Class Marketing Essay or Report at University

General tips:

• Use a wide range of credible sources — include academic journals (Google Scholar is great), library books, and reputable websites.
• Back up your points with examples— using real-world marketing campaigns or case studies can strengthen your arguments and show applied understanding.
• When referencing, prioritise recent and up-to-date sources to ensure relevance — unless you’re citing a foundational theory or a classic marketing scholar.
• Always reference correctly— follow your university’s required referencing style and ensure consistency throughout (e.g. Harvard), as this demonstrates professionalism and attention to detail.
• Plan your structure before writing — ensure your arguments flow logically, are supported by evidence, and make sure to constantly refer back to the brief you have been given!
• Start early! This may seem obvious, but it gives you time to refine your arguments and improve clarity.
• Keep your writing concise and focused— avoid unnecessary filler and make every sentence add value.
• Proofread carefully to remove repetition and grammatical errors.
• If you’ve been given a marking criteria or rubric, refer to it regularly to ensure your work meets all the required points.

Essay tips:

• Focus on developing a strong argument — ensure every paragraph links back to your main point or the essay question.
• Critically analyse sources rather than just describing them — discuss strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats (SWOT) and relevance (this is where most people loose marks).
• Include recent and relevant academic research to show awareness of current trends.
• Include contrasting viewpoints— acknowledging different perspectives shows critical thinking.
• Integrate theory with practice — link academic models (e.g. SOSTAC, SWOT, or the 7Ps) to real business examples to show application of knowledge.
• Conclude by summarising key insights and linking them back to the essay question. 

Report tips:

• Use clear headings and subheadings to make your structure easy to follow.
• Present information visually when possible — use tables or figures, but keep them concise and easy to interpret.
• Use bullet points for clarity when presenting key recommendations or findings.
• End with clear, actionable recommendations — this demonstrates your ability to apply analysis to real-world outcomes (but only include this if it’s relevant to your brief).
• Make use of appendices— if you have extra data, research, or visuals, place them there to keep the main report concise. However, only use them when necessary, as excessive detail can make your work feel unfocused. Also note, appendices usually don’t count toward the word count, but always double-check your guidelines.

 If you have any questions about getting started or need further guidance, feel free to get in touch with me!