Academic Essay Basics
Build the foundational skills required for competitive essay writing. This 12-week program teaches the techniques used by John Locke shortlisted candidates: rigorous research, logical argumentation, and persuasive prose. Ideal for students new to academic writing who want to compete at the highest level.
AED 3,200
USD 870
Schedule (Dubai Time)
Semester
2027 Cohorts
January, February or March 2027 start
Class Size
Max 8 students
What You'll Learn
By the end of this course, students will have developed key skills in academic writing and research.
12-Week Curriculum
Click each week to see what's covered
Understanding the difference between academic and casual writing. What competition judges look for: knowledge, evidence, argumentation, originality, and persuasive style.
What's Included
Everything you need for a complete learning experience
Live Zoom Classes
12 interactive 2-hour sessions
Small Groups
Max 8 students for personal attention
Course Materials
Readings, templates, and resources
Graded Essay
One essay, unlimited draft edits
Who this course is for
Academic Essay Basics is the entry point to our John Locke preparation. It is built for students who can write a clear school essay but have never had to defend a thesis with academic sources, handle a counter-argument honestly, or cite in MLA or Chicago format. Those are the skills the John Locke judges reward, and they are the skills most first-time entrants lack.
Across twelve live sessions the group works through one full essay cycle: reading and note-taking, a thesis workshop, an outline, a first draft, a peer-review round and a revised second draft. The final essay is graded against the competition’s own criteria so parents can see exactly where the student stands before committing to a competition entry.
Students who finish the course and want to enter the competition move into John Locke Basics, which adds prompt analysis, category frameworks and six hours of private mentorship through to submission. Students aiming at a Very High Commendation or a category prize can apply for Ivy Scholar.
Common Questions
Who is Academic Essay Basics for?
Students aged 12-18 who have not yet written a sourced, argumentative essay of any length, or who have written school essays but never to an external judging standard. Most families choose it for a student in Year 7-10 who wants to enter the John Locke Essay Competition in a future cycle, or for an older student who needs the research and citation foundations before moving to the John Locke Basics track. No prior competition experience is expected. Students who already write confidently with academic sources should start with John Locke Basics instead.
How is this different from John Locke Basics?
Academic Essay Basics is the foundation tier: 12 group sessions (24 hours) on research, citation, thesis and argument, ending with one fully graded essay. John Locke Basics covers the same foundations and then adds prompt analysis for the live competition questions, category-specific frameworks, and 6 hours of private 1-on-1 mentorship through drafting and submission (30 hours in total). If the goal is a competition entry this cycle, John Locke Basics is the track; if the goal is to be ready for a future cycle, start here.
What does my child produce by the end?
One complete academic essay, written to a real question, with a sourced bibliography in MLA or Chicago format and detailed written feedback from the instructor against the John Locke judging criteria (knowledge, evidence, argumentation, originality, structure, style and persuasive force). Along the way students build a reading list, a thesis workshop record and a first and second draft, so the essay is the product of a full revision cycle rather than a single sitting.
When does it run and what does it cost?
Cohorts start in January, February or March 2027, in step with the John Locke cycle, and meet live online once a week for two hours in groups of at most 8 (Tuesday 6-8 PM, Thursday 6-8 PM or Sunday 2-4 PM, Dubai time, shown in your own time zone on the enrollment form). The fee is AED 3,200 (USD 870) for all 12 sessions, materials and the graded essay. Students who continue into John Locke Basics do not repeat the foundation weeks.
Ready to Build Your Foundation?
Join a January, February or March 2027 cohort and develop the academic writing skills that will serve you throughout your education.