Researching and writing university essays

While there are numerous handbooks on essay writing, few seem to address many of the practical questions that students as[sic], such as: Can i use the word "I"? Am I allowed to reference lectures? Perhaps these questions emerge because students have not taken the time to look, or because they are not aware that such a text might exist and where it might be found. But it also might be that the available material still does not explain why the conventions exist but rather provides a set of rules to be followed. These notes will endeavor to provide an explanation for the "rules" and some strategies for preparing essays.