Objective: Explain the intellectual relevance of a topic, argument or research you present elsewhere in a larger work.

Where it's found: Traditionally a section in the introduction to a larger work (such as your final term paper), this essay motivates audiences, particularly those who might not appreciate the importance of/their personal connection to the topic, to read the larger work by explaining why the topic is relevant to scholarship or (outside of academia) an understanding of contemporary events.

Tone of writing: This essay balances (1) careful, 'objective' explanation of the scholarship or current events with (2) rhetorics that draw in the reader by conveying a sense of social urgency, the magnitude of the intellectual questions, the importance of scholarly traditions, etc.

Weight given to scholarly discussion: It depends on the audience for your work. For academic readers, the material in this essay is generally of an academic nature — what previous research has shown, what broader empirical trends or developments have concerned researchers, etc. For non-academic readers, use such academic references only if they are likely to persuade your audience to continue reading your larger work.

Weight given to empirical material: Except for the most arcane or philosophical of academic topics ("What is love?"), it's usually beneficial in this essay to situate your larger work within some context of recent events, histories, trends and developments. Discussion of empirical material will be particularly heavy when the essay is aimed toward non-academic audiences and/or is about current events topics.

Weight given to personal references: Use of first-person references ("I believe...", "my argument...", etc.) is optional but should be consistent with the writing style in the larger work. Statements of personal opinion should be limited; the goal of this essay is to solicit your readers' attention through themes or perspectives that they, not necessarily you, find most engaging.

Breadth vs. depth of argument: Since the objective of the "relevance of the work" essay is to pitch the questions or findings of your larger work as engagingly as possible to a wider audience, your discussion will emphasize breadth in themes/issues over depth. Most importantly, this isn't an essay where you present your actual argument or research! That comes later in the larger work, which is where the reader will expect more depth in discussion.

Tricks of the trade: Think of the "relevance of the work" essay as a place where you respond in advance to a question that readers of your larger work are likely to ask: "So what?" That is, so they have heard your original argument or research elsewhere in the larger work — why should they care about it? This is your opportunity to teach your readers about why they should care.