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- What is an essay?
What makes a good essay?
Typical essay structure, 7 steps to writing a good essay, a step-by-step guide to writing a good essay.
Whether you are gearing up for your GCSE coursework submissions or looking to brush up on your A-level writing skills, we have the perfect essay-writing guide for you. đŻ
Staring at a blank page before writing an essay can feel a little daunting . Where do you start? What should your introduction say? And how should you structure your arguments? They are all fair questions and we have the answers! Take the stress out of essay writing with this step-by-step guide â youâll be typing away in no time. đŠâđť
What is an essay?
Generally speaking, an essay designates a literary work in which the author defends a point of view or a personal conviction, using logical arguments and literary devices in order to inform and convince the reader.
So â although essays can be broadly split into four categories: argumentative, expository, narrative, and descriptive â an essay can simply be described as a focused piece of writing designed to inform or persuade. đ¤
The purpose of an essay is to present a coherent argument in response to a stimulus or question and to persuade the reader that your position is credible, believable and reasonable. đ
So, a âgoodâ essay relies on a confident writing style â itâs clear, well-substantiated, focussed, explanatory and descriptive . The structure follows a logical progression and above all, the body of the essay clearly correlates to the tile â answering the question where one has been posed.
But, how do you go about making sure that you tick all these boxes and keep within a specified word count? Read on for the answer as well as an example essay structure to follow and a handy step-by-step guide to writing the perfect essay â hooray. đ
Sometimes, it is helpful to think about your essay like it is a well-balanced argument or a speech â it needs to have a logical structure, with all your points coming together to answer the question in a coherent manner. âď¸
Of course, essays can vary significantly in length but besides that, they all follow a fairly strict pattern or structure made up of three sections. Lean into this predictability because it will keep you on track and help you make your point clearly. Letâs take a look at the typical essay structure:
#1 Introduction
Start your introduction with the central claim of your essay. Let the reader know exactly what you intend to say with this essay. Communicate what youâre going to argue, and in what order. The final part of your introduction should also say what conclusions youâre going to draw â it sounds counter-intuitive but itâs not â more on that below. 1ď¸âŁ
Make your point, evidence it and explain it. This part of the essay â generally made up of three or more paragraphs depending on the length of your essay â is where you present your argument. The first sentence of each paragraph â much like an introduction to an essay â should summarise what your paragraph intends to explain in more detail. 2ď¸âŁ
#3 Conclusion
This is where you affirm your argument â remind the reader what you just proved in your essay and how you did it. This section will sound quite similar to your introduction but â having written the essay â youâll be summarising rather than setting out your stall. 3ď¸âŁ
No essay is the same but your approach to writing them can be. As well as some best practice tips, we have gathered our favourite advice from expert essay-writers and compiled the following 7-step guide to writing a good essay every time. đ
#1 Make sure you understand the question
#2 complete background reading.
#3 Make a detailed plan
#4 Write your opening sentences
#5 flesh out your essay in a rough draft, #6 evidence your opinion, #7 final proofread and edit.
Now that you have familiarised yourself with the 7 steps standing between you and the perfect essay, letâs take a closer look at each of those stages so that you can get on with crafting your written arguments with confidence .
This is the most crucial stage in essay writing â r ead the essay prompt carefully and understand the question. Highlight the keywords â like âcompare,â âcontrastâ âdiscuss,â âexplainâ or âevaluateâ â and let it sink in before your mind starts racing . There is nothing worse than writing 500 words before realising you have entirely missed the brief . đ§
Unless you are writing under exam conditions , you will most likely have been working towards this essay for some time, by doing thorough background reading. Re-read relevant chapters and sections, highlight pertinent material and maybe even stray outside the designated reading list, this shows genuine interest and extended knowledge. đ
#3 Make a detailed plan
Following the handy structure we shared with you above, now is the time to create the âskeleton structureâ or essay plan. Working from your essay title, plot out what you want your paragraphs to cover and how that information is going to flow. You donât need to start writing any full sentences yet but it might be useful to think about the various quotes you plan to use to substantiate each section. đ
Having mapped out the overall trajectory of your essay, you can start to drill down into the detail. First, write the opening sentence for each of the paragraphs in the body section of your essay. Remember â each paragraph is like a mini-essay â the opening sentence should summarise what the paragraph will then go on to explain in more detail. đď¸
Next, it's time to write the bulk of your words and flesh out your arguments. Follow the âpoint, evidence, explainâ method. The opening sentences â already written â should introduce your âpointsâ, so now you need to âevidenceâ them with corroborating research and âexplainâ how the evidence youâve presented proves the point youâre trying to make. âď¸
With a rough draft in front of you, you can take a moment to read what you have written so far. Are there any sections that require further substantiation? Have you managed to include the most relevant material you originally highlighted in your background reading? Now is the time to make sure you have evidenced all your opinions and claims with the strongest quotes, citations and material. đ
This is your final chance to re-read your essay and go over it with a fine-toothed comb before pressing âsubmitâ. We highly recommend leaving a day or two between finishing your essay and the final proofread if possible â youâll be amazed at the difference this makes, allowing you to return with a fresh pair of eyes and a more discerning judgment. đ¤
If you are looking for advice and support with your own essay-writing adventures, why not t ry a free trial lesson with GoStudent? Our tutors are experts at boosting academic success and having fun along the way. Get in touch and see how it can work for you today. đ
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How to Write the Perfect Essay
06 Feb, 2024 | Blog Articles , English Language Articles , Get the Edge , Humanities Articles , Writing Articles
You can keep adding to this plan, crossing bits out and linking the different bubbles when you spot connections between them. Even though you wonât have time to make a detailed plan under exam conditions, it can be helpful to draft a brief one, including a few key words, so that you donât panic and go off topic when writing your essay.
If you donât like the mind map format, there are plenty of others to choose from: you could make a table, a flowchart, or simply a list of bullet points.
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Thanks for signing up, step 2: have a clear structure.
Think about this while you’re planning: your essay is like an argument or a speech. It needs to have a logical structure, with all your points coming together to answer the question.
Start with the basics! It’s best to choose a few major points which will become your main paragraphs. Three main paragraphs is a good number for an exam essay, since you’ll be under time pressure.Â
If you agree with the question overall, it can be helpful to organise your points in the following pattern:
- YES (agreement with the question)
- AND (another YES point)
- BUT (disagreement or complication)
If you disagree with the question overall, try:
- AND (another BUT point)
For example, you could structure the Of Mice and Men sample question, “To what extent is Curleyâs wife portrayed as a victim in Of Mice and Men ?”, as follows:
- YES (descriptions of her appearance)
- AND (other people’s attitudes towards her)
- BUT (her position as the only woman on the ranch gives her power as she uses her femininity to her advantage)
If you wanted to write a longer essay, you could include additional paragraphs under the YES/AND categories, perhaps discussing the ways in which Curleyâs wife reveals her vulnerability and insecurities, and shares her dreams with the other characters. Alternatively, you could also lengthen your essay by including another BUT paragraph about her cruel and manipulative streak.
Of course, this is not necessarily the only right way to answer this essay question â as long as you back up your points with evidence from the text, you can take any standpoint that makes sense.
Step 3: Back up your points with well-analysed quotations
You wouldnât write a scientific report without including evidence to support your findings, so why should it be any different with an essay? Even though you arenât strictly required to substantiate every single point you make with a quotation, thereâs no harm in trying.
A close reading of your quotations can enrich your appreciation of the question and will be sure to impress examiners. When selecting the best quotations to use in your essay, keep an eye out for specific literary techniques. For example, you could highlight Curleyâs wifeâs use of a rhetorical question when she says, a”nâ what am I doinâ? Standinâ here talking to a bunch of bindle stiffs.” This might look like:
The rhetorical question âanâ what am I doinâ?â signifies that Curleyâs wife is very insecure; she seems to be questioning her own life choices. Moreover, she does not expect anyone to respond to her question, highlighting her loneliness and isolation on the ranch.
Other literary techniques to look out for include:
- Tricolon â a group of three words or phrases placed close together for emphasis
- Tautology â using different words that mean the same thing: e.g. “frightening” and “terrifying”
- Parallelism â ABAB structure, often signifying movement from one concept to another
- Chiasmus â ABBA structure, drawing attention to a phrase
- Polysyndeton â many conjunctions in a sentence
- Asyndeton â lack of conjunctions, which can speed up the pace of a sentence
- Polyptoton â using the same word in different forms for emphasis: e.g. “done” and “doing”
- Alliteration â repetition of the same sound, including assonance (similar vowel sounds), plosive alliteration (“b”, “d” and “p” sounds) and sibilance (“s” sounds)
- Anaphora â repetition of words, often used to emphasise a particular point
Donât worry if you canât locate all of these literary devices in the work youâre analysing. You can also discuss more obvious techniques, like metaphor, simile and onomatopoeia. Itâs not a problem if you canât remember all the long names; itâs far more important to be able to confidently explain the effects of each technique and highlight its relevance to the question.
Step 4: Be creative and original throughout
Anyone can write an essay using the tips above, but the thing that really makes it “perfect” is your own unique take on the topic. If youâve noticed something intriguing or unusual in your reading, point it out â if you find it interesting, chances are the examiner will too!
Creative writing and essay writing are more closely linked than you might imagine. Keep the idea that youâre writing a speech or argument in mind, and youâre guaranteed to grab your readerâs attention.
Itâs important to set out your line of argument in your introduction, introducing your main points and the general direction your essay will take, but donât forget to keep something back for the conclusion, too. Yes, you need to summarise your main points, but if youâre just repeating the things you said in your introduction, the body of the essay is rendered pointless.
Think of your conclusion as the climax of your speech, the bit everything else has been leading up to, rather than the boring plenary at the end of the interesting stuff.
To return to Of Mice and Men once more, here’s an example of the ideal difference between an introduction and a conclusion:
Introduction
In John Steinbeckâs Of Mice and Men , Curleyâs wife is portrayed as an ambiguous character. She could be viewed either as a cruel, seductive temptress or a lonely woman who is a victim of her societyâs attitudes. Though she does seem to wield a form of sexual power, it is clear that Curleyâs wife is largely a victim. This interpretation is supported by Steinbeckâs description of her appearance, other peopleâs attitudes, her dreams, and her evident loneliness and insecurity.
Overall, it is clear that Curleyâs wife is a victim and is portrayed as such throughout the novel in the descriptions of her appearance, her dreams, other peopleâs judgemental attitudes, and her loneliness and insecurities. However, a character who was a victim and nothing else would be one-dimensional and Curleyâs wife is not. Although she suffers in many ways, she is shown to assert herself through the manipulation of her femininity â a small rebellion against the victimisation she experiences.
Both refer back consistently to the question and summarise the essayâs main points. However, the conclusion adds something new which has been established in the main body of the essay and complicates the simple summary which is found in the introduction.
Hannah is an undergraduate English student at Somerville College, University of Oxford, and has a particular interest in postcolonial literature and the Gothic. She thinks literature is a crucial way of developing empathy and learning about the wider world. When she isn’t writing about 17th-century court masques, she enjoys acting, travelling and creative writing.Â
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Writing a great essay
This resource covers key considerations when writing an essay.
While reading a student’s essay, markers will ask themselves questions such as:
- Does this essay directly address the set task?
- Does it present a strong, supported position?
- Does it use relevant sources appropriately?
- Is the expression clear, and the style appropriate?
- Is the essay organised coherently? Is there a clear introduction, body and conclusion?
You can use these questions to reflect on your own writing. Here are six top tips to help you address these criteria.
1. Analyse the question
Student essays are responses to specific questions. As an essay must address the question directly, your first step should be to analyse the question. Make sure you know exactly what is being asked of you.
Generally, essay questions contain three component parts:
- Content terms: Key concepts that are specific to the task
- Limiting terms: The scope that the topic focuses on
- Directive terms: What you need to do in relation to the content, e.g. discuss, analyse, define, compare, evaluate.
Look at the following essay question:
Discuss the importance of light in Gothic architecture.
- Content terms: Gothic architecture
- Limiting terms: the importance of light. If you discussed some other feature of Gothic architecture, for example spires or arches, you would be deviating from what is required. This essay question is limited to a discussion of light. Likewise, it asks you to write about the importance of light – not, for example, to discuss how light enters Gothic churches.
- Directive term: discuss. This term asks you to take a broad approach to the variety of ways in which light may be important for Gothic architecture. You should introduce and consider different ideas and opinions that you have met in academic literature on this topic, citing them appropriately .
For a more complex question, you can highlight the key words and break it down into a series of sub-questions to make sure you answer all parts of the task. Consider the following question (from Arts):
To what extent can the American Revolution be understood as a revolution ‘from below’? Why did working people become involved and with what aims in mind?
The key words here are American Revolution and revolution ‘from below’. This is a view that you would need to respond to in this essay. This response must focus on the aims and motivations of working people in the revolution, as stated in the second question.
2. Define your argument
As you plan and prepare to write the essay, you must consider what your argument is going to be. This means taking an informed position or point of view on the topic presented in the question, then defining and presenting a specific argument.
Consider these two argument statements:
The architectural use of light in Gothic cathedrals physically embodied the significance of light in medieval theology.
In the Gothic cathedral of Cologne, light served to accentuate the authority and ritual centrality of the priest.
Statements like these define an essay’s argument. They give coherence by providing an overarching theme and position towards which the entire essay is directed.
3. Use evidence, reasoning and scholarship
To convince your audience of your argument, you must use evidence and reasoning, which involves referring to and evaluating relevant scholarship.
- Evidence provides concrete information to support your claim. It typically consists of specific examples, facts, quotations, statistics and illustrations.
- Reasoning connects the evidence to your argument. Rather than citing evidence like a shopping list, you need to evaluate the evidence and show how it supports your argument.
- Scholarship is used to show how your argument relates to what has been written on the topic (citing specific works). Scholarship can be used as part of your evidence and reasoning to support your argument.
4. Organise a coherent essay
An essay has three basic components - introduction, body and conclusion.
The purpose of an introduction is to introduce your essay. It typically presents information in the following order:
- A general statement about the topic that provides context for your argument
- A thesis statement showing your argument. You can use explicit lead-ins, such as ‘This essay argues that...’
- A ‘road map’ of the essay, telling the reader how it is going to present and develop your argument.
Example introduction
"To what extent can the American Revolution be understood as a revolution ‘from below’? Why did working people become involved and with what aims in mind?"
Introduction*
Historians generally concentrate on the twenty-year period between 1763 and 1783 as the period which constitutes the American Revolution [This sentence sets the general context of the period] . However, when considering the involvement of working people, or people from below, in the revolution it is important to make a distinction between the pre-revolutionary period 1763-1774 and the revolutionary period 1774-1788, marked by the establishment of the continental Congress(1) [This sentence defines the key term from below and gives more context to the argument that follows] . This paper will argue that the nature and aims of the actions of working people are difficult to assess as it changed according to each phase [This is the thesis statement] . The pre-revolutionary period was characterised by opposition to Britain’s authority. During this period the aims and actions of the working people were more conservative as they responded to grievances related to taxes and scarce land, issues which directly affected them. However, examination of activities such as the organisation of crowd action and town meetings, pamphlet writing, formal communications to Britain of American grievances and physical action in the streets, demonstrates that their aims and actions became more revolutionary after 1775 [These sentences give the ‘road map’ or overview of the content of the essay] .
The body of the essay develops and elaborates your argument. It does this by presenting a reasoned case supported by evidence from relevant scholarship. Its shape corresponds to the overview that you provided in your introduction.
The body of your essay should be written in paragraphs. Each body paragraph should develop one main idea that supports your argument. To learn how to structure a paragraph, look at the page developing clarity and focus in academic writing .
Your conclusion should not offer any new material. Your evidence and argumentation should have been made clear to the reader in the body of the essay.
Use the conclusion to briefly restate the main argumentative position and provide a short summary of the themes discussed. In addition, also consider telling your reader:
- What the significance of your findings, or the implications of your conclusion, might be
- Whether there are other factors which need to be looked at, but which were outside the scope of the essay
- How your topic links to the wider context (‘bigger picture’) in your discipline.
Do not simply repeat yourself in this section. A conclusion which merely summarises is repetitive and reduces the impact of your paper.
Example conclusion
Conclusion*.
Although, to a large extent, the working class were mainly those in the forefront of crowd action and they also led the revolts against wealthy plantation farmers, the American Revolution was not a class struggle [This is a statement of the concluding position of the essay]. Working people participated because the issues directly affected them – the threat posed by powerful landowners and the tyranny Britain represented. Whereas the aims and actions of the working classes were more concerned with resistance to British rule during the pre-revolutionary period, they became more revolutionary in nature after 1775 when the tension with Britain escalated [These sentences restate the key argument]. With this shift, a change in ideas occurred. In terms of considering the Revolution as a whole range of activities such as organising riots, communicating to Britain, attendance at town hall meetings and pamphlet writing, a difficulty emerges in that all classes were involved. Therefore, it is impossible to assess the extent to which a single group such as working people contributed to the American Revolution [These sentences give final thoughts on the topic].
5. Write clearly
An essay that makes good, evidence-supported points will only receive a high grade if it is written clearly. Clarity is produced through careful revision and editing, which can turn a good essay into an excellent one.
When you edit your essay, try to view it with fresh eyes – almost as if someone else had written it.
Ask yourself the following questions:
Overall structure
- Have you clearly stated your argument in your introduction?
- Does the actual structure correspond to the ‘road map’ set out in your introduction?
- Have you clearly indicated how your main points support your argument?
- Have you clearly signposted the transitions between each of your main points for your reader?
- Does each paragraph introduce one main idea?
- Does every sentence in the paragraph support that main idea?
- Does each paragraph display relevant evidence and reasoning?
- Does each paragraph logically follow on from the one before it?
- Is each sentence grammatically complete?
- Is the spelling correct?
- Is the link between sentences clear to your readers?
- Have you avoided redundancy and repetition?
See more about editing on our editing your writing page.
6. Cite sources and evidence
Finally, check your citations to make sure that they are accurate and complete. Some faculties require you to use a specific citation style (e.g. APA) while others may allow you to choose a preferred one. Whatever style you use, you must follow its guidelines correctly and consistently. You can use Recite, the University of Melbourne style guide, to check your citations.
Further resources
- Germov, J. (2011). Get great marks for your essays, reports and presentations (3rd ed.). NSW: Allen and Unwin.
- Using English for Academic Purposes: A guide for students in Higher Education [online]. Retrieved January 2020 from http://www.uefap.com
- Williams, J.M. & Colomb, G. G. (2010) Style: Lessons in clarity and grace. 10th ed. New York: Longman.
* Example introduction and conclusion adapted from a student paper.
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Tips for Online Students , Tips for Students
How To Write An Essay: Beginner Tips And Tricks
Updated: July 11, 2022
Published: June 22, 2021
Many students dread writing essays, but essay writing is an important skill to develop in high school, university, and even into your future career. By learning how to write an essay properly, the process can become more enjoyable and youâll find youâre better able to organize and articulate your thoughts.
When writing an essay, itâs common to follow a specific pattern, no matter what the topic is. Once youâve used the pattern a few times and you know how to structure an essay, it will become a lot more simple to apply your knowledge to every essay.Â
No matter which major you choose, you should know how to craft a good essay. Here, weâll cover the basics of essay writing, along with some helpful tips to make the writing process go smoothly.
Photo by Laura Chouette on Unsplash
Types of Essays
Think of an essay as a discussion. There are many types of discussions you can have with someone else. You can be describing a story that happened to you, you might explain to them how to do something, or you might even argue about a certain topic.Â
When it comes to different types of essays, it follows a similar pattern. Like a friendly discussion, each type of essay will come with its own set of expectations or goals.Â
For example, when arguing with a friend, your goal is to convince them that youâre right. The same goes for an argumentative essay.Â
Here are a few of the main essay types you can expect to come across during your time in school:
Narrative Essay
This type of essay is almost like telling a story, not in the traditional sense with dialogue and characters, but as if youâre writing out an event or series of events to relay information to the reader.
Persuasive Essay
Here, your goal is to persuade the reader about your views on a specific topic.
Descriptive Essay
This is the kind of essay where you go into a lot more specific details describing a topic such as a place or an event.Â
Argumentative Essay
In this essay, youâre choosing a stance on a topic, usually controversial, and your goal is to present evidence that proves your point is correct.
Expository Essay
Your purpose with this type of essay is to tell the reader how to complete a specific process, often including a step-by-step guide or something similar.
Compare and Contrast Essay
You might have done this in school with two different books or characters, but the ultimate goal is to draw similarities and differences between any two given subjects.
The Main Stages of Essay Writing
When it comes to writing an essay, many students think the only stage is getting all your ideas down on paper and submitting your work. However, thatâs not quite the case.Â
There are three main stages of writing an essay, each one with its own purpose. Of course, writing the essay itself is the most substantial part, but the other two stages are equally as important.
So, what are these three stages of essay writing? They are:
Preparation
Before you even write one word, itâs important to prepare the content and structure of your essay. If a topic wasnât assigned to you, then the first thing you should do is settle on a topic. Next, you want to conduct your research on that topic and create a detailed outline based on your research. The preparation stage will make writing your essay that much easier since, with your outline and research, you should already have the skeleton of your essay.
Writing is the most time-consuming stage. In this stage, you will write out all your thoughts and ideas and craft your essay based on your outline. Youâll work on developing your ideas and fleshing them out throughout the introduction, body, and conclusion (more on these soon).
In the final stage, youâll go over your essay and check for a few things. First, youâll check if your essay is cohesive, if all the points make sense and are related to your topic, and that your facts are cited and backed up. You can also check for typos, grammar and punctuation mistakes, and formatting errors. Â
The Five-Paragraph Essay
We mentioned earlier that essay writing follows a specific structure, and for the most part in academic or college essays , the five-paragraph essay is the generally accepted structure youâll be expected to use.Â
The five-paragraph essay is broken down into one introduction paragraph, three body paragraphs, and a closing paragraph. However, that doesnât always mean that an essay is written strictly in five paragraphs, but rather that this structure can be used loosely and the three body paragraphs might become three sections instead.
Letâs take a closer look at each section and what it entails.
Introduction
As the name implies, the purpose of your introduction paragraph is to introduce your idea. A good introduction begins with a âhook,â something that grabs your readerâs attention and makes them excited to read more.Â
Another key tenant of an introduction is a thesis statement, which usually comes towards the end of the introduction itself. Your thesis statement should be a phrase that explains your argument, position, or central idea that you plan on developing throughout the essay.Â
You can also include a short outline of what to expect in your introduction, including bringing up brief points that you plan on explaining more later on in the body paragraphs.
Here is where most of your essay happens. The body paragraphs are where you develop your ideas and bring up all the points related to your main topic.Â
In general, youâre meant to have three body paragraphs, or sections, and each one should bring up a different point. Think of it as bringing up evidence. Each paragraph is a different piece of evidence, and when the three pieces are taken together, it backs up your main point â your thesis statement â really well.
That being said, you still want each body paragraph to be tied together in some way so that the essay flows. The points should be distinct enough, but they should relate to each other, and definitely to your thesis statement. Each body paragraph works to advance your point, so when crafting your essay, itâs important to keep this in mind so that you avoid going off-track or writing things that are off-topic.
Many students arenât sure how to write a conclusion for an essay and tend to see their conclusion as an afterthought, but this section is just as important as the rest of your work.Â
You shouldnât be presenting any new ideas in your conclusion, but you should summarize your main points and show how they back up your thesis statement.Â
Essentially, the conclusion is similar in structure and content to the introduction, but instead of introducing your essay, it should be wrapping up the main thoughts and presenting them to the reader as a singular closed argument.Â
Photo by AMIT RANJAN on Unsplash
Steps to Writing an Essay
Now that you have a better idea of an essayâs structure and all the elements that go into it, you might be wondering what the different steps are to actually write your essay.Â
Donât worry, weâve got you covered. Instead of going in blind, follow these steps on how to write your essay from start to finish.
Understand Your Assignment
When writing an essay for an assignment, the first critical step is to make sure youâve read through your assignment carefully and understand it thoroughly. You want to check what type of essay is required, that you understand the topic, and that you pay attention to any formatting or structural requirements. You donât want to lose marks just because you didnât read the assignment carefully.
Research Your Topic
Once you understand your assignment, itâs time to do some research. In this step, you should start looking at different sources to get ideas for what points you want to bring up throughout your essay.Â
Search online or head to the library and get as many resources as possible. You donât need to use them all, but itâs good to start with a lot and then narrow down your sources as you become more certain of your essayâs direction.
Start Brainstorming
After research comes the brainstorming. There are a lot of different ways to start the brainstorming process . Here are a few you might find helpful:
- Think about what you found during your research that interested you the most
- Jot down all your ideas, even if theyâre not yet fully formed
- Create word clouds or maps for similar terms or ideas that come up so you can group them together based on their similarities
- Try freewriting to get all your ideas out before arranging them
Create a Thesis
This is often the most tricky part of the whole process since you want to create a thesis thatâs strong and that youâre about to develop throughout the entire essay. Therefore, you want to choose a thesis statement thatâs broad enough that youâll have enough to say about it, but not so broad that you canât be precise.Â
Write Your Outline
Armed with your research, brainstorming sessions, and your thesis statement, the next step is to write an outline.Â
In the outline, youâll want to put your thesis statement at the beginning and start creating the basic skeleton of how you want your essay to look.Â
A good way to tackle an essay is to use topic sentences . A topic sentence is like a mini-thesis statement that is usually the first sentence of a new paragraph. This sentence introduces the main idea that will be detailed throughout the paragraph.Â
If you create an outline with the topic sentences for your body paragraphs and then a few points of what you want to discuss, youâll already have a strong starting point when it comes time to sit down and write. This brings us to our next step…Â
Write a First Draft
The first time you write your entire essay doesnât need to be perfect, but you do need to get everything on the page so that youâre able to then write a second draft or review it afterward.Â
Everyoneâs writing process is different. Some students like to write their essay in the standard order of intro, body, and conclusion, while others prefer to start with the âmeatâ of the essay and tackle the body, and then fill in the other sections afterward.Â
Make sure your essay follows your outline and that everything relates to your thesis statement and your points are backed up by the research you did.Â
Revise, Edit, and Proofread
The revision process is one of the three main stages of writing an essay, yet many people skip this step thinking their work is done after the first draft is complete.Â
However, proofreading, reviewing, and making edits on your essay can spell the difference between a B paper and an A.
After writing the first draft, try and set your essay aside for a few hours or even a day or two, and then come back to it with fresh eyes to review it. You might find mistakes or inconsistencies you missed or better ways to formulate your arguments.
Add the Finishing Touches
Finally, youâll want to make sure everything thatâs required is in your essay. Review your assignment again and see if all the requirements are there, such as formatting rules, citations, quotes, etc.Â
Go over the order of your paragraphs and make sure everything makes sense, flows well, and uses the same writing style .Â
Once everything is checked and all the last touches are added, give your essay a final read through just to ensure itâs as you want it before handing it in.Â
A good way to do this is to read your essay out loud since youâll be able to hear if there are any mistakes or inaccuracies.
Essay Writing Tips
With the steps outlined above, you should be able to craft a great essay. Still, there are some other handy tips weâd recommend just to ensure that the essay writing process goes as smoothly as possible.
- Start your essay early. This is the first tip for a reason. Itâs one of the most important things you can do to write a good essay. If you start it the night before, then you wonât have enough time to research, brainstorm, and outline â and you surely wonât have enough time to review.
- Donât try and write it in one sitting. Itâs ok if you need to take breaks or write it over a few days. Itâs better to write it in multiple sittings so that you have a fresh mind each time and youâre able to focus.
- Always keep the essay question in mind. If youâre given an assigned question, then you should always keep it handy when writing your essay to make sure youâre always working to answer the question.
- Use transitions between paragraphs. In order to improve the readability of your essay, try and make clear transitions between paragraphs. This means trying to relate the end of one paragraph to the beginning of the next one so the shift doesnât seem random.
- Integrate your research thoughtfully. Add in citations or quotes from your research materials to back up your thesis and main points. This will show that you did the research and that your thesis is backed up by it.
Wrapping Up
Writing an essay doesnât need to be daunting if you know how to approach it. Using our essay writing steps and tips, youâll have better knowledge on how to write an essay and youâll be able to apply it to your next assignment. Once you do this a few times, it will become more natural to you and the essay writing process will become quicker and easier.
If you still need assistance with your essay, check with a student advisor to see if they offer help with writing. At University of the People(UoPeople), we always want our students to succeed, so our student advisors are ready to help with writing skills when necessary.Â
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12 Strategies to Writing the Perfect College Essay
College admission committees sift through thousands of college essays each year. Hereâs how to make yours stand out.
Pamela Reynolds
When it comes to deciding who they will admit into their programs, colleges consider many criteria, including high school grades, extracurricular activities, and ACT and SAT scores. But in recent years, more colleges are no longer considering test scores.
Instead, many (including Harvard through 2026) are opting for âtest-blindâ admission policies that give more weight to other elements in a college application. This policy change is seen as fairer to students who donât have the means or access to testing, or who suffer from test anxiety.
So, what does this mean for you?
Simply that your college essay, traditionally a requirement of any college application, is more important than ever.
A college essay is your unique opportunity to introduce yourself to admissions committees who must comb through thousands of applications each year. It is your chance to stand out as someone worthy of a seat in that classroom.
A well-written and thoughtful essayâreflecting who you are and what you believeâcan go a long way to separating your application from the slew of forgettable ones that admissions officers read. Indeed, officers may rely on them even more now that many colleges are not considering test scores.
Below weâll discuss a few strategies you can use to help your essay stand out from the pack. Weâll touch on how to start your essay, what you should write for your college essay, and elements that make for a great college essay.
Be Authentic
More than any other consideration, you should choose a topic or point of view that is consistent with who you truly are.
Readers can sense when writers are inauthentic.
Inauthenticity could mean the use of overly flowery language that no one would ever use in conversation, or it could mean choosing an inconsequential topic that reveals very little about who you are.
Use your own voice, sense of humor, and a natural way of speaking.
Whatever subject you choose, make sure itâs something thatâs genuinely important to you and not a subject youâve chosen just to impress. You can write about a specific experience, hobby, or personality quirk that illustrates your strengths, but also feel free to write about your weaknesses.
Honesty about traits, situations, or a childhood background that you are working to improve may resonate with the reader more strongly than a glib victory speech.
Grab the Reader From the Start
Youâll be competing with so many other applicants for an admission officerâs attention.
Therefore, start your essay with an opening sentence or paragraph that immediately seizes the imagination. This might be a bold statement, a thoughtful quote, a question you pose, or a descriptive scene.
Starting your essay in a powerful way with a clear thesis statement can often help you along in the writing process. If your task is to tell a good story, a bold beginning can be a natural prelude to getting there, serving as a roadmap, engaging the reader from the start, and presenting the purpose of your writing.
Focus on Deeper Themes
Some essay writers think they will impress committees by loading an essay with facts, figures, and descriptions of activities, like wins in sports or descriptions of volunteer work. But thatâs not the point.
College admissions officers are interested in learning more about who you are as a person and what makes you tick.
They want to know what has brought you to this stage in life. They want to read about realizations you may have come to through adversity as well as your successes, not just about how many games you won while on the soccer team or how many people you served at a soup kitchen.
Let the reader know how winning the soccer game helped you develop as a person, friend, family member, or leader. Make a connection with your soup kitchen volunteerism and how it may have inspired your educational journey and future aspirations. What did you discover about yourself?
Show Donât Tell
As you expand on whatever theme youâve decided to explore in your essay, remember to show, don’t tell.
The most engaging writing âshowsâ by setting scenes and providing anecdotes, rather than just providing a list of accomplishments and activities.
Reciting a list of activities is also boring. An admissions officer will want to know about the arc of your emotional journey too.
Try Doing Something Different
If you want your essay to stand out, think about approaching your subject from an entirely new perspective. While many students might choose to write about their wins, for instance, what if you wrote an essay about what you learned from all your losses?
If you are an especially talented writer, you might play with the element of surprise by crafting an essay that leaves the response to a question to the very last sentence.
You may want to stay away from well-worn themes entirely, like a sports-related obstacle or success, volunteer stories, immigration stories, moving, a summary of personal achievements or overcoming obstacles.
However, such themes are popular for a reason. They represent the totality of most peopleâs lives coming out of high school. Therefore, it may be less important to stay away from these topics than to take a fresh approach.
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Write With the Reader in Mind
Writing for the reader means building a clear and logical argument in which one thought flows naturally from another.
Use transitions between paragraphs.
Think about any information you may have left out that the reader may need to know. Are there ideas you have included that do not help illustrate your theme?
Be sure you can answer questions such as: Does what you have written make sense? Is the essay organized? Does the opening grab the reader? Is there a strong ending? Have you given enough background information? Is it wordy?
Write Several Drafts
Set your essay aside for a few days and come back to it after youâve had some time to forget what youâve written. Often, youâll discover you have a whole new perspective that enhances your ability to make revisions.
Start writing months before your essay is due to give yourself enough time to write multiple drafts. A good time to start could be as early as the summer before your senior year when homework and extracurricular activities take up less time.
Read It Aloud
Writerâs tip : Reading your essay aloud can instantly uncover passages that sound clumsy, long-winded, or false.
Donât Repeat
If youâve mentioned an activity, story, or anecdote in some other part of your application, donât repeat it again in your essay.
Your essay should tell college admissions officers something new. Whatever you write in your essay should be in philosophical alignment with the rest of your application.
Also, be sure youâve answered whatever question or prompt may have been posed to you at the outset.
Ask Others to Read Your Essay
Be sure the people you ask to read your essay represent different demographic groupsâa teacher, a parent, even a younger sister or brother.
Ask each reader what they took from the essay and listen closely to what they have to say. If anyone expresses confusion, revise until the confusion is cleared up.
Pay Attention to Form
Although there are often no strict word limits for college essays, most essays are shorter rather than longer. Common App, which students can use to submit to multiple colleges, suggests that essays stay at about 650 words.
“While we won’t as a rule stop reading after 650 words, we cannot promise that an overly wordy essay will hold our attention for as long as you’d hoped it would,” the Common App website states.
In reviewing other technical aspects of your essay, be sure that the font is readable, that the margins are properly spaced, that any dialogue is set off properly, and that there is enough spacing at the top. Your essay should look clean and inviting to readers.
End Your Essay With a âKickerâ
In journalism, a kicker is the last punchy line, paragraph, or section that brings everything together.
It provides a lasting impression that leaves the reader satisfied and impressed by the points you have artfully woven throughout your piece.
So, hereâs our kicker: Be concise and coherent, engage in honest self-reflection, and include vivid details and anecdotes that deftly illustrate your point.
While writing a fantastic essay may not guarantee you get selected, it can tip the balance in your favor if admissions officers are considering a candidate with a similar GPA and background.
Write, revise, revise again, and good luck!
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About the Author
Pamela Reynolds is a Boston-area feature writer and editor whose work appears in numerous publications. She is the author of “Revamp: A Memoir of Travel and Obsessive Renovation.”
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- How to Write Dazzlingly Brilliant Essays: Sharp Advice for Ambitious Students
Rachel McCombie, a graduate of St John’s College, Oxford, shares actionable tips on taking your essays from “Good” to “Outstanding.”
For ambitious students, essays are a chance to showcase academic flair, demonstrate original thinking and impress with advanced written English skills.
The best students relish the challenge of writing essays because theyâre a chance to exercise academic research skills and construct interesting arguments. Essays allow you to demonstrate your knowledge, understanding and intelligence in a creative and relatively unrestricted way – provided you keep within the word count! But when lots of other people are answering the same essay question as you, how do you make yours stand out from the crowd? In this article, weâre going to show you the secret of writing a truly brilliant essay.
What are essays actually for?
Before we get into the nitty gritty of how to write an outstanding essay, we need to go right back to basics and think about what essays are actually designed to test. Only by understanding the purpose of an essay can you really begin to understand what it is that tutors are looking for when they read your work. No matter what the academic level of the student is, essays are designed to test many things: – Knowledge – fundamentally, essays test and help consolidate what youâve read and learned, making them an important part of the learning process, particularly for humanities subjects. –Â Comprehension – they test your ability to make sense of and clearly explain complex concepts and issues. – They test your ability to understand the question and produce a considered response to it. – They evaluate your ability to absorb and condense information from a variety of sources , which will probably mean covering a lot of material in a short space of time; this necessitates appraisal of which bits of material are relevant and which are not. – They test your ability to write a balanced and coherent argument that considers a number of points of view. – They showcase your level of written English skills. – They even put your time management to the test – essays are a part of your workload that must be planned, prioritised and delivered to a high standard, to deadline.
Characteristics of the perfect essay
Now that we know why weâre asked to write essays, what are the characteristics that define the essays that impress? The tutors marking your essays may have their own preferences and things they look for in outstanding essays, but letâs take a look at a few of the irrefutable traits of the best.
Original thinking
The hallmark of the truly brilliant essay is original thinking. That doesnât have to mean coming up with an entirely new theory; most of, if not all, the topics youâll be studying at GCSE , A-level or even undergraduate level have been thought about in so much depth and by so many people that virtually every possible angle will have been thought of already. But what it does mean is that the essay stands out from those of other students in that it goes beyond the obvious and takes an original approach – perhaps approaching the topic from a different angle, coming up with a different hypothesis from what youâve been discussing in class, or introducing new evidence and intelligent insights from material not included on the reading list.
Solid, in-depth knowledge and understanding
It goes without saying that the brilliant essay should demonstrate a strong knowledge of the facts, and not just knowledge but sound comprehension of the concepts or issues being discussed and why they matter. The perfect essay demonstrates an ability to deploy relevant facts and use them to form the basis of an argument or hypothesis. It covers a wide range of material and considers every point of view, confidently making use of and quoting from a variety of sources.
Clear structure with intelligent debate
The perfect essay provides a coherent discussion of both sides of the story, developing a balanced argument throughout, and with a conclusion that weighs up the evidence youâve covered and perhaps provides your own intelligent opinion on how the topic should be interpreted based on the evidence covered.
No superfluous information
Everything written in the perfect essay serves a purpose – to inform and persuade. Thereâs no rambling or going off at tangents – it sticks to the point and doesnât waste the readerâs time. This goes back to our earlier point about sorting the relevant facts from the irrelevant material; including material that isnât relevant shows that youâve not quite grasped the real heart of the matter.
Exceptional English
The words in the perfect essay flow effortlessly, and the reader feels in safe hands. Sentences need never be read more than once to be understood, and each follows logically on from the next, with no random jumping about from topic to topic from one paragraph to the next. Spelling and grammar are flawless, with no careless typos. So how do you go about writing this mythical Perfect Essay? Read on to find out!
Put in extra background work
Committed students always read beyond what the reading list tells them to read. Guaranteed to impress, wide reading gives you deeper knowledge than your peers and gives you the extra knowledge and insights you need to make your essay stand out. If youâre studying English, for example, donât just read the set text! Here are some ideas to widen your reading and give you a good range of impressive quotes to include in your essay: – Other works by the same author – how do they compare with your set text? – Works by contemporary authors – does your set text fit into a wider movement, or is it very different from what was being written at the time? – Works by the authorâs predecessors – what works inspired the author of your set text? How do you see them shining through in the text youâre studying, and how have they been developed? – Literary criticism – gauge the range of opinions about your set text by reading what the literary critics have to say. Whose opinion do you most agree with, and why? – Background history – so that you can appreciate and refer to the context in which the author was writing (weâll come back to this last point a little later). It sounds like a lot of extra work, but you donât necessarily have to read everything in full. Itâs fine to dip into these other resources providing you donât inadvertently take points out of context.
Know what you want to say before you start writing
Youâre probably sick of hearing this particular piece of advice, but itâs important to start out with a clear idea in your mind of what you want to say in your essay and how you will structure your arguments. The easiest way to do this is to write an essay plan. This neednât be a big deal, or time-consuming; all you need to do is to open a new document on your computer, type out the ideas you want to cover and drag and drop them into a logical order. From there, you simply start typing your essay directly into the plan itself. Your essay should include an introduction, a series of paragraphs that develop an argument rather than just jumping from topic to topic, and a conclusion that weighs up the evidence.
Answer the question youâve been set, not the question you want to answer
A common problem with studentsâ responses to essays is that rather than answering the question theyâve been set , they try to mould the question to what theyâd prefer to write about, because thatâs what they feel most comfortable with. Be very careful not to do this! You could end up writing a brilliant essay, but if didnât actually answer the question then itâs not going to be well received by the person marking it.
Give a balanced argumentâŚ
Good essays give both sides of an argument, presenting information impartially and considering multiple points of view. One-sided arguments wonât impress, as you need to show that youâve thought about the evidence comprehensively.
…but your opinion and interpretation matter too
Show that youâve made your own mind up based on your weighing up of the evidence. This shows that youâre not just hiding behind what other people say about the topic, but that youâve had the independence of mind to form your own intelligent opinion about it.
Quote liberally
Use quotations from academic works and sources to back up points you want to make. Doing so strengthens your argument by providing evidence for your statements, as well as demonstrating that youâve read widely around your subject. However, donât go too far and write an essay thatâs essentially just a list of what other people say about the subject. Quoting too much suggests that you donât have the confidence or knowledge to explain things in your own words, so have to hide behind those of other people. Make your own mind up about what youâre writing about – as already mentioned, itâs fine to state your own opinion if youâve considered the arguments and presented the evidence.
Context matters
As weâve already touched on, if you can demonstrate knowledge of the context of the subject youâre writing about, this will show that youâve considered possible historical influences that may have shaped a work or issue. This shows that you havenât simply taken the essay question at face value and demonstrates your ability to think beyond the obvious. An ability to look at the wider picture marks you out as an exceptional student, as many people canât see the wood for the trees and have a very narrow focus when it comes to writing essays. If youâre an English student, for instance, an authorâs work should be considered not in isolation but in the context of the historical events and thinking that helped define the period in which the author was writing. You canât write about Blakeâs poetry without some knowledge and discussion of background events such as the Industrial Revolution, and the development of the Romantic movement as a whole.
Include images and diagrams
You know what they say – a picture speaks a thousand words. What matters in an essay is effective and persuasive communication, and if a picture or diagram will help support a point youâre making, include it. As well as helping to communicate, visuals also make your essay more enjoyable to read for the person marking it – and if they enjoy reading it, the chances are youâll get better marks! Donât forget to ensure that you include credits for any images and diagrams you include.
Use full academic citations and a bibliography
Show you mean business by including a full set of academic citations, with a bibliography at the end, even if you havenât been told to. The great thing about this is that it not only makes you look organised and scholarly, but it also gives you the opportunity to show off just how many extra texts youâve studied to produce your masterpiece of an essay! Make use of the footnote feature in your word processor and include citations at the bottom of each page, with a main bibliography at the end of the essay. There are different accepted forms for citing an academic reference, but the main thing to remember is to pick one format and be consistent. Typically the citation will include the title and author of the work, the date of publication and the page number(s) of the point or quotation youâre referring to. Hereâs an example: 1. Curta, F. (2007) â âSome remarks on ethnicity in medieval archaeologyâ in Early Medieval Europe 15 (2), pp. 159-185
Before you ask, no, a spell check isnât good enough! How many times have you typed âformâ instead of âfromâ? Thatâs just one of a huge number of errors that spell check would simply miss. Your English should be impeccable if you want to be taken seriously, and that means clear and intelligent sentence structures, no misplaced apostrophes, no typos and no grammar crimes. Include your name at the top of each page of your essay, and number the pages. Also, make sure you use a font thatâs easy to read, such as Times New Roman or Arial. The person marking your essay wonât appreciate having to struggle through reading a fancy Gothic font, even if it does happen to match the Gothic literature youâre studying!
Meet the deadline
You donât need us to tell you that, but for the sake of being comprehensive, weâre including it anyway. You could write the best essay ever, but if you deliver it late, it wonât be looked upon favourably! Donât leave writing your essay until the last minute – start writing with plenty of time to spare, and ideally leave time to sleep on it before you submit it. Allowing time for it to sink in may result in you having a sudden brilliant revelation that you want to include. So there we have it – everything you need to know in order to write an essay to impress. If you want to get ahead, you might also want to think about attending an English summer school .
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Baby Steps: 10 Proven Tips to Write Better Essays in English
If writing an essay sounds a little bit scary, just think of it as a chance to improve your writing skills .
Nobody expects your first essay to be perfect. Just make sure you learn something new every time you write an essay, and you will  grow your abilities.
We’re going to help you out with ten tips for writing better essays while you’re learning English .
1. Create a Word Bank
2. act like a reporter, 3. create topic sentences, 4. argue both sides, 5. read backwards, 6. use an online thesaurus and a dictionary, 7. combine and separate sentences, 8. have a native english speaker edit your essay, 9. review the whole essay with your friend, then rewrite it, 10. use online apps, and one more thing....
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This is an interesting approach to writing your essay. First, choose a topic and write a thesis . A thesis is the main argument of your essay. For instance, if your topic is reading, your thesis might be “Reading makes you smarter.”
Once you have a thesis, think about your main topic and find words that relate to it in different ways. Then, branch out (broaden, diversify) your list to words that aren’t as closely related to your main topic.
For the example above, your primary list might include words like âbooks,â âreadingâ and âintelligent.â Your other âbranched outâ list might include âHarry Potter,â âreading by a fireâ or âtest scores.â
This process will help expand your vocabulary over time. Using these words when you write will also make your essay more vibrant (energetic, colorful).
When you are first assigned the topic, go ahead and really explore the possible options for your thesis. Ask questions. Get curious. The more questions you ask before you start writing, the more information you will have to use in the essay.
A strong essay is one that covers a lot of content in a succinct (short, to-the-point) way. This process of acting like a reporter will give you valuable quotes, resources and vocabulary to begin the writing process.
For instance, if you’re writing about a new diet plan , you might ask questions like, “Who is the best candidate for this diet plan?,” “How can someone get started?” and “What is the hardest part of this plan?”
A topic sentence is the first sentence in a paragraph, and it summarizes the rest of the paragraph. You can create them first to help you stay on track when writing your essay.
For the thesis “Reading makes you smarter,” one paragraph’s topic sentence might be, “Newspapers make you more aware of current events.” Another paragraph’s topic sentence could be, “Reading plays and classic literature will make you more cultured.”
If youâre writing about the three main issues facing writers today, you could write three full sentences that each address one main issue. Set these aside. Then, when you start writing the essay, refer to your topic sentences to create a solid structure that begins at point A and ends at point C.
If you have to write a longer or more complex essay, it might help to outline both sides of the argument before you start writing. When you write the essay, you will need to choose one side to focus on. But as you prepare, having a side-by-side list of points can be helpful in developing your thesis.
Also, by arguing for the opposite side of your opinion, you will learn which points you need to better address in your essay. You will learn more about the topic, and you will gain more vocabulary words to enrich the essay.
As an example, you might be writing an essay arguing that people should drink less coffee. To argue both sides, you’ll need to consider the opposite side: the benefits of coffee. How will people quit if they are addicted? What about the antioxidants in coffee? Aren’t those good for you? Really explore the entire concept (both sides of the argument) before you write.
Proper grammar is difficult for even the most fluent English speakers. Because you are learning English, you actually have an advantage. Many native speakers learned improper grammar from the start. Itâs difficult to undo the damage caused by a lifetime of writing improperly.
As you learn the English language, make a serious effort to practice your grammar and sentence structure. One way to spot improper grammar in your own English writing is to read each sentence backwards (start with the last word and end with the first). This way, you wonât be fooled by how the words sound when you read them in your head.
Is everything in the correct tense (past, present, future, etc.)? If youâre writing about plurals, are the possessive nouns plural? Are the apostrophes in the right places? Does every sentence end with a punctuation mark (period, question mark, exclamation point)? Reading the text backwards makes you focus on the rules of grammar instead of the flow of the sentence.
You might have learned a large number of fancy words when studying for an entrance exam. But before you start using them in academic essays, be very sure you know what they mean in the context of your essay. This is where the dictionary can come in handy .
A thesaurus is another valuable tool when writing an essay. A thesaurus tells you synonyms, or words that have the same or a similar meaning to the word you look up. It’s important because it can add some volume to your essay and increase the impact of your words.
For example, if youâre writing about cooking, the words âstirâ and âaddâ might come up a lot. This repetition is boring for a reader.
So instead of constantly saying, âAdd the tomatoâ and âadd the eggs,â a thesaurus will teach you to say things like âwhisk in the eggsâ or âgently fold in the tomatoes.â See? It sounds a lot better and adds interest to your essay.
Visual Thesaurus is a resource that works just like a regular thesaurus, but it also shows you the connections between the words. For example, if you type in the word “stir,” you’ll immediately see a whole circle of other words connected to “stir” with lines. From there, you can click on any of the words in the circle (like “move,” in this case) and then see all the words related to that word. This helps you find and learn new words quickly, and it’s also fun!
Once the essay is written, go back through the writing to find any sentences that seem too long or wordy. Break these into two or more sentences.
For example, the following sentence is too long, which makes it unclear:
If you want to write in another language, you need to practice writing in creative ways, like writing on a blog, writing fun poems or texting a friend who speaks the language you’re learning every day.
Instead, you could write it as two clearer sentences (with less repetition of the word “writing”):
If you want to write in another language, you need to practice in creative ways every day. For example, you could start a blog, create fun poems or text a friend.
Do the opposite with sentences you find too short.
Also, look for sentences that are very closely related to one another. If two sentences seem like the thoughts are connected, you can combine them with a semicolon ( ; ).
For example, the following sentences are very closely related:
Learning to write in another language can be really difficult, especially when you’re first getting started. That’s why it helps to practice every day.
That’s why you could write it this way:
Learning to write in another language can be really difficult, especially when you’re first getting started; daily practice is helpful.
Meet up with a friend who is fluent in English (or, at least, more fluent than you). This friend can edit your essay and point out any repetitive errors.
If they find mistakes that you make often, you will be able to watch more closely for that error as you write future essays. This friend will also be able to point out grammatical or spelling errors that you might have missed.
If you don’t have any friends who are fluent in English, you can use a website like Conversation Exchange . This is a free site where native English speakers will correct your writing. In exchange, you correct the writing of someone learning your native language.
Once you and your friend have both reviewed your essay and marked any mistakes, rewrite the whole thing. This step is important. Just noting that you made some mistakes will not help you learn how to avoid them in the future.
By rewriting the essay with the corrections in mind, you will teach yourself how to write those sections properly. You will create a memory of using proper grammar or spelling a word correctly. So, you will be more likely to write it correctly next time.
Lastly, there are some fantastic online resources that can help improve your writing. For instance, Hemingway Editor  can review your document to find any confusing or wordy sentences. You can rewrite these to make them easier to understand.
You could also head over to Essay Punch  to find resources, tools and support that can help improve your writing skills. Grammar Book  is a great resource for practicing proper grammar and spelling.
If you need some practice with words and grammar, but you learn better from audio and video, it can be challenging to improve your writing ability. One way to improve your English skills with a multimedia approach is using a language learning program like FluentU .
Since many online resources are readily accessible, feel free to experiment with your options. Try to find the ones that cater best to your learning habits and needs.
The advice in this post is mainly for improving your essay writing over time. However, if you want a more professional opinion for an important essay, you can also use Scribendi . Scribendi is an online essay editing resource that helps with academic and admissions essays. If you’re applying to a school or are writing an important paper, you may want to consider their services to make sure your essay is the best it can be.
Learning a new language is certainly an ambitious (challenging) task. There are so many small details to learn, and the process takes a lot of time and commitment. But with practice and study, you will improve.
It takes even more effort to become a strong writer in a new language, but these tips will help you get started.
Hopefully, you were able to find one or two tips that you believe will help you improve your essay writing abilities. Over time, try to use all of these strategies (or at least more than one) in your writing routine. Good luck!
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If you want to watch it, the FluentU app has probably got it.
The FluentU app and website makes it really easy to watch English videos. There are captions that are interactive. That means you can tap on any word to see an image, definition, and useful examples.
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10 Tips on How to Write the Perfect Essay
Despite the possible small size, writing essays is a much more difficult task than one may be led to believe. It is vital to express valuable thoughts and prove the point of view using a very limited number of words – 500 words, for example. This means that you have to stick to the most important aspects, which may be difficult if you arenât used to this kind of thinking. You have to follow a number of rules that are often not very obvious. In other words, learning how to write a perfect essay through practice alone can take a lot of time and efforts.
For a college student who needs results right now to improve their grades, this is unacceptable. This is why weâve gathered some of the most important essay writing tips in this article so that you can learn useful techniques used by professional writers right now without having to discover them on your own.
1. Prepare a Plan and Stick to It
Many students (especially those who put writing an assignment off until the last possible moment) feel that preparing a plan of an essay is a waste of time that can and should be spent on the writing process itself. This belief is wrong for a number of reasons:
- A plan makes your paper neat and organized, which is just as important for an essay as it is for a dissertation;
- It is the best way to prevent yourself from forgetting important points of your argument or repeating yourself;
- In the long run, it saves time. Every minute spent on planning saves you at least 5 minutes you would otherwise spend on worrying about what to write next and correcting yourself. In other words, by planning an essay properly , you buy time for yourself.
2. Start Writing an Essay Early
If you are given two weeks to write an essay, donât put it off until the last day or even minute. Remember that work always requires more time than we initially think, and you may run into unexpected trouble. Even if you write a brilliant essay eventually but it is delivered after the deadline, your grade is going to suffer â at the very least. So start writing an essay as soon as you have some free time. Have 2 free hours today? Work on the essay introduction. Will have a free day tomorrow? Develop a body for your essay.
Ideally, you should finish your work at least a few days before the deadline so that you have enough time to take a break from it and then reread it afterward â this can provide some unexpected insights and make previously unnoticeable flaws obvious.
3. Write What Youâre Said
Quite often students avoid answering the question given to them. Instead, they may attempt to âmasterfullyâ lead the discussion in the direction of something they want to talk about. This may happen for two reasons – students can know more about the subject and feel that they can better demonstrate their skills by writing about the other aspects of the problem. And vice versa – there is no valuable information to capture and essay writing starts with what is better known for a student. Donât follow either of these ways, as both will direct you wrongly away from the assigned research topic. Even if you end up writing an excellent and highly original essay, you are likely to receive a failing grade because you failed to answer the question youâre asked.
4. Start with a Thesis Statement
Before you start writing the essay itself, you have to formulate your thesis statement . Some students do not make a distinction between topics and thesis statements, which can lead to some severe misunderstandings. A topic states what an essay is about, for example, âThe Role of Habits in Our Everyday Lifeâ. A thesis statement expresses your take on the subject, a point you are trying to prove. A good thesis statement contains a single point. If you cannot single it out, it usually means that the direction in which you are moving is too vague, and you probably need some help.
5. Go an Extra Mile
Want to know how to make your essay look âcheapâ and generic? Donât go beyond what youâve discussed in class, donât read additional materials, pick the most obvious answer to the question and decide it is good enough. Want to be at the top of your class? Do the opposite. The exact tips on how to broaden your perspective may differ depending on the discipline you study. So letâs focus on the English literature as an example. You have to write a term paper about a text by a certain author. What can you do to stand out?
- Read examples of other works by the same author and see if they are connected to this text;
- Research the context in which the text was written;
- Study the works by literary critics dedicated to the text and provide samples from them;
- Read works by other authors who were active in the same period and see how the text looks like a part of a bigger picture.
The broad context of an essay question allows you to regard the subject matter from different points of view based on various information sources. It may look like a disproportionately huge amount of work to do for an essay, but you donât have to actually read all this in full. Leaf through them to be sure you include everything that is valuable. For that, you need to be critical enough. Be sure the results will blow everything written by your classmates out of the water. Besides, some assignments (like entrance essays) are actually worth doing all this work in full.
6. Use Quotes, but Donât Overdo It
Any academic work is a sample of its authorâs thoughts backed up by the findings of other people. In other words, quoting reputable academic sources strengthens your argument and shows that youâve done your homework. However, âreputableâ is the key word here. Quoting a random website probably wonât do you much good. Also, it is important to know how to cite properly as required by the necessary formatting style (APA, MLA, Harvard, etc.) However, donât overuse the othersâ ways of thinking. If you turn your essay into a list of other peopleâs opinions, it shows that you arenât confident in your own ability to express your thoughts.
7. Proofread. Probably More than Once
If you want your writing to be taken seriously, your English should be perfect. No misspellings, no poor grammar structures, no misplaced punctuation marks. You may ask, âIsnât a Word spellchecker enough for me to be sure that my essay doesnât contain anything of the kind?â No, it isnât. In-built spellcheckers in word processors and even specialized services claiming to be able to find all the grammar mistakes in your writing are woefully inadequate for their task. They miss all but the most obvious problems and, sometimes, find fault with perfectly fine structures. If you want to be sure about your writing, proofread it yourself (preferably a couple of days after writing) and/or ask somebody you trust to do it for you. You may even want to hire a professional proofreader for extremely important tasks like writing a dissertation.
8. Follow the Formatting Rules Carefully
Following the rules of your assigned format is just as important as spelling every word correctly. Even if you are not asked to follow any particular style guide and include academic citations and bibliography page, do it anyway because:
- It makes your work look more serious and scholarly;
- It gives you an opportunity to show off all the extra work you did when you looked for additional sources of information and read supplementary material;
- It is going to look all the better if nobody else does it.
Just make sure you understand the requirements of your style guide correctly, as mistakes here can undo all your hard work.
9. Show All Sides of the Argument
Usually, the topic you are discussing is going to have multiple points of view associated with it. Make sure you give representation to all of them (or at least the most important ones), even if you decide which one you agree with. Most professors wonât look favorably upon one-sided arguments because the primary purpose of writing an essay is not to prove a point but to demonstrate that you are able to view all the existing proof comprehensibly, take different viewpoints into account, weigh up the evidence and make a decision based on all this, not as a result of your pre-existing bias. However, make sure you do express your own opinion in your own words â this shows that you are ready to think independently and not just recount what other people say.
10. Use Visuals
Images and diagrams arenât what usually comes to mind when we speak about essays, but they can be used to great effect exactly because of it. Unless you are directly discouraged from using visuals, nothing prevents you from doing so. Writing an essay is all about effectiveness and persuasiveness of communication, and an image can help you drive your point home. In addition to making your writing more compelling, visuals also make it more enjoyable to read â and if reading it is an enjoyable experience for the person who is marking it, they are more likely to give you a good grade.
The skill of essay writing comes naturally with experience and practice. The more often you write, the better you get at it. However, if you pay attention to the tips weâve listed here, you will be able to get to positive results much faster. Try them out the next time you are given an essay to write, and you will see for yourself how much difference even such simple things can make! If you still have âhow-to-writeâ questions, there are online writing guides provided by a top service. Consult them additionally to make progress in essay writing.
For more great tips on all things College, check out the other blogs on College Basics.
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How to Write a Perfect Essay Plan
4-minute read
- 9th December 2019
Every good essay starts with a good essay plan. And planning your essay is important, as it will help you express each point you need to make clearly and in a logical order. But what goes into a good essay plan? And how can you write one? Join us for a quick look at how this works.
1. Read the Question Closely
The first step in any essay plan is to look at the question youâve been set. It should provide some clue as to the kind of essay required, such as whether it is an open or closed question . These differ as follows:
- An open question permits various answers. For instance, if you were set an English literature essay, you might be asked What are the main social themes in the writing of Charles Dickens? This would allow you to discuss a range of concepts in response. Writing you essay plan would then involve narrowing down your subject matter so you can focus on one issue.
- A closed question focuses on a specific issue, often asking you to agree or disagree with something. For instance, a closed question could be Is technology a destructive force in the writing of Charles Dickens? In this case, the question dictates the form of the essay, as you would need to look at arguments for and against the claim and, finally, come to a conclusion.
Keep in mind that both question types require an in-depth answer! Some closed questions could technically be answered by writing âYesâ or âNoâ on a piece of paper, but this wonât get you great marks. Instead, think of the question as a prompt for you to show off what you know on the topic.
And if youâre not sure about anything, such as how a question is worded, you will want to check this with whomever set the assignment.
2. Brainstorm Ideas and Organise Your Research
After studying the essay question, the next step is to brainstorm ideas for answering it. And the starting point for this is to organise your research.
In other words, itâs time to get out those lecture notes! In fact, you should make a mind map of everything you know on the essay topic.
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Look for anything that is relevant to the essay question. You can then narrow down the possible answers to the topics that interest you most. This should also help you identify any gaps in your knowledge, so you can make notes on what else you may need to research for your essay.
3. Draft an Essay Outline
The last step in writing an essay plan is to outline your essay. This means breaking it down section by section, paragraph by paragraph, so you know exactly what you need to write to answer the essay question.
The exact content will depend on the topic and word count . But, as a rule, most essays will have a basic structure along the following lines:
- Introduction â A paragraph or two that sets out your main argument.
- Main Body â This is the main chunk of your essay. To plan this, break down your argument into paragraphs or sections, sticking to one main idea per paragraph. Once you’ve done this, note down how each point supports your argument, plus any quotes or examples you will use.
- Conclusion â A brief summary of your arguments and evidence.
- References â A list of sources you plan to use in your essay.
This will then guide the writing process, making sure you always stay on topic.
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Planning your essay is just the first step: you then need to write it! And to make sure itâs the best it can be, youâll want to have it proofread . Our expert editors can help with that, making sure that your writing is always academic in tone and completely error free. Just let us know how we can help!
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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the 13 best college essay tips to craft a stellar application.
College Essays
In many ways, the most labor-intensive part of your college application process is the essay. Itâs not just about forwarding transcripts or entering a list of extracurricular activitiesâyou have to craft something personal and compelling to show the admissions committee who you are beyond your resume.
In this article, weâll go over our 13 best tips for writing college essays. Weâll give tips for every step of the process including planning, writing, and editing your essay, as well as some quick and easy tips to boost any essays you already have written! With these college essay tips, youâll be that much closer to the best admissions essay ever!
5 Tips for College Essay Planning
Doing a good job planning makes the college essay process that much easier. These five college essay tips will help you get started and pave the way for a great final product.
#1: Make a Plan of Attack for Your Essays
The first thing youâll need to do is identify all the essays youâll need to write and their deadlines. It may help you to make a spreadsheet with the essay guidelines for each school, the word count, the prompts, the due date, and any special instructions. This will help you figure out:
How many essays youâll need to write, and how long those essays need to be.
Whether you can reuse any essays: In general, you can reuse essays for prompts that are about your life, broadly similar in theme, and have a similar word count. You probably canât reuse essays that are very specific to the college, like âWhy This Collegeâ essays .
Which essay you should write first: Youâll probably want to start first on the essay with the earliest application deadline. Alternatively, if you have plenty of time or the deadlines are close together, you could start with the longest essay (which will take the most time) or the essay that will be used for the most schools (like a Common Application essay). Do what you feel most comfortable with.
With all this information gathered, youâll be able to make a plan of attack for your essays and make sure nothing gets lost in the application shuffle. (In fact, I actually advise keeping track of all necessary components of your application in a spreadsheet for the same reason).
#2: Start Early
You want to start writing way before the deadline. If possible, give yourself at least two months, and maybe even more time if you can. This will make sure that you have enough time to adequately plan your essay, draft it, and edit it.
And, of course, the more essays you have to write, the earlier you should start!
#3: Choose the Right Topic
Choosing the right topic has two facets: first, choosing the right prompt (if thereâs a choice) and second, choosing the right topic to write about for that prompt.
The Right Prompt
If thereâs a choice of prompts, you may want to actually start by brainstorming the specific topic or thing in your life that you want to write about, and then reverse-engineer back to the most appropriate prompt. Most college essay prompts are pretty vague, so a broad range of topics and issues can be applied.
You can also use prompts to help you brainstorm if youâre having a hard time figuring out what to write about. Think about the prompt that seems most appealing to you at first. What intrigues you about it? What do you think you could communicate about yourself through that question?
Hereâs some tailored guidance on some of the most common college essay prompt types . And if youâre writing a Common Application essay, hereâs advice on how to choose the right Common App prompt for you .
The Right Topic
When youâre trying to choose something about your life to write about, consider the following:
What are you excited to write about? A good college essay can be about a wide variety of topics, but it should show that youâre passionate about something. This could be anything from a hobby you have to your favorite book or even your most beloved stuffed animal, just so long as you can make it memorable and positive. Also, your writing will be a lot better if you are writing about something you care about and are interested in!
Whatever you write about should be primarily about you. You should be the focal point. Even if youâre writing about someone who has influenced you, for example, you need to relate it back to yourself. What does this tell admission officers about you?
What makes you stand out? This should be something that goes beyond whatâs in the rest of your application. Your test scores and GPA are already there. What really shows something unique about you?
Choose a topic you can be honest about . If youâre not being genuine, it will end up coming through in your writing. So donât write about how much your membership in Youth Group meant to you if you only went to make your mom happy and you actually didnât care that much.
In general, you should avoid topics that are overly controversial, like things that are politically charged, doing things that are illegal, or anything involving graphic descriptions of any bodily function. So if youâre going to write about recovering from hip surgery, probably leave out the gory details of you being constipated and your oozy scars.
Check out our 35 brainstorming techniques for college essays for even more help coming up with a topic!
If youâre really stumped, consider asking your friends and family what they think could be good topics. They may help you figure out something memorable and interesting. But also, donât feel like you have to write about a topic just because someone else thinks it would be great. You need to be genuinely interested in what youâre writing about to write an engaging essay!
#4: Decide on Your Approach
In general, there are two main approaches you might take to write your essay. It might primarily take a narrative format, or it might take a thematic format.
In a narrative format, youâll be relating a particular anecdote or experience and what it means to you. In a thematic format, youâll present a particular themeâsay, your love of parakeets or your secret talent for balancing books on your headâand expound on that theme in a descriptive way to reveal more about you and your personality.
Sometimes your approach will be determined by the prompt or topic that you choose. For example, if a prompt says to relate a particular event or anecdote, youâll probably use a narrative approach. By contrast, if you want to write about how your favorite book changed your life, that will probably be a thematic essay.
#5: Write an Outline
Doing a little bit of outlining before you put fingertips to keyboard to write your essay is always a good idea. You donât necessarily need to make a super-detailed plan before you starting writing, but a general idea of where you are going and the points you want to make will be very helpful when you start drafting. Otherwise, you may find yourself spending a lot of time staring at a blank Word document.
Yes, good, very detailed essay plan.
4 Top College Essay Writing Tips
Here are four tips for writing college essays and making sure your work stands out in a good way:
#6: Use Specific Details
The more details you use, the more your writing will come alive. Try to use words that are vivid and specific, instead of ones that are vague like ânice,â âgood,â and so on. This will really flesh out the scene and help the reader picture whatâs going on.
So take something like this:
One of my biggest accomplishments in life was teaching my little brother to ride a bicycle. I encouraged him to keep going when he fell down. Now heâs a great cyclist!
To something more like this:
One of my biggest accomplishments in life was teaching my eight-year-old brother to ride the racy red bicycle he got for his birthday. He wanted to give up when he took a tumble and skidded across the sidewalk. But while I bandaged up his knees with Batman band-aids, I convinced him to give it another try. I told him to think about how he would be able to bike all around the neighborhood exploring. Now I smile whenever I see him zooming down our streetâwearing his helmet, of course!
See the difference? Wouldnât you rather read the second one?
#7: Be Genuine
Itâs important to get beyond the superficial in your personal statement. You should be writing about something thatâs genuinely important or significant to you, so try to get beyond the surface. Instead of writing vague platitudes about how you really like the violin but itâs hard, really get at the meat: did you ever think about quitting? Whatâs frustrated you the most? What really keeps you going?
This means you shouldnât try to write about things where itâs too painful to be honest. So if your parents got a divorce last year, it may be too raw to write about, which is perfectly fine. If, however, they got divorced when you were 5 and you can honestly reflect on how it changed your life, go for it.
Of course, you want to be honest in a reasonable and appropriate way. If you overshare, it will make it seem like you have bad judgment or donât understand social normsânot good impressions to give the admissions committee. So probably donât write about how much you despise your mother and think she is evil since she had an affair with your school librarian. Itâs fine to feel how you feel, but there are some things that are a little too charged to write in your college essay.
#8: Be Unique, but Not Bizarre
You definitely want your writing to set you apartâbut you want it to set you apart in a good way. This means you want high-quality writing about unique experiences and qualities you bring to the table that arenât covered elsewhere in your application.
This does not mean you should get really avant-garde with your essay formatting. Donât send in a piece of art instead of an essay, or make a video, or write a poem instead of an essay, unless those things are explicitly allowed.
Similarly, while your essay doesnât have to be 100% deadly serious in tone, you should be careful with humor. This doesnât mean absolutely no jokes or tongue-in-cheek moments or that your essay should read like an 18th-century book of sermons. But if your essay relies too much on humor, youâve got a lot riding on whether or not the person reading your essay âgetsâ it. They may well be annoyed. So deploy humor carefully and selectively.
#9: Avoid Cliches and Platitudes
The more cliches you use in your writing, the more boring and less insightful your essay will be. Cliches are phrases that are so overused that they are essentially meaningless, and they are likely to make any reader roll their eyes. Phrases like âa dime a dozen,â âoutside the box,â âcold as ice,â âdirt cheap,â âflash in the pan,â and so on are frequently deployed in conversation because they convey a common idea quickly. But you donât want your essay to be common, so avoid cliches. Try to think about how you can communicate the same idea in a more specific and interesting way.
Hereâs a list of over 600 cliches . But for the most part, you wonât need a list; youâll know something is a cliche because you will have heard it a million times already.
You should also avoid platitudes or sweeping generalizations about life. These are statements that are so broad and far-reaching as to be both obvious and completely uninsightful.
So avoid making statements like âAnd thatâs how I learned that hard work pays off,â or âThereâs no âIâ in team.â You may think you sound sage or wise, but the truth is, platitudes are going to sound immature and poorly-formed to the reader. Similarly, donât say things that sound like they could come from an inspirational quote account on Instagram. (See, ahem, âYou miss 100% of the shots you never take,â âShoot for the moon,â and so on.)
How do you avoid the platitude problem? Try to keep what youâre saying specific to you. So instead of saying âAnd thatâs how I learned that hard work pays off,â try, âThis experience helped me to realize that when I put concentrated effort into something thatâs important to me, I can accomplish it even when there are roadblocks.â Keep the focus on what you can and will do in your own life.
Avoid trite sayings like this one.
2 Tips for Editing Your College Essay
You may think that once youâve gotten a draft done that youâre good to go. Not so! Editing is one of the most important parts of writing the best college essay possible, and here are two essential college essay tips for editing.
Tip #10: Ask for Help
Itâs always wise to get another set of eyes on your college essays. In fact, several sets of eyes is even better! Other people can help you make sure your essay flows, you have enough detail, that everything is relevant, and that you sound as engaging and interesting as you really are! They can also help you catch typos and other minor errorsâalthough youâll want to double and triple-check for that yourself before submitting.
Hereâs advice on how to ask for help with all parts of the college essay process , including editing.
Tip #11: Be Prepared to Cut a Lot
Brace yourself for cutting up your initial draft into tiny little ribbons and rearranging the remaining pieces Frankenstein-style. A first draft is really just a starting place to get your ideas down before you revamp the entire thing into a more streamlined, better organized, highly polished version. So you have to be ready to let go of pieces of your essay, no matter how much you love a particular turn of phrase or analogy. The ultimate goal is to turn the rough stone of your first draft into a polished and clear piece of writingâand thatâs going to take a lot of chipping and sanding!
2 Final Tips for College Essay Success
Here are two quick but essential college essay tips you can implement easily.
Tip #12: Have a Standout First Sentence
One thing you can do to give any essay a boost is to make sure that your first sentence is attention-grabbing. If you can pique the interest of the admissions counselor right away, youâll help keep their attention throughout your essay.
Hereâs our guide to getting that perfect first sentence!
Tip #13: Triple-check for Typos and Errors
The most important quick thing you can do for your essay is to make sure there are no typos or grammatical errors. It will make your essay look sloppy and unfinished, and thatâs the last thing you want! College admissions officers expect a polished product, and thereâs nothing less polished than misspelled words and comma splices.
13 College Essay Tips: Key Takeaways for a Great College Essay
To recap, hereâs our 13 tips for the best college essay ever:
College Essay Planning Tips:
- Create a plan of attack for all of your essays so you can keep track of everything.
- Start earlyâat least two months before the due date, if not more.
- Choose the right prompt and topic for you.
- Decide between a narrative or a thematic approach to the topic.
- Outline before you start writing!
College Essay Writing Tips:
- Use vivid, specific details.
- Be genuineâget beyond the superficial.
- Be unique, but not bizarre.
- Avoid cliches and platitudes; they are boring and unimaginative.
College Essay Editing Tips:
- Get other people to look at your essay.
- Be prepared to change, cut, and rearrange a lot!
Final Tips for College Essays:
- Make sure your first sentence is stellar.
- Triple check for typos and grammatical errors!
Whatâs Next?
Youâve read our tips for successânow see 10 college essay mistakes to avoid .
Looking for some college essay examples? See 133 essay examples and expert analysis here , along with 11 more places to find great college essay examples .
Check out our complete guides to ApplyTexas essays , UC Personal Insight questions , and the Common Application essay !
Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:
Ellen has extensive education mentorship experience and is deeply committed to helping students succeed in all areas of life. She received a BA from Harvard in Folklore and Mythology and is currently pursuing graduate studies at Columbia University.
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How to Write the Perfect Essay in English: 6 Easy Steps
If you are an international student at college or university and you need help with your essay writing in English, you are in the right place! We have created this simple 6-step guide to help you achieve the best results in the shortest possible time. This guide includes essay writing tips, examples, templates, and links to helpful resources. Letâs jump right inâŚ
- Step 1: Plan
- Step 2: Research
- Step 3: Introduce
- Step 4: Argue
- Step 5: Reference
- Step 6: Conclude
What you will learn: Â
Step 1: Plan Step 2: Research Step 3: Introduce Step 4: Argue Step 5: Reference Step 6: Conclude
Quick Intro
Essay writing in English is very different from other types of written communication, such as composing emails for work or personal letters to friends. The main difference is that you need to demonstrate your ability to think and write critically .
When writing an academic text, you need to clearly introduce and explain an argument . This means you must show that you have understood and carefully considered the opinions of experts in the subject/topic.
There are also rules (or conventions) that you have to follow when introducing theories and using quotes from other peopleâs work . We have included tips and links to help you get this right in your English essays.
Do not let academic writing in English scare you. You can do this! Â
Step 1: Plan Your Essay
Have you ever heard the phrase âfail to prepare and prepare to failâ ? Well, it is famous for a reason â and is certainly true when it comes to writing a good essay.
Having a detailed plan makes it so much easier to produce a great essay, dissertation or research paper.
In any sort of academic writing, your preparation and planning are important. Before you start to write, make sure you complete a detailed plan .
Of course, while you are writing your essay, you may change parts of your original plan â but only if you are sure that there is a good reason for making these changes.
Here are some tips to help you plan your thoughts effectively to make essay writing in English a lot easier.
How to plan an essay in English
- Study the essay question carefully. Make sure you completely understand it. Write it out in full and then try to say it using different words. This will help you when you start to write your assignment.
- Underline the most important words (the âkey wordsâ) in the essay question. Make sure you understand them â use a dictionary or synonym bank to help you. Define the key words in the essay question, but using your own words .
- Create a âmind mapâ on a big piece of paper. Write the essay question in the middle and then surround it with any key words, ideas or quotes that you would like to include in your essay. People sometimes call this âbrainstormingâ.
- List the research work you will need to complete to write your essay well. This includes all the relevant textbooks, as well as the prominent authors you will reference with quotes. Make sure you have access to all the books you need before you begin (online, library, shop).
- Plan your argument so that it makes logical sense. To write a great essay, you need to answer the question fully. This means you must show independent thought, and present your argument in an intelligent and convincing way.
- Choose a suitable person and register for your writing. Most academic texts must be written in formal register. Although you should not use the first person in an essay (âIâ) , it is still important to demonstrate your ability to think critically. We will show you how to do this later.
- Decide how many sections your essay will contain. This depends on the required wordcount (length), but here is a simple section plan to get you started:
Example: essay structure
- Introduction â paraphrase the question to show you understand it in the context of your studies. We will look at paraphrasing â with a useful example â a little later (in Step 3).
- Body text 1 â present your main argument early in your essay, with carefully considered points to justify it. Show that you have read about the subject and are well-informed in the relevant theory or ideas.
- Body text 2 â show that you know the key arguments against your main point, and use references to these.
- Body text 3 â explain why your main argument is correct or justified, using the remaining points from your research.
- Conclusion â summarise the essay or assignment by returning to the original question, making sure you have answered it fully and clearly.
Template: plan for an essay in English
Question: Q. “ Tell me and I forget . Teach me and I remember . Involve me and I learn .” Discuss what Benjamin Franklin meant by this statement. Do you agree with it?
Underline the important words (key words) in the essay question: Involve me and I learn . Discuss what this means . Do you agree? Â
Rewrite the essay question in my own words: Benjamin Franklin was a self-taught learner and believed in the power of allowing people to complete tasks and activities themselves, rather than being told how to do them in a traditional classroom setting. This essay aims to discuss how this inclusive approach could be used to form teaching tools and programmes to empower educators and students â both now and in the future.
Research I need to do:
- Benjamin Franklin â his life and ethos, his attitudes towards education.
- The main forms of current student-centred/inclusive education styles and how they work. Theory vs. practice.
- Theories of deductive vs. inductive education styles. Arguments for and against each, supporting my thoughts on the positive power of student-centred learning.
- Complete a reading list of key texts.
My initial thoughts (the argument I need to articulate):
- Including students in activities and tasks, making lessons student-centred, is a better way of helping them to learn than traditional teacher-centred methods. Â
- Link education to the concept of democracy; giving people the power to make autonomous decisions is a more productive way of helping a group to develop independent thinking skills and therefore evolve as a society.
- My essay must argue why this is true, analysing theories of deductive vs. inductive (i.e. inclusive) education methodologies from the most prominent educational theorists of recent times. Â
- I need to remember to conclude my essay by returning to the original question. Â
Step 2: Research the Topic
Any piece of academic writing â whether it is an undergraduate essay, post-graduate dissertation or post-doctoral research paper â requires detailed and relevant research .
However, researching for an essay in English does not need to be a difficult or painful process!
Learning how to research effectively and efficiently will save you a lot of time and stress.
Remember that even academic professionals are not expected to know absolutely everything. We all learn something new every day.
However, it is important that all academic writing demonstrates the authorâs readiness to explore a variety of facts and theories, and discuss them critically.
âCritical thinkingâ means thinking logically and rationally about facts, ideas and concepts, as well as the possible connections between them .
Critical thinking is different from everyday thinking. It is an essential skill for any college or university student, studying in any language â not just English. In academic or essay writing, you must show you are able to explain your critical thinking skills clearly.
Everyday thinking is something most of us do all the time â it does not usually require any real effort.
Critical thinking is the opposite to this. It is when we intentionally use our powers of analysis, combined with our knowledge and research, to produce a theory or argument about something.
How to think (and write) critically in English
Critical thinking involves several skills, including: conceptualising, analysing, refining and evaluating.
- Conceptualising: To conceptualise means to combine pieces of information to form a new idea, or concept.
- Analysing: To analyse means to study a fact, idea or concept in great detail, using independent thinking and research to discover its meaning or validity.
- Refining: To refine means to break something down into its essential parts. In other words, to take out all the unnecessary (or irrelevant) information and present the most important information, ideas or facts in a clear and concise way.
- Evaluating: To evaluate means to understand an idea, thought or argument and go on to assess how accurate or useful it is. A key part of critical thinking is acknowledging that not all arguments are equal, and being able to explain why some are more valid than others.
You will also need to evaluate your own work, after you have written your essay, to see where improvements can be made. This is an important step to complete before submitting your essay for marking. Â
Step 3: Write a Great Introduction
To create a great introduction to an essay (or any academic piece of writing) in English, you need to do two things:
- Demonstrate that you understand the question fully
- Introduce your argument clearly
Here is how to do thisâŚ
- Show that you understand the question
The most important thing is to show you understand the question that you are answering in your essay, assignment or thesis. You should use clear and concise English. A simple way to do this is to paraphrase the essay question within the introduction to your essay.
What is paraphrasing?
Paraphrasing means explaining what a statement or question means, using different words and grammatical structures. In academic writing, this demonstrates that you understand a point and are able to think critically about it â and express those thoughts using clear written English.
- âTell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.â Discuss what Benjamin Franklin meant by this statement. Do you agree with it? Â
- American self-taught writer, scientist and diplomat Benjamin Franklin believed in the power of learning through experience. This quote demonstrates that he advocated inclusive education, rather than a teacher-centred, or didactic, approach to learning.
Franklin himself was a self-taught polymath. He learnt through experience, which greatly informed this view. This essay aims to demonstrate why todayâs educators should take inspiration from Franklin by adopting an experiential approach to delivering lessons.
How to paraphrase in English Â
- Make sure your first statement starts at a different point than the original sentence or question.
- Try to use synonyms (alternative words that mean the same thing â such as âdifferentâ instead of âalternativeâ) for the words in the original sentence or question.
- Break down the information, for example into two sentences (instead of one).
- Use different words to the vocabulary used in the essay question.
- Use different sentence structures to those used in the assignment question.
Although you do not need to go into great detail in your introduction, you should definitely begin to answer the essay question by referencing the direction your argument will take .
In this particular essay question, the student is being asked to express their agreement or disagreement with Franklinâs point of view. Therefore, expressing an argument for or against the quote is especially important here. Remember that you should never use the first person (âIâ) in academic writing, unless it is specifically asked for.
âThis essay aims to demonstrate why todayâs educators should take inspiration from Franklin by adopting an experiential approach to delivering lessons.â
(Not! In MY essay⌠or ⌠I will aim to⌠)  Â
Step 4: Present Your Argument
When writing your essay, it is a good idea to explain both sides of the argument in the first section of the body text of your essay (body 1).
This helps to show that you have analysed the question, and understand the importance of considering different viewpoints. Including the work of prominent writers and theorists in your field of study also shows you have done your research on the topic.
To help you do this, write a list of arguments for and against the point you are discussing. Then incorporate what you have written into your essay.
Based on the question below, we might create the following table to use in our essay. This shows agreement AND disagreement with Benjamin Franklinâs statement.
Step 5: Use Quotes Effectively
As we said in the research section (Step 2) of this guide, including the work and theories of prominent experts in the subject you are writing about is very important.
However, it is also important to reference the work of other people in the correct way â otherwise you could be accused of plagiarism (copying or cheating)!
There are several different systems of referencing. These include:
MLA (Modern Languages Association) system APA (American Psychological Association) system Harvard system MHRA (Modern Humanities Research Association)Â system.
It is very important that you use the referencing system that is used and accepted by your academic institution or university.
For example, Nottingham Trent University in the UK requires students to use the Harvard referencing system, whereas other institutions might insist that students use the MHRA system. If you are in doubt, check with your tutor or lecturer.
What is plagiarism?
Plagiarism is when you use another personâs work and pretend that it is your own. Sometimes, plagiarism is not committed intentionally, but is just the result of bad referencing.
Plagiarism is against the rules in all UK universities, and could cause a student to fail an assignment â or, in the worst-case scenario, they could even be asked to leave the course without graduating!
How to avoid plagiarism
- Make sure you understand what plagiarism means. Most UK universities have a detailed definition of plagiarism on their websites â as well as tools you can use to detect plagiarism in your own work before you submit it. Make sure you use them!
- Write quotes in a different colour or font type. Only change the format to match the rest of your essay text after you have referenced everything correctly.
- Read your essay back carefully before handing it in. Check for spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors, as well as for plagiarism.
- Ask a native English-speaking student or colleague to read your essay and check for inconsistencies in tone and style of writing â this can often indicate accidental plagiarism .
- Check the referencing system used by your academic institution, and learn how to use it yourself before starting your essay. Give yourself plenty of time to do this.
- Complete your bibliography. Your bibliography is the list of all the books, articles, websites and any other sources you have used to complete your essay. Check with your tutor to make sure your bibliography is written to suit the standards of your college or university. This is a very important part of the referencing process.
Hereâs a useful video on how to use the Harvard referencing system:Â
Step 6: End with a Strong Conclusion
The conclusion of an essay is just as important as the introduction.
It is here that you have your final chance to summarise your main points, highlight any research you have done and bring your thoughts together to end with a strong and convincing conclusion.
A great essay conclusion in English shows your ability to refine complex information and summarise an argument in clear and concise English.
Paraphrasing is important for the introduction of an essay, whereas summarising is important for the conclusion. Paraphrasing is saying the same thing as an original statement (but in different words), whereas summarising is providing a shortened version of the key points and defining exactly what they mean.
How to summarise
- Read your essay through at least twice. What are the key points?
- Identify these key points and rewrite them using different words.
- What do these key points mean when they are combined together?
- Write this out, making sure you refer back to the original essay question again.
Example summary (from essay conclusion):
In summary, by saying âtell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.â, Benjamin Franklin was not simply referring to education in the traditional classroom sense, where a teacher stands in front of a group of students and instructs them.
As this essay has referenced, many popular modern-day teaching styles, such as Montessori and Steiner, focus on student-centred learning. This focus on inductive learning in the early stages of a childâs life can be seen to be not only beneficial to the individual, but to society as a whole.
In conclusion, writing a great essay in English does not need to be painful or scary. In fact, it can be fun. Contact us if you need any support with English for academic, business or general purposes â we can help!
If you need native English tuition to improve your academic English, request a consultation today and speak to one of our experienced EAL instructors!
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A (Very) Simple Way to Improve Your Writing
- Mark Rennella
It’s called the “one-idea rule” — and any level of writer can use it.
The “one idea” rule is a simple concept that can help you sharpen your writing, persuade others by presenting your argument in a clear, concise, and engaging way. What exactly does the rule say?
- Every component of a successful piece of writing should express only one idea.
- In persuasive writing, your “one idea” is often the argument or belief you are presenting to the reader. Once you identify what that argument is, the “one-idea rule” can help you develop, revise, and connect the various components of your writing.
- For instance, let’s say you’re writing an essay. There are three components you will be working with throughout your piece: the title, the paragraphs, and the sentences.
- Each of these parts should be dedicated to just one idea. The ideas are not identical, of course, but they’re all related. If done correctly, the smaller ideas (in sentences) all build (in paragraphs) to support the main point (suggested in the title).
Where your work meets your life. See more from Ascend here .
Most advice about writing looks like a long laundry list of âdoâs and donâts.â These lists can be helpful from time to time, but theyâre hard to remember ⌠and, therefore, hard to depend on when youâre having trouble putting your thoughts to paper. During my time in academia, teaching composition at the undergraduate and graduate levels, I saw many people struggle with this.
- MR Mark Rennella is Associate Editor at HBP and has published two books, Entrepreneurs, Managers, and Leaders and The Boston Cosmopolitans .
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How To Write The Perfect Essay in 8 Easy Steps
by Pat Wyman | Aug 25, 2011 | Articles
Everyone can write the perfect essay.
The ideas are inside your child’s or student’s brain just waiting to be put on paper in a form that everyone can read.
The following is an excerpt from the book  Instant Learning for Amazing Grades .
Schools and home-schools require essay writing, so do colleges and college entrance exams, so, why not learn a few simple tips to make essay writing easy?
Below is a template, followed by 8 additional easy steps on how to write the perfect essay in 8 easy steps, every time.
How to Write the Perfect Essay in 8 Easy Steps
1) the topic.
Example: Â Amazing Grades
2) Brainstorm
This helps you think of related ideas.
- Motivating yourself instantly
- Cut learning time in half; higher grades in 14 days
- High-Performance Memory Strategies
Example: Â How to Create Higher Grades in 14 Days Using Your Child’s Personal Learning Style
4)Â Â Â Grab the Reader’s Interest
What is the first sentence you would use to pique their interest?
Perhaps it might be a question or a simple statement.
Example: Â Would you like to have higher grades in 14 days?
5) Elaborate Your Point
This is the part where you use as many facts to support your idea as possible. Write several sentences using some of the brainstorms you had in step 2.
Example: Â Learning can be difficult, but you don’t have to do it alone.
Many learning experts say that learning is not about being smart â it’s about strategy.
These experts show you how with xxxâŚ
6) Do You Need an Introduction?
7) What About a Conclusion?
8) You Did It!
Congratulate yourself â you’ve just written an excellent essay!
Writing the perfect essay is a matter of  building up your skill level  a step at a time.
Once you have fallen into the rhythm of the template above, you can step up your essay game!
8 More Easy Steps to Write the Perfect Essay, Every Single Time
Step one â picture perfect summary.
Put your title/main idea in the center of the page, make a circle around it, and write down all the ideas and keywords about your topic that you can think of.
Use one branch off the circle for each main idea.
You’re brainstorming at this point, so just write down any ideas that come into your mind.
(That’s how I write magazine and news articles and books too)!
Step Two â Find Your Keywords
Organize them into groups.
Make sure that each group reflects the topic or question that you’re writing about.
Step Three â The Beginning, Middle, and End
The middle develops and supports your main topic.
Back everything you say up with facts, quotations, evidence.
The end will give a clever answer or summary to the original question or idea that you started with and tie up those loose ends.
Step Four â Your First Draft!
That’s how I wrote this book!
Give each idea its own paragraph, don’t worry about style and spelling at this point.
You can check this later.
Your Picture Perfect Summary is your guide. Use all the ideas that you decided were important.
Step Five â Then the Ending
Make sure it sums up your answer/summary to the main topic/question. Look back at the draft of the middle.
Write down the 5 or 10 most important keywords.
Find the shortest way to link them together â this is your ending.
Step Six â Now the Beginning
There’s an old saying from my college days English class: Tell ’em what you’re going to say, tell ’em, tell ’em what you said!
This beginning is essential to set the stage â make sure it’s catchy and makes the reader interested in what you have to say.
Once you have the body and conclusion of your essay completed, you already have the big picture in your mind.
This makes writing the introduction much easier because you know what you’re going to be talking about in the rest of the piece!
Step Seven â Get Some Rest!
Now, go to bed and get some rest. Give the ideas a chance to process in your brain. Tomorrow you’ll notice a few more points to talk about and think of additional ways to say things.
Step Eight â Edit
Author, Colin Rose, says, “EDIT â Excellent Draft, Inspirational Text”⌠read the whole essay aloud to yourself.
Audio record it if you can. Does it sound logical and convincing? You are on your way to understanding how to write the perfect essay.
Are your examples bringing your ideas to life? Check the beginning â is it awesome? Does it make sense?
Edit the beginning, middle, and end â check spelling and grammar. Have someone else proofread it too. Now check the middle. Did everything you said relate to the main topic or question? Is it convincing?
Go to your ending. Edit it â is it punchy? This is the place to really put on your thinking cap. Did you really convince your reader??
Polish up how the essay looks â Is it neat, organized, well written?
Are you satisfied that it does the job you started out to do?
Only you can be the judge of this.
Your essay reflects how you think â do you like the way it came out? If so, turn it in. Now you know how to write the perfect essay in just 8 easy steps.
Now I’d like to hear from you!
Did you find these steps helpful?
Do you think you can now write the perfect essay, every time?
Drop me a line and let me know!
Her superpower is helping people learn, read and remember everything faster. Pat is the best-selling author of more than 15 books and is also a university instructor, mom and golden retriever lover!
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How to write a perfect essay
Need to write an essay? Does the assignment feel as big as climbing Mount Everest? Fear not. Youâre up to the challenge! The following step-by step tips from the Nat Geo Kids Almanac will help you with this monumental task.
Sometimes the subject matter of your essay is assigned to you, sometimes itâs not. Either way, you have to decide what you want to say. Start by brainstorming some ideas, writing down any thoughts you have about the subject. Then read over everything youâve come up with and consider which idea you think is the strongest. Ask yourself what you want to write about the most. Keep in mind the goal of your essay. Can you achieve the goal of the assignment with this topic? If so, youâre good to go.
WRITE A TOPIC SENTENCE
This is the main idea of your essay, a statement of your thoughts on the subject. Again, consider the goal of your essay. Think of the topic sentence as an introduction that tells your reader what the rest of your essay will be about.
OUTLINE YOUR IDEAS
Once you have a good topic sentence, you then need to support that main idea with more detailed information, facts, thoughts, and examples. These supporting points answer one question about your topic sentenceââWhy?â This is where research and perhaps more brainstorming come in. Then organize these points in the way you think makes the most sense, probably in order of importance. Now you have an outline for your essay.
ON YOUR MARK, GET SET, WRITE!
Follow your outline, using each of your supporting points as the topic sentence of its own paragraph. Use descriptive words to get your ideas across to the reader. Go into detail, using specific information to tell your story or make your point. Stay on track, making sure that everything you include is somehow related to the main idea of your essay. Use transitions to make your writing flow.
Finish your essay with a conclusion that summarizes your entire essay and 5 restates your main idea.
PROOFREAD AND REVISE
Check for errors in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and grammar. Look for ways to make your writing clear, understandable, and interesting. Use descriptive verbs, adjectives, or adverbs when possible. It also helps to have someone else read your work to point out things you might have missed. Then make the necessary corrections and changes in a second draft. Repeat this revision process once more to make your final draft as good as you can.
Download the pdf .
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Tips and Tricks: How to Craft the Perfect Essay
Last Updated: Â
March 28, 2024
Being creative, methodical, and precise are all necessary to create the ideal essay. Knowledgeable SEO professionals understand the importance of crafting content that attracts readers.
Many students, both young and old, dislike writing essays. It's a complex project that demands research, time, and attention.
The task can be divided into reasonable, fun parts that make writing an essay possible. You can utilise a variety of techniques to sharpen your talents. We will provide you with a wealth of helpful tips in this in-depth guide to assist you in writing the ideal essay.
Key Takeaways on Crafting the Perfect Essay
- Understanding the Essay : An essay conveys the author's perspective on a specific topic and requires research, time, and structure to present ideas coherently.
- Topic Selection : Choose a relevant and interesting topic based on keyword research, catering to both online searches and your target audience.
- Comprehensive Understanding : Thoroughly research the topic, gather data from credible sources, and consider different viewpoints to provide insightful and well-supported content.
- Structured Outline : Organise your ideas into logical sections and subheadings for a well-structured essay that addresses various aspects of the topic.
- Citing Reliable Sources : Incorporate information from trustworthy sources like research articles, reports, and respected websites to enhance credibility and ranking potential.
- Appropriate Vocabulary : Use vocabulary that suits the tone and purpose of the essay, avoiding jargon and adjusting language to the target audience.
- Engaging Details : Include intriguing details that captivate readers' interest and curiosity, making the topic appealing and encouraging further reading.
- Express Opinions : Blend factual information with your well-considered opinions to add depth and a personal touch to the essay.
- Proofreading : Thoroughly proofread the essay for grammatical and spelling errors, enhancing the final structure and readability.
- Practice Writing : Regularly practise writing essays on various subjects to improve your skills, boost confidence, and prepare for different assignments.
What is an Essay?
An essay is a piece of writing that provides the viewpoint or thesis of the author on a particular subject. It is a typical style of academic writing and is used in a variety of settings. Essays frequently spread knowledge and influence readers to take a particular stance.
For many people, writing essays can be a difficult undertaking for a variety of reasons. It can be challenging to turn intricate ideas into cohesive language. It can be difficult to write an essay that is well-organised and has a logical flow of ideas. The essay could come off as disorganised without a defined plan. These challenges are manageable. Keep in mind that writing is a skill that can be improved with practice.
The Best Essay Writing Tips to Write an Impactful Essay
Choose an interesting topic.
The choice of an intriguing and pertinent topic is the first step in creating a great essay. Choose topics that are both popular in online searches and relevant to your target audience. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner to do in-depth keyword research to find the most popular search terms for the subject of your choice. This will give important insights into the words people use to search for information on the topic.
Understand the Topic
It's critical to get a thorough comprehension of the subject matter before beginning to write. Conduct considerable research, obtain data from reputable sources, and consider various viewpoints. Your article should provide the audience with insightful information and solid citations. The more thorough and educational your material is, the more likely it is that search engines will find it to be a useful resource.
Make an Outline
Writing an excellent essay requires organising your ideas through a well-structured plan. Organise your information into logical sections and subheadings that address the topic's various facets. To sum up your essay outline, use a summary generator . It will help you understand what and how to write in the abstract. Make sure that the names of each subsection contain keywords that are pertinent to the text that follows.
Use Research Sources
You must provide something more insightful than what is presently available in order to outrank a rival article. Make use of a variety of research sources to support your claims and offer accurate data. Cite credible research, scholarly articles, business reports, and respected websites. Your essay becomes more credible when you cite reliable sources. Your material is more likely to be shared and linked by readers, which will improve your search engine rankings.
Use appropriate vocabulary
Your writing will be more captivating and persuasive if you use terms that suit the tone and aim of your essay. When writing, stick to the vocabulary you understand to make sure you're using it correctly. A dictionary can help you expand your vocabulary and add variety to your writing. Consider your essay's tone when choosing words. To establish a professional tone, for instance, avoid abbreviations when writing a formal paper for a class.
Include interesting details
If you provide information that can excite readers' curiosity about reading more, your topic can be pleasing to your audience. A topic that is dull and emotionless might occasionally cause issues. By adjusting your writing style and applying metaphors, you might make the most of this situation. On the other hand, writing will be simple if the topic is engaging. Because you have a wealth of intriguing details that are sure to capture readers' interest.
Add your opinions and avoid jargon
A factual essay that exclusively presents information from the research will undoubtedly have an effect. But if it's supported by your thoughts, the article will take on a completely different tone. Your opinions must be very well-considered and reasonable. The objective is to demonstrate to your readers that you have reached this conclusion after careful understanding.
Jargon that isn't essential will merely discourage readers from reading further. As a result of your writing, you force the reader to always have a dictionary open. Avoid employing words that could confuse your readers and mix up the content.
The most crucial stage in the creation of an essay is proofreading. It gives the essay its final structure after being proofread for errors, such as grammatical and spelling mistakes. So a grammar checker can help catch some of these errors during the drafting process. In general, proofreading will help the writer analyse every aspect of the essay. During this process, the author is free to add anything they feel is essential.
Check your essay for faults by reading it aloud multiple times before submitting it. If you want feedback on how well-written your final draft is, think about asking a friend or classmate to read it. You might also read your essay aloud to yourself to identify any areas where your sentences could be improved.
Practice writing essays
To boost your writing confidence, you might want to consider creating sample essays on various subjects. You can improve your craft and feel more ready to write a real essay if you regularly practise. Ask your teacher if they have any sample prompts that are similar to the kinds of assignments they may give you in class if you're still a student. For a range of essay subjects, you can also locate sample prompts online.
Bottom Line
It takes commitment, originality, and authenticity to create the ideal essay. You may write a masterpiece that outranks competitors on Google by thoroughly researching your subject and putting your views into the article. In order to truly wow your audience, remember to engage them and add value to what you say. So go ahead, write with passion, and use your outstanding essay to rule the internet.
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- How to write an essay introduction | 4 steps & examples
How to Write an Essay Introduction | 4 Steps & Examples
Published on February 4, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on July 23, 2023.
A good introduction paragraph is an essential part of any academic essay . It sets up your argument and tells the reader what to expect.
The main goals of an introduction are to:
- Catch your readerâs attention.
- Give background on your topic.
- Present your thesis statement âthe central point of your essay.
This introduction example is taken from our interactive essay example on the history of Braille.
The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability. The writing system of raised dots used by visually impaired people was developed by Louis Braille in nineteenth-century France. In a society that did not value disabled people in general, blindness was particularly stigmatized, and lack of access to reading and writing was a significant barrier to social participation. The idea of tactile reading was not entirely new, but existing methods based on sighted systems were difficult to learn and use. As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness. This essay begins by discussing the situation of blind people in nineteenth-century Europe. It then describes the invention of Braille and the gradual process of its acceptance within blind education. Subsequently, it explores the wide-ranging effects of this invention on blind people’s social and cultural lives.
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Table of contents
Step 1: hook your reader, step 2: give background information, step 3: present your thesis statement, step 4: map your essay’s structure, step 5: check and revise, more examples of essay introductions, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about the essay introduction.
Your first sentence sets the tone for the whole essay, so spend some time on writing an effective hook.
Avoid long, dense sentencesâstart with something clear, concise and catchy that will spark your reader’s curiosity.
The hook should lead the reader into your essay, giving a sense of the topic you’re writing about and why it’s interesting. Avoid overly broad claims or plain statements of fact.
Examples: Writing a good hook
Take a look at these examples of weak hooks and learn how to improve them.
- Braille was an extremely important invention.
- The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability.
The first sentence is a dry fact; the second sentence is more interesting, making a bold claim about exactly why the topic is important.
- The internet is defined as “a global computer network providing a variety of information and communication facilities.”
- The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education.
Avoid using a dictionary definition as your hook, especially if it’s an obvious term that everyone knows. The improved example here is still broad, but it gives us a much clearer sense of what the essay will be about.
- Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is a famous book from the nineteenth century.
- Mary Shelleyâs Frankenstein is often read as a crude cautionary tale about the dangers of scientific advancement.
Instead of just stating a fact that the reader already knows, the improved hook here tells us about the mainstream interpretation of the book, implying that this essay will offer a different interpretation.
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Next, give your reader the context they need to understand your topic and argument. Depending on the subject of your essay, this might include:
- Historical, geographical, or social context
- An outline of the debate you’re addressing
- A summary of relevant theories or research about the topic
- Definitions of key terms
The information here should be broad but clearly focused and relevant to your argument. Donât give too much detailâyou can mention points that you will return to later, but save your evidence and interpretation for the main body of the essay.
How much space you need for background depends on your topic and the scope of your essay. In our Braille example, we take a few sentences to introduce the topic and sketch the social context that the essay will address:
Now it’s time to narrow your focus and show exactly what you want to say about the topic. This is your thesis statement âa sentence or two that sums up your overall argument.
This is the most important part of your introduction. AÂ good thesis isn’t just a statement of fact, but a claim that requires evidence and explanation.
The goal is to clearly convey your own position in a debate or your central point about a topic.
Particularly in longer essays, it’s helpful to end the introduction by signposting what will be covered in each part. Keep it concise and give your reader a clear sense of the direction your argument will take.
As you research and write, your argument might change focus or direction as you learn more.
For this reason, itâs often a good idea to wait until later in the writing process before you write the introduction paragraphâit can even be the very last thing you write.
When you’ve finished writing the essay body and conclusion , you should return to the introduction and check that it matches the content of the essay.
It’s especially important to make sure your thesis statement accurately represents what you do in the essay. If your argument has gone in a different direction than planned, tweak your thesis statement to match what you actually say.
To polish your writing, you can use something like a paraphrasing tool .
You can use the checklist below to make sure your introduction does everything it’s supposed to.
Checklist: Essay introduction
My first sentence is engaging and relevant.
I have introduced the topic with necessary background information.
I have defined any important terms.
My thesis statement clearly presents my main point or argument.
Everything in the introduction is relevant to the main body of the essay.
You have a strong introduction - now make sure the rest of your essay is just as good.
- Argumentative
- Literary analysis
This introduction to an argumentative essay sets up the debate about the internet and education, and then clearly states the position the essay will argue for.
The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts is on the rise, and its role in learning is hotly debated. For many teachers who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its critical benefits for students and educatorsâas a uniquely comprehensive and accessible information source; a means of exposure to and engagement with different perspectives; and a highly flexible learning environment.
This introduction to a short expository essay leads into the topic (the invention of the printing press) and states the main point the essay will explain (the effect of this invention on European society).
In many ways, the invention of the printing press marked the end of the Middle Ages. The medieval period in Europe is often remembered as a time of intellectual and political stagnation. Prior to the Renaissance, the average person had very limited access to books and was unlikely to be literate. The invention of the printing press in the 15th century allowed for much less restricted circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation.
This introduction to a literary analysis essay , about Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein , starts by describing a simplistic popular view of the story, and then states how the author will give a more complex analysis of the text’s literary devices.
Mary Shelleyâs Frankenstein is often read as a crude cautionary tale. Arguably the first science fiction novel, its plot can be read as a warning about the dangers of scientific advancement unrestrained by ethical considerations. In this reading, and in popular culture representations of the character as a “mad scientist”, Victor Frankenstein represents the callous, arrogant ambition of modern science. However, far from providing a stable image of the character, Shelley uses shifting narrative perspectives to gradually transform our impression of Frankenstein, portraying him in an increasingly negative light as the novel goes on. While he initially appears to be a naive but sympathetic idealist, after the creatureâs narrative Frankenstein begins to resembleâeven in his own tellingâthe thoughtlessly cruel figure the creature represents him as.
If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!
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- Sunk cost fallacy
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Your essay introduction should include three main things, in this order:
- An opening hook to catch the reader’s attention.
- Relevant background information that the reader needs to know.
- A thesis statement that presents your main point or argument.
The length of each part depends on the length and complexity of your essay .
The “hook” is the first sentence of your essay introduction . It should lead the reader into your essay, giving a sense of why it’s interesting.
To write a good hook, avoid overly broad statements or long, dense sentences. Try to start with something clear, concise and catchy that will spark your reader’s curiosity.
A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.
The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:
- It gives your writing direction and focus.
- It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.
Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.
The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.
The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.
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As well as some best practice tips, we have gathered our favourite advice from expert essay-writers and compiled the following 7-step guide to writing a good essay every time. đ. #1 Make sure you understand the question. #2 Complete background reading. #3 Make a detailed plan. #4 Write your opening sentences.
An essay is a focused piece of writing that explains, argues, describes, or narrates. In high school, you may have to write many different types of essays to develop your writing skills. Academic essays at college level are usually argumentative : you develop a clear thesis about your topic and make a case for your position using evidence ...
Step 2: Have a clear structure. Think about this while you're planning: your essay is like an argument or a speech. It needs to have a logical structure, with all your points coming together to answer the question. Start with the basics! It's best to choose a few major points which will become your main paragraphs.
oConsideration of counterarguments (what Sandel might say in response to this section of your argument) Each argument you will make in an essay will be different, but this strategy will often be a useful first step in figuring out the path of your argument. Strategy #2: Use subheadings, even if you remove themlater.
Come up with a thesis. Create an essay outline. Write the introduction. Write the main body, organized into paragraphs. Write the conclusion. Evaluate the overall organization. Revise the content of each paragraph. Proofread your essay or use a Grammar Checker for language errors. Use a plagiarism checker.
The basic structure of an essay always consists of an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. But for many students, the most difficult part of structuring an essay is deciding how to organize information within the body. This article provides useful templates and tips to help you outline your essay, make decisions about your structure, and ...
2. Define your argument. As you plan and prepare to write the essay, you must consider what your argument is going to be. This means taking an informed position or point of view on the topic presented in the question, then defining and presenting a specific argument. Consider these two argument statements:
Use transitions between paragraphs. In order to improve the readability of your essay, try and make clear transitions between paragraphs. This means trying to relate the end of one paragraph to the beginning of the next one so the shift doesn't seem random. Integrate your research thoughtfully.
Don't Repeat. If you've mentioned an activity, story, or anecdote in some other part of your application, don't repeat it again in your essay. Your essay should tell college admissions officers something new. Whatever you write in your essay should be in philosophical alignment with the rest of your application.
The words in the perfect essay flow effortlessly, and the reader feels in safe hands. Sentences need never be read more than once to be understood, and each follows logically on from the next, with no random jumping about from topic to topic from one paragraph to the next. Spelling and grammar are flawless, with no careless typos.
There are three main stages to writing an essay: preparation, writing and revision. In just 4 minutes, this video will walk you through each stage of an acad...
How to Write a Great Essay . Here are nine essay writing tips to create a great essay for either college, scholarship, or for your homework. Make sure you understand the topic you're going to write about ; Write a strong, clear, concise thesis to set the tone/intent/direction ; Outline your thoughts and ideas in a rough draft
1. Create a Word Bank. This is an interesting approach to writing your essay. First, choose a topic and write a thesis. A thesis is the main argument of your essay. For instance, if your topic is reading, your thesis might be "Reading makes you smarter.".
1. Prepare a Plan and Stick to It. Many students (especially those who put writing an assignment off until the last possible moment) feel that preparing a plan of an essay is a waste of time that can and should be spent on the writing process itself. This belief is wrong for a number of reasons:
Here are the eight steps to write an essay: Stage 1: Planning. 1. Pick an appropriate research topic. In certain cases, your teacher or professor may assign you a topic. However, in many cases, students have the freedom to select a topic of their choice.
3. Draft an Essay Outline. The last step in writing an essay plan is to outline your essay. This means breaking it down section by section, paragraph by paragraph, so you know exactly what you need to write to answer the essay question. The exact content will depend on the topic and word count. But, as a rule, most essays will have a basic ...
1. Introductory paragraph. The first paragraph of your essay should outline the topic, provide background information necessary to understand your argument, outline the evidence you will present and states your thesis. 2. The thesis statement. This is part of your first paragraph.
These five college essay tips will help you get started and pave the way for a great final product. #1: Make a Plan of Attack for Your Essays. The first thing you'll need to do is identify all the essays you'll need to write and their deadlines. It may help you to make a spreadsheet with the essay guidelines for each school, the word count ...
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Essays frequently spread knowledge and influence readers to take a particular stance. For many people, writing essays can be a difficult undertaking for a variety of reasons. It can be challenging to turn intricate ideas into cohesive language. It can be difficult to write an essay that is well-organised and has a logical flow of ideas.
Step 1: Hook your reader. Step 2: Give background information. Step 3: Present your thesis statement. Step 4: Map your essay's structure. Step 5: Check and revise. More examples of essay introductions. Other interesting articles. Frequently asked questions about the essay introduction.