A great assignment needs both hard work and smart work. However, this is easier said than done. Students find new obstacles at every corner and turn from arranging their thoughts and agreements to citing sources; essay writing is tougher than most people realize.
Today, you will learn about some tips to help you produce the best essays. We have divided this blog into three sections based on the process of writing an essay.
Let’s start!
Before Composing
1. Collect Reading Materials
Before you start writing your essay, you must read enough. Make a reading list. This will help you to record all the material you have been through. The more you read, the more you get to expand your knowledge.
2. Organize the Structure
Once you’ve collected enough material for your essay, you can start planning the rest of the essay. This starts with preparing the structure of the essay. An essay has:
- Introduction: This is the portion where you introduce your topic or argument. Writing a good essay depends on your introduction. It sets the tone for the rest of the essay.
- Body: The introduction is followed by the main body of arguments. The body consists of all your main headings and sub-points arranged clearly and logically.
- Conclusion: An essay ends with a conclusive finding. The conclusion is the gist of your essay and the main arguments. 3. Divide the Time
Before starting, be sure to divide your time. You must divide your time so that you have time for collecting materials, reading, writing, and editing.
Be realistic about setting a time limit on essay-related work. Reading and collecting materials should take up most of your time. Editing and proofreading also require more time than writing.
3. Divide the Time
Before starting, be sure to divide your time. You must divide your time so that you have time for collecting materials, reading, writing, and editing.
Be realistic about setting a time limit on essay-related work. Reading and collecting materials should take up most of your time. Editing and proofreading also require more time than writing.
4. Take Help (If Needed)
Writing a great essay is a demanding job. You can reach out to seniors, tutors, or any other person who you think can help you with your essay. They can help you arrange your thoughts and refine your essay’s structure and flow, even by making a reading list.
While Writing
1. Start with a Solid Introduction
The introduction is where and how you introduce your topic. A strong introduction encourages the readers to carry on reading your essay.
The ideal introduction must be descriptive but not repetitive, clear and concise, and should convey the theme or main argument of your essay.
2. Arrange the Flow of Information
This means that the information, data, or statistics that you’re using in your essay must be arranged in the correct flow. This ensures:
- Consistency: An essay in which thoughts are well arranged and information is provided in a proper structure is consistent. This improves readability.
- Depth of knowledge: If information is properly arranged, it reflects the depth of your knowledge because the readers are consistently fed with information. It also means that you understand the topic well.
3. Make Clear Arguments
The backbone of any essay is the argument and statement. Your main statement will set the focus of your essay. So, it’s important to make clear statements and support your arguments with proper citations.
It’s important to make clear arguments because they resonate with your voice and way of thinking. If you’re not sure about a phrase or word, search for it online to see what other publications use it.
4. Conclusion
The conclusion must provide the gist of your entire essay. It must draw an end to all the arguments and prove all the statements. Make sure you recap the key points and arguments you made in your assignment, including supporting evidence if needed.
Make sure that you don’t introduce any new ideas in your conclusion; this section is purely for summarizing your previous arguments.
After Writing
1. Proofreading and Editing
Proofreading and editing take up a considerable amount of time. It is important because:
- Remove typos: When you’re writing an essay of 4000 words, it’s hard to keep track of all the typos. These errors make you look unprofessional. Proofreading and editing give you the chance to remove all typos.
- Check grammar: Try to avoid using passive voice. Make sure that you use the right tense throughout the essay. You can also use generative AI to revise the grammar.
- Check spellings: While checking for typos and grammatical errors, be sure to check all the spellings. If you’re writing your essay on MS Word or Google Docs, the wrong spelling will be highlighted. You can also download and use tools like Grammarly or Ginger.
2. Maintain Objectivity
Maintaining objective distance is important as it reduces bias. This will give you time to step back and read your assignment objectively, making it easier to spot mistakes and issues.
You can also ask your peers to review your work. This adds more depth to your work.
3. Check Citations
Ensure that you cite all sources according to the style sheet you’ve selected. The most popular style sheets are MLA, APA, and Chicago.
For example:
Author’s Last Name, First Name. Title. Edition if given and is not the first edition; Publisher Name often shortened; Year of publication. Name of Library Database, Permalink URL.
Conclusion
Essay writing is hard work. Before you start writing, collect reading materials and organize the structure. Before starting, be sure to divide your time and get help (if needed).
While writing, start with a solid introduction, arrange the flow of information, make clear arguments, and write a conclusive ending.
After you finish writing, proofreading and editing are a must. Finally, review your essay while maintaining objective distance.
