Useful Recommendations On How To Write An Essay

Most students find it rather difficult to write a successful essay. They may be unaware either of the basic academic requirements for it or of the ways to meet them. What to start with, where to search for information, how to avoid the most common mistakes — the following guidelines will give you answers to these and many other questions related to essay writing.

Brainstorm and Research

1. The first thing to do is to determine what to write about. Choose the key idea that you will support. Remember that the chosen statement should be debatable, as the purpose of your essay is to make the reader take your side in this matter.
2. Consult relevant literary and Internet sources to become more knowledgeable about the subject and think of possible arguments in favor of your idea. Then select the strongest ones and write them down.

Plan and Arrange

To facilitate the process of writing, make an outline of your essay first. Summarize your points in several words or phrases, and define their order and the logical ties between them.

1. Start with the introductory paragraph: write down the main idea in a complete sentence or two and, if possible, add a “hook” to boost the readerʼs interest.
2. Proceed to the main body: it will consist of several paragraphs, each of them containing an argument. Support your arguments with examples and facts to prove your opinion. Make sure the reader will understand why you have chosen this example and give additional explanations, if necessary.
3. Then get down to the conclusion: reformulate the main idea in a sentence or two. You may also mention aspects of the issue you have worked on that need further consideration or research to make the reader remember your essay and think about it.

Write and Check

1. On completing your outline, start writing. Remember to avoid colloquial language, contractions, and abbreviations. Your vocabulary and sentence structures should vary.
2. Don’t use personal pronouns and phrases such as “I think”. In fact, the whole process of essay writing is about expressing your personal opinion, so you donʼt need to emphasize it. Your arguments will sound more persuasive if you use abstract, impersonal sentences.
3. When the essay is ready, proofread it. A good way to check and see if the text is easy to understand and nothing prevents comprehension it is to read your essay aloud. In addition, mind your grammar, spelling, and punctuation. After that, the only thing left to do is to let the reader enjoy your essay!