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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 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
Related Articles
How to Write an Essay
How To Write An Essay
â Start by thoroughly analyzing the question to grasp its essence. Define your central argument or thesis. Support your argument with a combination of solid evidence, logical reasoning, and references to scholarly works. Ensure the essay is well-organized, presenting ideas coherently. Maintain clear and concise writing throughout. Finally, accurately cite all sources and evidence used, adhering to appropriate academic referencing standards.
All you need to know about essay writing is right here. So, letâs take some consistent baby steps.
Read through our guide until the end, and in time, youâll become an exceptional essay writer, and the process will become automatic and natural to you. â â
Pre-writing Tips
Get to know pre-writing tips to help you figure out how to write a good essay. Before you start writing, consider all of the following without skipping any steps:
- Truly understand your task : Make sure you grasp what the essay task is asking.
- Brainstorming : You can try to use techniques like mind mapping and freewriting to let yourself generate ideas in a free flow.
- Create an outline : Youâll save yourself some time and effort by outlining. This helps you structure your ideas and main points.
- Consider your audience : Make sure you remember who youâre writing for.
Lay the groundwork for your essay writing by considering the points above. If you want a smoother process, then work smart and not hard.Â
Learning The Importance of Essay Structure
Structure and adaptation are important when it comes to figuring out how to write a good essay.
Organizing Your Essay Writing Process Effectively
Make sure that your college essay is well-structured. This is crucial, and it ensures you are presenting your arguments as logically and comprehensively as possible. You need your ideas to flow smoothly and to engage your audience.Â
By organizing your essay, you convey your ideas logically and creatively. This boosts your power to not just inform but to persuade as well. Master how to write an essay in an organized manner, and you've already mastered half of it.
Adapt To Different Prompts
Adapting to various prompts involves fitting your writing to the specific requirements. Do this by remembering these tips:Â
- Analyze the prompt.
- Identify the essay type and topic.
- Tailor your writing style, tone, and approach to the criteria.
If you need help to write an essay don't forget Studyfy, since you'll find plenty of writing help on the platform.
Picking Your Topic
Picking the right topic is a crucial element in how to write a compelling essay. The right topic captures your audienceâs interest easily. Moreover, the right topic also resonates with YOU. Still confused? If you need help writing an essay, you know where to go.
And please, do be mindful of the following:Â
- Consider what youâre interested in and what you already have prior knowledge of.
- Take into account who your audience is.
- Take into account the essayâs purpose and aim.
- Make sure that your chosen topic is actually manageable to write but also allows for in-depth analysis and exploration.
Creating A Good Title
If you want to draw your audience in from the get-go and if you want to come off strong, after choosing your topic, youâll want to create a captivating title. It should be engaging and relevant. Does this confuse you? You can send a â write my essay â order on Studyfy right now, and itâs off your hands and into an expertâs hands.
Here are a few pointers to remember:Â
- Create a title thatâs relevant to your essayâs thesis but is also capturing/engaging. The first impression you give to your readers can set the whole tone for how they take in your essay.
- Be concise but also descriptive. Find the good middle.Â
Building Your Thesis, Body, and Conclusion
Writing an essay can be rewarding once you get the hang of it. If you learn and apply effective ways to construct and write its parts, you can truly create something impressive. The three central pillars of your essay are your thesis, body, and conclusion.
Whether you're writing admissions essays, five paragraph essay, argumentative essays or other types of college essays, the paragraph structure is very similar for any particular topic.
Like acts of a play, each part is vital. Weâre going to learn the exact ways in which you can write great theses, bodies, and conclusions. Read carefully.Â
Crafting a Compelling Central Argument - Guiding Your Essay's Direction
Good essay writing means starting with an effective and well-thought-out thesis statement. Think of your thesis statement as a compass. It serves to guide your writing. It needs to be clear and have conviction. Remember these pointers when making one:Â
- Zero in on the best potential âcoreâ idea : After brainstorming, you should have a list of ideas you can sift through. Find the best one with the most potential to develop.
- Take a stance while being informative : Thesis statements should represent your stance. They donât merely inform. It needs to open up to debate or a perspective you want to prove/convey in the entirety of your essay.Â
- Be precise and engaging : Be specific but engaging at the same time when writing your thesis statement.
- Remain flexible : When you write, remember that the topic has a chance of evolving or changing. Your thesis should reflect/change with it. If you need to refine it as you write, you should. Just make sure itâs relevant/related to what youâre writing.
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How To Write A Great Academic Essay Body: The Main Arguments
- Start with a Topic Sentence, setting the paragraph's focus like a mini-thesis.
- Elaborate on the Topic Sentence.
- Present Supporting Evidence.
- Examine and Interpret the Evidence.
- Establish how it supports your main argument.
- Conclude with a Transition to the next point.
Your body paragraphs are where youâll develop your arguments that support your thesis. This is where you will present evidence and examples in a cohesive and impactful way through your writing. Always reference back to your thesis statement so as not to go off-topic. Remember these pointers:Â
- Arrange your points logically : This means ensuring each paragraph transitions seamlessly to the next. By structuring logically, you strengthen your arguments and persuasiveness, and you remain coherent. You convey your ideas smoothly to the reader.Â
- Develop each point completely : You should finish exploring and developing a point in its wholeness. Use evidence, present strong examples, and show the reader your unique stance/thoughts on the argument.Â
- Use transitions : For seamless reading, use academically approved transition words, like âFurthermoreâ or âAdditionally.âÂ
The foundation of learning how to do an essay properly is by understanding that each part of the essay is a cohesive whole. To provide context means to glue the first sentence to the main argument and, for example, tie the main stages with transitional phrases.
How To Write An Essay: Ending with Impact
Another crucial element of how to write essays effectively is writing a strong conclusion. You should reinforce your thesis statements and your main points in this part. Here is what you need to remember:Â
- Revisit your thesis statement : Rephrase, reiterate and showcase your developed arguments.
- Emphasize key findings and thoughts : Rewrite and recap the key points in your college essay to help your audience retain your core arguments.
- Conclude with a strong thought : Conclude with a call-to-action, idea, or provocative question that encourages the reader to explore the topic of your essay even after theyâve read your entire paper.
- Keep it concise : Be concise and focused in your conclusion. Donât introduce new information.Â
Bonus Tips: Improving Your Style and Argumentation
Weâve gone through all the main information youâll need for essay writing, but you should know some of these additional tips to truly step up your writing game. Another way to step up your writing game is to consider Studyfyâs admission essay writing service and other writing services. Letâs dive deeper into bettering your style and arguments.
Becoming A Master Persuader
To become a true master at essay writing and never need help with writing an essay, youâll want to practice the art of persuasion. You want to sway and influence your readers by engaging them deeply in your arguments. Remember these points:Â
- Analyze your audience : When tailoring your voice and writing for your audience, you should also tailor your ARGUMENTS to them so they resonate. Try to speculate your audienceâs perspectives, values, beliefs, and thought patterns. This will give you a deeper insight when developing your arguments.Â
- Use strong opening sentences : Make sure to grab your readersâ attention right from the start.Â
- Persuasive language : Using words and sentences that foster a sense of importance and urgency and ignite curiosity. Integrate persuasive language throughout your essay, like call-to-actions, emotional appeals, rhetorical questions, inclusive language, and testimonials.Â
Appeal to Ethos, Pathos, and Logos
When writing an essay, a good way to strengthen your argumentation is to appeal to ethos (credibility), pathos (emotion), and logos (logic) in your readers. Take a look at these pointers:Â
- Establishing credibility (appealing to ethos) : Use reliable sources, cite experts, use strong evidence, and use testimonials. By showing your audience you're backing up your arguments with credible facts, you strengthen your persuasion power.Â
- Connect on an emotional level (appealing to pathos) : When you have their heart, you have them. Use vivid language, relatable anecdotes, and examples, and tap into the power of emotion.
- Logical reasoning is powerful (appealing to logos) : Using facts and logical points to present clear data and statistics can strengthen your argument significantly. An argument that has solid evidence is hard to deny.Â
Bonus Tips: Empowering Your Writing Skills
When pondering on how to make an essay better, itâs important to look beyond the obvious advice. In this section, we remind you to go above and beyond. Letâs find out some additional techniques that you can apply to your essay writing to improve it even further.
Infusing Your Voice Into Your Writing
Overwhelmed by the amount of things you need to learn for essay writing? You can always pay for essay services and get a professionalâs help any time. Now, to infuse your voice into your essay writing, take note of these pointers:
- Be authentic and share your perspective : Your beliefs, experiences, and values should not be completely avoided when writing. If relevant to the topic, your stance can provide a fresh and new angle on your essay, and it can help your essay stand out.
- Do not be afraid to be creative : Play with language by using metaphors, descriptive language, similes, and other literary tools. It makes your writing memorable and enjoyable when done right.
Cross-Referencing
If you need help with writing an essay to make it better, try to integrate interdisciplinary concepts into your writing. Cross-referencing other fields like history, psychology, science, and literature to provide deeper insights into your arguments can strengthen your essay. Ensure your references add to your arguments, and donât go off-topic.
Develop Flexibility In Perception
Another way to empower your writing skills and determine how to write an excellent essay is to view and present arguments and statements from different angles. This niche skill is invaluable. If you learn how to master it, you can be a very persuasive writer. Find ways to examine and defend both sides of a topic. Present counter-arguments, and so on.
This requires a lot of practice to use effectively but is easily one of the best things you can develop in essay writing and life. Usually, an argumentative essay is a successful essay if its body paragraphs create a basic structure of opposing context for a specific topic. Your writing process and your introduction paragraph can open the way for the entire essay to delve into opposing topics.
Make sure to do proper research, develop a good idea about what the topics are different or similar to, and, for example, explain your main thesis in a few paragraphs. A clear thesis makes the main body almost write itself - in any type of essay, including an argumentative essay.
Bonus Tips: Remaining Ethical In Writing
Remaining ethical and upholding integrity and credibility in your essay writing is key to passing academia since your professors will double-check your work to make sure you havenât engaged in cheating. How do you write an essay while remaining ethical? Letâs find out.
How To Avoid Plagiarizing
Youâll need to avoid plagiarizing completely. The degree of punishment you can get for plagiarizing will vary from institution to institution, with some proving to be more lenient while others will be less forgiving. Need help? Try Studyfyâs custom essay writing service and get an expert writer to help you.
 Remember these points to save yourself the grief:Â
- Remember : Plagiarism isnât only copying text; itâs also using other peopleâs data, ideas, concepts, and so on without properly crediting them.Â
- You SHOULD paraphrase : Master paraphrasing by reinterpreting the information youâve examined. Use your own words.Â
- Improve research and note-taking skills : If you research effectively and take notes on the data you collect, it will be easier to distinguish your original ideas from your resources.
Essay Checklist
If youâve read everything thoroughly and applied whatâs been stated in our guide, you should be much better at writing essays. To further improve your experience, hereâs an essay checklist you can use to make sure youâve done everything you need to.Â
Remember to focus on the formatting issues as well, including common mistakes, passive voice, too much everyday experience, and ambiguous word choice.
Checklist Item
- Strong and Clear Thesis Statement
- Effective Introduction
- Well-developed Arguments
- Evidence and Support
- Paragraph Structure
- Transitions
- Strong Conclusion
- Correct Citations and References
- Plagiarism-free
- Editing, Proofreading, and Revision
- Complied With Word Count
- Correct Formatting
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Which key elements make up a strong essay structure?
A strong introduction that grabs the audience and introduces the thesis statement effectively. A body that presents ideas and arguments that support the thesis. A conclusion that sums up the main points of the essay and reintroduces the thesis in light of the arguments stated. This is how to write an essay in English effectively.
How do I write a clear and strong thesis statement?
If youâre asking yourself, âHow do I write an essay that has a strong thesis statement?â We remind you to narrow your ideas and zero in on a key idea. This idea should be specific, and it should be an idea that you can fully develop and explore.
This blog is here to provide guidance and ease the essay writing process - we're here for you from the moment you start writing to the moment you reach the central point and reach the next paragraph.
What can I do to ensure my essay is engaging and persuasive?
Be sure your introduction is compelling and uses strong, active verbs. Your arguments should be presented logically, and you should back them up with strong evidence. Make sure to use persuasive language like rhetorical questions, analogies, metaphors, inclusive words, call-to-actions, etc. Varying sentence structures will keep readers interested.
To keep the reader on the hook, most essays use clever paragraphs, a clear thesis, a robust main body, and a polished final draft.
Whatâs the best way to write an essay?
The best way to write a college essay is to be prepared. Read our guide thoroughly and give yourself enough time to write the whole essay. Donât start at the last minute.Â
When you begin writing, your writing process is in its first draft. What's important is that you remember that an essay outline is not the final essay, and your college essay can change and adapt as you go. Whether an introductory paragraph, main points or conclusion paragraph, make sure to catch the reader's attention and lead with concrete examples.
And don't forget to focus on editing. Double-check the line spacing, structure, outline, number of paragraphs, word choice, and the cohesion of the final paragraph.
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How to Write an Academic Essay in 6 Simple Steps
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Written by Scribendi
Are you wondering how to write an academic essay successfully? There are so many steps to writing an academic essay that it can be difficult to know where to start.
Here, we outline how to write an academic essay in 6 simple steps, from how to research for an academic essay to how to revise an essay and everything in between.
Our essay writing tips are designed to help you learn how to write an academic essay that is ready for publication (after academic editing and academic proofreading , of course!).
Your paper isn't complete until you've done all the needed proofreading. Make sure you leave time for it after the writing process!
Download Our Pocket Checklist for Academic Papers. Just input your email below!
Types of academic writing.
With academic essay writing, there are certain conventions that writers are expected to follow. As such, it's important to know the basics of academic writing before you begin writing your essay.
Read More: What Is Academic Writing?
Before you begin writing your essay, you need to know what type of essay you are writing. This will help you follow the correct structure, which will make academic paper editing a faster and simpler process.
Will you be writing a descriptive essay, an analytical essay, a persuasive essay, or a critical essay?
Read More: How to Master the 4 Types of Academic Writing
You can learn how to write academic essays by first mastering the four types of academic writing and then applying the correct rules to the appropriate type of essay writing.
Regardless of the type of essay you will be writing, all essays will include:
An introduction
At least three body paragraphs
A conclusion
A bibliography/reference list
To strengthen your essay writing skills, it can also help to learn how to research for an academic essay.
Step 1: Preparing to Write Your Essay
The essay writing process involves a few main stages:
Researching
As such, in learning how to write an academic essay, it is also important to learn how to research for an academic essay and how to revise an essay.
Read More: Online Research Tips for Students and Scholars
To beef up your research skills, remember these essay writing tips from the above article:
Learn how to identify reliable sources.
Understand the nuances of open access.
Discover free academic journals and research databases.
Manage your references.
Provide evidence for every claim so you can avoid plagiarism .
Read More: 17 Research Databases for Free Articles
You will want to do the research for your academic essay points, of course, but you will also want to research various journals for the publication of your paper.
Different journals have different guidelines and thus different requirements for writers. These can be related to style, formatting, and more.
Knowing these before you begin writing can save you a lot of time if you also want to learn how to revise an essay. If you ensure your paper meets the guidelines of the journal you want to publish in, you will not have to revise it again later for this purpose.
After the research stage, you can draft your thesis and introduction as well as outline the rest of your essay. This will put you in a good position to draft your body paragraphs and conclusion, craft your bibliography, and edit and proofread your paper.
Step 2: Writing the Essay Introduction and Thesis Statement
When learning how to write academic essays , learning how to write an introduction is key alongside learning how to research for an academic essay.
Your introduction should broadly introduce your topic. It will give an overview of your essay and the points that will be discussed. It is typically about 10% of the final word count of the text.
All introductions follow a general structure:
Topic statement
Thesis statement
Read More: How to Write an Introduction
Your topic statement should hook your reader, making them curious about your topic. They should want to learn more after reading this statement. To best hook your reader in academic essay writing, consider providing a fact, a bold statement, or an intriguing question.
The discussion about your topic in the middle of your introduction should include some background information about your topic in the academic sphere. Your scope should be limited enough that you can address the topic within the length of your paper but broad enough that the content is understood by the reader.
Your thesis statement should be incredibly specific and only one to two sentences long. Here is another essay writing tip: if you are able to locate an effective thesis early on, it will save you time during the academic editing process.
Read More: How to Write a Great Thesis Statement
Step 3: Writing the Essay Body
When learning how to write academic essays, you must learn how to write a good body paragraph. That's because your essay will be primarily made up of them!
The body paragraphs of your essay will develop the argument you outlined in your thesis. They will do this by providing your ideas on a topic backed up by evidence of specific points.
These paragraphs will typically take up about 80% of your essay. As a result, a good essay writing tip is to learn how to properly structure a paragraph.
Each paragraph consists of the following:
A topic sentence
Supporting sentences
A transition
Read More: How to Write a Paragraph
In learning how to revise an essay, you should keep in mind the organization of your paragraphs.
Your first paragraph should contain your strongest argument.
The secondary paragraphs should contain supporting arguments.
The last paragraph should contain your second-strongest argument.
Step 4: Writing the Essay Conclusion
Your essay conclusion is the final paragraph of your essay and primarily reminds your reader of your thesis. It also wraps up your essay and discusses your findings more generally.
The conclusion typically makes up about 10% of the text, like the introduction. It shows the reader that you have accomplished what you intended to at the outset of your essay.
Here are a couple more good essay writing tips for your conclusion:
Don't introduce any new ideas into your conclusion.
Don't undermine your argument with opposing ideas.
Read More: How to Write a Conclusion Paragraph in 3 Easy Steps
Now that you know how to write an academic essay, it's time to learn how to write a bibliography along with some academic editing and proofreading advice.
Step 5: Writing the Bibliography or Works Cited
The bibliography of your paper lists all the references you cited. It is typically alphabetized or numbered (depending on the style guide).
Read More: How to Write an Academic Essay with References
When learning how to write academic essays, you may notice that there are various style guides you may be required to use by a professor or journal, including unique or custom styles.
Some of the most common style guides include:
Chicago style
For help organizing your references for academic essay writing, consider a software manager. They can help you collect and format your references correctly and consistently, both quickly and with minimal effort.
Read More: 6 Reference Manager Software Solutions for Your Research
As you learn how to research for an academic essay most effectively, you may notice that a reference manager can also help make academic paper editing easier.
Step 6: Revising Your Essay
Once you've finally drafted your entire essay . . . you're still not done!
That's because editing and proofreading are the essential final steps of any writing process .
An academic editor can help you identify core issues with your writing , including its structure, its flow, its clarity, and its overall readability. They can give you substantive feedback and essay writing tips to improve your document. Therefore, it's a good idea to have an editor review your first draft so you can improve it prior to proofreading.
A specialized academic editor can assess the content of your writing. As a subject-matter expert in your subject, they can offer field-specific insight and critical commentary. Specialized academic editors can also provide services that others may not, including:
Academic document formatting
Academic figure formatting
Academic reference formatting
An academic proofreader can help you perfect the final draft of your paper to ensure it is completely error free in terms of spelling and grammar. They can also identify any inconsistencies in your work but will not look for any issues in the content of your writing, only its mechanics. This is why you should have a proofreader revise your final draft so that it is ready to be seen by an audience.
Read More: How to Find the Right Academic Paper Editor or Proofreader
When learning how to research and write an academic essay, it is important to remember that editing is a required step. Don ' t forget to allot time for editing after you ' ve written your paper.
Set yourself up for success with this guide on how to write an academic essay. With a solid draft, you'll have better chances of getting published and read in any journal of your choosing.
Our academic essay writing tips are sure to help you learn how to research an academic essay, how to write an academic essay, and how to revise an academic essay.
If your academic paper looks sloppy, your readers may assume your research is sloppy. Download our Pocket Proofreading Checklist for Academic Papers before you take that one last crucial look at your paper.
About the Author
Scribendi's in-house editors work with writers from all over the globe to perfect their writing. They know that no piece of writing is complete without a professional edit, and they love to see a good piece of writing transformed into a great one. Scribendi's in-house editors are unrivaled in both experience and education, having collectively edited millions of words and obtained numerous degrees. They love consuming caffeinated beverages, reading books of various genres, and relaxing in quiet, dimly lit spaces.
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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.
Discover More
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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How to Format an Essay
Last Updated: August 26, 2022 Fact Checked
This article was co-authored by Carrie Adkins, PhD and by wikiHow staff writer, Aly Rusciano . Carrie Adkins is the cofounder of NursingClio, an open access, peer-reviewed, collaborative blog that connects historical scholarship to current issues in gender and medicine. She completed her PhD in American History at the University of Oregon in 2013. While completing her PhD, she earned numerous competitive research grants, teaching fellowships, and writing awards. There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 85,646 times.
Youâre opening your laptop to write an essay, knowing exactly what you want to write, but then it hits youâyou donât know how to format it! Using the correct format when writing an essay can help your paper look polished and professional while earning you full credit. There are 3 common essay formatsâMLA, APA, and Chicago Styleâand weâll teach you the basics of properly formatting each in this article. So, before you shut your laptop in frustration, take a deep breath and keep reading because soon youâll be formatting like a pro.
Setting Up Your Document
- If you canât find information on the style guide you should be following, talk to your instructor after class to discuss the assignment or send them a quick email with your questions.
- If your instructor lets you pick the format of your essay, opt for the style that matches your course or degree best: MLA is best for English and humanities; APA is typically for education, psychology, and sciences; Chicago Style is common for business, history, and fine arts.
- Most word processors default to 1 inch (2.5Â cm) margins.
- Do not change the font size, style, or color throughout your essay.
- Change the spacing on Google Docs by clicking on Format , and then selecting âLine spacing.â
- Click on Layout in Microsoft Word, and then click the arrow at the bottom left of the âparagraphâ section.
- Using the page number function will create consecutive numbering.
- When using Chicago Style, donât include a page number on your title page. The first page after the title page should be numbered starting at 2. [4] X Research source
- In APA format, a running heading may be required in the left-hand header. This is a maximum of 50 characters thatâs the full or abbreviated version of your essayâs title. [5] X Research source
- For APA formatting, place the title in bold at the center of the page 3 to 4 lines down from the top. Insert one double-spaced line under the title and type your name. Under your name, in separate centered lines, type out the name of your school, course, instructor, and assignment due date. [6] X Research source
- For Chicago Style, set your cursor â of the way down the page, then type your title. In the very center of your page, put your name. Move your cursor â down the page, then write your course number, followed by your instructorâs name and paper due date on separate, double-spaced lines. [7] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source
- Double-space the heading like the rest of your paper.
Writing the Essay Body
- Use standard capitalization rules for your title.
- Do not underline, italicize, or put quotation marks around your title, unless you include other titles of referred texts.
- A good hook might include a quote, statistic, or rhetorical question.
- For example, you might write, âEvery day in the United States, accidents caused by distracted drivers kill 9 people and injure more than 1,000 others.â
- "Action must be taken to reduce accidents caused by distracted driving, including enacting laws against texting while driving, educating the public about the risks, and giving strong punishments to offenders."
- "Although passing and enforcing new laws can be challenging, the best way to reduce accidents caused by distracted driving is to enact a law against texting, educate the public about the new law, and levy strong penalties."
- Use transitions between paragraphs so your paper flows well. For example, say, âIn addition to,â âSimilarly,â or âOn the other hand.â [12] X Research source
- A statement of impact might be, "Every day that distracted driving goes unaddressed, another 9 families must plan a funeral."
- A call to action might read, âFewer distracted driving accidents are possible, but only if every driver keeps their focus on the road.â
Using References
- In MLA format, citations should include the authorâs last name and the page number where you found the information. If the author's name appears in the sentence, use just the page number. [14] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source
- For APA format, include the authorâs last name and the publication year. If the authorâs name appears in the sentence, use just the year. [15] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source
- If you donât use parenthetical or internal citations, your instructor may accuse you of plagiarizing.
- At the bottom of the page, include the sourceâs information from your bibliography page next to the footnote number. [16] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source
- Each footnote should be numbered consecutively.
- If youâre using MLA format , this page will be titled âWorks Cited.â
- In APA and Chicago Style, title the page âReferences.â
- If you have more than one work from the same author, list alphabetically following the title name for MLA and by earliest to latest publication year for APA and Chicago Style.
- Double-space the references page like the rest of your paper.
- Use a hanging indent of 0.5 inches (1.3Â cm) if your citations are longer than one line. Press Tab to indent any lines after the first. [17] X Research source
- Citations should include (when applicable) the author(s)âs name(s), title of the work, publication date and/or year, and page numbers.
- Sites like Grammarly , EasyBib , and MyBib can help generate citations if you get stuck.
Formatting Resources
Expert Q&A
You might also like.
- â https://www.une.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/392149/WE_Formatting-your-essay.pdf
- â https://content.nroc.org/DevelopmentalEnglish/unit10/Foundations/formatting-a-college-essay-mla-style.html
- â https://camosun.libguides.com/Chicago-17thEd/titlePage
- â https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/paper-format/page-header
- â https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/paper-format/title-page
- â https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/chicago_manual_17th_edition/cmos_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html
- â https://www.uvu.edu/writingcenter/docs/handouts/writing_process/basicessayformat.pdf
- â https://www.deanza.edu/faculty/cruzmayra/basicessayformat.pdf
- â https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_in_text_citations_the_basics.html
- â https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/in_text_citations_the_basics.html
- â https://library.menloschool.org/chicago
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Learn the Standard Essay Format: MLA, APA, Chicago Styles
Being able to write an essay is a vital part of any student's education. However, it's not just about linearly listing ideas. A lot of institutions will require a certain format that your paper must follow; prime examples would be one of a basic essay format like MLA, the APA, and the Chicago formats. This article will explain the differences between the MLA format, the APA format, and the Chicago format. The application of these could range from high school to college essays, and they stand as the standard of college essay formatting. EssayPro â dissertation services , that will help to make a difference!
What is an Essay Format: Structure
Be it an academic, informative or a specific extended essay - structure is essential. For example, the IB extended essay has very strict requirements that are followed by an assigned academic style of writing (primarily MLA, APA, or Chicago):
- Abstract: comprised of 3 paragraphs, totaling about 300 words, with 100 words in each.
- ~ Paragraph 1: must include a research question, thesis, and outline of the essayâs importance.
- ~ Paragraph 2: Key resources, scope and limits of research, etc.
- ~ Paragraph 3: Conclusion that youâve already reached in your essay.
- Table of Contents (with page numbers)
- ~ Research question
- ~ Introduction
- ~ Arguments
- ~ Sub-headings
- ~ Conclusion
- ~ Works cited (bibliography)
- Introduction
- ~ The research question is required
- Bibliography (Works Cited)
This outline format for an extended essay is a great example to follow when writing a research essay, and sustaining a proper research essay format - especially if it is based on the MLA guidelines. It is vital to remember that the student must keep track of their resources to apply them to each step outlined above easily. And check out some tips on how to write an essay introduction .
Lost in the Labyrinth of Essay Formatting?
Navigate the complexities of essay structures with ease. Let our experts guide your paper to the format it deserves!
How to Write an Essay in MLA Format
To write an essay in MLA format, one must follow a basic set of guidelines and instructions. This is a step by step from our business essay writing service
- Font : 12pt Times New Roman
- ~ Double spaced everywhere
- ~ No extra spaces, especially between paragraphs
- Heading : Example of the heading on the first page of the essay (upper left corner)
- ~ Your name (John Smith)
- ~ Teacherâs / Professorâs name (Margot Robbie)
- ~ The class (Depends on course/class)
- ~ Date (20 April 2017)
- Margins : One-inch margin on the top, bottom, left and right.
- Page Numbers : Last name and page number must be put on every page of the essay as a âheaderâ. Otherwise, it would go in place of the text.
- Title : There needs to be a proper essay title format, centered and above the first line of the essay of the same font and size as the essay itself.
- Indentation : Just press tab (1/2 inch, just in case)
- Align : Align to the left-hand side, and make sure it is aligned evenly.
Itâs important to remember that the essay format of MLA is usually used in humanities, which differs from other types of academic writing that weâll go into detail later. For now, feast your eyes upon an MLA format essay example:
Essay in MLA Format Example
Mla format digital technology and health, mla vs. apa.
Before we move on to the APA essay format, it is important to distinguish the two types of formatting. Letâs go through the similarities first:
- The formatting styles are similar: spacing, citation, indentation.
- All of the information that is used within the essay must be present within the works cited page (in APA, thatâs called a reference page)
- Both use the parenthetical citations within the body of the paper, usually to show a certain quote or calculation.
- Citations are listed alphabetically on the works cited / reference page.
What you need to know about the differences is not extensive, thankfully:
- MLA style is mostly used in humanities, while APA style is focused more on social sciences. The list of sources has a different name (works cited - MLA / references - APA)
- Works cited differ on the way they display the name of the original content (MLA -> Yorke, Thom / APA -> Yorke T.)
- When using an in-text citation, and the authorâs name is listed within the sentence, place the page number found at the end: âYorke believes that Creep was Radioheadâs worst song. (4).â APA, on the other hand, requires that a year is to be inserted: âAccording to Yorke (2013), Creep was a mess.â
Alright, letâs carry over to the APA style specifics.
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How to write an essay in apa format.
The APA scheme is one of the most common college essay formats, so being familiar with its requirements is crucial. In a basic APA format structure, we can apply a similar list of guidelines as we did in the MLA section:
- Spacing : Double-space that bad boy.
- Margins : One Inch margins on all sides.
- Page Numbers : Insert a header at the top left of every page that includes a shortened title of your essay, below 50 characters including punctuation. Slap a number in there too (top right corner).
- Title Page : Title of the paper, authorâs name, institutional affiliation. Additional information may be required, such as course title, instructor name and date.
- Headings: All headings should be written in bold and titlecase. Different heading levels have different additional criteria to apply.
You can also ask us to write or rewrite essay in APA format if you find it difficult or don't have time.
Note that some teachers and professors may request deviations from some of the characteristics that the APA format originally requires, such as those listed above.
Note that some teachers and professors maybe have deviations to some of the characteristics that the APA format originally requires, such as those listed above.
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Essay in APA Format Example
Apa format chronobiology, chicago style.
The usage of Chicago style is prevalent in academic writing that focuses on the source of origin. This means that precise citations and footnotes are key to a successful paper.
Chicago Style Essay Format
The same bullet point structure can be applied to the Chicago essay format.
- ~ Chicago style title page is all about spacing.
- ~ Down the page should be the title, with regular text. If longer than one line, double-spaced.
- ~ Next, in the very middle, center your full name.
- ~ Down the page - course number, instructorâs name and the date in separate double-spaced lines.
- Margins : Use one-inch margins apart from the right side.
- ~ Double spaced everywhere.
- ~ No extra spaces, especially between paragraphs.
- Font : Times New Roman is the best choice (12pt)
- Page Numbers
- ~ Last name, page number in the heading of every page on the top right
- ~ Do not number the title page. The first page of the text should start with a 2.
- Footnotes : The Chicago format requires footnotes on paraphrased or quoted passages.
- Bibliography : The bibliography is very similar to that of MLA. Gather the proper information and input it into a specialized citation site.
Tips for Writing an Academic Paper
There isnât one proper way of writing a paper, but there are solid guidelines to sustain a consistent workflow. Be it a college application essay, a research paper, informative essay, etc. There is a standard essay format that you should follow. For easier access, the following outline will be divided into steps:
Choose a Good Topic
A lot of students struggle with picking a good topic for their essays. The topic you choose should be specific enough so you can explore it in its entirety and hit your word limit if thatâs a variable you worry about. With a good topic that should not be a problem. On the other hand, it should not be so broad that some resources would outweigh the information you could squeeze into one paper. Donât be too specific, or you will find that there is a shortage of information, but donât be too broad or you will feel overwhelmed. Donât hesitate to ask your instructor for help with your essay writing.
Start Research as Soon as Possible
Before you even begin writing, make sure that you are acquainted with the information that you are working with. Find compelling arguments and counterpoints, trivia, facts, etc. The sky is the limit when it comes to gathering information.
Pick out Specific, Compelling Resources
When you feel acquainted with the subject, you should be able to have a basic conversation on the matter. Pick out resources that have been bookmarked, saved or are very informative and start extracting information. You will need all you can get to put into the citations at the end of your paper. Stash books, websites, articles and have them ready to cite. See if you can subtract or expand your scope of research.
Create an Outline
Always have a plan. This might be the most important phase of the process. If you have a strong essay outline and you have a particular goal in mind, itâll be easy to refer to it when you might get stuck somewhere in the middle of the paper. And since you have direct links from the research youâve done beforehand, the progress is guaranteed to be swift. Having a list of keywords, if applicable, will surely boost the informational scope. With keywords specific to the subject matter of each section, it should be much easier to identify its direction and possible informational criteria.
Write a Draft
Before you jot anything down into the body of your essay, make sure that the outline has enough information to back up whatever statement you choose to explore. Do not be afraid of letting creativity into your paper (within reason, of course) and explore the possibilities. Start with a standard 5 paragraph structure, and the content will come with time.
Ask for a Peer Review of Your Academic Paper
Before you know it, the draft is done, and itâs ready to be sent out for peer review. Ask a classmate, a relative or even a specialist if they are willing to contribute. Get as much feedback as you possibly can and work on it.
Final Draft
Before handing in the final draft, go over it at least one more time, focusing on smaller mistakes like grammar and punctuation. Make sure that what you wrote follows proper essay structure. Learn more about argumentative essay structure on our blog. If you need a second pair of eyes, get help from our service.
Read also our movie review example and try to determine the format in which it is written.
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- How to write an essay outline | Guidelines & examples
How to Write an Essay Outline | Guidelines & Examples
Published on August 14, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.
An essay outline is a way of planning the structure of your essay before you start writing. It involves writing quick summary sentences or phrases for every point you will cover in each paragraph , giving you a picture of how your argument will unfold.
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Table of contents
Organizing your material, presentation of the outline, examples of essay outlines, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about essay outlines.
At the stage where youâre writing an essay outline, your ideas are probably still not fully formed. You should know your topic  and have already done some preliminary research to find relevant sources , but now you need to shape your ideas into a structured argument.
Creating categories
Look over any information, quotes and ideas youâve noted down from your research and consider the central point you want to make in the essayâthis will be the basis of your thesis statement . Once you have an idea of your overall argument, you can begin to organize your material in a way that serves that argument.
Try to arrange your material into categories related to different aspects of your argument. If youâre writing about a literary text, you might group your ideas into themes; in a history essay, it might be several key trends or turning points from the period youâre discussing.
Three main themes or subjects is a common structure for essays. Depending on the length of the essay, you could split the themes into three body paragraphs, or three longer sections with several paragraphs covering each theme.
As you create the outline, look critically at your categories and points: Are any of them irrelevant or redundant? Make sure every topic you cover is clearly related to your thesis statement.
Order of information
When you have your material organized into several categories, consider what order they should appear in.
Your essay will always begin and end with an introduction and conclusion , but the organization of the body is up to you.
Consider these questions to order your material:
- Is there an obvious starting point for your argument?
- Is there one subject that provides an easy transition into another?
- Do some points need to be set up by discussing other points first?
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Within each paragraph, youâll discuss a single idea related to your overall topic or argument, using several points of evidence or analysis to do so.
In your outline, you present these points as a few short numbered sentences or phrases.They can be split into sub-points when more detail is needed.
The template below shows how you might structure an outline for a five-paragraph essay.
- Thesis statement
- First piece of evidence
- Second piece of evidence
- Summary/synthesis
- Importance of topic
- Strong closing statement
You can choose whether to write your outline in full sentences or short phrases. Be consistent in your choice; donât randomly write some points as full sentences and others as short phrases.
Examples of outlines for different types of essays are presented below: an argumentative, expository, and literary analysis essay.
Argumentative essay outline
This outline is for a short argumentative essay evaluating the internetâs impact on education. It uses short phrases to summarize each point.
Its body is split into three paragraphs, each presenting arguments about a different aspect of the internetâs effects on education.
- Importance of the internet
- Concerns about internet use
- Thesis statement: Internet use a net positive
- Data exploring this effect
- Analysis indicating it is overstated
- Studentsâ reading levels over time
- Why this data is questionable
- Video media
- Interactive media
- Speed and simplicity of online research
- Questions about reliability (transitioning into next topic)
- Evidence indicating its ubiquity
- Claims that it discourages engagement with academic writing
- Evidence that Wikipedia warns students not to cite it
- Argument that it introduces students to citation
- Summary of key points
- Value of digital education for students
- Need for optimism to embrace advantages of the internet
Expository essay outline
This is the outline for an expository essay describing how the invention of the printing press affected life and politics in Europe.
The paragraphs are still summarized in short phrases here, but individual points are described with full sentences.
- Claim that the printing press marks the end of the Middle Ages.
- Provide background on the low levels of literacy before the printing press.
- Present the thesis statement: The invention of the printing press increased circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation.
- Discuss the very high levels of illiteracy in medieval Europe.
- Describe how literacy and thus knowledge and education were mainly the domain of religious and political elites.
- Indicate how this discouraged political and religious change.
- Describe the invention of the printing press in 1440 by Johannes Gutenberg.
- Show the implications of the new technology for book production.
- Describe the rapid spread of the technology and the printing of the Gutenberg Bible.
- Link to the Reformation.
- Discuss the trend for translating the Bible into vernacular languages during the years following the printing pressâs invention.
- Describe Lutherâs own translation of the Bible during the Reformation.
- Sketch out the large-scale effects the Reformation would have on religion and politics.
- Summarize the history described.
- Stress the significance of the printing press to the events of this period.
Literary analysis essay outline
The literary analysis essay outlined below discusses the role of theater in Jane Austenâs novel Mansfield Park .
The body of the essay is divided into three different themes, each of which is explored through examples from the book.
- Describe the theatricality of Austenâs works
- Outline the role theater plays in Mansfield Park
- Introduce the research question : How does Austen use theater to express the charactersâ morality in Mansfield Park ?
- Discuss Austenâs depiction of the performance at the end of the first volume
- Discuss how Sir Bertram reacts to the acting scheme
- Introduce Austenâs use of stage directionâlike details during dialogue
- Explore how these are deployed to show the charactersâ self-absorption
- Discuss Austenâs description of Maria and Juliaâs relationship as polite but affectionless
- Compare Mrs. Norrisâs self-conceit as charitable despite her idleness
- Summarize the three themes: The acting scheme, stage directions, and the performance of morals
- Answer the research question
- Indicate areas for further study
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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You will sometimes be asked to hand in an essay outline before you start writing your essay . Your supervisor wants to see that you have a clear idea of your structure so that writing will go smoothly.
Even when you do not have to hand it in, writing an essay outline is an important part of the writing process . Itâs a good idea to write one (as informally as you like) to clarify your structure for yourself whenever you are working on an essay.
If you have to hand in your essay outline , you may be given specific guidelines stating whether you have to use full sentences. If youâre not sure, ask your supervisor.
When writing an essay outline for yourself, the choice is yours. Some students find it helpful to write out their ideas in full sentences, while others prefer to summarize them in short phrases.
You should try to follow your outline as you write your essay . However, if your ideas change or it becomes clear that your structure could be better, itâs okay to depart from your essay outline . Just make sure you know why youâre doing so.
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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 ...
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...
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 ...
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.
Define your central argument or thesis. Support your argument with a combination of solid evidence, logical reasoning, and references to scholarly works. Ensure the essay is well-organized, presenting ideas coherently. Maintain clear and concise writing throughout. Finally, accurately cite all sources and evidence used, adhering to appropriate ...
Step 4: Writing the Essay Conclusion. Your essay conclusion is the final paragraph of your essay and primarily reminds your reader of your thesis. It also wraps up your essay and discusses your findings more generally. The conclusion typically makes up about 10% of the text, like the introduction.
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.
5. Write an outline to help organize your main points. After you've created a clear thesis, briefly list the major points you will be making in your essay. You don't need to include a lot of detailâjust write 1-2 sentences, or even a few words, outlining what each point or argument will be.
Stay as concise as possible. Include anecdotal examples if it will help you make your point more clear. If you are writing a formal academic essay, avoid using first-person pronouns. 6. Pay attention to how you cite references. In ancient Greece, using other people's ideas was seen as the mark of a smart person.
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.
2. Indent the first line of each paragraph by 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) for all styles. Whether you're writing in MLA, APA, or Chicago Style, always use a 0.5 in (1.3 cm) indent. This signals to the reader that a new paragraph is beginning. The easiest way to indent your essay is to press the tab key. 3.
There is no one correct way to write an essay. Writing is a cyclical process. A writer may start by writing the introduction, get stuck, start writing a body paragraph, and then suddenly get inspiration for something else to put in the introduction. If the writer has a clear outline, it is perfectly fine to switch between sections of the paper ...
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.
Step 2: Pick one of the things you wrote down, flip your paper over, and write it at the top of your paper, like this: This is your thread, or a potential thread. Step 3: Underneath what you wrote down, name 5-6 values you could connect to this. These will serve as the beads of your essay.
There isn't one proper way of writing a paper, but there are solid guidelines to sustain a consistent workflow. Be it a college application essay, a research paper, informative essay, etc. There is a standard essay format that you should follow. For easier access, the following outline will be divided into steps: Choose a Good Topic
Revised on July 23, 2023. An essay outline is a way of planning the structure of your essay before you start writing. It involves writing quick summary sentences or phrases for every point you will cover in each paragraph, giving you a picture of how your argument will unfold. You'll sometimes be asked to submit an essay outline as a separate ...
Check our Free Essay Writing Tools to save time and improve your paper faster. Tips on How to Write an Argumentative Essay. For this section, our writers have shared extra tips for your essay to look great and sound more professional. So: You're about to find out how to write a good argumentative essay. Follow the tips below and be amazed at ...