The Five Steps of Writing an Essay


Writing an Essay

To get good grades and a college degree, you’ll be required to write great essays. Writing a good essay is not an easy task. It requires a lot of time and energy to write well. Writing is a skill. And like any other skill, you can get better at it through practice and consistency. When you start your freshman year, you’ll encounter lots of essay papers within the first few weeks. Since essays carry a lot of marks, it’s important to learn how to write well. Fortunately, there is a short guide that will help you write good essays and get good grades on your final paper.

Understand what the assignment is about

Most college students start working on their essays immediately without reading the instructions. It’s fascinating how they assume and underestimate the importance of going through the guidelines. Reading the instructions can save you a lot of time and energy in the long run. In essay writing, a slight misunderstanding can cost you a lot of marks. You cannot pass your test if you aren’t answering the question that you’ve been asked. 

Whether you are working on a complex paper or an essay assignment that will take a couple of hours to complete, always go through the instructions and figure out what the professor is looking for. When you do this, highlight the keywords to understand the purpose of the assignment. Are you supposed to write a book review, an argumentative essay, or a descriptive essay? Which style, format, or tone should you use? If you don’t understand what you need to do, always seek help from college essay writing service online.

Research extensively

Now that you understand the purpose of the assignment, it’s time to start looking for the right information. Researching will enable you to understand the topic that you are working on. Therefore, it should be the best part of the essay writing process. You should avoid over-researching because it can overwhelm you. 

To avoid falling into the trap of endless research, you need to start smart. Put yourself in the shoes of your reader. What do they want to know about the topic? Start with a list of inquiries that are specific to the topic. And do away with any generalized information. When doing your research, it’s always important to have a reference list to ensure that you include all the sources that you used. By using online citation tools, you’ll get to streamline your writing process.

Come up with a thesis statement

Your essay will be as good as your thesis statement. A thesis statement is the purpose of your paper or central argument. It should captivate and engage your readers. A thesis statement should be debatable but not too broad. It shouldn’t be a fact or opinion but a claim that can be expanded on either side. A good thesis statement will help you develop your argument easily and give your readers a clear idea of where you are heading with your evidence.

Outline, structure and conclude

With your research results and thesis statement, it’s time to put everything together. A great essay delivers a coherent and consistent message on every page. Since you want your arguments to develop organically, you need to think of the best ways to order them. If you have a timeline, structuring the points in chronological order will make them flow.

Ensure that your paragraphs have topic sentences to transition between ideas before introducing supporting evidence in your piece. Close your ideas with real-life examples that you got from your research. As you do this, think of counterarguments to your claims and address all of them as clearly as you can.

When writing the conclusion section, don’t repeat your previous ideas. Use this section to summarize your key arguments and make a lasting impression on your readers. Always provide good closure by sharing a unique perspective or stand.

Proofread your work

Most students write their essays quickly and submit the first draft immediately. This is a huge mistake that should be avoided at all costs. You need to take time to go through your work and proofread it. Do not try to edit your work immediately after completing it because it will be extremely difficult to spot mistakes. When you review your work with a fresh set of eyes, you’ll avoid losing marks in the long run. You can seek help from your colleague or professor to get suggestions on how you can improve your work. Getting an expert online to help you is also a great idea. When you ensure that everything looks good on your paper, you can submit it.

Conclusion

Writing a good essay is not easy. It is a process that demands a lot of time and attention. You can get better at it by reading and writing every day. Don’t be afraid to seek help from online experts when things get difficult. 

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