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How to Write Your Essay Like a Pro

Essays are a big part of academic life. From short compositions about our personal experiences to lengthy research dissertations, it is important to be able to craft a compelling essay.

While some may think that essays are only relevant in schools, the writing skills that you gain will help you in your career when you write your cover letter, compile a report, or communicate with your colleagues and clients.

Here are some tips that can help you effortlessly write winning essays.

Do Your Homework

You will  sometimes be allowed to pick the topic for your essay. However, most of the time, you will have to write about a subject chosen by your teacher. Researching your topic is the best way to ensure that you write an insightful and interesting article.

During your research, you may learn more about your topic, and this new information could change your view and understanding of pertinent issues. While surface knowledge of a subject is not difficult to achieve or even fake, thorough research will speak for itself in the quality of your essay.

Let us take, for instance, an article about basketball. You could write an entire essay about how much you love basketball. However, if you also include facts about the history and social aspects of the sport, your essay will be more objective, well-rounded, and engaging.

Manage Your Time

Too often, academic life is hectic and chaotic. You have to juggle a variety of classes and coursework on top of friends, family, and work. Trust me, we have all had the experience of trying to rush out an essay at the eleventh hour.

Saving your work till the very last minute is generally not a good way to produce quality results. Therefore, you should try to set aside specific blocks of time to focus on your writing. By creating a daily or weekly schedule , you will be able to prioritize pressing assignments and gradually start working on the others.

How you plan your schedule depends on when and how you are most productive. Some people like to work in small segments while others like to dedicate several hours at once. You can give yourself half an hour of writing in the morning before class or two hours late at night when it is quieter.

Set an Essay Structure

The structure of your essay will influence its impact and flow. Typically, essays follow the same basic format of introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. An essay in this format presents your position, supports it with information, then ties everything together in a compelling finish.

The introduction is the most important part of your essay. It is where you will state your argument or thesis. It tells the reader about the subject of the essay and briefly summarizes the arguments or points that will follow. Your introduction should be clear and make the reader want to find out more.

The body paragraphs are where you will do the bulk of your writing work. Your essay could have three to twenty paragraphs, depending on the required length. Each paragraph should provide evidence for one argument that supports your thesis position.

After you have sufficiently proven your thesis statement, the last paragraph will reiterate it in a neat conclusion. Your reader is much more informed by the end of the essay, so the conclusion does not need any additional explanations. Be clear and to the point.

Review and Edit

Congratulations, you have finished the first draft of your essay! However, there is still work to be done. The review stage is essential in producing a top-notch piece of writing. You will need to edit your essay to ensure that there are no errors and that it makes sense and reads well.

You can ask your classmates or family members to read the article and review it for you, or you could use an online grammar checker . Online grammar checkers are ultra-useful tools that will make you feel like you have a dedicated professional editor.

These tools do a lot more than just identifying spelling and grammatical errors. They recommend writing adjustments such as removing passive voice and redundant words to enhance the impact of your essay. Grammar checkers will also help you improve readability through the use of sentence-length variation and transition words.

After you have reviewed and edited your essay, read it again in its entirety. Ask yourself if your thesis position has been strongly supported. Are there multiple persuasive arguments? Will your essay be able to convince your parent or teacher? If the answer is yes, good job!

Writing a successful essay is more than just banging out words on the keyboard. It requires conscientious research, thoughtful consideration, and objective review. By giving yourself ample time to prepare and by using the tools at hand, every student can write essays like a professional.

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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 won’t 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 don’t panic and go off topic when writing your essay.

If you don’t like the mind map format, there are plenty of others to choose from: you could make a table, a flowchart, or simply a list of bullet points.

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Thanks for signing up, step 2: have a clear structure.

Think about this while you’re planning: your essay is like an argument or a speech. It needs to have a logical structure, with all your points coming together to answer the question.

Start with the basics! It’s best to choose a few major points which will become your main paragraphs. Three main paragraphs is a good number for an exam essay, since you’ll be under time pressure. 

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 Curley’s 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 Curley’s 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 – 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 wouldn’t write a scientific report without including evidence to support your findings, so why should it be any different with an essay? Even though you aren’t strictly required to substantiate every single point you make with a quotation, there’s 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 Curley’s wife’s use of a rhetorical question when she says, a”n’ what am I doin’? Standin’ here talking to a bunch of bindle stiffs.” This might look like:

The rhetorical question “an’ what am I doin’?” signifies that Curley’s 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 – a group of three words or phrases placed close together for emphasis
• Tautology – using different words that mean the same thing: e.g. “frightening” and “terrifying”
• Parallelism – ABAB structure, often signifying movement from one concept to another
• Chiasmus – ABBA structure, drawing attention to a phrase
• Polysyndeton – many conjunctions in a sentence
• Asyndeton – lack of conjunctions, which can speed up the pace of a sentence
• Polyptoton – using the same word in different forms for emphasis: e.g. “done” and “doing”
• Alliteration – repetition of the same sound, including assonance (similar vowel sounds), plosive alliteration (“b”, “d” and “p” sounds) and sibilance (“s” sounds)
• Anaphora – repetition of words, often used to emphasise a particular point

Don’t worry if you can’t locate all of these literary devices in the work you’re analysing. You can also discuss more obvious techniques, like metaphor, simile and onomatopoeia. It’s not a problem if you can’t remember all the long names; it’s 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 you’ve noticed something intriguing or unusual in your reading, point it out – 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 you’re writing a speech or argument in mind, and you’re guaranteed to grab your reader’s attention.

It’s important to set out your line of argument in your introduction, introducing your main points and the general direction your essay will take, but don’t forget to keep something back for the conclusion, too. Yes, you need to summarise your main points, but if you’re 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 Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men , Curley’s 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 society’s attitudes. Though she does seem to wield a form of sexual power, it is clear that Curley’s wife is largely a victim. This interpretation is supported by Steinbeck’s description of her appearance, other people’s attitudes, her dreams, and her evident loneliness and insecurity.

Overall, it is clear that Curley’s wife is a victim and is portrayed as such throughout the novel in the descriptions of her appearance, her dreams, other people’s judgemental attitudes, and her loneliness and insecurities. However, a character who was a victim and nothing else would be one-dimensional and Curley’s wife is not. Although she suffers in many ways, she is shown to assert herself through the manipulation of her femininity – a small rebellion against the victimisation she experiences.

Both refer back consistently to the question and summarise the essay’s 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. 

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Daily Writing Tips

17 expert tips for crafting high-quality essays.

The 17 essential tips for writing a high-quality essay provide a blueprint for articulating compelling arguments effectively. An essay is a composed narrative that presents and supports a point on a given topic. 

This article will guide you through crucial stages of essay writing, from interpreting the essay prompt to conducting thorough research and formulating a convincing thesis. It will also cover crafting a clear structure, engaging your audience through effective style, and finalizing your piece with rigorous editing and revision.

Ready to enhance your writing prowess and achieve essay excellence? Let’s dive in and unlock the strategies for penning essays that impress and persuade.

What are the 17 tips for writing a high-quality essay?

To write a high-quality essay, consider these 17 expert tips as your roadmap to successful writing:

• Clarify Your Understanding of the Prompt: Begin by ensuring you fully grasp what the essay prompt is asking.
• Choose a Relevant and Interesting Topic: Pick a topic that aligns with the prompt and piques your interest.
• Conduct Thorough Research: Gather reliable sources to provide a solid foundation for your essay.
• Formulate a Strong Thesis Statement: This will serve as the main point or argument of your essay .
• Create a Detailed Outline: Plan the structure of your essay before you start writing.
• Write a Compelling Introduction: Engage your reader right from the start.
• Use Clear Topic Sentences: Begin each paragraph with a sentence that ties into the thesis and indicates what the paragraph will cover.
• Employ Logical Structure and Transitions: Ensure each paragraph flows smoothly into the next.
• Back Up Your Argument with Evidence: Support your points with data and citations from credible sources.
• Use Varied Sentence Structures: Keep your writing engaging by varying sentence length and structure.
• Write in an Appropriate Academic Tone: Stick to a formal style and avoid colloquial language.
• Address Counterarguments: Strengthen your essay by acknowledging and refuting opposing views.
• Edit for Clarity and Brevity: Remove unnecessary words and clarify ambiguous points.
• Proofread for Grammar and Spelling Mistakes: Check your work meticulously to correct errors.
• Ensure Proper Formatting and Citation: Follow the required style guide for formatting and referencing.
• Seek Feedback Before Final Submission: Get others to review your essay and provide constructive criticism.
• Allow Time for Revisions: After feedback, revise your essay to perfect it before submission.

Each tip is geared towards helping you refine your writing skills and produce an essay that is not only informative but also a pleasure to read.

What Makes Essay Writing a Crucial Academic Skill?

Essay writing is a crucial academic skill because it develops critical thinking and effective communication. It requires thorough analysis, synthesis of information, and clear articulation of ideas. This skill is universal across disciplines, enabling students to organize thoughts, engage in scholarly debates, and present researched arguments effectively. 

Mastery of essay writing reflects a student’s ability to understand complex topics, evaluate sources, and convey their perspective, all essential for academic and professional achievement.

Why is Planning Essential Before You Start Writing an Essay?

Planning is essential before you start writing an essay because it provides a clear roadmap for your work, ensuring that your ideas are organized and your argument flows logically. It helps you stay focused on the essay prompt, avoid tangents, and structure your thoughts coherently. 

Effective planning also allows you to allocate your time efficiently, especially for research and revisions, leading to a more polished and persuasive final piece. Without planning, you risk producing a disorganized essay that may lack depth and clarity, ultimately undermining the effectiveness of your communication.

How Can You Avoid Plagiarism in Your Essay Writing?

Avoiding plagiarism in your essay writing involves several key practices:

• Understand What Constitutes Plagiarism: Know the difference between proper citation and unlawful copying of someone else’s work.
• Paraphrase Effectively: Rather than copying text, restate the information in your own words, ensuring you still credit the original source.
• Use Quotes Appropriately: When using someone’s exact words, use quotation marks and cite the source.
• Cite Sources Correctly: Follow the required citation style guide meticulously for both in-text citations and the reference list.
• Keep Track of All References: Document sources as you research to ensure accurate attribution.
• Use Plagiarism Detection Tools: Before final submission, use software to check for any accidental plagiarism.
• Learn and Apply Citation Rules: Educate yourself on the specifics of the citation style you are using.
• Include Original Thoughts: Blend cited information with your own analysis and commentary.

Are There Any Useful Tools for Essay Writing and Editing?

Yes, there are several useful tools available for essay writing and editing that can help streamline the process and enhance the quality of your work:

• Word Processors: Tools like Microsoft Word and Google Docs offer basic spelling and grammar checks.
• Reference Management Software: Programs like Zotero and EndNote help organize and format references.
• Grammar Checkers: Grammarly and ProWritingAid can detect more intricate spelling, grammar, and style issues.
• Plagiarism Checkers: Turnitin and Copyscape scan your work for potential plagiarism against online content.
• Thesauruses and Dictionaries: Online resources like Thesaurus.com and Merriam-Webster improve vocabulary and word choice.
• Citation Tools: Citation Machine and EasyBib assist in generating citations in various formats.
• Writing Platforms: Scrivener and Evernote help with organizing notes and drafts.
• Productivity Apps: Tools like Trello or Asana can aid in managing time and structuring the writing process.

These tools can contribute to more efficient writing, editing, and essay management.

Mastering the 17 expert tips outlined in this article is your key to writing high-quality, stand-out essays. 

From understanding your prompt and conducting thorough research to formulating a strong thesis and ensuring proper citation, each step is crucial for crafting a compelling narrative. 

Remember to plan, write with clarity, and revise diligently. As you apply these strategies, your essays will reflect your knowledge and ability to communicate ideas effectively. For those seeking further assistance or facing time constraints, professional services like paper writing service can provide valuable help with the writing and editing process.

Now, take these tips, start writing your next essay with confidence, and see the difference they make in your academic pursuits.

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From Novice to Pro: How to write an academic essay like a professional

Academic writing is a skill that takes time and practice to master. The challenge lies in the need to master the art of combining research and creativity in order to produce an essay that is not only informative but also engaging. However, with the right tips and techniques, even novice writers can produce high-quality academic essays that are on par with those written by professionals. Let’s discuss 7 tips that will help novices write pro-level academic essays.

Develop a Strong Thesis Statement

A thesis statement is the backbone of an essay. It is a statement that sums up the entire essay in a single sentence. Therefore, it is important to develop a strong thesis statement to guide the essay's content. 

The thesis statement should be clear, concise, and specific. It should outline the writer's main argument and the points they aim to prove throughout the essay. This will not only give direction to the essay but also help to keep the writer focused.

Conduct Thorough Research

Research is an essential part of academic writing. It provides evidence and support for the arguments made in the essay and helps to establish the credibility of the writer. Thorough research involves gathering data and information from various sources such as academic journals, books, and reputable websites.

 It is important to take notes and organize them in a way that is easy to reference when writing the essay. The notes should be grouped according to the main points of the essay, and sources should be cited properly to avoid plagiarism.

Organize Your Ideas and Create an Outline

Organizing ideas is crucial to producing a well-structured and coherent essay. An outline provides a framework for the essay and ensures that all the necessary information is included. 

The outline should include the main points of the essay and subtopics that support them. The subtopics should be organized in a logical manner that flows from one point to the next. The outline helps to avoid the inclusion of irrelevant information and ensures that the essay is well-structured.

Use Credible Sources and Cite Them Properly

Credible sources are necessary to establish the credibility of the writer and the argument being made. Using sources that are not credible can weaken the argument and leave the essay open to criticism. Therefore, it is important to use credible sources such as academic journals, books, and reputable websites. It is also important to cite sources properly using the appropriate citation style, such as APA or MLA. Failure to cite sources properly can lead to accusations of plagiarism.

Write Clear and Concise Paragraphs

Clear and concise paragraphs make the essay easy to read and understand. They also help to maintain the flow of the essay and ensure that all the necessary information is included. 

The paragraphs should be structured in a logical manner, with a clear topic sentence at the beginning of each paragraph. The paragraph should focus on a single point, and unnecessary information should be avoided. Transitions should be used to connect paragraphs and maintain the flow of the essay.

Edit and Revise Your Essay

Editing your essay and revising it are essential to producing a polished and professional work. It helps to eliminate errors and ensure that the essay is well-written and coherent. Editing involves reviewing the essay for spelling and grammar errors, while revision involves rethinking the structure and content of the essay. 

It is important to take a break after writing to allow for a fresh perspective. The essay should be read through several times, and any errors or areas that need improvement should be noted. Necessary changes should be made, and the essay should be read by someone else for feedback.

Writing a pro-level academic essay requires a combination of research and creativity. However, by following the tips outlined in this article, anyone can produce an essay that is informative, engaging, and professional. 

Every writer can produce essays that are not only informative but also engaging to read. This is essential for anyone who wants to excel in academic writing and produce work that stands out from the rest. Writing a pro-level academic essay requires effort, patience, and dedication, but the end result is worth it.

In conclusion, these tips are a starting point for novice writers who want to improve their academic writing skills. However, writing a pro-level academic essay is a continuous learning process. Therefore, it is important to continue to hone your skills and seek feedback from others to improve your writing further. With time and practice, anyone can become a pro-level academic writer.

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