1. Define the context
Instructors typically provide instructions about essay length, formatting, and citation requirements. They also usually provide details about the intended audience. Follow essay instructions precisely. Even if an essay is well written, an instructor might still dock a grade if instructions are not followed. Avoid fluff by focusing on the main topic, also known as the thesis. All supporting points should relate to the thesis statement. Likewise, avoid restating the essay question. For example, if you were assigned to describe what you consider to be the most important event of the Revolutionary War, avoid restating this.
2. Choose a topic
Instructors frequently assign specific topics. If you’re responsible for choosing a topic, select one that is original and interests you. Doing this will make the process less difficult. Don’t hesitate to defend a position you disagree with since it will illustrate contradictions in your original position. Even if you’ve developed a thesis, it may change as you conduct research. Within your thesis statement, outline the main points you’ll cover during the essay. Try to construct a one sentence thesis. If you’re unsure of what you want to write about, develop multiple thesis statements to serve as the basis for initial research.
3. Gather your information
You must provide evidence, which can include empirical evidence or expert opinion, to support your thesis statement. Organize your sources since you’ll be more than likely required to cite them. When writing your essay, do not avoid including information that contradicts your arguments since effective essays address these points and provide reasons that invalidate them.
4. Plan your essay
During this phase, finalize your thesis. Check your research for completeness and additional insights. If you’re essay is still unorganized, take the time to develop another outline. It’s not uncommon to develop more effective arguments during this phase. If you lack evidence to support your thesis, alter it or conduct additional research.
5. Write the body of your essay first
Before you begin constructing the essay, determine 3 or more arguments to support the thesis. Each argument must be supported with empirical evidence, logical anecdotes, expert opinion, or other effective points. When writing the commonly assigned 5 paragraph essay, support each argument with 1 paragraph. However, when writing longer essays, it’s not uncommon to write multiple pages to support a single argument. Follow the outline you’ve developed and use effective transitions when supporting new arguments. Ensure each argument follows in the same sequence as presented in the thesis.
- Avoid generalizations or absolutes since making them might cause the instructor to disregard your arguments.
- Be confident in your assertions and avoid using “I think,” I believe,” and “I hope” statements. Provide logical evidence to support your claims. However, some instructors permit students to speak in the first person since it asserts writer ownership over the essay. Before speaking in the first person, seek permission from the instructor.
- It’s not necessary to use personal pronouns, (I, we, etc.), in most college-level essays. However, if you’re writing a paper offering personal opinions, this is often permissible. If you have effective evidence to support your assertions, you will not need to speak in the first person.
6. Conclude your essay
When writing the concluding paragraph, summarize the essay’s main points. At this point evidence has been provided to support the thesis statement, so write a few sentences describing what should be done. You could call for more research or specific actions to be taken. Do not introduce new arguments since the conclusion is your time to re-emphasize the main arguments.
7. Write the introduction
After you’ve constructed the conclusions and body of the essay, write an introductory paragraph to grab the reader’s attention and introduce your topic. Once you’ve introduced the topic, present your thesis with specific evidence to support it. Avoid presenting your thesis by writing: “I will demonstrate.” Instead, directly state your position. The following is an example for presenting a thesis statement:
- The United States Government must balance its budget to improve its credit rating, spur economic growth, and lower taxes.
When writing long essays, utilize the inverted pyramid strategy by providing a very general overview of the topic, sufficient background information, and the thesis. Students writing papers about scientific topics often employ this method. The introduction and background information often cover about half the essay when using the inverted pyramid strategy.
8. Read through your essay
While doing an initial review of your essay, pay attention to content rather than grammatical and syntax errors. However, mark these errors for when you conduct a final review. Start from the beginning to determine how effectively the essay flows by checking for effective transitional words and sentences. All paragraphs should be related to previous and subsequent ones.
9. Revise, revise, revise.
You’ll never create a perfect rough draft. Most essays are changed multiple times throughout the writing process. In fact, the final draft usually differs significantly from the rough draft. Many students change their opinions while writing an essay. Be sure that you’re satisfied with how your essay is organized. If not, consider re-arranging the order in which the supporting arguments are presented. If you’re satisfied with the body of the essay, review the introduction and conclusion and make necessary changes. Remember, present the topic and your thesis in the introduction, and re-summarize your arguments within the conclusion.
10. Proofread.
After you’ve revised the content, review the essay for grammar, spelling, and syntax errors. Read attentively for spelling errors since words that are spelled similarly with different meaning are not marked as misspelled by word processing software. For example, the words trial and trail have separate meanings, but a student rushing through a paper might miss this error. Use these tips when proofreading essays:
- Eliminate repetitive words. If you catch yourself constantly using the same words, use a dictionary to find synonyms.
- Use an academic tone in the essay. Do not write informally. Avoid using contractions, such as won’t, haven’t, etc. Likewise, avoid using informal phrases such as have not, should not, cannot, etc.
- Use punctuation properly. Use a punctuation guide when you’re unsure of what type of punctuation to use. When writing academic essays, it’s not recommended to use exclamation marks.
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