Essay writing is something that a person should practice in order to master. Whether the essay is for a scholarship, a class, or maybe even a contest, many students often find the task overwhelming. That is why it may be useful to know some helpful tips regarding this task.
There are many ways to write an essay. However, the standard essay form follows the same basic patterns.
Tip 1 - Evaluate the question/essay topic
First of all, evaluate the question or essay topic. Make sure you understand what it is asking for, as this will determine the structure of the essay. In fact, if you do not have this gripping and clear question in your head, then you should not even start writing. For example, if you are given a prompt asking you to write about the hardest thing you have ever done, such as moving to a foreign country, write down the main idea - "moving to a foreign country" - and list three reasons why it was hard. These three reasons will become the topic sentences for each main paragraph in your essay, and the supporting detail sentences will be about each reason.
Tip 2 - Research your topic
Tip 3 - Outline your essay
The next step is to outline what you are going to write about. This means you want to essentially draw the skeleton of your paper. Writing an outline can help to ensure your paper is logical, well organised and flows properly.
Tip 4 - Write your introductory paragraph and start drafting your essay
The introduction opens the essay. It is a short paragraph – usually about THREE sentences. In an argumentative essay, it usually describes or summarises both sides of the present situation and says what you are going to do in your essay.
The body of the essay provide details for the points in your introductory paragraph that support your thesis. Take the points you listed in your introduction and discuss each in one body paragraph. First, write a topic sentence that summarizes your point then explain why you feel the topic sentence is true. Finally, support your argument with evidence such as facts, quotes, examples and statistics. An argumentative essay may require a topic that may not fit well in a persuasive, analytical or expository essays. Argumentative essays need a different approach to thesis statements. This type of thesis presents an opinion or claim.
Tip 5 - Edit and re-write your essay
You need to ensure that there is a logical flow from one point to another, making the overall essay clear and convincing.
