Writing an essay isn’t as hard as it may seem at first, but it can still be intimidating for students who aren’t used to having to put their thoughts and ideas into writing. From structure and organization to avoiding mistakes and making sure your essay flows properly, you have many different things to keep in mind when you sit down to write your next essay. The following 8 steps will help make the process of writing an essay easier, no matter what type of paper or assignment you have due.
1) Get to know your audience
Every essay has its own unique style, so it’s important to take some time to think about your audience before you start writing. Who is reading this? What do they know about your topic? What do they want to learn more about? Make sure that you are writing in a style that will help them understand and keep reading.
2) Decide on topic and take notes
The next step is deciding on your topic. Once you have a topic in mind, take notes. A common way to do this is by dividing a paper into three columns and filling them with thesis statements, supporting arguments, and rebuttals. You may also find it helpful to use graphic organizers such as Venn diagrams or mind maps.
3) Consider your audience’s perspective
We all know writing an essay can be a challenge if you’re not an essay writer, but it doesn’t have to be. Especially if you know a few tricks of the trade. Consider your audience’s perspective:
A) If you are writing an essay for school, or for a class or any other academic purpose, then you need to ask yourself what your professor is looking for and how they want it done. Are there specific guidelines that they mention in the course syllabus? Do they require MLA formatting? In-text citations? Use examples?
B) Or are you trying to write an essay as part of a job application process?
4) Choose an opening line
The next step in writing an essay is deciding your opening. College essays are often personal, so find a way to write about something that makes you stand out as a person. Once you’ve chosen your opening line, it’s time to start brainstorming ideas. Come up with at least three or four ideas and narrow them down until you have one solid thesis statement that will serve as the foundation of your essay. Once you have a thesis statement, it’s time to start writing!
5) Come up with points and back them up with evidence
Come up with points and back them up with evidence. There are two types of essays that students can write in college, a persuasive essay or an argumentative essay. A persuasive essay is meant to persuade someone to take action or adopt a particular point of view. An argumentative essay is meant to establish a point by providing facts and other forms of evidence such as statistics, quotes, or research. There are several different techniques you can use when writing a persuasive or argumentative essay.
6) Start strong, end strong
Start strong, end strong. Like a good book, you want your essay to have a beginning and an end. The opening should grab the reader’s attention by introducing the topic, then it should develop into an introduction of what you’re going to say about it. The conclusion is like tying up all loose ends with a bow; it should conclude what you said in the introduction and show how your thoughts relate back to that intro paragraph. It should also leave readers thinking about your ideas for some time after reading it. For example, let’s imagine I was writing an essay on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.
7) Create transitions between paragraphs
Create transitions between paragraphs Some of the most common transitions are a however or on the other hand for contrast, and an in conclusion for tying up loose ends. Paragraphs that follow a step-by-step process should start with a topic sentence. This is because it’s very easy to jump from one idea to another without any sense of cohesion.
8) Check through for errors. Polish it.
Check through for errors. Polish it. Highlight passages of interest and incorporate them into your final draft. Remember that a well-written essay is not just about what you say, but how you say it as well. Proofread everything from spelling mistakes to sentence structure and punctuation. Check for sentence fragments or run-on sentences, especially if you are using a lot of commas or semicolons in your paper.