Writing Great Essays - Some Useful Tips

Writing a good essay, whether in an exam or at any other time, is a task that many find difficult. Essays are required in most subjects, and your exam results may largely depend on your ability to write them so it is well worth tackling the problem energetically.

Why do we have to write essays any way?

Essays test more than your factual knowledge. They also test your ability to understand the significance of the knowledge you have; to apply it to the solving of particular problems; and to communicate this to someone else. So there are three things necessary to write a good essay, whatever the subject:

1. the necessary information;

2. the use of this information to solve the problem;

3. the ability to communicate in the most appropriate way.

But there is one essential point before you can even begin. You must be quite certain you know what the question means. Even if instinct urges you to start writing immediately, resist it. Make quite sure that you have read all of the question carefully, and 'all' means the instructions as well as the actual content of the question.

To summarize:

When you look at an essay question following are the points you should have in your mind:

Is there just one question or is it an Either ... Or?

How many things are you being asked to do? (Look out for the word 'and')

If more than one thing is required are they of the same kind? Or are they of different kinds (Describe and explain)?

Are you clear in your mind about the meaning of all the terms used?

Planning

Once you have got a clear idea of what the question is about, you must start planning your essay. There are two basic steps to planning: collecting and selecting the material and organizing it.

Starting and stopping

Once you have got the general structure of your essay clear, you can start writing. All you need now is a way of getting into it and a way of getting out. The first rule for starting an essay is 'don't put the reader off'. Your opening sentence can refer directly to the question. This is safe and can be helpful to the reader but take care that it is not also too dull. Never repeat the question word for word in your opening sentence. You may also start with an example that is relevant to one or other side of the argument or that simply underlines the question. Whatever style of opening you choose the important thing to remember is that it must lead you smoothly to your first point.

Endings

These are easier. Unless you are writing an imaginative essay, the best kind of conclusion is usually one that reminds the reader briefly of your arguments and states your opinions based on those arguments. The important thing is to leave the reader satisfied that the essay has indeed finished and not just stopped.

Writing

The style of your essay will vary to some extent depending on whether you are writing a factual or an imaginative piece, but two rules must apply no matter what the subject is:

1. What you want to say must first be clear in your mind or it will never be clear on paper.

2. The language you use must be as simple and direct as the subject allows.

The rule 1 does not mean that you must have every sentence complete in your mind before you start to write it down, but that you must have the thought clear. To achieve the aim of rule 2, you must use proper vocabulary, sentence structure, spellings and punctuation.

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Writing Essays Is Essential To Your Academic Wellbeing

Essays are the bed-rock of most university classes and courses these days, and even traditional science-based courses require its students to have some form of verbal dexterity.

As well, you're probably going to encounter any number of courses that unrelated to your major over the course of your study; so even if you're a Chemistry major, chances are there is a History of Mathematics philosophy course, or a Introduction to World Religions course, figuring brightly sometime in your future.

And all these courses cumulatively add up in your GPA, and it's absolutely not worth it to flunk or gain a barely passing grade in that course only to have it adversely affect the rest of your GPA.

Your professors will appreciate the fact that you're able to articulate your thoughts in a manner that's befitting a scholar, and trust us on this... you'll want to keep your professors happy.

In the long run, as well, learning how to write a good academic essay is like riding a bike with the training wheels on. Once those training wheels come off, you'll be able to ride a bike through any terrain without much hassle, as you've already learned and mastered the basics.
Consider the skills of writing an academic essay your basic bike riding skills - the training wheels come off, you go off into the big bad Adult World of Work and Responsibilities, and you find that you're able to write well, no matter what the circumstance - and get promoted ahead of the other buffoons who send wrongly-worded emails to their clients and cost their employers tons of money.

Well... it may not be that gratifyingly dramatic, but it could be!

For those of you who are just beginning your academic careers, here are some tips that might help you to survive. These are handy not just for general survival, but also apply specifically for academic essay writing:

- First of all, keep up with your reading and go to class. You can't hope to be part of a conversation if you are absent from it.

- Pay attention not only to what others are saying, but also to how they are saying it. Notice that sound arguments are never made without evidence.

- Don't confuse evidence, assumption, and opinion. Evidence is something that you can prove. Assumption is something that one can safely infer from the evidence at hand. Opinion is your own particular interpretation of the evidence.

- Pay attention to the requirements of an assignment. When asked for evidence, don't offer opinion. When asked for your opinion, don't simply present the facts. Too often students write summary when they are asked to write analysis. The assignment will cue you as to how to respond.

- Familiarize yourself with new language. Every discipline has its own jargon. While you will want to avoid unnecessary use of jargon in your own writing, you will want to be sure before you write that you have a clear understanding of important concepts and terms.

- Don't make the mistake of thinking that because something is in print it has cornered the market on truth. Your own interpretation of a text might be just as valid (or even more valid) than something you've found in the library or on the internet. Be critical of what you read, and have confidence that you might say as much.

- Pay attention to standards and rules. Your professors will expect you to write carefully and clearly. They will expect your work to be free of errors in grammar and style. They will expect you to follow the rules for citing sources and to turn in work that is indeed your own. If you have a question about a professor's standards, ask. You will find that your professors are eager to help you.

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A Controversial Essay

This type of essays will also help you to be logical and factual. It will help you to develop your oratory skills as well. Since you will require enough ideas and points to present such an essay you can gauge which points will be important and which ones are not. The skills developed in writing this format of essay will help you to compete in debates and various contests in the future. While working on the theme of the essay the writer must know the essence of a controversial topic. The topic will generally be well read by many people and most will have heir own notion of the subject. Hence, be aware of what you are writing.

While writing the introduction, mention the problem statement of the topic, because the main factor of any controversy is a problem. The thesis statement will give the reader an idea of what you intend to cover in the essay. The reader will most likely have a pre-determined notion of the subject; hence your next step should be to give the reader a hint of what you intend to do mention in the rest of your essays paper. It will be a brief synopsis of your analysis and what is the single most important point that you want to drive into the reader's mind. The next phase will include the main body of the essay. It will e well structured and provide the arguments that you want to portray in the essay and the supporting ideas which will strengthen your ideas. The conclusion should be in line to the introduction and body of the essay.

In a controversial essay you can not be too judgmental, rather you must give to the point information and provide concrete arguments to prove your view. In order to stand your points you must be well versed with the subject matter and also have sufficient knowledge of the various views opinionated on the topic. Make sure that you have gone through different resources which give you the opportunity to come across various arguments and views. With the understanding of such views you will be have the idea what needs to be incorporated in your essay and how you can counter other arguments on the topic. To make significant impact through the essay you must maintain a definite structure and plan all through the paper.

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4 Steps To Creating A Five Paragraph Essay

An easy way to write and think of an essay is to write a short one that comprises of just five paragraphs - commonly known as the five paragraph essay. This type of essay follows a simple structure that anyone can easily follow, and makes the process of writing an essay, for the first time, all that little bit easier.

Yes, the word count may differ for this type of essay, but it has a simple format and structure that enables writers of academic essays to complete this type of paper easily, through the use of five simple steps. This is achieved through five separate sections: the introduction, 3 paragraphs in the body, and then a paragraph at the end to conclude.

Step 1 - Introduction: you will want to provide a brief overview for the reader here, and also want to make sure that the reader knows what they can expect to learn/read when looking through your paper. Your introduction, therefore, needs to jump out and grab the attention of the reader, captivating their thoughts and understanding, as well as recognising that you have something to state/prove in this essay. This paragraph is similar to when you read a book from one of your favourite authors, you need to love, or at least be interested, in the book from the first chapter. Otherwise, you're going to want to discard the book and move onto the next; this is the same when you are writing your five paragraph essay, or any other essay for that matter.

Step 2 - Content Creation: The main body of the five paragraph essay will be the main three paragraphs that 'tell the story' of what you are writing about. You will want all three to follow from one to the next seamlessly, but at the same time be independent of one another. Here, you do not want to shy away from the thesis statement, but embrace it and introduce, in more detail, the points that were identified in the introduction of this essay. You should keep the harmony between the main body and conclusion, but not forget about the conclusion at the end - not doing so will cause your reader, and often yourself, a great deal of confusion.

Step 3 - Conclusion: having an effective conclusion at the end of your essay is crucial. You don't just want to repeat what you have said in the three paragraphs above, but you will also want to summarise and review what has been stated here, and how this has made an impact on what you have/will be researching. Effective conclusions need to be short, to the point and full of rich content.

Step 4 - Edit and Review: if you write your essay without reviewing it, then you will be considering going over some uncharted territory that could end up coming out the other side a little worse off. Many students do check their essays and papers, whether themselves, a friend, or indeed an editing company. However, many do not, and it is these students who will suffer in the long run. Many students who do not have their work reviewed will see a considerable reduction in grades when compared to other students who have done so. It makes sense to check your work and to make sure everything is 'picture perfect' before you go ahead and submit it.

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How To Write Academic English Essays

The first step in writing a good essay is making sure you completely understand the question posed in your essay topic.

Begin researching your topic. Go to your local library to find publications related to your topic and also search the Internet for additional information.

Once you collect enough material to begin, you should plan your essay. Think about how to assemble all the information you have collected including your your own ideas and interpretations.

Begin writing your essay. Write clear sentences which encapsulate the main ideas arising from the information you have gathered, and the ideas you have formed yourself. Start with formulating topic sentences that will begin each argument (paragraph). Try to write active sentences with active verbs. Make sure your topic sentences link with the previous paragraphs.

Once you have written the body of the essay you should then proceed to write the introduction to your essay. Including an interesting fact is a very good beginning and may capture the reader's interest.

After you finish writing the introduction you should proceed to your conclusion. Remember that the primary function of the conclusion is to summarize the main points in your essay, and to confirm your arguments which supported your topic.

Often presentation is worth up to 20% of the allotted marks. Observe correct spelling and grammar and essay formatting rules. You may want to use our essay marking service to help you out with the presentation of your final piece.

Always write multiple drafts and make sure your ideas flow from one argument to the next. Never plagiarize! Always keep track of any quotes or citations and include them in footnotes and bibliography. Remember that universities often use computer software that can turn-up plagiarism.

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Essay Cover Page

Most students find an essay cover page the easiest one to write. Whether you are a student or a researcher, writing such cover page is considered quite important. It forms the very first part of writing any essay. It prompts any reader to dig deep into the rest of the paper. If such page makes an impression in the readers' mind then they will be prompted to look further into the essay and find out what is the idea behind it. Hence the cover page is considered quite important by many.

When you are writing the cover page you must follow a few basic formats and include some basic features. You can not just start of with the idea of the essay; rather start with the date and names that are related to the essay. There can be different formats of writing the essay cover page and this will depend entirely on the subject matter of the essay and what are its requirements. But a few features are considered important while writing the cover page. These can be mentioned as follows:

1. The cover page should include the name of the researcher and the essential dates related to the essay. In most cases the name of the student is provided and mentions the subject of the essay. The dates will mention the start date and end date of the paper. Include the course name and number which is related to the essay.

2. If the cover page requires any specified format then verify the same with your teacher or professor. This needs to be done at the time when you are working on the essay plan. In most cases the font and style are mentioned beforehand by the teacher or professor. Generally the bold and normal fonts are used. The reader should be able to gather the vital information at one go, hence it needs to be clear and unambiguous.

3. Whatever you write on the cover page must be checked and scrutinized. These might seem very minute and unimportant, but its use is rather critical. Hence, it should be dealt accordingly. It is considered quite seriously by the reader especially the teacher or professor who will evaluate it. Pictures and tables are not used on the cover page, as it might cover the words mentioned on the page. What you write on the page will percolate in the readers mind and they will start making deductions about the essay from then onwards. They will see the professional approach of the cover page and what it depicts. If it suits their understanding, they will look further.

The basis of writing an essay cover page is to start with a methodical approach, just like what we see in any planned project. Treat the essay as a project and use the same practice that you would have used in order to make the project successful. At times you can also seek external help from your teacher, supervisor or senor in order to deign an effective cover page.

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Types of Admission Essays

An admission essay is written to demonstrate the applicant's reasons to apply for some course, educational establishment or position. The primary advantage of an admission essay lies in its capability to represent the writer in the face of an evaluator in a lively and original manner. In some cases, an admission essay may determine whether an applicant is admitted or not, as an admission essay demonstrates an applicant's writing skills and general educational background.

There are two types of admission essays: specific and general specific admission essays provide a topic about which to write. General admission essays give the writer/student the opportunity to select a topic about which to write. The ability to demonstrate one's personal uniqueness, creativity and originality is decisive for a successful application. In other cases, admission essay is an effective way to supplement an application providing the evaluator with specific details. The preliminary stage includes the thorough collection and systemization of available personal data. An admission essay should describe all personal achievements, awards and activities during the last five years. An applicant should pick out 10 major achievements of his life and try to emphasize the most appropriate ones in the essay.

Further, it is necessary to intensify the shaping image of a unique personality by introducing the hobbies, interests, events and personalities that influenced the applicant's individuality or motivated him for crucial decisions. It is normal to describe ordinary people (friends, family, teachers, etc.) who have influenced or shaped the applicant's character. The applicant may tell what other people tell about him and give his personal assessment of these judgments.

It is useful to start or finalize the essay by including some expression, positioning it as a personal motto and stating the personal prospects for the future using this motto. The writer should avoid the "events chronicle" and describe more of experience taken from the event rather than the event itself. The writer should remember about the audience and be persuasive in every sentence. An admission essay should be viewed as an "advertisement": the student attempts to draw attention to him in a creative way, so that to prove that he deserves being accepted to the educational institution. An overall positive tone is crucial as it is poorly advantageous to complain about the personal misfortunes or disadvantages. The writer should strive to indicate the positive sides in every experience or at least concentrate on its outcomes. Specificities of the institution should be considered and linked to the applicant's motivation and personal characteristics. It is equally important to disclose the personal skills and attainment relevant to peculiarities of the claimed position.

It is important to demonstrate the applicant's motivation: why is he interested, what mutual benefits does he conceive and so on. In case there is some specific topic of an admission essay (e.g.: how would your relative describe you?, predict the development of some event, etc.), it is necessary to build the essay around the requested topic. The writer should be selective and prioritize the primary ideas as it is impossible and unnecessary to include all details about one's personal life into an admission essay. It is crucial to follow the format and volume requirements. The writer should proofread the final version thoroughly diminishing the possible misuses of words or phrases.

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