Essays are your opportunity to share your creativity and passion with your professor. Whether writing an essay on a favorite topic of yours or a less-than-interesting point in history, these tips will help you ace your assignment. Use these tips to stand out from your co-peers and earn an excellent grade.
Spend Time On An Outline
Before writing a single word in your essay, create an outline. Divide your essay into multiple sections, depending on the topic or requirements. Most essays are organized with an introduction, thesis statement, supporting points, and conclusion. Organize each section so that the essay flows effortlessly and introduces each topic only after previous points are resolved.
Give the Thesis Statement the Time It Deserves
The thesis statement is extremely important to your overall essay as it informs the reader what to expect. Use the thesis statement to summarize the purpose of your essay, making it clear what your stance is on the topic.
For example, if you’re writing an essay on social media and its influence on academic success, you might introduce your position on the topic from the beginning. If you plan to discuss a specific point in a country’s history, you’ll want to make this clear in your statement.
Create and Resolve Conflict
Every good book or essay has a conflict and resolution. Make the conflict clear, whether that is social media’s risk of distraction or a specific time in history full of conflict. The essay should aim to resolve the dispute, whether that is with supporting evidence or a personal opinion. With 7 different types of conflict, it’s simple to customize yours to the essay’s topic.
Conflict may be with man, society, nature, technology, supernatural, fate, or self. Either way, the conflict point should be clear and introduced at the beginning of the essay. Conflict helps to set the essay’s theme and encourages the reader to take a position. Some writers may even call out this theme clearly and then request that the reader take a stance. The reader may or may not change their stance by the end of the essay based on the information provided. Writers can position the conflict as they desire, but every piece should include it.
Write and Then Edit
Editing your work as you go can make it difficult to get your thoughts out clearly. Additionally, when you’re focused on editing, you tend to be thinking less creatively. Instead, get your ideas out by just writing. A first draft is meant to be messy and full of errors. You can go back through the essay later and edit it.
Because the editing step can take so long, it’s best to give yourself ample time for it. Avoid leaving the essay until the last minute, as this limits editing time. Many of the best literature pieces, whether fiction, non-fiction, or essay, undergo numerous editing processes. With each edit, you can expect your essay to improve.
Read, Re-Read, and Then Read It Out Loud
A good essay should be reviewed multiple times before admission. The first review is usually done to edit and check the document for any grammatical errors. Then, you’ll want to go through the essay again to check topic organization and overall reading flow.
Finally, do a complete review of your essay by reading it out loud. Reading something out loud can make it easier to identify any missed errors or any section that may not make sense. Adding free editing tools to your process can also improve the final outcome. Online tools can help writers with both editing and referencing.
Share Your Work With Others for Feedback
Sharing your essay with a trusted friend or family member can help identify any additional errors. Tell your editor the overall topic before so they can help determine if your essay thoroughly meets the assignment requirements. Request feedback and give yourself ample time to make necessary edits.
You could also request feedback from classmates. They may be more familiar with the assignment and class requirements, increasing the chances of a better grade.
Remember, if you receive a less-than-stellar grade on your assignment, you can always ask your professor for feedback, too. Since essays are designed to further your writing skills, most professors are willing to offer feedback. Some may even offer the opportunity to re-submit the essay for a better grade. However, even if they don’t, you can apply the feedback to future assignments and become a better writer.
Ace your next essay with these tips. Be sure to give yourself ample time to write, edit, review, and then re-review your essay. When editing, check more than the essay’s grammar. Make sure the essay properly meets the assignment requirements and answers the initial proposed question or conflict. Request friends and family to read over the essay for additional feedback.