Essay Writing Tips

The Do's of Essay Writing- How to Write a Good Essay

Do Make Your Essay Simple to Read

Because there are so many essays to grade, many professors admit that they only skim-read essays to determine whether a student is knowledgeable about the subject and how well they followed the style instructions. As a result, it is wise to organise your essay so that the main ideas are obvious upon skimming and are understandable.

Cut out unnecessary words and phrases, stick to the point, and use simple sentences.

Introduction Should Contain A Rhesis Statement

The thesis statement should never be disregarded because it is an important part of both the introduction and the essay as a whole. The essay's main idea should be summarised in the thesis statement.

Never make your thesis statement the first sentence of your essay, even though it must be in the introduction. It makes sense to put it after the introduction so that it can act as a transition to the body of the essay.

Use Transitions To Separate Paragraphs

Your writing should make sense and flow naturally as it guides the reader from idea to idea. Because of this, you should use transitional phrases, which act as a kind of "bridge" between paragraphs, joining each new idea with the one that came before it.

The following are some examples of transitional language:

1. Despite the previous arguments…

2. To put it briefly…

3. As has been noted…

4. With regards to this…

5. Speaking about this…

6. Regarding this…

Do Cite Examples

Any example you use, whether it comes from writing, research, or another source, should be cited.

Only real-world examples from your own life need to be cited. Even if you are not using a direct quotation when you want to mention something you read, it is best to cite the original author of the work. In this manner, your examples will be stronger and provide more trustworthy support for the points you are attempting to make.

Use Sophisticated Vocabulary

An essay's purpose is to demonstrate your understanding of the subject at hand as well as your command of the English language by demonstrating your ability to select effective vocabulary.

This entails using more sophisticated vocabulary and changing the words "good" and "nice" with better synonyms to reflect the nuances of meaning.

Do Respond To The Essay's Prompt

No matter how much you might want to "go with the flow" and write whatever inspiration strikes you, keep in mind that you are writing an academic assignment, and you should stick to the prompt as long as it is provided.

If the essay prompt is complex and divided into several parts, review your final draft to see if you addressed each requirement.

Do Use Simple Sentences

Complex sentences may be confusing for the studentsas well as the person reading and grading your essay.

Simple sentences don't necessarily indicate a complex writing style. Instead, it might demonstrate your inability to present information in a way that is clear and readable or to logically divide the sentences. Furthermore, the likelihood of grammatical and stylistic errors rises with the complexity of sentences. The writing of famous authors like Hemingway or Fitzgerald was straightforward, but this did not make it any less effective.

Do Pick the Correct Language

The language you use in the essay reveals how well you can research and analyse the subject, support your claims, and provide vivid and understandable examples.

Additionally, it demonstrates your level of language proficiency, command of grammar and syntax, and capacity for expanding your vocabulary. It's crucial to use the proper language and keep in mind the academic writing style. The sentences below can be used as both an introduction and support for your points.

1. Current research on [your topic] shows …

2. There is a growing body of evidence to support …

3. The most common argument in favour of (or against) is …

4. The argument can be made …

5. There seems to be no compelling reason to argue that …

2. The Dont's of Essay Writing

After learning the main Dos, let's move on to some Don'ts or the things you should avoid when writing an essay.

Even though essays ought to be insightful and comprehensive, learn to weed out the irrelevant details and concentrate on the crucial ones.

The temptation is to include every single aspect of your research to make the essay comprehensive and whole. Your goal is to focus on a smaller area, demonstrate your ability to organise and analyse information and pick only the most pertinent evidence to support your claims.

Don't Ignore Formatting Specifications

You should not overlook paying attention to the following details: paper size, spaces, font size, margins, and page numbers, regardless of your style and formatting requirements.

Remember the different types of narration as well. For instance, first-person narrative essays tell stories, whereas persuasive or argumentative essays demand that you leave emotions out and support your opinions with evidence, so the first-person narration is inappropriate.

Don't Let Mistakes Destroy Your Essay

Although typos don't reflect your language ability or understanding of grammar, they could give your professor the impression that you weren't paying attention or didn't care to proofread your essay.

Use More Than Just Spell Checkers

Spell checkers are a useful tool for automatically editing your writing, but you shouldn't rely solely on software.

The human eye will undoubtedly pick up on many spelling mistakes that these programmes might miss. So, spend some time editing your essay. The final draft should be printed out because spelling errors can be overlooked when reading from a screen.

Asking someone else to read over your essay with fresh eyes and check it for spelling errors is a good idea.

Avoid Plagiarism

Plagiarism is a form of cheating, and it is always dealt with harshly when it is discovered.

Do not jeopardise your standing in higher education or your reputation. To ensure that you are not plagiarizing—even unintentionally—cite every source. Knowing your enemy means reading up on the different types of plagiarism that can occur and the best ways to prevent it.

Don't Speak Negatively

Not all negative language is vulgar. It refers to negation-containing words, phrases, etc.

For instance, the word "painless" does not necessarily connote negativity. However, when it is used, the reader is drawn to the pain rather than the absence of it. Therefore, it is preferable to substitute more positive, synonymous words for supposedly negative ones. When writing an essay, it's important to strike a delicate balance between conveying a concise summary of the existing knowledge and demonstrating that you comprehend it thoroughly enough to form your own opinion.

Show your professor that you can format an essay properly, select the appropriate style, and express your viewpoint while supporting it with facts. Essays won't be as difficult for you if you can learn to strike a balance between form and meaning.