When you choose to study English or a subject in the Arts and Humanities at college, you will be expected to write a lot of essays. It is indeed a difficult skill to acquire because it involves both creativity and rational planning. It’s understandable why most of us fail with essay writing assignments. We are social beings who spend most of our time in oral communication rather than written communication. Moreover, organizing, formatting, referencing, and other things that are required while writing an essay are not required in a casual discussion. Therefore writing perfect essays might be tricky, but if you follow these guidelines when writing an essay, you will get the desired grades:
Plan: Understanding Question and Choosing Essay Type
This is the most critical moment. How accurately you understand the question is very important because all your upcoming essay content will be based on this understanding. Once you understand the question, you can figure out what kind of essay you have to write.
To understand the question, you should notice the keywords like “analyze,” “compare,” “debate,” “explain,” “conclude,” “assess,” and any restricting words, such as “during the nineteenth century,” “in Africa,” according to Europeans” and so on.
Topic Sentence and Paragraphs
Once you have done your homework and have wonderful ideas to share in your essay, it is time to write those ideas on a sheet of paper. Writing a coherent essay with a clear argument can be difficult, but don’t give up. Carefully organise your phrases into well-connected paragraphs, and your ideas will flow smoothly.
Start every paragraph with a topic sentence that represents the body paragraph’s central idea. To support the topic sentence and central idea, every paragraph must include quotations or scriptural references.
Creativity To Steal the Spotlight
You might not realise it, but creativity and essay writing are closely related. Keep it in mind, and you’ll be sure to pique your reader’s interest. Moreover, creativity allows the students to express themselves and grow their voices. It also helps their reasoning abilities. So, as a student, you have a chance to share your opinions in your essay.
References and Quotations
Of course, adding references and quotations in essays is important, but you should rely on credible sources only. There are two primary reasons for relying on authentic sources. First and foremost, you must ensure that you do not plagiarise. When you steal something without citing the source, this is known as plagiarism. If plagiarism is detected in your essay, you may get an F grade, or you may have to face other negative consequences. Secondly, while writing an essay, you should always be prepared to back up your statements. Quotations, references and contextual information are crucial for establishing credibility and strengthening your argument.
Don’t forget to Proofread and Edit Your Essay
Ask your friends and teachers to grade my essay. Read your essay to ensure that the phrases are logical and vocabulary is great. Make sure there are no grammatical or punctuational errors. You can also ask your friend to proofread your final essay.
