Many students perceive writing an essay as a mind-boggling task which is oftentimes accompanied with fear that the outcome of the write-up may not be wholesome and interesting. The following tips would help you come up with a concise and successful essay.
1. Pick a topic.
You may be given a topic or may be given free reign to write on the subject. If you are given the topic, think about the type of paper that you want to produce and, If you have not been assigned a topic, then it’s an opportunity for you. Choose a subject that might be interesting and relevant to you. However, you have a little more work to do.
You will need to do a lot of research on topics that you find interesting. Think about your life. What is it that interests you? And make some notes about the subjects. Then, evaluate your options. If your goal is to educate people, choose a subject that you have already studied. If your goal is to persuade, choose a subject that you are passionate about. And finally, just make sure that you are interested in your topic.
2. Prepare an outline or diagram of your ideas.
Organizing your thoughts is one of the keys to write a successful essay. Use either an outline or a diagram to draw your ideas and organize them. Take what’s already in your head and write it on a paper for you to be able to see the connections and links between ideas more clearly.
When you create a diagram, write your topic in the middle of your page. Start branching by drawing lines from this topic and write down your main ideas at the ends of these lines. Draw more lines off these main ideas and include any thoughts you may have on these ideas.
If you prefer to create an outline, write your topic at the top of the page. From there, start listing your main ideas, leaving space under each one. In this space, make sure to list other smaller ideas that relate to each main idea, as this will allow you to see connections and will help you to write a more organized essay.
3. Write your thesis statement.
From the topic, you have chosen and the ideas you sorted out into relevant categories, you must create a thesis statement. Your thesis statement tells the reader the point of your essay. Look at your outline or diagram. What are the main ideas?
Your thesis statement should have two parts. The first part states the topic, and the second part states the point of the essay.
4. Write the body.
The body of your essay contains arguments, explanations or description of your topic. Each main idea that you wrote in diagram or outline should be in a separated section within the body of your essay.
5. Write the introduction.
Now that you have your thesis statement and the overall body of your essay, you must write an introduction. The introduction should not be a summary of your work. It should attract the reader’s attention and show the focus of your essay. Begin with an attention grabber. Use shocking information, dialogue, a story, a quote, and etc., just make sure it is a relevant information to your work.
6. Write the conclusion.
Sums up your overall ideas while providing a final perspective on your topic. Although the conclusion paragraph comes at the end of your essay it should not be seen as an afterthought. Your conclusion should consist of three to five strong sentences.