How to Write an Essay

Essays can seem like a daunting problem. But there are some easy tips to follow when writing your essay.

First, have an absolute sense and be clear minded of what you are writing about, make sure you’re also open to new ideas. You should use some type of “hook,” or catchy opening that grabs the reader’s attention. This can be done many ways, so choose the way that best fits your paper. The title of your paper, if not assigned by your teacher, depends upon the type of essay expected. Generally, however, the title should clearly relate to the main idea. In more formal papers, this may be something like “An Analysis of Nineteenth Century Novels.” Again, it is imperative to follow your teacher’s guidelines; if they request a specific title length or type, be sure to follow that. Know that it is all right to make a title after you finish writing; this may help as you already know what the essay is about. Do not get caught up in the beginning; sometimes it’s better to move on to the body paragraphs.

While you write your essay, make sure to create new paragraphs as needed. A good essay will not be squished into one long paragraph. A good rule of thumb is to form a new paragraph when you are sure about what the paragraph will illustrate. Remember to create a catchy topic sentence for each paragraph. Your topic sentence should connect the previous paragraph to the new one. Also keep in mind that longer is not always better. It is not a good idea to add in extra information that is not truly related to your main idea just to lengthen the paper. In the end, if the essay deviates from the main idea, it may confuse the reader.

After you’ve written the body paragraphs, it’s time for the conclusion. The conclusion should not simply be a summary of body paragraphs; instead, it should introduce a new concept that builds off of the old. For example, for an essay talking about the benefits of homeschooling, you could finish by making a recommendation to parents to try it.

Once you finish writing, you should go back through your essay at least twice, depending on when it’s due and how much time you have. Check for grammar errors like missed periods, comma splices, and run-on sentences, and make sure your paper fits other requirements, like a set deadline. You should also gauge how well the writing flows. This means looking at if the paragraphs and sentences make sense in the order that they are in. It also means seeing if you made a major claim/presented a main idea in the introduction, and supported it throughout your essay. A good work of writing in essay format should be able to persuade the reader. Try to look at your essay as a whole, not simply parts or separate ideas.

Writer: Anmol Guard

Editor: Rushita Paladugu