If you manage to go through the following 10 stages of essay
writing and practice regularly, your professor will definitely start
appreciating your effort more than usual.
- Pay attention to the essay question.
Don’t hurry to get to the writing process. The
first thing you need to do is to read the essay requirements. Highlight the
keywords in the question and make sure to answer it as clearly as possible. The
key point here is to understand what you are required to do in the essay, so
pay attention to words such as compare, discuss, explain, and
similar.
If there are any words that limit the discussion, make sure to
pay attention to them. For example, if the essay question is requiring
comparison between the literary styles in the eighteenth and nineteenth
century, you aren’t supposed to focus on contemporary literature in your essay.
- Your discussion needs some background. Find reliable sources!
If you think “okay, now I get the question and I can write my
essay easily”, you have the wrong approach right from the start. You need to
find relevant sources that will support your argument and convince your
professor that you know what you are talking about.
Make sure to reference all used sources according to the required
citation style.
- Think of unique ideas!
Researching through relevant scientific and academic sources is
important, but you shouldn’t allow them to form your concepts entirely. You
need to think of interesting ideas that will use those sources in a unique
manner.
There is a technique that will help you achieve that, and it’s
called brainstorming. Students commonly underestimate mind maps, but they can
be very helpful at this stage of the process.
- Write the thesis
The thesis should be your main argument that will present your
response to the essay question. This statement shouldn’t be too simple if you
want it to lead you towards an in-depth discussion. Make sure to relate each
argument in the essay to your thesis.
- Write an outline!
You won’t get anywhere without a proper plan. The outline will
keep your discussion on topic and enable you to complete the essay faster.
- It’s time for writing. Start with the introduction.
The best place to start is the beginning. Introduce the thesis
and write a focused introduction that will lead towards your discussion and
explain how you will answer the essay question.
- Write a directed discussion.
The body of an essay is the part where most students struggle
and think “maybe I won’t write my essay after all”. Don’t give up and keep the
main thesis in mind. Use the sources you located during the research phase and
discuss them from your own point of view.
- Summarize the paper with a logical conclusion
All your main ideas should come to a logical closure in the
essay’s conclusion. This is the part where you show how your thesis has been
proven throughout the discussion. The conclusion should not be a simple
statement; it should be a relevant comment that provokes thinking and further
research.
- You’re not done yet. It’s editing time!
Although you feel like you have already completed a lot of work,
you have only written the first draft of your paper. The content will need a
lot of proofreading and editing before it’s ready for submission. Make sure
there are no mistakes in terms of spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Don’t
hold back and get rid of all unecessary parts; they are only diluting your
discussion.
- Submit the paper on time.
Essay writing consumes an unbelievable amount
of time. However, your professor won’t accept any excuses and you have to
submit a neat copy on time if you want to get a high grade. The best way to
achieve that is to start early.
Hope this step can help you to write essay easily like "Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy" :)