For most students, writing an essay can be a difficult task. One has to follow the prompt, meet structural and word count requirements, organize all ideas logically, and format the paper in accordance with a certain style.
Not everybody is ready to dedicate time and effort to craft a perfect piece. So, whether it’s a scholarship essay, class project, or assignment, most students would rather outsource their task to online domyessay.com services than do it themselves.
Contrary to popular belief, writing an essay can be a fun and exciting experience if done right. In this article, we will be giving tips on becoming an excellent essay writer while having fun in the process. Without wasting any more time, let’s get down to brass tacks.
Create an Outline
Before you start writing an essay, you have to create an outline for the paper. Having a structure in place will help you organize your thoughts and make writing less overwhelming.
An outline serves as a foundation that you can always come back to when you’re stuck. Outlining is an excellent practice and should be the first thing you do before starting a paper.
You could create your essay outline in the form of a diagram or standard text, or you could use advanced tools to craft the framework.
Research the Topic
Most times, students get topics that are not familiar to them. It is intimidating to write a comprehensive essay when you don’t fully understand the subject, and students tend to struggle because of this.
If you get an essay topic that’s alien to you, you should take some time to research it. Thanks to the Internet, every piece of information you need is available to you in a few clicks.
You could also use your local library if you didn’t find what you want on the Internet (very unlikely). After a few days of research, you should have enough information to write a comprehensive essay on any topic.
Practice
The best way to get better at writing essays is by practicing on your own. Start by writing about something you’re already familiar with, like your favorite show or book character. You’ll find it both easy and fun, and it’ll help you become a better writer too.
You could also try covering random academic topics sometimes to get a feel of it. Without the pressure of a deadline to meet, you may find yourself having a lot of fun writing just for yourself.
Use Citations
Avoiding plagiarism is the first cardinal rule of essay writing. One single plagiarized sentence is enough to get you an F, or even worse. To avoid plagiarism, try to cite all your sources, and if you have to take something from a website, put it in quotes and reference the original author.
If you don’t know how to use citations, you should probably learn it. Besides, you must use credible sources. Textbooks, scholarly articles, and books by accredited authors are examples of credible sources.
Google Scholar is a good option to look for proper sources to cite for your essays.
Avoid Fluff
One thing you’ve got to realize is that your teachers are probably more intelligent than you are. If you try to ramble and fill the pages with fluff words without adequately answering the question, they’ll surely notice, and it’ll reflect in your grades.
Above all else, make sure your essay has substance. Cut out all unnecessary information. If the report does not meet the required length but still answers the question posed perfectly, you’re going to get full marks. Always keep that in mind when writing.
Start With Conviction
By starting with your essay with a firm tone, you set the rest of the paper’s overall direction. A firm tone has the added advantage of immediately capturing the reader’s attention.
Writing with an informal tone might be helpful sometimes, but it’s not advisable to use a casual style in academic papers. You should always opt for a formal tone if not instructed otherwise.
Proofread
The key to writing a good essay lies in proofreading. When working on your first draft, you’ll most likely make grammatical or typographical errors. Proofreading helps you spot them and get rid of the mistakes before you submit the task.
Printing out your essay before proofreading is good practice. You’ll notice more errors than you would if you were looking at the screen. Also, try sending copies of your essay to a family member or a friend. They’re more likely to spot errors you might have missed.
Write the “Body” First
The introduction of an essay is the most challenging part to write.
Why? Crafting the introduction involves trying to summarize your entire essay before it’s completed. Writing the body of the paper first helps you fix that, especially for topics you find uninteresting.
When you’re already done with the body and conclusion, it will be easier for you to come up with a way of introducing your essay. At that point, you’ll have an in-depth understanding of the topic, and you’ll be able to write it quickly.
Conclusion
Regardless of your major, you’ll have to write many papers in college. That’s because the process of writing an essay helps build both your research skills and critical thinking.
Writing can be an easy and fun experience if you use the tips listed above. If you put a little time and effort into learning how to write essays, you’ll find yourself enjoying the process, and that’ll positively influence your grades long-term.