Writing essays doesn’t come easily to everybody – and if you’re worrying about how you’re going to manage it all at college or university, then don’t panic. We’ve compiled our top tips into one handy blog post, so you can ensure your writing is on top form! Essay-writing is a valuable skill, and while it might not be something you do day to day in the future it will teach you a lot about attention to detail, how to be persuasive, and much more!
Double check the assignment
When it comes to sitting down to write your essay, it’s vital that you understand exactly what you need to do. Read the question thoroughly, a few times. The last thing you want is to get to the end of a few thousand words and then realise you didn’t *actually* understand the assignment…
Understanding exactly what is being asked of you will ensure you stay focused and relevant, and get the most out of your studies.
Plan and research
Create a plan for your essay – including when and where you will work on it. Note down the deadline, and work out how long it’s really going to take you to write. Then break this down into chunks of time, so you know when and how often you should be working on this assignment. And figure out where you work best: your bedroom, a shared space in your student accommodation, the library or a coffee shop? It’s all about what works for you!
Then sit down and figure out what you want to write – your assignment might be quite open-ended, which allows you to pick a specific topic that really interests you within the confines of the subject or question. Once you’ve decided on your angle, start doing some research into what you want to discuss. Utilise the library as well as your own textbooks and the internet.
Create an outline
However many thousand words you’ll be writing, make them count – break them into sections, including an introduction, the body of the essay and finally a conclusion. This is vital essay-writing advice for students!
Introduction – briefly introduce the topic and end with a clear thesis statement (your main argument or point).
Body paragraphs – each paragraph should focus on one main idea that supports your thesis. Use evidence, examples, and analysis to back up your points.
Conclusion – summarise your main ideas and restate your thesis in a new way. Leave the reader with a final thought or call to action.
Get writing
Now it’s time to write your essay – or the first draft, at least. This will allow you to get all of your thoughts down on paper (or rather, screen) so you can see how your ideas flow and whether there is anything additional you want to add or research.
Once your first draft is complete, leave it alone for a couple of days before re-reading it. This way, you’ll have fresh eyes and the ability to look at it from a new perspective to see what needs changing.
Then rework the essay into a final draft! You’ll need to do a spelling and grammar check, and of course add any necessary references using the system your course adheres to.
In a nutshell, that’s our best essay-writing advice – make sure you know what you’re supposed to be writing, plan it out properly and then write, check and edit. Be sure to follow the proper submission procedure and you’re good to go. Best of luck!