Your first step in essay writing is to consider the essay title. You need to look at the wording to work out exactly what you are being asked to do. It might help you to underline what you think are the keywords in the question/title: these are vital phrases or words that will decide the content, the style and the structure of your essay.
It is essential to plan and structure your essay before you start reading.
A good essay will be one that:
Divide your essay plan into three stages; the beginning, the middle and the end.
Now divide the middle part (the main part of the essay) into a further three stages; the first stage will prepare the argument; the second stage will push the argument forward; the third stage will draw your argument together. If you think of your plan in these terms, then the essay immediately begins to take shape.
Take a 5,000-word essay as an example. It might look like this:
Introduction | 1 paragraph (150 words) |
Point One | 6 paragraphs |
Point Two | 6 paragraphs |
Point Three | 6 paragraphs |
Conclusion | 1 paragraph (200 words) |
If this format is followed, you will create a well-formed and well-structured essay that has a clear direction.
Presenting effective arguments is at the heart of good essay writing – in almost every essay you should aim to make an overall point in response to some issue or debate. Remember, your instructor is looking for accuracy, clarity and a tight argument. Below are some pointers that may help. Not all of them apply every time.
Check out the following article if you want more advice on making a great argument.
http://www.saidsimple.com/content/100883/