Do you want to understand how to write an essay? To clarify how to proceed we must start from the definition of this particular composition. The essay is a text of limited length, in which you will have to analyze a phenomenon, an event, an author, or a text and provide your personal interpretation. The topics can be various, from literature to economics, from philosophy to customs to history.
In reality, the methods for writing an essay are the same regardless of length. Continue reading and discover with us how to tackle the essay test.
1- Writing an essay: how to start
The essays must be prepared with a structure that includes:
introduction
thesis
evidence to support the thesis
antithesis
refutation
conclusion
The introduction can be the hardest part. You have documented yourself, consulting all the available material, you have extrapolated the most interesting data and arguments and you have set up your thesis. At this point, you are faced with a blank sheet of paper and you may be in difficulty because you know that the introduction must be written impeccably, in order to capture the reader’s attention and prepare him well for the rest of the essay. Our advice is to start with a sentence that immediately arouses curiosity. You could, for example, reel off some data, always without exaggerating. Remember that you have a length to respect and, among other things, starting with an infinite list of data is not very attractive.
2- Clarify the purpose of the essay immediately
To write an essay that gets a good grade, it is good practice to immediately clarify what the text will be about. Returning to our example on school dropout, the most direct and simple way to introduce the theme and objective of the essay is the following:
– The purpose of this essay is to analyze the causes of dispersion and recommend a series of educational initiatives to stem the phenomenon.
– If the essay has a predefined structure divided into sections, you could complete the introduction of the topic by clarifying how the text will develop.
In the case of research or argumentative essays, this method of proceeding is very useful. The reader, in fact, is immediately immersed in the topic discussed.
3- Choose the tone of voice in which to write
Throwing down the material without choosing the tone of voice is a mistake. School dropout, for example, is a serious issue that requires a clear and direct tone. That is, you cannot adopt a colloquial style. On the contrary, if you are enrolled in the faculty of sports science and have to write an essay on the emotional bond/camaraderie existing between the members of a team, adopt a less formal tone.
4- Pay attention to your writing and always revise
It would be better to write short phases in simple words. Avoid subordinate clauses and prefer sentences of 20/25 words. This length of sentences improves readability and helps you express concepts so that the reader can understand them on the first reading. If your reader is forced to reread a sentence several times, the essay will be more difficult and less interesting.
Once you have written the essay, always reread it carefully. If any passage is complicated, write it again. The revision phase is very important, both with scientific and creative essays. Obviously, creative texts leave more room for your inventiveness and are less rigid from a stylistic point of view. To understand if the revision has improved the text, ask a friend or classmate for a reader’s opinion.
5- Introduce evidence to support your thesis
To write an essay you must have your thesis clearly in mind. You are writing a text whose purpose is to demonstrate to the reader the validity of your opinion. The thesis, therefore, must be expressed with conviction. To refute it, use study materials and rely on other authors who have dealt with the same topic. What does it mean? Introduce quotes to support your thinking.
Always returning to the essay on school dropout. Let’s say your thesis is the distance of the school system from the reality of the students. That is, you support a thesis of this type:
– The school remains in the classroom, far from the street and the children’s problems. As a result, students perceive it as useless and end up dropping out prematurely.
– To give greater weight to your thesis, cite other authors, authoritative in the pedagogical field, who have reached the same conclusion as you.
You have two options: direct citation of specific passages or indirect citation. In this second case, that is, you summarize the theory of the author.
Did you find these tips helpful? If you are still having difficulty with your essay, it is recommended that you ask AssignmentGeek for help!
