How to Write an Essay

All too often, when you write an essay for your school or university, you spend hours researching but end up with an ineffective essay because of poor presentation. Sadly, this means that your painstakingly collected information does not have the impact it should. Writing an effective essay is not an impossible task but it definitely needs some effort. Here is a brief overview on how you can write a truly effective essay.

What is the Essay About?

Well before you actually start writing, you need to have a very clear idea of exactly what your essay is about. If a topic has been assigned to you, then you need to decide whether your essay will offer a general overview of the subject or if it will focus on a specific aspect.

If you are choosing your own topic, you can pick a subject that is interesting to you or that you already have some knowledge of, provided it meets the requirements, of course. Formulate your essay’s topic into a question you ask yourself. The rest of the essay, the body, provides the answer to this question.

The Thesis

The thesis is the answer to the question you have formulated. An effective essay is one which has a strongly stated thesis, or a very convincing answer. Always start with an introduction that leads the readers into the main body of the thesis. This could be the section where you talk about why the question is important and how it is relevant to the reader. This is also where you clarify exactly what you mean by the question and briefly outline the points that your thesis will cover.

Reasoning it Out

The body of the essay actually begins after the intro. This is where you present your arguments, ideas and facts to arrive at the answer to the question. A well written essay typically has three main reasons that prove the writer’s point and three supporting arguments as well. You could present all of these as separate ideas leading to the same conclusion; or show how each is interlinked with the other.

The Conclusion

The conclusion is where you reiterate how the reasons you have presented in the body justify your answer to the question. This section of your essay needs to be presented in such a way that there is no ambiguity in your statements. The reader should be assured of your conviction in your arguments.

Some Points to Note

An effective essay emerges only after you have gone through a couple of drafts. Make sure that your essay’s first draft is ready well before your deadline so that you can review and revise it without coming under pressure. Chances are your essay will undergo two or more revisions before it takes the shape you desire. During review always keep in mind that nothing is obvious to the reader. You can and should explain how the points you make relate to the question.

If you do not have too much time on your hands, take help of a writing company