But what is the difference between a good essay and a great one? How to write an essay that is impactful? Read the tips below to find out! Remember that you can also opt for an essay writing service to type my essay if you need time to practice the skill.
Table of Contents
Brainstorm
Good planning, along with good writing, is essential for a great essay. Though new ideas might emerge as you write, it is always better to brainstorm and create a mind map before you begin your piece. The essay writing experts recommend using efficient mind map software for the purpose.
Start by going through the essay prompt and jotting down any ideas related to the topic. Then, you can continue adding, scratching out, and linking other points to create a basic structure for your essay. But remember to stick to the prompt and avoid straying off the subject. Irrespective of how good your point is, it doesn’t belong in the text if it doesn’t contribute to the central theme.
Use Extra Sources
According to professional paper writers from paperwritingservice.com, to add depth to your essay, you need to go beyond your recommended reading list. Apart from books related to the topic, read papers, theses, and scholarly articles by different authors. Additionally, supplement the reading with other books from the same author to understand their writing style and use of language.
You can also go through other works written during the same period to give a wider context to the essay prompt. For example, for a critical analysis of an 18th-century book, you could read other works written around the same time to cover the angle of Romanticism.
Begin With the Body
Most essay writers struggle to write the introduction at the start. But the introduction should give a glimpse of what is written in the essay, which is possible only after your ideas are fully formed.
Instead, keep the introduction aside and begin writing the body of the essay. The body should typically explain, criticize, and form strong arguments around the subject. Consult the mind map created earlier and explain individual ideas in separate paragraphs.
Begin each paragraph by stating the main idea and supporting it with quotes, citations, and statistics. Use multiple resources to back your idea in order to create a strong argument. Remember to create a flow by linking each new paragraph with the previous one. Otherwise, your essay will end up being a set of individual ideas without a central theme.
Avoid Superfluous Information
Every word in your essay should contribute to the main idea–either criticize or support the central topic. Your main goal should be creating a valuable literary composition and not just meeting the word count.
This includes redundancies, unnecessary information, or repetition. The best way to eliminate redundant information is to reread your piece multiple times and remove any ideas that stray off the subject. Also, remove any accidental repetition or paraphrasing, as it reduces the quality of the writing.
Use Proper Citations
Citations are integral to every essay. They ensure accuracy in your paper by providing a credible source for any stats or statements used. Citations also show your efforts in research and save you from plagiarism.
Usually, educators recommend certain citation styles, such as the APA, MLA, or Chicago style. However, if unstated, you can utilize any of the three as they are commonly recognized in educational institutions.
While traditional citations are done through footnotes or bibliography, online essays can cite through hyperlinks. If you have utilized e-papers and links, you can cite them directly by hyperlinking the text. However, not all educators accept such citations. Therefore, if you are asked to use traditional citation methods, it is best to stick to them to avoid plagiarism.
Proofread Thoroughly
If your proofreading involves only grammar and spelling checks, you might overlook a lot of errors in your essay. For instance, words like “through” and “though” pass through spell checks but have entirely different meanings.
To avoid such mistakes, manually proofread your writing multiple times to check for misspelled words, citations, and contextual errors. Check the flow of your essay and reorganize any ideas that don’t fit the central theme.
Ensure that the essay is formatted correctly. Most educators recommend Times New Roman or Arial font in size 12. Don’t use any fancy fonts as the easily readable text makes a better impression on the reader.
Wrapping Up
A great essay is all about how you present your ideas. You might have researched well and used several sources, but if your presentation is incoherent, the essay won’t make an impact. The above tips will help you write a good essay, but we recommend regularly practicing to hone your skills and make your writing stand out. After all, well-practiced writing and good subject matter are key to an outstanding piece.
