Essay Tips

Essay Tips These are extraneous words that can be taken out without altering the sentence’s meaning. If your essay is significantly longer than the suggested word count, read through it and highlight everything that is most importantâ€"this includes important points of introspection and supporting evidence. If you choose to use this approach, remember that it might become necessary to remove information that you had initially deemed important. Here are some tips on how you might cut down your essay. Your thesis statement should be concise, but incorporate all the main points you’d like to address in your paper. Continually refer to your thesis statement when writing your essay and make sure to never stray from your main points. A good thesis statement can be the difference between an A and a B. The most important step in writing an essay or research paper is to fully comprehend the essay question. The introduction states what’s at stake, and the body presents the evidence. In the case of an argumentative essay, the evidence might be research. In a more personal essay, it might be made up of the author’s own experiences. Your intro tells your reader what to expect from your essay. Think of it as a brief roadmap that begins with an intriguing opening line, includes a quick summary of the topic and ideas you’ll present, and concludes with a thesis statement. Don’t start with the introduction.The introduction is where some students struggle the most, so to avoid getting bogged down, create the introduction later. This will allow you to fully form your thoughts and ideas and come back and integrate the main ideas into your introduction. Start your essay with a thesis statement that will guide your entire paper. Based on the prompt, what do you want to argue in your essay? Give general feedback on a finished or nearly finished essay. You may point out areas that need revision, but you cannot rewrite or edit â€" the essay must be the student's work. Pick topics for which you have enough room to elaborate. Do not cite three or four pieces of supporting evidence in an elaborate thesis if you are only allowed 500 words. If you only have a few paragraphs to write your essay, you will likely only have room for one main point of supporting evidence. It is not your stories that get you into college, but how they have affected your character and your thinking. You should strive to portray yourself in the best possible light and keep your essay focused on answering the prompt. It is also important to be aware of the complexity of your topic. Read through your writing and make sure that every sentence has a specific and unique contribution to the essay. If two sentences convey two only slightly differing ideas, try to find a way to combine them. Use semi-colons, em dashes, or compound sentences if necessary. For example, do you have any sentences that start with, “It is” or “It seems that”? Keep your thesis short and limit your supporting points, since you always need to set aside plenty of room in your essay for introspection. Use your writing skills to apply for scholarships. Check out our Scholarship Match to find scholarships that are write for you. Essays and research papers can be a challenge for writers of all skill levels, but these writing tips can make the process a little easier and a lot less daunting. An essay can be wonderfully articulated and thought out, but will still result in a poor grade if it doesn’t adequately answer the prompt provided. In your conclusion, you wrap everything up in a neat package. Restate your thesis in a clear way without repeating it word for word. Leave your reader with a takeaway or something to think about. Here’s the conclusion of the Skyline College essay sample. By the end of the research and planning process, you’ll feel energized and ready to write about all this interesting stuff your research has uncovered. No matter what the topic, all students could benefit from this printable handout.