Essay skills are essential for anyone who uses the written word to outline a thesis or argument, whether it's for those who are just writing their first essay or their hundredth essay. A clear and strong essay requires careful thinking, elaboration, and structuring sentence structure. The essential part of the essay is the thesis statement which determines the description in the following sections. Here are important strategies to keep in mind when writing an essay.
Step
Part 1 of 4: Determining the Essay Subject
Step 1. Determine the type of essay you are writing
In general, all essays have the same basic components, namely an introduction that introduces the content of the essay, a body that discusses the ideas and arguments, and a conclusion that sums it all up. However, you may need to choose a different arrangement scheme depending on the type of essay you are writing.
- For example, a school essay has a clear structure, starting with an introduction and a thesis statement, then 3-4 body paragraphs discussing the argument, and a conclusion summarizing all the discussion.
- On the other hand, a creative nonfiction essay may not present the thesis until the end of the essay, but discuss the issues that gradually lead to it.
- Comparison and contrast essays are structured in such a way that you compare two things in one paragraph and then discuss the contrast in the next paragraph, or bring together comparison and contrast in the same paragraph.
- You can also arrange your essays in chronological order starting at the beginning of the work or historical period, and working your way through to the end. This is especially helpful for essays that emphasize the chronological order of the argument (such as history papers or lab reports), or story-telling essays.
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Persuasive essays have several different structures:
- The “support” structure begins with a clear description of the thesis at the beginning and supports it until the end of the essay.
- The “discovery” structure addresses the ideas that led to the thesis by tracing various discussion points until the thesis is clear and correct.
- The “exploratory” structure looks at the pros and cons of the topic. This structure presents multiple sides and is usually concluded with a thesis.
Step 2. Read the assignment carefully
If you get an assignment sheet, read it carefully. You must understand what the instructor is asking you to do before compiling and writing an essay.
- If you don't have an assignment sheet, you can always look up ideas with an instructor or advisor.
- Ask anything you don't understand. It's better to ask questions before working on the essay for hours than to have to start all over again because you didn't clarify something. As long as politely asked, most instructors will be happy to answer your questions.
Step 3. Determine what essay to write
How you write an essay also depends on what you have to do. This explanation is usually included in the assignment sheet. Look for keywords like “explain”, “analyze”, “discuss”, or “compare”. These keywords determine what to write and what to cover in the essay.
Step 4. Think of the reader
If you are still in school, it is not difficult to determine who will read your essay, which is usually the teacher. However, you should consider who the writing is intended for, and that consideration becomes even more important if the reader is not mentioned on the worksheet.
For example, are you writing an opinion essay for the school newspaper? In this case, the reader is a schoolmate. However, if you're writing an opinion essay for a local newspaper, the readers will be citizens of the city, people who agree with you, people who disagree, people who are influenced by the topic you are bringing up, or the group you want to focus on
Step 5. Start early
Don't put off writing your essay until the last minute. The earlier you start, the easier it will be to write. Allow plenty of time to plan the essay in its various stages.
Part 2 of 4: Writing Basic Essays
Step 1. Create a thesis statement
Write down unique observations, strong arguments, interpretations of specific works or events, or other relevant statements that go beyond just stating the obvious or summarizing other, larger works.
- The thesis statement is the “map” for your writing. Its function is to tell the reader what they will get from your essay.
- A good thesis statement is usually debatable. This means that there may be people who will challenge or dispute your ideas. As intimidating as it may sound, a debatable thesis is very important because otherwise you'll only end up discussing something that's obvious and not worth writing about.
- Include the most important points in the thesis statement. For example, if your thesis discusses the similarities between two literary works, describe the similarities in general terms.
- Think about the question “Then why?” A good thesis explains why your idea or argument is important. If someone responds to your thesis by asking, “Then why?”, do you have an answer?
- One of the most frequently used theses in school essays is the “3 part thesis”, but it is usually not welcome for higher education and advanced writing. Don't feel compelled to apply this limited form.
- Revised thesis statement. If during writing you come across important points that have not been mentioned in the thesis, please edit the initial thesis statement.
Step 2. Do your research, if necessary
You can't start writing an essay if you don't already have knowledge of the topic to be discussed. If your argument or analysis requires research, do so before you start drafting.
If a librarian can help, don't be afraid to consult him. Librarians are trained to help locate trusted research sources and can point you in the right direction
Step 3. Review ideas
One of the most common mistakes newbie writers make is outlining the essay before reviewing anything. You can be frustrated that you don't know what to say. By trying a few idea-studying techniques, you can find enough material to work with.
- Try freewriting. Free-writing techniques encourage you to keep writing, without stopping or editing. You just need to write down whatever comes to your head (say 15 minutes at a time).
- Try a mind map. Start by writing down the central topic or idea, then draw a box around it. Write down other ideas and relate them to see how they relate.
- Try the cubing method. With this method, you consider topics from 6 perspectives, namely describing, comparing, associating, analyzing, applying, and debating or opposing.
Step 4. Thesis correction
When you're done researching and reviewing ideas, you may discover new perspectives that influence the argument. If so, reread the thesis and make the necessary changes.
If the initial thesis is very broad, this opportunity can also be used to make it narrower. For example, a thesis on “forced labor and Japanese occupation” may be too broad, even for a doctoral dissertation. Focus your thesis on a more specific topic, which will make it easier for you to compose your essay
Part 3 of 4: Compiling an Essay
Step 1. Outline the points to be included in the essay
Use the thesis statement to define the outline. For example, if you want to compare and contrast two topics, write down their similarities and differences.
Determine the order of discussion of each point. If you plan to discuss the 3 challenges in a particular management strategy, you can capture the reader's attention with a sequential discussion of the biggest to smallest issues. Or, build the intensity of the essay by starting with the smallest problem
Step 2. Don't let sources direct your preparation
There is no need to imitate the structure of the sources you use or discuss in the essay. For example, the most common mistake in beginner essays on literary works is repeating the plot point by point and building arguments along those points. Instead, focus on the most important idea of each paragraph. Even if you present the evidence in a different order than it was in the source, your paragraphs will flow more smoothly.
For example, a solid paragraph about Hamlet's madness can be drawn from several scenes that showcase his madness. Even though the scene isn't a series in the original play itself, discussing it all at once makes much more sense than discussing the entire play from start to finish
Step 3. Write a theme sentence for each paragraph
A clear theme sentence will help in the preparation of the essay. Dedicate each paragraph to cover only the points in the theme sentence. Extensive discussion will result in a disorganized essay.
- Make sure the theme sentence is directly related to the main argument. Avoid statements that may be general, but not relevant to the thesis.
- Make sure the theme sentence offers a “preview” of the argument or discussion within the paragraph. Many novice writers forget to use such first-sentence writing techniques, and their sentences end up not providing clear direction for the paragraph's content.
- For example, compare the following two sentences: "Mohammad Hatta was born in 1902" and "Mohammad Hatta, who was born in 1902, became one of the important figures in the proclamation of Indonesian independence."
- The first sentence doesn't give a good direction to the paragraph. The sentence states the fact, but does not give any explanation about the relevance of the fact. The second sentence puts the facts in context and tells the reader what will be discussed next in the paragraph.
Step 4. Use transition words and sentences
Create connection in the essay by using transition words that connect each paragraph. Starting paragraphs with words like “same as” and “otherwise” allows the reader to follow your line of thought.
- Transitions help underscore the overall logic of the essay's arrangement. For example, starting the paragraph with the sentence, "Although it has many features, Mbah Marni's Fried Chicken also has several elements that hinder its chances of becoming the best fried chicken restaurant in Jogja" allows the reader to understand the relationship of this paragraph to the previous paragraph.
- Transitions can also be used in paragraphs. Transitional sentences help seamlessly connect ideas in paragraphs so readers can follow them.
- If you have a hard time connecting paragraphs, the composition of the essay will not be smooth. Try the revision strategy also outlined in this article to determine if your paragraph order is good.
- For reference English essays, check out the list of transition words published by the Writing Center of the University of Wisconsin, which also includes the indicated transition types.
Step 5. Draw effective conclusions
Restate the thesis in other words and summarize the main points of the essay. To draw a compelling conclusion, provide information about the implications of your argument or findings that open up further thought or investigation.
- You can go back to the original idea or theme, and add another layer of argument. Conclusions can show how important your essay is to understanding something the reader was not prepared to understand before.
- For some types of essays, the conclusion can be a call to action or an emotional trigger. This technique is usually used in persuasive essays.
- Avoid trite phrases like “In short” or “In closing”. Phrases like that seem stiff and cliché.
Part 4 of 4: Revising the Plan
Step 1. Create a second essay outline after the draft (reverse outline)
When writing an essay, it is natural for arguments to develop during the writing process. These developments make the argument deeper and richer. However, as a result, the composition of the essay will fall apart. The second outline of the essay after writing the draft will help you determine what the argument should look like now and how it should be.
- You can create a second outline on your computer or a printed draft, whichever is easier.
- As you read the essay, summarize the main idea of each paragraph in a few key words. You can write them on separate paper, in printed drafts, or as comments in computer word processing documents.
- Look at the keywords. Are ideas discussed logically? Or, is your argument jumping around?
- If you're having trouble summarizing the main idea of each paragraph, it's a sign that the paragraph contains too much information. Try breaking it down into separate paragraphs.
Step 2. Cut the essay physically
If you have trouble organizing paragraphs, print out your essay and cut it paragraph by paragraph. Try putting each paragraph in a different order. Do essays make more sense if they are structured differently?
With this technique, you may also find that the theme sentences and transitions are not very strong. Ideally, paragraphs can only be structured in one way for maximum effectiveness. If you can arrange all the paragraphs in another setting and the essay still makes sense, it's possible that your argument is not being built effectively
Step 3. Rearrange the essay order
Don't get hung up on the initial outline. After creating a second outline, you may find that some paragraphs would make more sense if they were placed in a different order. Move the paragraph and make changes to the theme sentence or transitions if needed.
For example, it turns out that placing the least important argument at the beginning reduces the vitality of the essay. Try different order of sentences and paragraphs to magnify the effect
Step 4. Delete some sections, if necessary
It hurts, yes, but sometimes the long paragraphs you've worked so hard to write aren't neatly organized. Don't get so hung up on the idea that you can't erase what should be removed for the sake of smooth logic, flow, and argument.
Step 5. Read the essay aloud for inconsistencies or uneven flow
After reading it, you may notice that the essay changes direction drastically, or that some paragraphs contain sentences or information that is not important. Use a highlighter or pencil to mark inappropriate words or sentences for later correction.
