How to Write a Two-Page Essay Quickly (with Pictures)

2024 Author: Jason Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 10:50

Writing a two-page essay can be a daunting task. After all, writing is something that requires specific skills and a lot of practice. If you are organized and have a specific plan, writing can be done successfully and quickly. College students, high school students, and people in most occupations have to write from time to time (or even daily). For many people, writing can be overwhelming. Having a system on hand to help make the writing process as efficient as possible (and hassle-free) is sure to come in handy.

Step

Part 1 of 4: Making Settings

Step 1. Make sure you are ready to write

This is your first step towards fast essay completion. You will need to make sure your surroundings are comfortable, and that all the equipment you need (computer, paper, etc.) is within easy reach. Make sure the atmosphere is right for you. If you do your best in serenity, visit the library. If you need a little background noise, try playing some music or working in a coffee shop.

Step 2. Choose a topic

A successful essay contains a clear focus. So, it is important that you define the topic of the essay clearly. It's easier to write about something that interests you, so if possible, try to tailor the topic of your essay to something that piques your interest. For a two-page essay, it's important to choose a specific topic so you can cover it in a small amount of space.

If your teacher has given you clear instructions, now decide how you will approach the question. For example, if your assignment is "Write an essay about the women's movement. Did it work?", you need to decide which side you want to take. Once you've narrowed your focus, your essay will be much easier to compose.
If your task is much broader, it's up to you to focus on the topic. For example, if the assignment is "Write about something that interests you," you won't want to make "Sports" your essay topic, especially for a short two-page essay. Choose a very specific topic, such as "Tailgating in South America."

Step 3. Know the subject

Be sure to understand the topic for which you are assigned. For example, if you're writing an essay on To Kill a Mockingbird for your English literature class, make sure you've read the entire book. Think about what you know about the topic. If you need to do additional research, this is the time.

You probably won't need further research for a two-page paper, but if you're unsure about the assignment, check with your teacher

Step 4. Arrange the ingredients

If you have notes that you have taken while doing research on the topic, make sure they are neatly organized. Place them in an order that makes sense to you so you can find the information easily. If you plan to use a number of online resources, try to get to the website first so you don't have to be distracted by searching for the information you need. This is a very good time to make sure the instructions for your essay are also available. Did your teacher, lecturer or supervisor give you any hints? They gave it away for a reason. Make sure to follow it.

Step 5. Organize your thoughts

Do you think your dog might need a little walk? Do it. If you have something on your mind other than a paper, try to finish it as quickly as possible. Otherwise, concentrate and focus on your paper. The rest of your time will be there when you're done. And time will come much faster if you are organized and focused.

Part 2 of 4: Drafting an Essay

Step 1. Brainstorm to create your thesis statement

There are several ways to help you write a thesis. One of these techniques is called questioning. To use this approach, think about what you or your readers might want to know about your topic. This can be as simple as starting with basic questions like who, what, why, etc.

For example, if you need to write a two-page essay about something that interests you, think about who your readers (and how much explanation you should provide), what the most relevant information, and why this topic is of interest to you.
Branching is another technique that can be used when writing a thesis. Try to imagine the topic as a tree. Write your main idea in the center of the paper, then branch out from there, adding ideas and thoughts to your main topic.
Another approach is to try brainstorming. To do this technique, write down anything and everything you know or need to know about the topic. Don't edit your own thoughts, just write them down on paper. Once you see it on paper, your ideas will start to take shape. Doing this before trying to write a formal outline is often helpful, as you'll get a better idea of what you want to cover.

Step 2. Write a thesis statement

The thesis is the most important part of the essay because it tells the reader exactly what you are arguing about. In other words, the thesis explains clearly and concisely the point you made in the essay. If you don't have a strong thesis, your essay will look blurry and too general. A strong thesis shows that you will use specific examples to help explain your point. For two-page essays, keep your thesis specific and narrow.

For example, if you're writing an essay about sports on campus, a bad thesis would be "Campus sport is controversial in many ways." This topic is too vague, and does not take a clear position to make an argument. This will leave the reader wondering what argument you are making in your essay.
An example of a strong thesis on the same topic might be "College athletes must earn a salary to participate in sports." This is better because it indicates the topic you are going to cover. This topic is also narrow enough that you could cover it adequately in a two-page paper.

Step 3. Put your thoughts into the paper

Once you have your thesis as your "center of gravity" to guide the entire content of the paper, you can include all of your ideas. Creating a detailed and thorough outline can make the rest of the writing process a lot quicker and easier. Outlines are a great way to put your ideas on paper without having to worry about whether your writing is perfect. Just make sure not to get too hung up on this stage-your essay will develop and evolve as you write it, and that's okay.

You don't need to create a formal outline to get started. Brainstorming or creating a list outline, which is making a list of ideas related to your topic without placing them in a specific order, can help you figure out what you want to write about.
Once you have listed the ideas that support your thesis, it will be easier for you to imagine how to structure it.

Step 4. Include specific examples

A good essay will consist of an introduction, a body paragraph, and a conclusion. The thesis statement will often mark specific examples that you will use in your essay, such as this one: "Campus athletes must get paid because they make large sums of money for their universities, benefit corporate sports game producers, and often suffered physical harm during their college careers that they continue to suffer later in life."

Keep in mind that not all teachers like or even accept this kind of thesis, which is often referred to as a "multi-pronged" or "three-pronged" thesis. However, this type of thesis is often good for short writing assignments such as two-page essays. If you're not sure what your teacher prefers, ask before you start writing.
It's helpful to list specific examples in your outline, so you know what evidence you have for each section. It can also be helpful to show if there is any distance or imbalance in your approach. For example, do you have only one example for one section, but three examples for another? It's a good idea to use roughly the same number of samples per section, or even find out if sections that lack supporting evidence can be put elsewhere.

Step 5. Cite the source in the outline

This will save time during the writing process. Make sure you know what style of citation is required. Most of the most common citation styles are MLA, APA, and Chicago, and you should make sure to ask your teacher which style to use.

One well-known type of citation is a citation in brackets. For this method, you must provide information about the source in the essay. An example of this method is, "Brown argues that Einstein's theory of relativity was the most important academic achievement of the twentieth century (292)". Brown's name refers to the author of the book in the example, and 292 is the page number where this information can be found. There are various ways to cite sources, so make sure you know how to properly cite the sources you want to use.
Sometimes you may be asked to use a footnote or endnote. While it's not very common for short essays, some teachers and employers prefer it. Footnotes and endnotes include more comprehensive information about the sources used. Often, when footnotes and endnotes replace parenthetical citations, the Citation List page is unnecessary.

Part 3 of 4: Writing an Essay

Step 1. Write the body of the paragraph

Now that you've made the most of your arrangements, you're ready to write! This section should be done fairly quickly if you've made a thorough outline. Essays usually consist of at least 3 body paragraphs. Each must relate directly to the thesis. Its purpose is to support your argument.

Make sure each paragraph body has a topic sentence. This sentence serves to explain to the reader what the paragraph is about. For example, if you're writing an essay about the labor force during World War II, you might write "Women were an important part of the workforce during World War II because they learned new jobs that were previously reserved for men."
Include specific supporting examples in the body of each paragraph. For example, if you were writing an essay about the labor force during World War II, you might write "Many women became welders during World War II, which illustrates how gender roles in the workforce are changing."

Step 2. Write an introduction and conclusion at the end

This is often the most difficult and time-consuming part of essay writing. The introduction should be a roadmap for the entire paper, and it should also make the reader want to continue reading the paper. Your conclusion will "finish" the essay, reminding your reader of the argument and its importance. Waiting until you have drafted the body of the essay to write an introduction and conclusion will often help, as you will have a much clearer picture of your full argument and its importance.

Start with a broad contextual statement, but don't make it so broad that it loses its relevance. Statements beginning with words such as "Throughout history" or "In modern society" are meaningless statements and do not provide any real context to your argument.
A great way to look at your introduction is to think of it as an inverted pyramid. Start with a general statement that sets the setting, then narrow it down to your thesis.
Include your thesis statement at the end of the conclusion.
Take a little time for the first sentence. The first sentence should look catchy and pique your reader's interest. Try starting with an interesting example or quote.
Use the conclusion to connect the pieces of your argument. In some circumstances, such as a persuasive essay, it's appropriate to include a call to action. You can also go back to the anecdotes or themes you brought up in the introduction to give your paper some nice symmetry.

Step 3. Use clear and concise language

Don't try to sound "stylish." Make clear statements so your readers can understand them easily. Always remember, if you can put it in one word, there's no reason to use more than that. Also make sure to use words that your readers understand. There's no point in trying to give an essay a twist by relying too much on the thesaurus-your intent should be clear and easy to understand.

Beware of passive speaking. Beginner writers often use passive speech because it is more wordy, which can be mistaken for "stylish" sentences. Here's an example of a passive speaking style: "It is believed by many that the recent increase in social violence is caused by video games." The verb "at-" is often a sign of the passive style. Rephrase his words like this: "Many people blame video games for the recent rise in social violence". This is a clear grammatical sequence of "People" (subject) "blame" (verb) "video game" (live object).
Avoid overly wording words like "It is believed that" or "This is an impression that." You can communicate this idea more clearly and concisely: "People believe that" or "This shows that."

Step 4. Use the right style and tone

Your assignment or course may provide specific guidance on what constitutes an appropriate essay. The essay topic can also help determine what writing style approach to take.

Some short essays may feel more appropriate in the first person style, with the use of "I". If you are assigned to write a personal or persuasive essay, the first person style often feels more personal and effective than the third person style.
Try to create a parallel structure in the sentence. A sentence often sounds stilted if you ignore parallel structure. For example: "Paying college athletes is more important than giving them scholarships". Change the word "give" into the form of "give" to make a parallel: "Paying college athletes is more important than giving them scholarships".

Step 5. Use transitions

A good essay will clearly show the connection between each paragraph. This transition makes it clear that your points are interrelated, and all related to your thesis. Transitions can be at the end of a paragraph or inserted into the topic sentence in the next paragraph.

Here are examples of transition words: similarly, in comparison, as a result, vice versa. During the editing process, you can use several variations to find out which style best suits your writing style

Part 4 of 4: Editing Your Essay

Step 1. Step away

You need to edit it carefully, then edit it again. A well-edited paper can often make the difference between a "C" or "B" paper and an "A" paper. But before you start editing, give your brain a break. Clearing your mind can help you become more objective in evaluating your essay once you've started the editing process. You will find faults more easily if your mind is fresh. Take the time to step away from your essay for at least a few minutes before returning to work.

Step 2. Use technology

Of course, you'll want to read your entire essay, making sure you correct any mistakes. But don't be afraid to take advantage of the spell checking facility. Just remember to edit it yourself too. Spell checking can't help you with content.

Be aware that "grammar checks" in word processing software are often wrong on a number of issues, and may even suggest changes that "make" your writing incorrect. Don't just rely on technology

Step 3. Read aloud

Even if it feels weird, try reading your paper aloud to see if it flows well and sounds logical. This is also a good time to ask for outside help. Try asking family members, friends, or classmates if they would mind listening to parts of your paper. Even if you only read the introduction, it can really help you find the problem.

Step 4. Check the quote

This is the time to make sure you are citing your sources correctly. Remember, you need to give credit for direct quotes, specific facts, or any ideas that don't belong to you. It is important to properly cite sources so that your teacher or supervisor knows how you are doing your research. This is also important because you need to avoid plagiarism at all costs. When in doubt, cite your sources.

Step 5. Polish your paper

Read it again and look for unnecessary words-if you don't need them, get rid of them. Thorough editing can help you narrow the focus of your paper and ensure that your ideas stand out. Polishing your paper will also help you ensure that it looks professional and sounds logical and organized.

Step 6. Write a title

Try to make it sound creative, but keep it concise. The title should indicate the topic, get to the point and easy to understand. During the editing process, keep your eyes open for possible title ideas when rereading your paper.

There are several methods for creating titles. One idea is to start the title with a question, such as "How…" or "Why…". Another method is to choose a specific example that occurs in the paper and use that as a starting point for your title

Step 7. Review your paper one last time

Did you mean clear? Is the transition smooth? Have all the errors been fixed? To answer these questions, make sure you read each word, and read it slowly. If you are satisfied, your essay is ready to be submitted!