Essay Writing Tips for College Students

Posted: March 18, 2016 - to Essay WritingBy: Sarah
Essay Writing Tips for College Students

Every college student knows that college essays truly matter

Not only do they matter because of the grade, but they also say something about you, illustrating your personality and academic level. However, sometimes, the task of completing an essay in time catches you off guard, and you’re either out of time, or inspiration doesn’t seem to do its job. And lastly, writing isn’t easy. But what can you do in this scenario? The following tips can be helpful in this direction.

Answer the question

As obvious as it may be, the greater majority of students tend to miss answering the core question of the essay, or the theme one should cover. Talking outside of the subject is quite common, and the teacher will convey this as lack of interest and attention. If you don’t concentrate on sticking to the subject, you are prone to getting a bad grade, or even fail.

A clear introduction

The introduction is equally important in crafting an excellent essay. Remember; this is the part that is meant to grasp the attention of the reader. By all means, it should encompass a summary of the particular points you will talk about in the essay. Typically, most students wrongfully end up writing a long introduction and afterward repeat the information in the main body. That should be avoided. In simpler words, the opening paragraph should be to the point, clear and concise. Only in the case of a lengthier paper, should you expand a bit more.

Create an essay plan

Organizing your ideas according to a plan can be a valuable hint in aiding you to clarify your thoughts. Clear ideas will make your writing concise and engage the reader, which should be one of your primary objectives. Also, that will help you brainstorm the best supporting ideas that are relevant to your topic.

Constructing an argument

When constructing the argument, first, you need to make sure that it’s relevant to the topic. You should always explain the evidence in correlation with the question the essay is built on. Even when the explanation may seem obvious, you should still clarify it. Aim at constructing the arguments critically, trying to convey them from a third person’s perspective. Also, the way in which you organize your ideas matters a lot as well. Thus, focus on placing the arguments following one another in a logical order.

A powerful conclusion

The conclusion may be the most fastidious paragraph in the entire essay. It’s the last thing your audience reads; this is why it matters and should be well-written. We can say that it’s the last chance to convince the reader that your essay was worth his/her attention and that you have answered the question. That is your opportunity of restating the thesis, but avoid using the same phrases and keywords.

Foster variety

Efficient, persuasive writing is imminently linked to complex vocabulary and sentence structure. Steer clear of sticking to the same phrases or keywords throughout the entire essay. By doing so, you’ll only create a run-of-the-mill tiresome piece. Indeed, that doesn’t imply you should use a thesaurus for every word in your essay, but variety can make your ideas sparkle and make your writing more enjoyable.