In lieu of the blog posts I wrote a little while ago regarding using quotation marks in the English language, I thought it might be beneficial to offer some tips and tricks in terms of how to go about writing a strong essay.
I realize essay writing isn’t exactly an essential life skill to possess, but I figure it is an educational topic a lot of struggle with, mainly because we aren’t given too much clarification as to how to go about writing a strong essay when we are in school. At least, I wasn’t. I studied English at university, and not once did any of my classes cover how to write a proper English essay.
Let that one sink in.
Needless to say, I struggled a lot with my own essay writing in my first years of university, and because of the frustration I experienced, I would like to assist anyone who may be struggling with this particular writing style.
To cover the basics, a typical English essay contains an introductory paragraph, which contains your thesis statement; body paragraphs to support your thesis; and a concluding paragraph.
Your introductory paragraph should, obviously, introduce your essay topic, but in a subtle manner. You want to keep your readers’ interest, so refrain from being too detailed in your introduction. It should also present your thesis, which is your argument, how you’re going to prove it, and why it matters.
Your body paragraphs should be used to support your thesis statement and should reference outside sources and information that also support your thesis. You can have as many or as few body paragraphs as you need to justify your thesis, but you want to avoid being too lengthy and also too brief. Try to focus on one argument or supporting element regarding your thesis per paragraph.
Your conclusion should repeat your thesis, and should briefly summarize each of your body paragraphs, but you don’t want to be redundant, so be concise in your summations. A great way to finish off your essay is to leave your reader with a new thought or idea regarding your thesis statement to keep their attention piqued.
ontheedgeofeverything 