Seven Ways to Write Better Essays

Despite our desire to think of ourselves as the next Shakespeare, there may be more significant ways to write better essays than inspiration alone. As you can see, English essays are more structured than you might think – and counting to five can be as simple as that. Follow these seven steps to write the best essays possible.

1. Read the topic properly and understand it: Know what is being asked of you. Outline and distribute the subject into sections. 

2. Plan ahead: When you write your essay, you will find it easier to organize and think about your ideas. Make a draft of your ideas and all the resources you need

3. Cite sources and references: Make sure you do your research. Please don’t plagiarize quotes or paraphrase your sources.

4. Draft a proposal: According to Hemingway, the initial drafts of everything are always terrible. You can use your drafts as an excellent place to get any “terrible” ideas out of the way. They are occasionally needed by professors and instructors, even though the veracity of this claim may be contested.

5. Write a strong thesis: You should write your thesis (the main argument) in your essay. You should make a strong point. 

6. Answer possible questions: After figuring out any kinks in your draft, you can begin writing your final draft. Make sure to answer any questions the topic might pose.

7. Always check for mistakes: proofread your essay carefully. This will help you catch any grammatical or spelling errors in your essay.

There is no doubt that every assignment is unique. However, you must be aware of that. If one of the above steps does not apply to your essay, skip it and move to the next step. 

How to Improve Essay Writing Skills

However, remember that good writing does not happen by accident. Despite our best attempts to clearly and simply describe every step of good essay writing, it is much simpler in principle than in practice.

Additionally, we advise you to practice writing model essays on various subjects. Even if your initial attempts might not be masterpieces, consistent practice will eventually change that and prepare you for the real thing.

Things to Avoid

  • Don’t: Use passive voice for me or my. 
  • Avoid words like “have” or “be,” and never use I or my unless the essay is written in a narrative format.

Final Note

While you should have all you need close at hand when you sit down to write, minimizing distractions, you aren’t a writer, and no one expects you to write an essay in one sitting.

Even during a time crunch, if you find yourself staring at the computer wondering what to write next, this will help you take a quick break. Move around, get up, and when you write again, you’ll be less frustrated and think a little better. You can also use leaves as rewards to encourage you to write better essays.

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

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