Keys to writing winning essays
Writing essays isn’t as difficult as people make out. By remembering a few basic steps you will be able to write essays that will inform, describe, amuse and even inspire. The first thing to remember is the structure of the essay.
How to write an essays -
The structure
The very basic essay consists
of three parts; the introduction, the body, and the conclusion.
The introduction introduces the reader to the topic, and
the way you will be approaching it. Most topics are general, for example
love, or pollution and have different ways of being tackled. But if you’re
writing a research paper about a specific aspect of civil engineering you
cannot afford to be rambling and vague. The opening paragraph of the essay
should give a basic idea of the topic you will be discussing and the course
you plan to take. It also usually contains a thesis statement. This
statement usually shows the purpose behind the essay. The thesis statement
for the topic “Traffic” could be:
‘In today’s busy lifestyle, traffic is an everyday problem.’
The body of the essay will provide the information, categorically or random, of whichever topic you plan to write about. Let us take the example of “Traffic” again. The body of the essay could detail what form of traffic you are talking about, the reason traffic is such a problem nowadays, the cause of traffic, and how to avoid getting caught in traffic (if there is such a possibility).
The conclusion should summarize all the points that the essay has discussed, and provide a concluding statement. For example, you could conclude the topic “traffic” like this:
‘Unfortunately, traffic has become an unavoidable part of our daily routine; but to look at the positive side, in today’s hectic lifestyle, traffic provides the few moments of leisure we might ever have throughout the day.’
Once you understand the structure of an essay, writing one won’t be so difficult.
But here are a few extra pointers on how you can write better, more intelligent essays.
1) Research your essays: though this might seem obvious, many people begin their essays without collecting any extra information and hope that things they remember will carry them through. It usually doesn’t, and lack of research shows clean through. Be aware of what you’re writing about, and if you aren’t, look up the information you need. Never be unprepared.
2) Compile your notes systematically: Good essays never ramble. They are succinct and to the point. The best essayists make lists and order out the information they wish to provide to the reader. Methodically placing your data will make the essay easier to read and comprehend.
3) Improve your writing style: Here are a few mistakes most people make in their essays:
a)Indulging in hyperbole: Overstatement does not equal proof. In an essay on “television” it is unwise to state that television is the greatest invention of man. This statement is not provable, and will cause the reader to doubt whether the author has enough facts to back the statement up.
b) Avoid personalization in formal essays: In personal essays, using “I” or “you” and informal language is acceptable and in some cases, preferred. But when you’re writing a formal essay such as a research paper, avoid using the personal approach. “I think…” and “let me show you…” make the writing seem unprofessional and childish.
c) Avoid using the same words repeatedly: Vary your words to add interest in your essay.
Author Bio:
Alex Martin works as a staff writer for TermPapersCorner,Inc. Term Papers Corner Provide high quality College term paper, custom essay and thesis writing service to students and professionals. You are free to reprint, copy and publish this article, but you must keep the copyrights and should not alter anything from Author's Bio.