1. 1.Choose the topic wisely- Sometimes, one has to choose the topic on his or her own. In such cases, one must choose the topic about which he or she has adequate knowledge. In case, it has to be picked and chosen from the given alternatives, one must make the selection on the basis of his or her knowledge about it. In case the time permits, research
may be done for the topic selected.
2. 2. Jot down the points- It is a very important step. Even if you have done some research or use your knowledge, don’t leave it to your memory. Jot down the main points and then arrange them in proper chronological order. Space can be left between them for filling in the details later. This is a very good way of writing an organised essay.
3. 3. Introductory Paragraph- This is the beginning of the essay. It should give effective introduction of the topic. It may be started with a relevant quotation or some statistical information or a story or even summary of the essay. However, it should be able to grab the attention of the reader. If the title is in question form, it must properly explain its
meaning. In short, this paragraph should make good headway and be able to
arouse the reader’s interest to read the essay further. It should demonstrate focus of the essay.
4. 4.Thesis Statement- In case of the essay being written as part of the thesis, this portion gains special significance. It is very short but states the main idea of the essay. It reflects the
writer’s perspective of the topic or the argument. Its position is near the end
of the introductory paragraph. In a way it summarizes the topic and reflects
the writer.
5. 5. Main Body of the Essay- The name is
self-explanatory. It is the main part of the essay and has the content. It
requires proper structuring. In case of a narrative, it must take the reader
forward in a serial or chronological order. In the case of an argumentative
essay, it must illustrate the argument fully well. In case, there is a
counter-argument, it must also be explained subsequently with equal amount of
details. It must bring out each jotted point in vivid detail. Each point must
have its supporting detail. If required, suitable examples may be given to
explain the case.
6. 6. Conclusion- It will end the essay.
It has to give out an inference or a lesson learnt or summary of the essay.
However, it needs to be built up of strong sentences to form a very good
impression on the mind of the reader. In the case of Comparison and Contrast
essays or Cause and Effect Essays, the Conclusion part of the essay gains
special significance because here the proper inference is drawn.
7. 7. The final touch- So, you think you have
finished the essay and may submit it in a hurry. No, just pause and give it a
final check. Some gaffe may waste your entire labour. You may give the final
check for the following:
a. Spelling mistakes- It is no big deal. Spelling
mistakes are common occurrence but may mar the show.
b. Grammatical mistakes- These are also very common.
These are made at times in a hurry or sometimes in confusion. If working on a
computer, some help may be taken from the software like Grammarly.
c. Order of the paragraphs-
As you re-read, you may find, the paragraphs need to be rearranged to give the essay
a better look. In case of the Process essays, this step is very important to be
checked.
d. Give special focus to the Introduction and the
Conclusion parts- These form the beginning and the end. Therefore, these need
special attention.
e. Formatting- If some instructions have been given
regarding its format, check that it is followed to the core.
f. Connection of the
paragraphs- Transition from one paragraph to the next should be smooth.
g. It should reflect good writing skills- In my
article, “Improving your writing skills”, I had given some tips for good
writing skills. Please see that the essay gives a good introduction of your
writing skills.
Conclusion
Well, if you have followed
all the above tips in writing your essay, you and your readers must be very
happy with the results. However, it needs a lot of practice to be a good
writer. Here is wishing you best of luck for writing good essays.
#Essays #EssayWriting #EssayWritingTips
The author, R. C .Verma
has consulted the following websites for writing this article:
https://www.fastweb.com/student-life/articles/essay-tips-7-tips-on-writing-an-effective-essay
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