There is a formula for successfully crafting the perfect essay. All essays, no matter what the subject matter is, should follow a particular structure, be held to the same grammatical standards, and serve a function (i.e. answering a question). We’ve all heard the terms ‘introduction’, ‘conclusion’, and ‘topic sentence’, but did you ever find out that your English teacher mentioned these concepts to make essay writing easier for you? It doesn’t matter how much experience in writing you have, whether you need assistance with a college paper or dissertation help, with these basic tips you’ll have a winning paper every time.
Always Plan Before You Even Begin to Write:
You’ll never get an ‘A’ paper if you don’t know what you’re writing about. Most essays are assigned in the form of a question. The first step is to analyze the question and determine what your teacher is really asking. Once you’ve identified the core question, come up with a one sentence answer. Then ask yourself: “Does my answer address all parts of the question? Can I support my statement with evidence? Can I make insightful conclusions based on my evidence that show I understand the question and subject matter?” If you answered yes 3 times, then your “answer” is probably strong enough to be the topic of your essay. Your answers to these 3 questions will become the introduction, body, and conclusion of your paper.
Outlining Your Essay:
Each part of an essay, the introduction, body, and conclusion serve specific functions. The introduction should grab the reader’s attention; introduce the topic of your paper, and transition to the body. The body of the essay is where you make your arguments; each paragraph should focus on one point and include evidence to make your point valid. In the conclusion of your paper, you should sum up the statements present in the body of your essay and conclude with analysis of why your ideas are relevant and relate to today.
Between the Lines:
Essays may be composed of an introduction, the body, and a conclusion, but each paragraph should follow a similar structure- an ‘essay within an essay’. Each paragraph should begin with a topic sentence: one sentence that sums up the point of the paragraph. The following sentences should provide evidentiary support to back up your topic sentence. The final sentence in each paragraph should make your point by draw conclusions based on the evidence you just presented, and serve as a transition to your next paragraph or point.