It is very common that when writing an essay all the ideas that we had disappear and the mind goes blank, the most common question in these cases beginning to haunt our head, how do you write an essay?
The first thing to be clear about to be able to write an essay is the structure, but not only that, since there are also other factors that influence its quality that, throughout this post, we will try to cover.
Structure of an essay
We can define an essay in three parts according to its structure: introduction, development and conclusion, but what should each of them contain?
• Introduction: This part should represent approximately 10% of the length of the essay and should perfectly summarize the topic that the author is going to deal with throughout the essay. In the introduction, the argumentative line that is going to be carried out in the rest of the parts of the essay will be reflected.
• Development: It is the central part of the essay and, therefore, the one that should occupy the largest area, specifically around 80%. In this part, the author will present his ideas and arguments, citing other authors, magazines or reference books on the chosen subject. The main ideas and arguments that position the author on this topic will be presented. It is important that all explanations are related to each other and are well cohesive.
• Conclusion: The remaining 10% of the length of the trial corresponds to the conclusion. In this part, the author should summarize the most important ideas of all the text that he has written previously. What's more, you should highlight the ideas that help you position yourself so that you can easily know the author's position.
Steps to do an essay
Once the structure is clear, there are a series of tips that will help you improve to capture your ideas and, ultimately, to be able to better carry out an essay. Take note of the six tips that we give you below:
- Think about the theme of your essay
No matter how orderly the structure of the essay is, it is necessary that the subject in question be of great relevance. Address current issues and write with the target audience in mind. Check the local media and learn about the issues that are on the table. - Research everything you can about the topic you will be dealing with
Look for reliable sources from which to get the information for your essay. Surely your neighbourhood or city library will be able to help you find the documentation you need. In case you prefer to search the information on the internet, make sure if your teacher is for or against using Wikipedia as a source. - Study other essays already written on the subject you have chosen
Find essays written by professionals that deal with the topic you plan to develop and learn about styles, types, content ... - Don't cover too many points
The essay does not pretend to exhaust all the possibilities of a topic, but rather focuses only on a part of it. Avoid writing paragraphs and paragraphs of other aspects of the topic at hand. - Use short sentences
This will give dynamism to the text and will keep the reader's attention. It is a way of avoiding boring your audience and that the ideas are concrete. - Include reflections
As objective as your essay should be, it is recommended that after the conclusion you include a paragraph that stimulates reflection and tries to change the reader's perspective on the topic.
STILL, DON'T KNOW WHAT TO STUDY?
How to write an essay: online courses and resources
If despite the guide that we have provided to write an essay you need more resources, do not worry, since we have a list of courses that will help you better visualize the structure of an essay and, in addition, they will surely inspire you to be able to face the dreaded blank sheet.
Udemy Platform Course
The Udemy training platform offers a free online course to learn how to write an essay. Aimed at university students with a sufficient command of Word and experience in basic academic writing, this course grants a certificate of completion. This course, which will teach you to develop the skills necessary to carry out an essay, is taught in 24 classes that include readings and videos. The person in charge of teaching it is Professor Eduardo Escalante, who has a university degree in Linguistics and Literature, as well as a degree in Education.
Over 3,600 students rated the course 4.5 stars, it's your turn to try it out!
5 guides to writing an essay
There are also a large number of guides on the internet that will help you better focus your efforts. We present you 5 resources that we have found and that are free: - Guide for writing the essay
This is a manual prepared by the English teacher Grace Griffin, from Glasgow University, which presents some strategies to improve the quality of the essays. - Guide for the preparation of an academic essay
It is a guide generated by teachers from the Universidad de la Salle Victoria, with the aim that their students have a practical guide to write an essay appropriate to the expectations of the institution. - Technical guide for preparing an essay
Teachers of the Faculty of Philosophy of the Autonomous University of Querétaro prepared this practical and simple manual about the characteristics and conditions that all academic essays must have. - Guide for preparing an essay
This guide, which follows the style and format guidelines provided by the American Psychological Association (APA), was designed to provide students of the Catholic University of Costa Rica with a practical and comprehensive manual for preparing research reports in the form of essays. - The test and its characteristics
Presented in practical and concrete slides, this guide presents the fundamental aspects of this type of text, as well as recommendations for students who confront it.
We hope that these tips on how to write a good essay have helped you to start writing the one you have chosen.