12 Tips for Writing Your Essay Paper
October 12, 2008 by John Hewitt · 8 Comments
Write Out The Instructions
Write out what your instructor’s requirements in your own words so that you understand what the instructor is looking for. Check your interpretation with the instructor just to be sure you have gotten it right. Always keep the requirements in mind and check back with the instructor once you have something written so that you can be sure you are on the right track. Many papers get bad grades simply because they didn’t follow the instructions.
Map Out Your Goals
Map out your research goals by making an initial list of the sub-topics you expect to cover in your paper. Keep in mind that these sub-topics may change as you look more closely into the subject.
Do Your Research
Start researching each area of your paper. Look into each separate topic that will lead into your overall subject. Don’t limit your research to the Internet. Make sure that you have information from other reputable sources such as books, magazines and educational journals.
Make Quality Notes
Write every quote, statement or fact on an individual index card so that you can quickly go through it. You may also want to consider keeping a binder with copies of your source articles and notes. If you like to work online, use either a notes program such as Microsoft Notes or a word processor file.
Look for Answers
Write out your responses to the basic requirements of your paper. You should be able to identify the following information:
- What is the question you are trying to answer?
- What is your answer?
- How do you support that answer?
Make your Citations Properly
Know which citation/guide is required (APA, MLA, etc.) and follow those formatting guides.
- MLA Citation Style
- APA Citation Style
- Chicago Manual of Style Citation Guide
- Citing References: Turabian Style
Make Sure Your Paper Flows Smoothly
Include transitional paragraphs or sentences to ensure that the paper flows smoothly from topic to topic. Organize your paper so that the sub-topics have a logical order of discussion.
Don’t Write Your Opening Too Soon
Write the opening and closing paragraphs last, after you have already completed the body of the paper and can be sure of what points you have covered and what you did not cover.
Read What You Wrote
Read through your paper aloud. Try to catch basic structural and writing errors as well as any awkward language. Think about the way your paper progresses and try to determine if you have made your arguments effectively.
Read in Reverse
Proofread your paper backwards, sentence by sentence. Doing this encourages you to look at the individual sentences rather than the overall structure and to avoid getting caught up in the “flow” of your writing and skipping over problems.
Find Another Reader
If possible, have another person look at your paper to catch proofreading errors, logic errors or unclear sentences. If there is someone else in your class that is also working on an essay, you can read through each other’s papers.
Format Last
Finish writing the essay before doing the page formatting. Word processors can be finicky, and you don’t want to waste research and writing time on formatting. It is more important to have the content the way you want it than the formatting, and your formatting needs may change as you move forward.
7 Secrets to a Striking Essay
June 4, 2008 by John Hewitt · 33 Comments
Article by Jeanne Dininni
The mere mention of the term “essay” is enough to strike fear in even the stoutest heart. That simple, unassuming word conjures horrific visions of endless hallways teeming with students, bodies packed into classrooms like sardines, legendary cafeteria food (and cafeteria food fights), schoolyard bullies, and massive amounts of unnecessary homework.
It’s easy to see why, for many, the essay is a topic-and a chapter of their lives-they’d really rather forget. But, is the much-maligned essay really unique to the academic world, or is it simply misunderstood? Does it actually show up in other venues, as well?
Perhaps defining the term would help. I like Encarta’s definition: “essay – short nonfiction prose piece: a short analytic, descriptive, or interpretive piece of literary or journalistic prose dealing with a specific topic, especially from a personal and unsystematic viewpoint.”
From this definition, it’s obvious that many of the articles and other non-fiction pieces we write are essays-whatever else we may call them (i.e., article, blog post, etc.). (Straight factual pieces would be the main exception.)
For our purposes, then, let’s assume that most of the non-fiction we write consists of essays. And let’s see if we can’t use a few simple essay-writing secrets to add impact to our work.
1. Devise a Plan of Attack
Creating an effective essay means far more than simply deciding on a topic and then “winging it.” It means first refining your topic to give it a specific focus, then developing your angle or “treatment,” planning how you’ll set up your essay, researching your topic, and finally, writing.
Even if you’d rather not make a traditional outline (i.e., three main points, three sub-points, etc.), plan your piece carefully. This lets you present your material in a logical, organized way, making your reader confident that you actually know what you’re talking about. (You do, don’t you?)
Planning your essay might include dividing it into the usual three sections-Introduction, Body, and Conclusion-and simply listing all the points you want to cover in the Body, as I did for this piece. (It wasn’t necessary to break each section down further-though I could have, and you may want to.)
2. Dig Up Some Background
Just how much research your essay requires will depend on the complexity of your topic, your own personal knowledge of it, the type of essay you’re writing, your audience, and the requirements of your market.
This is where you’ll delve into your topic to find all the information and supporting details to bolster your thesis and illustrate your points. Unless you know your topic extremely well, don’t skimp here. The Internet makes research so much easier than it ever was, so there’s no excuse. Your audience will appreciate having your fascinating opinions backed up by a little hard data. Check your facts, because readers always appreciate accuracy, and your credibility is on the line.
3. Create a Scintillating Title
Grab your reader’s attention immediately with an intriguing title that promises a worthwhile read. You have mere seconds to capture your audience’s imagination and pique your potential readers’ interest. Don’t let them stop reading before they find out how great your article is. Entice them with a fascinating but accurate title.
4. Write an Alluring Lead
While writing an intriguing title will lure the curious into sampling your essay, a captivating lead will reel them in, irresistibly drawing even the most reticent reader into your piece by creating a natural desire to learn more about your topic or be entertained by more of your engaging prose. Give the reader a reason to care about what you have to say in the remainder of your piece. Create anticipation by providing a sneak preview of the wit and wisdom to come in the rest of your essay.
5. Observe the Rules of “Engagement”
Engage your reader at every turn. Speak directly to him or her. Make your content relevant-or at the very least, too fascinating to ignore. Weave your words in ways that make your readers really want to read on, even-or especially-if your topic isn’t one they’re drawn to naturally. Use your own unique voice, and to the extent that your subject matter allows, let your sterling personality shine through. Make your topic come alive for your reader, and you’ll have a fan for life.
6. Make a Dramatic Exit
Say something memorable, witty, or profound, emotionally stirring or thought-provoking, humorous or dramatic as you bid your readers farewell. Leave them with a powerful reminder of your literary presence, an impact that will resonate long after they’ve moved on. Give them an impressive standard against which to compare all their future literary encounters.
Aside from the above six points, always remember to take good notes, organize your material logically, express yourself clearly, and cite your sources (if required). I won’t belabor those points, however, because the final piece of advice for a striking essay is this:
7. Know when to end it.
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Jeanne Dininni is an independent writer and blogger, whose work appears in various online and print venues. She authors the Writer’s Notes blog, does freelance and contract writing and editing, and writes business guides at Work.com.
How to Write Personal Essays and Opinion Pieces
March 4, 2005 by John Hewitt · 1 Comment
By Lois J. Peterson
All I wanted was a pair of boots for plodding around my muddy garden. The local shopping mall offered rubber boots for girls, boys, and men. And low-cut high-gloss “fashion boots” for women. The outdoors shop had a good stock of rubber boots for kids, steel-toed boots for men, and hiking boots for women. At the secondhand store I found rubber boots for men, rubber boots for children, and a pair of women’s pink nylon boots that wouldn’t get me through the first puddle. I finally found a yellow pair of rubber sailing boots at the ship chandler’s, but I had no intention of wearing $89 dollar boots in the potato patch.
So, instead of working outside in the yard, I wrote an essay about looking for wellies. My vegetable garden didn’t get dug that year, but I did make a few dollars for the essay (which paid for the boots I finally did track down).
Personal Essays and Opinion Pieces Sell
There’s a great market for personal essays in magazines, newspapers and on the radio. Everyone, it seems, wants a glimpse into everyone else’s life and is eager for their opinions on just about anything. Consider the growth of ‘reality TV’ — you no longer have to be a celebrity to find voyeurs peering over your windowsill or past your shower curtain.
Personal essays (sometimes called opinion piece, or personal narratives) allows you to have your say, get your gripes and raves off your chest, and have a shot at publication. Many new writers first get published with an essay on child rearing or job hunting or how they helped a family member cope with a serious illness.
Perhaps you have strong feelings about the invasive use of cell phones, or want to share a compelling story about how one saved your daughter’s life. You might feel strongly about environmental issues, or want to relate how your handicapped son learned to ride a bike. You may have a story to tell about a personal crisis, or a high point in your career.
A Wide Range of Topics
Whatever you care about is fair game for an essay topic.
And that’s the first point. Be sure your essay is about something you care strongly enough about to wax eloquent and passionate about it. Readers wants to know what you know, feel what you felt, and understand where you’re coming from.
Conversational topics that get you excited, or news stories that make your blood boil or get you laughing out loud, are likely to be provide good fodder for essays. Small gripes and observations also offer worthwhile material.
However ‘big’ or small the subject is, however important or trivial it might seem on the surface, make sure you set it in a frame that allows your reader to identify, empathize, and be involved.
Ever got stuck talking to a bore at a party? They regale you with their life and opinions, but don’t leave enough air or space to let you in to trade tales; they relate their story to nothing bigger than their own experience.
Whether you’re writing about your kid’s first day at school or nursing an Alzheimic grandmother, winning a scholarship or finding the first spring bulb in your garden, make the frame wide enough to allow your reader to find parallels between your experience and theirs. Give them the opportunity to say, “Ah! Yes. I’ve never been there or done that, but I can relate to what the author’s talking about.”
Opinion Pieces
Perhaps you feel strongly about the use of fireworks. Set your opinions against the account of the day your box of fireworks exploded, or support them with statistics on fireworks sales, how many injuries are reported each 4th. of July or Halloween, what it costs the local police department to patrol the streets on those nights, or share your memory of the first time you held a sparkler.
If you’re writing about the “small” personal occurrence — a move, your first pet — put it in a context that gives the reader insight to both the small moment and the wider perspective.
Details draw the reader in, generalizations keep them out. Be specific. Avoid using abstract expressions and phrases such as “the best day of my life”, “my happiest moment as a parent”, “I’d never known greater grief” to describe emotions of love, loss, anger, joy, satisfaction, etc. Make these emotions real and immediate by noting specifics and details that draw the reader into the experience, rather than just setting them aside as observers. The old “seduction not instruction” rule — showing rather than telling — makes for a more compelling essay, as it does almost any piece of writing.
Personal Essays and Craft
While personal essays allows for the use of many fictional craft elements — dialogue, setting, point of view, characterization – if you use facts to anchor your piece or as a springboard for your opinions, you need to double-check them for accuracy. One factual error can prevent the reader from believing much else that you have to say.
Here are some guidelines to help you write essays that strike a chord with the reader.
- Personal essays by definition contain a personal perspective. You should be there. Watch your construction. If every sentence begins “I”, you need to rephrase to provide a better rhythm and pace to your piece.
- No extra points for the number of facts you include. Academic essays contain more facts than opinion, personal essays contain more opinion than facts. But ensure the facts you use are accurate. Check names, spellings, numbers. Two sources of confirmation are better than one.
- Make connections. If you’re writing about a global theme (poverty, unemployment, child abuse) bring the subject closer to home by relating it to specific, individual examples. If you’re writing about more mundane subjects (left-hand turn signals, the search for the best French Fries, your daughter’s graduation) again, set your views against a wider backdrop or perspective so the reader can relate to it.
- Writing essays in a great way to get your opinions off your chest, but avoid philosophical rants which make no connection to your reader’s experience. Again, keep it personal while relating to a wider world.
- The hook is the device you use to get your reader’s attention. It’s the doorway through which you welcome and orient them to the piece. Try using:
- A question. (“When was the last time you went without a meal?”)
- A quotation from someone famous or something you’ve read/overhead. (“Be careful” were the last words my father said to me each time I left the house.)
- A strong statement that your essay will either support or dispute. (“If you eat enough cabbage, you’ll never get cancer.”)
- A metaphor. (“The starlings in my back garden are the small boys in the playground, impressing each other with their new-found swear words. The crows all belong to the same biker gang. You need to know their secret sign to join their club.”)
- A description of a person or setting. (“Michael once mowed the lawns around Municipal Hall wearing a frilly apron, high heels and nylons, with a pillow stuffed under his sweater so he looked pregnant. And it wasn’t even Halloween.”)
- Write as evocatively as possible. Employ all the senses. Using sight comes naturally to most writers; push harder to convey ideas and images through sound, taste, touch, and hearing.
- Think of your essay as a camera lens. You might start by describing a fine detail (your personal experience or perspective, a specific moment in the narrative), then open up the lens to take in the wide view (the general/global backdrop), then close the piece by narrowing back to the fine detail. Or go the other way. Start with the wide view, focus in, then open up to the wide view again.
- Take your ideas from wherever you can. Note your reactions to everything, pursue passing preoccupations and distractions, consider what makes you, glad, angry, passionate in what you read, see and hear. Mine your own past for incidents, images, lessons and epiphanies.
- In a personal essay you have the freedom to think what you like on a subject, but your reader should go away with a good idea of why you feel that way.
Personal Essay Markets
A range of markets are hungry for submissions of personal essays. The US print magazine Newsweek carries one a week and pays $1,000; its Canadian equivalent, Macleans, publishes “Over To You”. The CBC am radio program This Morning regularly airs “First Person Singular”, and I’m sure the public radio stations in other countries have spots for them, too. Writers Digest has recently taken its print essay Chronicle online, and pays $100!
Don’t overlook smaller, less high profile markets. Many consumer and commercial magazines publish essays, as do organization and business newsletters. Most local and regional newspapers carry essays on their op-ed pages, and more and more literary websites include them.
Before you submit essays, you should first check writers’ guidelines for word length and the range of topics the market considers. You don’t need to query; send the complete piece, and include an SASE and/or the required return information. You might consider multiply submitting essays to non-competing markets (publications whose distribution areas do not overlap), but do mention to the editors that you’re doing this. Individual publication guidelines will often tell you if this is acceptable.
Many forms of writing require authors to keep themselves out of the story. Writing personal essays and opinion pieces allow you to have your say, and guarantees you an audience who’s willing to listen.
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Lois J. Peterson has published essays in a wide range of magazines and newspapers. Her piece The Road to Basra is currently online at Eclectica. She is coordinator of the Surrey Creative Writing Program in British Columbia, and has recently published ‘101 Writing Exercises To Get You Started and Keep You Going’.
How to Improve Your Essay Writing Skills
March 4, 2005 by John Hewitt · Leave a Comment
By Victoria Walker
The first step in writing an essay is to determine a topic and a point of view. Your essay’s point of view may be to persuade the reader to share your beliefs on the topic, it may try to explain how to complete a certain task, or it may try to familiarize or educate the reader about the topic. Or it could take a completely different approach.
Every good essay should contain the following parts:
- Outline of the topic
- Introduction
- Thesis
- Body (Consist of 3-6 Paragraphs)
- Conclusion
Outline
To create an outline, list your topic at the top of the page. Under the topic, list three to six main ideas, feelings or beliefs about your topic, list these as A. B, C, etc. Then, list a few ideas, opinions, or statements to support the main ideas. The outline will be used to create your essay’s paragraphs. Your outline may look similar to this one:
Topic Idea
A. This idea about topic
1. Info to support this idea
2. Statements to verify this idea
B. This fact about topic
1. Specific info to verify this fact
2. Statement from an expert on your topic
C. This information about topic
1. Statistical information on topic
2. Important dialogue about the topic
Introduction / Thesis
The first paragraph includes the introduction and a thesis statement. The introduction should captivate the reader’s attention and give an idea of the essay’s focus. You may start your essay with an attention-getter such as a bit of fascinating information, captivating dialogue or an interesting fact.
Start with a few sentences that explain your topic in basic terms and lead into your thesis statement. Each sentence of your opening statement should become a bit more specific, until you reach the thesis statement.
The thesis statement tells the reader what the essay will be about and what points you will be making in your essay. Your thesis statement should state the subject of the essay, explain the point of view the essay will take or describe the ideas on your topic that you determined in your outline.
Body Paragraphs
The body paragraphs will explain your essay’s topic. Each of the main ideas that you listed in your outline will become a paragraph in your essay. If your outline contained three main ideas, you will have three body paragraphs. Start by writing down one of your main ideas, in sentence form.
If your essay topic is a new university in your hometown, one of your main ideas may be “population growth of town” you might say this:
The new university will cause a boom in the population of Fort Myers.
Build on your paragraph by including each of the supporting ideas from your outline.
Conclusion
The conclusion serves to give the reader closure, summing up the essay’s points or providing a final viewpoint about the topic.
The conclusion should consist of three or four convincing sentences. Clearly review the main points, being careful not to restate them exactly, or briefly describe your opinion about the topic.
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Victoria Walker’s writing credits include articles published in The Writing Parent, Main Street Mom, Datable.com, eWriter’s Place, Author’s Network and Every Woman’s News.
How to Write about Your Childhood — Autobiographical Writing
November 9, 2004 by John Hewitt · 4 Comments
Autobiographical Writing is an excellent way to work on your descriptive skills. When you describe items or memories from your past, you are able to provide details that are often lacking in more purely imaginative exercises. With autobiographical writing you learn how to describe what was rather than what isn’t.
Another great benefit of these writing exercises is that they can bring back long-forgotten thoughts about who you were and what you felt in the past. These questions can take you on a personal journey through your life. This first set of questions deals with childhood and childhood memories. Most people spend very little time thinking about their childhood. Many of these questions can bring back memories that you haven’t considered for years.
When you approach a question, try to make your answer last at least a few paragraphs. Take the time to think about the question and try to make the most of your answer.
- Give a general description of your childhood; what was life like for you?
- What are your very earliest memories?
- Describe any childhood ailments or injuries you had.
- What was family life like as a child? How did you feel you fit into your family?
- Describe your favorite toy. What did it look like? How did it feel?
- Describe your favorite books growing up. What made them special to you?
- Describe your favorite game growing up.
- Describe a specific school memory from your elementary years.
- Write about your best friend as a child and the experiences you had together. What has happened to that friendship since childhood?
- Describe your nemesis growing up. Who made your life miserable and what did they do to make it so rough?
- Describe your favorite foods as a child. What did you eat then that you no longer eat?
- What was the biggest trouble you got into as a child? Describe what you did or didn’t do to deserve what happened to you.
- What was your greatest childhood accomplishment? How did it make you feel? What influence do you think it has had on your life since?
- Describe what you did or where went as a child when you wanted to feel safe.
- Describe your personality as a child. In what ways has it changed as you’ve gotten older? In what ways has it stayed the same?
- Describe what your parents were like when you were a child. What was your relationship like with them? How has your opinion of your parents changed as you’ve grown older?
- What other relatives besides your immediate family do you remember as a child? Describe your most interesting relative.
- Describe something that people would be surprised to know about your childhood.
- Describe some of the cultural influences in your childhood such as music, television, movies, plays, art or writing.
- Describe the home you grew up in. If you lived in several different homes, describe one or discuss the reasons for the frequent moves. Were you moving up or working your way down?
- Describe a family vacation. Where did you go? Why did you go there? What did you do? How did you travel?
Additional autobiographical writing resources:
