How to Write a Great Essay

Hints for Writing Essays and Papers

Aug 28, 2008

Anyone Can Write Well With the Proper Formula!, Álvaro Daniel González Lamarque Photo

Proper format, strong arguments, and proper grammar are all vital when it comes to writing that perfect essay. Check out these tips to improve those essay writing skills.

Each fall, students of all ages return to the classroom. And it’s just a matter of time before that first essay is assigned by a school teacher or college professor.

Some students mistakenly believe that it takes a great deal of natural writing talent or “book smarts” to write an essay, but that’s simply not the case, according to writing instructor Jill McCaddie.

“I’ve seen many talented and creative writers produce simply terrible essays. And on the flip side, I’ve seen people who aren’t necessarily a “good” writers come up with clear, well written papers. The key is to understand the vital components of an essay or writing assignment,” McCaddie explained. She offered the following tips for budding essayists who are looking to improve their work.

Select An Essay Topic or Theme

A writer should be able to summarize the theme or purpose of an essay in one sentence. If that’s not possible, McCaddie recommends taking a critical look at the writing assignment; consider simplifying the essay topic or approach the essay from a new angle. "You need to know exactly where your focus is going to be," McCaddie explained. "If your focus isn't clear, then your writing isn't going to be clear either."

Conduct Research and Develop an Outline

Writers who are writing an essay that’s based on research should conduct all of their research before starting an assignment. One major mistake that many students make is to research their topic as they write, but this can be counterproductive when new facts are discovered that contradict or simply don’t support earlier claims. Once the research is complete, the writer should have an idea of what topics will be addressed and what arguments will be made. This should be written in the form of a rough outline that will serve to keep the essayist on-track and focused.

Develop Arguments and Claims

“One very common mistake that I see involves poor development of claims and arguments,” McCaddie explained, adding, “If you’re going to make a claim or argument, there needs to be supportive information present, be it in the form of citations or a simple explanation. Explain your reasoning. Don’t just say the sky is blue – explain what led you to that conclusion.” Essayists should also assume that the reader has no prior knowledge about the essay topic, unless otherwise specified in the assignment. And when in doubt, McCaddie encourages writers to “explain yourself – it never hurts to clarify.”

Pay Attention to the Essay’s Organization

Each essay or academic paper should have a distinct beginning, middle and end. McCaddie added, “Each essay should have an introduction, where the reader is told what to expect, what the paper is all about. Then there’s the body of the essay, and each paragraph or section should have a distinct beginning, middle and end where you present an argument or claim, explain or defend that argument or claim, and then wrap everything together to drive your point home. And finally, there’s the conclusion, which should sum up all the important facts and tie all the essay components together.”

Use Proper Grammar and Spelling

Even a well-formulated argument will lose credibility and power when distracting grammatical and spelling errors are present. “When you’re done, read each sentence, one by one and look at each sentence with a critical eye. And then pass it on to at least one other person to read over – you’ll also be more apt to find areas that require clarification or expansion when you get another perspective.” For writers who are unclear about proper grammar, consider purchasing a writer’s grammar guide to double-check those sentences where there’s a question of grammatical correctness.

In sum, “good” essays and papers are clear, with good organization, proper explanation and proper grammar. McCaddie concluded, “It’s really more about technique – anyone can follow this formula and end up with a wonderful essay or paper. It’s not about being flowery and overly creative – that doesn’t necessarily make a good essay.”