Writing Essays
Tips For Well-Written and Original Essays
Writing essays, like anything else, is a process. Those that are successful in
their writing usually follow the same steps regardless of the subject they
choose to write about. The following information is provided for you to
transform your writing into more of a process. While you don't have to adhere
to each and every bit of advice provided, since every writer is different,
understanding the main ideas will only make your writing stronger.
Getting Started
Choosing a Topic: Before you ever begin writing, you must choose a topic
and learn a little about it. If you are able to choose your own topic, choose
something you are interested in. This will make writing about it seem less like
a chore. If you are writing an essay for school, it is likely you were assigned a
topic you spent time studying in class. If it is something you have no prior
knowledge of, it is a good idea to read up on the subject beforehand. This
allows you to get a feel for the subject and an idea of what direction you want
to take when writing. To begin writing without any knowledge of your subject
would be like trying to find something in the dark ... way too difficult.
Outlining: After you've learned enough about your topic, it is a good idea to
draw a preliminary outline of the main ideas you are going to address within
the essay. These can be categorized numerically or alphanumerically, whatever
works best for you. Just make sure there is a logical progression of the ideas in
the outline.
Essay Components
The Thesis Statement / Introduction Paragraph: This is the most
important part of any well-written essay. Usually limited to one or two
sentences, the thesis statement is the main idea, or topic, of your essay. An
essay without a strong and clearly defined thesis statement is like a ship
without a captain. The essay will drift aimlessly without a clear direction. The
thesis statement is the leader of your essay, because every other word written
afterward is there to support it. Before you ever begin research and writing of
your custom essay, you must come up with a solid thesis statement. It is
usually placed early in the text, in the first paragraph. This first paragraph is
called the introduction paragraph, because it introduces the topic of your
essay.
Supporting Paragraphs: As said before, everything written after the thesis
statement is there to support it. The ideas you choose to support your thesis
statement need to be separated into paragraphs. Each paragraph will develop
one, and only one, supporting idea or point. These ideas need to be supported
within the paragraph, not just stated. Back up your ideas with additional
information about them. Also, be sure to make smooth transitions between
each of your supporting paragraphs, don't just jump from one idea to the
other.
Conclusion / Summary Paragraph: This is the last paragraph in your
essay. Here you will summarize the main points and ideas and let the reader
know the essay has come to an end. Do not repeat your thesis statement word
for word, however. Restate your thesis in a new manner, with different words.
If needed, provide an opinion or suggestion about the subject of your writing.
Finishing Up
Once you've completed your writing, it is very important you go back over it to
search for any mistakes. Never turn in an essay without thoroughly
proofreading it first. If possible, let someone else read it and check it over as
well. It is often difficult to notice the errors within your own writing. Don't rely
on computer grammar and spellchecker programs to do this for you, as they
often miss glaring mistakes. Search for misspellings and grammar mistakes,
and make sure your essay follows the proper format.
An Example Essay About Myself
I am a self-driven, motivated female. I have always been an academically
bright student. I have capability to work under extremely stressful conditions.
Being qualified in Agricultural sciences, I am used to working long and hard
hours, around the clock. In fact, my work keeps the fires burning for me.
Besides having Master’s qualification in Agronomy (Crop Sciences) from one
of the best universities of the world, i.e. Punjab Agricultural University, I have
also done Masters in Bioinformatics and a Master’s Diploma in Environmental
Sciences.
Throughout my academic tenure, I have always attained good grades and I
have also been a merit scholarship holder in Punjab Agriculture University
also.
My interests include, surfing the “world wide web” in order to keep updating
my knowledge. I guess, my basic instinct, is to keep learning and exploring, all
the times. Reading has been my hobby since childhood, and it is an activity, in
which i spend most of my weekend time, till date. I can read anything; ranging
from newspapers, magazines, to science journals.
Learning human nature is one of my other interests. Nature of every human
being is so unpredictable and diverse; studying, how different persons
respond under various circumstances, is what i really love. It is such an
interesting hobby, as you tend to learn so many different aspects of an
individual’s personality.
One of my other interests is, shopping. Even if it is just window shopping, I
find myself always ready for. I guess the process of shopping also involves
exploring various articles, in search of finding the perfect article of your
choice. This could be a reason, that shopping interests me.
As a person, i think, i am sensitive, yet self-contained. Yes, At times, i find it
hard to hide my emotions, though, in general I have a good control over the
way, and I carry myself.
Another aspect of my personality is that, i am a very creative person. I think,
creativity is the key to any problem / situation. One has to think creatively in
order to break down a problem into the smaller and more manageable
components.
Yes, I am an Excellent Research Writer. I am well versed with the various
formats, in which research papers are written. I have written more than ten
research papers, of national and international repute. List of the same is
attached herewith also.
Further, writing a research paper does, not only include a thorough
understanding of the technical aspects of writing, but it also involves an
analytic approach to understand the situation/problem thoroughly.
Next, it is imperative to design a proper research methodology, besides having
sharp observational skills. Above all, a researcher must have an unending
desire to explore the things. I think, it is this particular trait which makes me,
also a successful research writer.
A research writer must be able to think coherently and logically. In fact, a good
researcher is like a detective who must be able to explore, each and every
outcome of a particular situation/problem, before arising at a conclusion.
A person, who is just a keen observer cannot be a good researcher, but a good
researcher must also possess the quality of being able to jot down his results,
in a comprehensible manner, so that valid conclusions could be drawn out of
it. The researcher should not only be able to conclude his findings, but he
must also have the capability to write the outcomes in a logical and easily
comprehensible manner; it is only then, that his work becomes of real use to
the society at large and the research community in particular.