To write an essay, study the topic, research it, plan your main ideas and arguments, and then write the three parts: an introduction with your thesis, a main body with your arguments, and a conclusion. Finally, put the essay aside for a day or two and reread it before you hand it in.
This practical tutorial explains what an essay is and gives you step-by-step instructions for writing one.
What is an essay?
Oxford dictionaries define an essay as "a short piece of writing on a particular subject."
An essay is a short prose genre that deals with a topic through thinking and reasoning. The word "essay" comes from the French word essai, which means "attempt". An essay shows the personal attitude of the writer: the topics they choose, the way they present them, and the conclusions they draw.
Many essays deal with literature. The French writer Michel de Montaigne is considered the father of the essay: in his Essays, he wrote about a wide variety of topics in the personal, searching way that became typical of the genre. Aldous Huxley, another famous essayist, wrote that "the essay is a literary device for saying almost everything about almost anything." He divided essays into three kinds: personal and autobiographical, objective and factual, and abstract and universal.
Essays are usually written in a discursive style: they bring together ideas, evidence, and arguments to address a specific problem or question. An essay must show that the writer understands the topic, can use the right technical terms, can state a thesis and support it with arguments, and can shape thoughts and express views clearly and precisely.
The three parts of an essay
An essay has three parts. They must be clearly visible and logically connected, so that the text reads as a whole. The parts must also be in proportion: the conclusion should not be longer than the introduction, the introduction should not be too long compared to the main body, and no part should be missing.
Introduction
- It names the topic.
- It presents a thesis or statement, or several of them, and states the problem.
- It sets the context.
Main body
- It develops the topic step by step.
- It explains the topic critically.
- It gives examples and reflections, each supported by arguments.
The main body is based on arguments, that is, on evidence, and not on a string of personal opinions. Evidence that supports an opinion includes statements, quotations, data, examples, documents, pictures, graphs, and generally accepted facts.
Conclusion
- It confirms the statement or statements made in the introduction.
- It states a final thought.
- It sums up what has been said.
Part 1: the writing process
1. Examine the topic, and practice
Before you even start writing, study the topic carefully. If you are writing for an assignment, make sure you understand it first. Ask yourself: what is the goal of this essay?
If you can choose the topic yourself, pick one that inspires you and will keep your interest. Which topic do you know the most about? Which one could you write about in the most meaningful way?
When you have to write an essay, it helps to know what to expect. There are many kinds of essays, usually grouped into four types: argumentative, expository, narrative, and descriptive essays.
Once you know which type you need to write, learn more about it, and spend time practicing it. Why is this step important? When you face the real essay, you will be more relaxed and better prepared.
2. Research
Look for information on the internet or in a library. An encyclopedia such as Wikipedia is often a good starting point for learning about a topic (if your teacher allows it). Take careful notes, and write down where you found each piece of information, so you do not have to search for it again later and can cite your sources properly.
In most cases, you will have some writing guidelines. Your task is to prepare well and find out everything about the topic. For example, create a mind map that contains all the key concepts you need to support your thesis. You must know the facts.
Know your facts first, and then build the essay around them.
3. Analyze well-written essays
During your research, you will surely come across many essays on your subject. So besides writing a few practice essays yourself, find some well-written essays and read them.
Try to understand:
- Why are these essays exceptional?
- What does the author claim, and why are their thoughts interesting?
- Is it because of the way the author describes things? The sources, the vocabulary, the structure?
- What arguments does the author present?
- Why does the author seem so logical? Do clear examples illustrate the arguments?
4. Look for key terms in the topic
Highlight all the important words, and write a list of ideas. Draw diagrams that help you see your thoughts. They help you show the connections between the thesis and the information that supports it. Take your time.
5. Develop your ideas
Choose two or three strong ideas, and make sure you can support them with arguments. Then work out how you will approach the topic: explain why and how the issue is a problem, and why solving it matters. Keep this part short. It should name the issue and announce the plan that follows.
For each idea, write one sentence, and list the arguments that support it below it. Three arguments for each idea is often a good number. Stay on topic.
6. Make a plan
Planning and organization are the key steps. Plan how much time you will spend on writing, and how you will structure your work. With an outline, it is much easier to start writing and to know what comes next.
7. Write the main body
Keep the required length of your essay in mind. Avoid generalizations. Make a clear argument, with logical explanations that make it convincing.
8. Find a strong title and write the introduction
The title and the introduction should catch the reader's interest and tell them what to expect. The introduction also sets the tone for your essay, so think carefully about its first sentence. Try to make your reader curious: state an interesting fact about your topic, or ask an intriguing question.
9. Write the conclusion
Sum up all the points you have discussed, and end with a final thought.
Part 2: rereading the essay
1. Wait a day or two, then reread the essay
You have done all the hard work. What comes next?
Finish your essay a few days before the deadline if you can, so you have time to reread it, correct it, and polish it. Do not hand in a text that you have only just finished writing. Read it again, and make corrections where necessary.
2. Look for grammar, punctuation, and spelling mistakes
An essay must be written in standard language and follow the rules of grammar, spelling, vocabulary, style, and sentence structure. The Spell Checker points out spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes, and explains each one.
3. Cut unnecessary words
Remove every word your text does not need. If you are not sure what a word means, or you rarely use it, look it up.
4. Make sure the essay is easy to read
Link your sentences with connecting words, so the text reads as a whole. Are there logical connections between the sentences? Between the paragraphs?
5. Answer the question you were asked
Do not talk in general terms about the ideas in the topic. Answer the specific question that you were asked.
6. Ask someone else to read it
Another reader will notice mistakes that you have missed. The essay must seem logical and clear to them as well as to you. If necessary, rewrite the passages they found unclear. For more ways to catch mistakes, see how to proofread effectively.
Now that you know what an essay is and how to write one step by step, all that is left is to write your own.