What separates the college students who get A’s from those who don’t? It isn’t as easy as it sounds.
The best students are not necessarily the ones who are born with intelligence or talent. It’s more of an acquired skill that most hardworking and persevering people can achieve if they know what they’re doing and how to manage their time wisely. If you have not yet learned how to write essays, this step-by-step guide will provide you with everything you need to do so in order to be successful in school and in your future career.
Identify your essay structure
Some instructors don’t provide a topic or essay structure, so it’s up to you to decide how to write an essay that shows your ideas in the best way possible. An outline is a good place to start, but most essays also include an introduction, body paragraphs and a conclusion. Think about how each part of your essay needs to be structured and use that as your guide for writing a professional college essay. Keep in mind that certain sections are common (most professors will tell you they prefer an introduction with three supporting points, for example), but ultimately deciding what works best for you and your writing style is key. Learn more about structuring your college essay here .
Figure out your thesis statement
A thesis statement is your argument, condensed into a single sentence. Start by asking yourself what’s most important for your reader to understand about your topic. In order to write an essay that captures your reader’s attention, you need to make sure they focus on what matters most. What separates great writers from good ones is their ability to select key details and arguments and leave everything else behind; that’s your job as well. Take out some paper and write down everything you know about essays—all of it!
Brainstorm ideas around your thesis statement
A thesis statement is an introductory sentence in which you state your topic, main idea, or claim. When writing an essay, it’s important to choose a topic that’s of interest to you and has value. What do you want to argue? Why are you interested in your topic? It helps to jot down some ideas before you write your thesis statement; once your claim is clear in your mind, it will make writing easier. Start with a big idea like Love conquers all, or I will prove that Romeo and Juliet is Shakespeare’s best play. Can you break those statements into smaller ideas or subtopics?
Get feedback on your rough draft
Once you’ve written your first draft, enlist help to review it. Most people find getting another pair of eyes on their work helps them see what they missed and what needs changing. And a second set of hands is likely to catch errors you made while writing (especially if you’re new to writing). If you don’t have a professor or teacher available, consider asking friends or family members who are good at grammar or spelling for help. Just remember that anyone giving feedback is doing so for free; there’s no guarantee he or she will tell you everything that’s wrong with your paper—and won’t sugarcoat anything, either. Be sure to let them know what kind of feedback you want before turning in a rough draft!
Revise it until you are happy with it
It’s easier to edit something when you have a finished product. Once you are done writing your post, put it aside for at least twenty-four hours and then come back to it with fresh eyes. Highlight all spelling mistakes, grammatical errors and areas that could be better worded. I tend to find that when I write my essay in Microsoft Word, it is easier for me to spot any issues I may have missed initially. If there is one thing every student needs, it’s an editor (thankfully).
