AN ULTIMATE GUIDE FOR OUTSTANDING ESSAY WRITING

8 STEPS TO EXCELLENT ESSAY WRITING

HOW TO WRITE AN OUTSTANDING ESSAY?

Can outstanding essay writing be reduced to eight steps? It's the case that there are many aspects involved in academic writing in any form. The following top tips can be a good place to start if you are trying to enhance your writing skills.

Writing essays can be a natural skill for some people. For others, however, it is a skill that must be practised and learned frequently to manage essays in a way that earns good marks. Once you know how to write a good essay, you can be sure. You will be able to use the same methods and formulas for almost every academic piece you write, whether it's an essay, reflective essay, dissertation, thesis, an assignment for a course, coursework, or any other.

Let us dive in and discover the eight steps for writing essays.

1. UNDERSTANDING THE QUESTION

It may seem like common sense, but one of the most common reasons for a bad grade in an essay is that the student did not understand the set of questions. Are you asked to evaluate something critically? Do you have to compare and contrast? Examine a specific situation? Examine the effectiveness of a specific idea. These are only a few of the phrases that are most commonly used in essay questions. Each one reflects a different type of expectation. If you are required to evaluate an idea in a critical manner, like a theory, for example, you must gain an understanding that goes beyond the theory being discussed. However, you must also be aware of other methods.

Each theory should be compared against the other, and each theory must be highlighted for its strengths and weaknesses. You must also reach a rational, confident conclusion. Are these theories valid? What are its flaws? What can we do to improve it? If you are questioned to determine the effectiveness of something, it's not necessary to go into as much depth as you would like to. You should, however, recognise alternative strategies and must still be aware of your weaknesses and strengths. However, the bulk of the research should emphasise its practical utility. It is best to find case studies that have used the theory. What was the outcome? Is there any special weakness or strength in theory?

"Compare and contrast" essays, however, are, in essence, a combination of these two and require an analytical approach and a look at the literature. You must remember to keep in mind the theories that you are being asked for comparison and evaluation. It is crucial to demonstrate that you are able to comprehend the two (or all) fundamental theories in depth. In-depth at both a theoretical as well as an applied level.

The essay's topic will allow you to determine the way in which your essay will be written. It will also help you figure out what your essay is about as you write and do research.

2. PLANNING AND SCHEDULE

Understanding the subject will be the first step. But, it's equally important to make the best utilisation of time that you have. Many students do not realise how much work is needed for an excellent essay, which can lead to two issues: (1) late nights in the library and (2) failing to get a good score. You will be able to get a high grade if you start planning for your essay as soon as you receive the prompt.

When you set deadlines for yourself and commit to adhering to these deadlines, you are making sure that you will not be struck with a huge amount of work before the date you have to hand in your submission. It's also important to give yourself the time you need, usually two days, between writing your first draught and proofreading it.

3. EXTENSIVE STUDY AND RESEARCH

Writing is a primary job. However, reading is equally crucial. Before creating your paper, look up a wide range of relevant books. Being able to discern an enormous amount of information is a crucial academic ability.

It is recommended that you start by searching for keywords relevant to the subject you are studying in databases such as Google Scholar, which is a great tool for this. If you come across an article that seems interesting, you should read the abstract to confirm that it's related to what you're trying to learn about.

If you are not certain, it's best to skip right to the conclusion, which usually provides an in-depth analysis of the study that can help you decide if you need to read the entire article in its entirety.

Reading numerous articles only to find out they are irrelevant is not a good idea. If you find excellent articles, you should (a) go through their bibliographies and make a note of the author they reference and the reasons why they might be relevant for your own research; and (b) check Google Scholar to see who has cited the article.

To accomplish this, simply type in the title of the article into the bar that you search, and then hit enter. If you find results, you can select "cited by"—this will show an overview of the articles that have been referenced by the particular article you are searching for.

It is important to not be a slave to just one or two books since this suggests to your teacher that you aren't engaging in the vast literature. Be especially cautious when you use course books (i.e., "introduction to management" and similar) since they are the summaries of work done by others.

4. CRITICAL THOUGHTS

Academic theories that are flawless are not the commonplace-the vast majority of theories, arguments, and studies contain flaws. If you want to pass the test, it's fine to be descriptive. However, to get a better score, you need to show that you can think critically about academic material.

What are the weaknesses of the theories that you base your theories on? What are the ways these limitations have been addressed in literature? What impact do they have on the argument's quality? How do they affect our comprehension of what we are doing and what are they? What additional details might deepen our understanding?

Critical thinking helps make the essay stand out. It indicates to the reader that you are not simply reiterating the arguments you have been taught throughout your studies but that you are actively engaging with the theories.

Paying attention to the literature reviews in published articles is a good way to learn it. It will be clear that authors don't just summarize previous studies but also highlight flaws that could cause your study to be inconsistent.

5. FOCUS, FLOW, AND STRUCTURE

The way you frame your argument is just as crucial as the debate itself. Therefore, it is crucial that your essay adheres to the proper structure. One of the most well-known pieces of guidance is to "tell them what you are going to tell them, then tell them, and tell them what you told them". This summarises the introduction, body, and conclusion of your essay.

Clear and well-organised structures will ensure your essay stays focused on the topic. Each paragraph, section, and sentence should contribute to the argument that you are making. When you write, it is important to take the time to consider: what value can this section or sentence add to the argument? What does it contribute to my larger argument? If you are not able to answer these questions, there's the possibility that you have deviated from the fundamentals of your argument. It's a good idea to revisit the path you are following.

Additionally, you must ensure that all the sections of your essay work together as a cohesive and logical piece and that your transitions from one part to the next are seamless. A lot of students see essays as a collection of arguments and write them one after the other without considering how they relate. This ultimately leads to an unsatisfactory score. Make sure you inform your reader of the reason you are changing from one subject to another and the reason you are at this particular point. In addition to how each one can illuminate a particular aspect of the topic, you are talking about.

6. PARAPHRASING, QUOTING, AND PLAGIARISM

Academic writing demands equilibrium between argumentation in novel form and drawing from arguments made by other authors. Writing a novel essay and not relying on just one source implies that you are not making yourself aware of what has recently been released. But if you quote someone else in every sentence, it shows that you have not made your own argument.

As a result, it is critical to provide proof (a credible source) when asserting a fact or drawing on academic arguments, frameworks, or ideas.

They must support the overall unique argument you are presenting.

It is critical to distinguish between quoting and paraphrasing when borrowing from other authors. Paraphrasing is the most common rule whenever you can, and quote only when necessary or if it is able to clarify the point that you are making. But it can be hard to paraphrase so that you do not lose the main point of your argument.

We have provided an example to help you understand the difference between paraphrasing and quoting.

QUOTE: Cultural capital may be gained to varying degrees in the absence of purposeful inculcation, and so subconsciously, depending on the time, culture, and social class" (Bourdieu 1986: 18).

PARAPHRASE: Although it takes intentional effort to build cultural capital, economic capital may be easily created by just existing and engaging in consumption (Bourdieu, 1986).

Both the quoted and paraphrased versions convey the same idea; however, the paraphrased version conveys a little deeper comprehension of Bourdieu (by using a different form of capitalization) and advances points that, although consistent with his writings, are more in accordance with the overall thesis. It also ensures that you will not be charged with plagiarism, which is a significant academic offence, by properly citing the sources from which you get your findings. In fact, most educational institutions will suspend your academic work if you commit significant plagiarism repeatedly.

7. FIND A STUDY PARTNER

Students do not frequently respect a study partner who has comparable goals. Working together, though, can help you earn much higher grades because of the synergy that results.

Keep in mind that you should not compose your essays in tandem, and you should not always be able to agree on the steps you should take before turning in your essay. If you do, you might turn in two identical essays, which brings up the issue of plagiarism again.

In the meantime, it is recommended to share essays once you have completed the initial draft. It's incredibly difficult to edit your work. It is easy to become blind to the smallest grammatical mistakes within a document after reading it for hours in a row.

It's also easy to miss gaps in the logic and flow of the arguments. A friend who reads the essay will help address these two concerns as long as they are accomplished.

8. LEARN TO WRITE ACADEMICALLY

Another problem that many first and second-year college students have are that they often use language that is not academic:

In this article, I will examine how those who purchase artwork make use of cultural capital. People with more cultural capital, in my opinion, can change their tastes in art because they can see art differently than others.

Such examples are not uncommon and will give you an idea of what to stay clear of. The underlying message is great, but it is more of a blog post than an academic piece. The rhetoric used in academic writing should be clear, impartial, and formal. In place of the aforementioned example, the scholar may write:

This article discusses how cultural capital affects how art is seen, as well as how it affects how consumers view various forms of artistic expression.

It is clear that the second one is less disorganised, but the idea is still clear. Additionally, the statement avoids using colloquial language and uses the present (rather than the future) tense. Academic writing often uses terms that are exact, brief, and clear.

ESSAY WRITING TUTOR

As an essay writing tutor, I am dedicated to helping my students achieve their academic writing goals. I believe that strong communication skills are essential for success in any field, and I work tirelessly to help my students improve their writing in all areas, including grammar, structure, and style. Whether they are struggling with an assignment or simply looking to improve their skills, I provide personalised guidance and support that is tailored to each student's unique needs. As an experienced writer and educator, I am passionate about helping students unlock their full potential and express their ideas with clarity and precision.