Academic essay writing is considered as an important part of a student’s academic life. It is a skill that every student must have in order to show how well they have understood the subject. Academic essay writing is not only about writing down the ideas and thoughts, moreover it is also about presenting them in the right way. In addition, academic essay writing also requires evidence and examples to show how well the thoughts and ideas are supported. However, it is natural for students to feel anxious about how to write an academic essay, therefore, here is a complete guide that tells the tips and techniques to help writing an academic essay that will stand out.
- Understanding the Essay Prompt
1.1. Understand the Assignment
The first step on how to write an academic essay is to actually understand what the given topic means in depth. Read the question or the prompt carefully and look for keywords that tells what and how the essay is going to be. Moreover, the keywords also tell the student about how to go about the essay. However, if one is confused about anything then it is better to ask right away before starting the assignment.
1.2. Identifying the Essay Type
There are different essays. Moreover, different essays have different ways of writing them. For example, in an argumentative essay the student gives an argument and defends it. If the essay is a descriptive essay, then the student focuses on explaining the topic in detail. If one knows what kind of essay they have to write, it becomes easier for them to write about it.
- Research and Planning
2.1. Doing Research
The second step after carefully understanding the prompt and the type of essay, it is time to start researching on the topic. There are many sources that contains the data and information related to the various topic. However, make sure to go for real sources such as books, academic journals or websites. Keep taking notes as the findings are found. This note taking helps in organizing all the data in one place to write the essay. Moreover, if one is still unsure on how to write an academic essay then there are multiple guides that helps the students to create an essay that will stand out.
2.2. Creating an Outline
Having an outline before academic essay writing is an important tip to follow. To have a plan is helpful in organizing the thoughts and notes that will help to structure the essay. An essay outline consists of an introduction, body paragraphs and a conclusion. Each paragraph should contain the main idea of the paragraph in detail. In the body paragraphs, add supporting arguments and evidence to support the idea of the paragraph.
- Writing the Essay
3.1. Creating a Strong Introduction
The introduction of an academic essay is the most important part as it grabs the attention of the reader. Therefore, create an introduction that is interesting. It could either be a quote, a fact or a question that will grab the reader’s attention. Next, introduce the main topic with a little background of the topic. If the introduction is good then a reader will also be interested in reading the essay further.
3.2. Writing the Body
A body of an essay can have many paragraphs. Each paragraph should contain a topic sentence that will introduce the main idea of that paragraph. Secondly, give evidence and examples in the paragraph to support the main idea of the paragraph. It is important to focus on creating a strong body if an essay so that the essay stands out.
3.3. Writing the Conclusion
The conclusion is the ending of an academic essay. Conclude all the main points and restate the thesis in this conclusion. This should be in such an interesting way that it creates a lasting impression on the reader. Share the findings again and make sure to connect all the ideas together in the summary.
- Formatting and Style
4.1. Following the Formatting Rules
There are different formatting styles for different schools. Therefore, it is important to understand what your institution asks. There are different formatting guidelines that include margin, font size, etc. properly formatting makes the academic essay look professional. Moreover, it also makes sure that the academic essay follows the given rules. This shows how much focus a student is when writing an academic essay. Therefore, it is important to learn formatting rules for an essay.
4.2. Citation and Referencing
Make sure that the essay is free of plagiarism. If there are any other author’s words added, then make sure to cite them by giving their references. There are different citation styles for different organizations so make sure to know what citation style is required. Make sure to follow the, Citations are presented at the end of an academic essay.
- Revising and Proofreading
5.1. Self-Editing Tips
When you have completed the essay, it should be reviewed to make sure that there are no mistakes. Make sure that the essay follows the given guidelines. Moreover, check if the essay is clear and properly organized. The arguments of the essay are flowing smoothly and all the points are connected. In addition, check the essay for the grammatical errors and formatting styles. Revising the work helps to improve the quality of work.
5.2. Getting Feedback
After completing the essay, make sure to ask others to go through it. Ask friends, mentors or family to read the essay and give their feedback. This practice helps to spot any mistake that might have gone unnoticed.
- Submitting the Essay
6.1. Understanding Submission Requirements
Make sure to know the deadline and formats required to submit the essay. Knowing these details are as important as the academic essay writing itself is. Make sure to submit the essay on time to avoid delays. Moreover, submitting an essay on time also helps to leave a good impression on the teacher or the advisor. Make sure that the essay follows all the guidelines before submitting it.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is safe to say that academic essay writing is not an easy task. however, with the tips mentioned above, one can create a perfect essay. It is important to understand the topic and the basic steps that follow while writing an essay. Moreover, to improve academic essay writing skills it is important to keep on practicing on a regular basis so that it helps to develop better skills.
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