Writing essays in college can be stressful and time consuming, but with the right approach it can also be fun and easy. A+ Guide to Writing Essays in College will help you identify the most important aspects of writing, as well as give you tips on how to take your paper from ordinary to outstanding in no time at all without a paper writing service. If you’ve ever struggled to write an essay, then this comprehensive guide is exactly what you need! Use our writing resources and best practices to earn top marks on all of your papers and get the grades you want in no time at all!
Organize your thoughts.
Writing effectively is all about organization. The first and most crucial step of writing an effective essay is having a clear idea of what you want to say—and why. No matter what kind of essay you’re planning on writing, you should always have a clear thesis statement that helps organize your thoughts from beginning to end. Without a thesis statement, it will be difficult for you (and your reader) to determine exactly where your argument is heading.
Know your topic and audience.
Before you begin writing, make sure you’re knowledgeable about your subject. If you’re assigned an essay on prehistoric life, spend some time researching—you don’t want to embarrass yourself in front of your teacher. Even if it is a personal essay, it’s still important for you to understand and be passionate about your topic. The more invested you are in your essay, the easier it will be to write. Additionally, knowing who will read your work can help determine what style or tone to use when writing.
Write clear sentences with correct grammar.
This should go without saying. No college will accept a paper with poor grammar and spelling mistakes, so brush up on your grammar and spelling—or pay someone to proofread your paper. It may seem obvious, but it bears repeating: If you can’t communicate well in writing, you won’t be able to get your point across clearly. Good communication is critical if you want a high grade.
Use evidence from sources.
In an essay, you want your opinion and argument to be grounded. The only way you’re going to be convincing is if you back up your opinions with evidence and examples from research. If there’s a statistic that supports your position, include it! If there’s a relevant quote, cite it! The more credible sources you have at hand, the stronger your essay will be. So don’t neglect them—and use as many as possible!
Make it interesting.
The number one thing your teacher will consider when grading your essay is whether or not they think it's interesting. It may seem counterintuitive, but taking an interesting approach to writing essays is much more important than making every sentence perfect. After all, every English teacher you’ve ever had has probably said show, don’t tell.
Proofread, proofread, proofread!
It may seem obvious, but a poorly proofread essay is going to reflect poorly on you and your work. In most cases, your teacher will only read an essay once before grading it, so use that time wisely. Read over your essay several times yourself and then get a friend or family member to look at it too—they can find grammatical mistakes or typos you may have missed. When you know someone else is reading over your paper, it can be helpful motivation for you to carefully proofread.
Submit on time.
If your college offers a course on essay writing, take it. Even if you don’t want to be an English major, learning how to write an essay—and doing so effectively—will go a long way towards impressing admissions officers, future employers and grad school admissions committees. If there’s no course available, ask your English professor for help.
Follow instructions exactly.
When you’re writing an essay for a class, it can seem like there are endless rules and regulations about how you should write it. One of these is how you need to follow specific instructions and not stray from what your professor has asked for. Don’t deviate from your professors’ guidelines, even if you think you know better. There may be a reason why they want things done a certain way, and you could be penalized if they discover that you haven’t followed their instructions.