Overview of an Essay

       An essay refers to a short literary composition on a subject. It usually, but not always, presents the personal view of its author. It is a common task for many students starting from middle. As the student progresses to high school and university, the frequency of essay assignments will also increase. However, this will depend on what degree programme they decide to study.

       Students who are new at this task may be wondering about the steps involved in how to make an essay. Common questions for beginners would include the following:

·         What is the ideal length of an essay?

·         How do I choose the topic?

·         From among the materials I have researched, what should I include in the essay?

·         What are the formatting guidelines, if any?

·         How do I cite my sources?

Students and writers who already know how to make an essay will agree that there are three components that make up an essay: the introduction, the body and the conclusion. The introduction provides a general view of the essay topic. Often, the author includes background information that will help the reader understand more of the topic and gently guide them to the author's discussion. This is also the part where the author provides a statement expressing his or her point of view. The body contains the biggest section of the essay. This is the part where arguments are laid down and proven, a narrative is unveiled or comparisons and contrasts made, depending on the type of essay. The conclusion summarises the important points of the essay and reiterates the author's position on the subject.

The following items are indispensable checklist for students just learning how to make an essay. This will provide a constant visual reminder of the things they need to ensure in order to produce a good essay:

·      A topic that addresses the goal of the assignment and is appropriate to the subject of study

·         Thorough research to include all possible sources and reference materials

·         A well thought out thesis statement

·         An engaging introduction that will encourage the readers to read the rest of the essay

·         Paragraphs in the body which effectively support the thesis statement

·      A conclusion which leaves no doubt for the reader about the arguments and information presented

·         Proper formatting taking into account the correct word count, margins, spacing, font size and style

·         Proper structure

·         Logical organisation and transition of ideas

·         Appropriate content placement 

A Guide To Writing Essays

    
       All students particularly in their GCSE, A level or university education will find that writing essays is part of their coursework, along with projects, reports, laboratory work and other requirements. That is why it is important for students to learn the good points of how to write essays.

       They key to writing good essays depends as much on the way the author writes them as its contents. An effective method on how to write essays that readers are sure to read through is to focus on the introduction. This will set the tone of the essay by giving an idea of what the topic is, how the writer plans to approach it, and what order the paper will be written. If the introduction is interesting enough, it will inspire the reader to finish through the entire essay.

Here are important things to keep in mind when writing your own essays:

• Gather all the information you can research on the topic until you have enough material to start your essay.

• A good method to start the actual writing process on how to write essays is to write a sentence outline with a thesis statement that includes the topic and three of its parts. Generally, you should attempt to have three main points with two supporting sentences after each one. Then make a concluding statement that restates the thesis statement and supports it or explains it. Make sure that the ideas and arguments are organised logically so that they are easy to follow.

• Revisit the thesis statement and add ideas or arguments as necessary so that anyone who reads the essay will be able to tell what you are discussing without necessarily reading it word for word.

• On your discussion in the main body of the essay, make sure to elaborate on each of the supporting sentences and ensure the smooth flow of ideas by making good transition sentences from one paragraph to the next.

• For the conclusion, do not forget to touch on the main concepts of the paper and address the points indicated in your thesis statement.

After you are done writing the essay content, the final steps on how to write essays are to proofread its grammar and spelling, and make sure the structure such as the margin, font size and style etc. follows the standards set by your tutor or lecturer.