The compare/contrast essay, which focuses on analyzing the similarities and differences between 2 things, such as ideas, people, events, places, or works of art. The narrative essay, which tells a story. The argumentative essay, in which the writer uses evidence and examples to convince the reader of their point of view. The critical or analytical essay, which examines something (such as a text or work of art) in detail. This type of essay may attempt to answer specific questions about the subject or focus more generally on its meaning. The informative essay, that educates the reader about a topic.
How long your essay should be Which citation style to use Formatting requirements, such as margin size, line spacing, and font size and type
If you’re doing a research-based essay, you might find some inspiration from reading through some of the major sources on the subject. For a critical essay, you might choose to focus on a particular theme in the work you’re discussing, or analyze the meaning of a specific passage.
If you’re having trouble narrowing down your topic, your instructor might be able to provide guidance or inspiration.
Academic books and journals tend to be good sources of information. In addition to print sources, you may be able to find reliable information in scholarly databases such as JSTOR and Google Scholar. You can also look for primary source documents, such as letters, eyewitness accounts, and photographs. Always evaluate your sources critically. Even research papers by reputable academics can contain hidden biases, outdated information, and simple errors or faulty logic.
You might find it helpful to write your notes down on individual note cards or enter them into a text document on your computer so you can easily copy, paste, and rearrange them however you like. Try organizing your notes into different categories so you can identify specific ideas you’d like to focus on. For example, if you’re analyzing a short story, you might put all your notes on a particular theme or character together.
For example, if your essay is about the factors that led to the end of the Bronze Age in the ancient Middle East, you might focus on the question, “What role did natural disasters play in the collapse of Late Bronze Age society?”
One easy way to come up with a thesis statement is to briefly answer the main question you would like to address. For example, if the question is “What role did natural disasters play in the collapse of Late Bronze Age society?” then your thesis might be, “Natural disasters during the Late Bronze Age destabilized local economies across the region. This set in motion a series of mass migrations of different peoples, creating widespread conflict that contributed to the collapse of several major Bronze Age political centers. ”
When you write the outline, think about how you would like to organize your essay. For example, you might start with your strongest arguments and then move to the weakest ones. Or, you could begin with a general overview of the source you’re analyzing and then move on to addressing the major themes, tone, and style of the work. Your outline might look like this: Introduction Body Point 1, with supporting examples Point 2, with supporting examples Point 3, with supporting examples Major counter-argument(s) to your thesis Your rebuttals to the counter-argument(s) Conclusion
For example, if you’re writing a critical essay about a work of art, your introduction might start with some basic information about the work, such as who created it, when and where it was created, and a brief description of the work itself. From there, introduce the question(s) about the work you’d like to address and present your thesis. A strong introduction should also contain a brief transitional sentence that creates a link to the first point or argument you would like to make. For example, if you’re discussing the use of color in a work of art, lead-in by saying you’d like to start with an overview of symbolic color use in contemporary works by other artists.
For example, your topic sentence might be something like, “Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories are among the many literary influences apparent in P. G. Wodehouse’s Jeeves novels. ” You could then back this up by quoting a passage that contains a reference to Sherlock Holmes. Try to show how the arguments in each paragraph link back to the main thesis of your essay.
When creating transitions, transitional phrases can be helpful. For example, use words and phrases such as “In addition,” “Therefore,” “Similarly,” “Subsequently,” or “As a result. ” For example, if you’ve just discussed the use of color to create contrast in a work of art, you might start the next paragraph with, “In addition to color, the artist also uses different line weights to distinguish between the more static and dynamic figures in the scene. ”
For example, if you’re arguing that a particular kind of shrimp decorates its shell with red algae to attract a mate, you’ll need to address the counterargument that the shell decoration is a warning to predators. You might do this by presenting evidence that the red shrimp are, in fact, more likely to get eaten than shrimp with undecorated shells.
The way you cite your sources will vary depending on the citation style you’re using. Typically, you’ll need to include the name of the author, the title and publication date of the source, and location information such as the page number on which the information appears. In general, you don’t need to cite common knowledge. For example, if you say, “A zebra is a type of mammal,” you probably won’t need to cite a source. If you’ve cited any sources in the essay, you’ll need to include a list of works cited (or a bibliography) at the end.
The way you cite your sources will vary depending on the citation style you’re using. Typically, you’ll need to include the name of the author, the title and publication date of the source, and location information such as the page number on which the information appears. In general, you don’t need to cite common knowledge. For example, if you say, “A zebra is a type of mammal,” you probably won’t need to cite a source. If you’ve cited any sources in the essay, you’ll need to include a list of works cited (or a bibliography) at the end.
Keep your conclusion brief. While the appropriate length will vary based on the length of the essay, it should typically be no longer than 1-2 paragraphs. For example, if you’re writing a 1,000-word essay, your conclusion should be about 4-5 sentences long. [15] X Research source
If you don’t have time to spend a couple of days away from your essay, at least take a few hours to relax or work on something else.
If you don’t have time to spend a couple of days away from your essay, at least take a few hours to relax or work on something else.
Excessive wordiness Points that aren’t explained enough Tangents or unnecessary information Unclear transitions or illogical organization Spelling, grammar, style, and formatting problems Inappropriate language or tone (e. g. , slang or informal language in an academic essay)
You might have to cut material from your essay in some places and add new material to others. You might also end up reordering some of the content of the essay if you think that helps it flow better.
Read over each line slowly and carefully. It may be helpful to read each sentence out loud to yourself.
