Be sure you know how your teacher wants you to cite your sources so you can keep track of what you research. Some schools provide reference software like EndNote or RefWorks, which can make collecting and keeping track of research sources easier. Be aware of any formatting requirements. The essay prompt will often tell you things such as whether the essay needs to be handwritten or typed, and what font type and size to use. If it doesn’t stipulate, the safe choice is a standard, readable 12-pt font such as Times New Roman or Arial. Avoid using “cute” or “quirky” fonts in an academic paper unless given specific permission to do so. Know the due date! Get started early so that you have plenty of time to complete the essay.
The topic should not be too broad or too narrow. See Write an Essay for more information. There should be enough information about the topic to write about, but not so much that you can’t present clear, concise information. For example, writing on “the history of animal shelters” is probably much too broad, while “the history of Sunny Days Animal Shelter in X County” is probably too narrow. A happy medium might be “the history of breed-specific animal shelters in America. " The topic should be appropriate and interesting to your audience. Think in advance about who might be reading your essay. Obviously, if this is for school, your teacher is your primary audience, but you should always have a target audience in mind. What will they want to know? What do they probably not know already that your essay will provide? Ideally, the topic should be one that interests you. This will make the writing process that much easier, and you can pass your enthusiasm on to your reader.
For best results, try to find online sources from reputable organizations, government agencies, and universities. Google Scholar can be a good place to start.
For your informative essay, you will need an introduction, at least three main points, and a conclusion. You may want to make these sections and write notes down under the section where you expect it to go.
Make an ideas map. Put your topic in a circle at the center of a piece of paper, then write down the most important pieces of information or ideas related to it in circles surrounding the topic. Make lines connecting each idea to the topic. Next, add details around each idea, circling them and making lines to show connections. There may be lines connecting ideas to each other, as well, or between supporting details. Make a list. If you prefer the linear format of a list, write down your topic at the top and then below it any ideas you have. Under the ideas, add extra details that support them. Don’t worry about putting them in specific order - that comes next. [3] X Research source Free write. Free writing can help you generate ideas, even if it usually doesn’t provide polished prose you’ll use in your final draft. Set a short time limit, such as 15 minutes, and then write whatever comes to mind about your topic. Don’t stop to edit or change spelling, and keep writing even if you aren’t sure you have anything to say. The important thing is to write for all 15 minutes.
Don’t worry about getting your thesis just right at this point - that comes later. If you don’t feel ready to write the thesis out, jot down some notes in the introductory part of your outline. At the very least, you need some idea of what you want to say in your essay. While it may seem odd to summarize your essay before you’ve begun, writing your thesis at the beginning of your outline will help you organize your ideas and select the most important details that you want to present.
The number of details you use depends on the paper length: if you’re writing a five-paragraph essay, then you have three paragraphs for the body, so you’ll need three main ideas. Make sure you choose the most important details, and that they are all distinct from one another. Details used to support your thesis are also called “evidence. "
Make sure you have enough supporting details for each paragraph. If you don’t have enough to say about the paragraph’s main topic, consider changing the topic or combining it with another paragraph. Alternatively, you can research a bit more to find additional supporting details for the paragraph.
Do not worry about spelling errors or mistakes. Remember that this is just a rough draft, not your final copy. Just focus on writing it down, and later you can fix mistakes. Write your rough draft by hand or type it - whichever is easier for you.
For example, a topic/transition sentence might look like this: “While some factories allow union labor, others, such as those in X, argue that unionizing harms the workplace. " This sentence gives a clear direction for the paragraph (some factories argue against unionizing) and links it to the paragraph before it (which was probably about pro-union factories). Remember: each paragraph needs unity (a single central idea), clear relation to the thesis, coherence (logical relationship of ideas within the paragraph), and development (ideas are clearly explained and supported). [6] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC’s on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source
Make sure you’re clear about what the idea of each paragraph is. To keep yourself on track, refer to your outline as you write.
Have you told the reader everything you need to about your topic? Do you have a clear thesis statement, expressed in two to three sentences? Do all your paragraphs relate to the thesis? Does each paragraph have one main idea, supported by accurate, objective details? Does your conclusion summarize your thoughts on the topic without adding new information or opinions? How does the paper flow? Are there clear, logical transitions between paragraphs? Have you used clear, concise prose and avoided flowery language? Did the reader learn something new from the essay? Is it presented in an interesting way? Have you cited sources as instructed by your teacher?[7] X Research source
As you write your final draft, keep track of coherence in particular. Rough drafts often have all of their ideas jumbled up without a clear, logical progression. A key difference between a rough draft and a final draft is that the final draft should offer its information in a smooth, clear, easy-to-read fashion that builds on previous points as it goes along. Keeping an eye out to make sure you’ve followed the C-E-E- formula will help you.
Also keep an eye out for word echoes, or words that show up many times within the space of a few sentences or paragraphs. If you use the word discusses multiple times in the same paragraph, it will make your writing seem clunky and unpolished.
Sometimes our eyes “fix” mistakes for us as we read, so it’s hard to catch mistakes reading silently. Reading aloud helps you find mistakes your eye might not.
