10 tips for essay writing success

An essay is a short piece of writing used to explore, develop and support ideas. 

High school students are expected to become proficient in this genre; it is also an excellent skill for those out of school. Life is full of opportunities to sway and influence others, and essay writing can help you master the ability of forming a convincing argument. 

Read on for ten quick tips to get you started on your path to essay writing success.

1. A very basic structure for essay writing could be expressed as: Introduction (say what you are going to say), Body (say it), and Conclusion (say what you said).
2. If you are writing your essay in response to a question or set topic, read it very carefully to make sure you stay on track.  Highlight key words and use a dictionary to ensure you understand what the question is asking you.
3. Research. Record the details of sources you use. Take notes based on the essay question.
4. Brainstorm your essay response. Explore, ruminate, think and find your voice – what are your thoughts on the topic and how can you express them clearly?
5. Organise your ideas into a clear response to the question; have a strong thesis or main idea to build your essay on.
6. Explore at least three subsidiary ideas that support your main thesis. Provide explanations and explorations of these ideas and note down verifying details from your research.
7. Your introduction will outline your main thesis and the main points supporting it.
8. The body of your essay will explore the main points you raised in your introduction, explaining them and illustrating them with quotations and evidence. Each main idea should have at least one paragraph to provide details and evidence.
9. The conclusion of your essay will summarise your main ideas and restate your thesis.
10. Check your essay for spelling, grammar and punctuation accuracy before submitting it on time.

Essay writing can be used as a simple formula for building a clear argument in many areas of life – letters to the editor, blog posts, book reviews… all rely on the ability to build a convincing case. If you’d like more help developing your essay writing skills, contact Shine Writing at belynda.smith@gmail.com