Identify The Requirements

In addition to general academic requirements, there are certain rules that instructors add on their own. Details matter, and so do these additional instructions. For example, they can request a certain word count, change the structure, or request a certain book to be referenced. It’s better to start writing an essay knowing all these tricks because otherwise, you risk losing points simply for being inattentive.

Build A Clear Structure

No matter what kind of essay you are writing, you should have an introduction, body, and conclusion. There is no way you can get a high grade if your essay lacks this basic structure. Instructors may refuse to read the essay if they see that it lacks consistency and logic. Almost every essay is supposed to have a strong thesis statement. It is usually placed in the introduction, but it should be reviewed and edited a few times before the final submission.

Plan Your Writing

Academic writing is not creative writing or free writing. It demands a certain plan to be in place to make sure all readers are on the same page. Some people call it an outline, others prefer to refer to it as a structure. No matter what it is called, the point is that you should know what you are going to cover in your essay before you sit down to write it.

Find The Best Sources

To come up with a high-quality essay, you have to reference trusted resources. In high school, this part could be neglected. In college, you can’t produce ideas of your own without providing some evidence from a reliable source. That’s why every essay you are about to write should start with literature research.

Reference Borrowed Ideas And Quotations

Get acquainted with different referencing styles to ensure you reference your essay properly. Plagiarism is a serious offense, so you’d better avoid even the slightest percentage of it. Thus, if you take any thought or idea from an external resource, do not forget to reference it properly in-text and on the works cited page.

Proofread Your Essay

Request Feedback

If you have a friend or a family member whose judgment you trust, ask them to read your papers. Even if they did not major in English, they can help you identify sentences that sound odd and need to be reworked. This helps in understanding how the things you convey are understood by readers. If something goes off, you can easily fix it before a professor sees it.

Takeaway