The topic of your academic paper and specific assignment guide should guide your writing and organization. As for commonly used essay format requirements, essays are pretty strict. While single-spaced papers are usually acceptable, it is typically better if your article is double-spaced. In addition, it would help if you clearly delineated your paragraphs. A single tab at the beginning of each section is acceptable as well. The most popular fonts are Times, Arial, Calibri, and Cambria. There are many different ways of citing sources from your research. The citation style you will use sometimes depends on the academic subject you study in your school or college.

For example:. As for how long an essay is, average high school essay lengths vary from to words, college admission essays are typically between words, and an undergraduate college essay can be around words long. Of course, you should also always pay attention to the requirements of your professor—usually given along with your assignment. It's time to come up with the topic. When asking yourself, "what should I write about? To facilitate the process, you may use clustering or mind mapping to brainstorm and come up with an essay idea. Brainstorming is very useful at this stage as it helps to develop your topic s more deeply. It also allows you to recognize connections between various facets of your subject. To write a good essay, you always need to do some research.

Other than just going to the library or searching online, you can interview people who are experts in the subject. Get out there and talk to people, ask them to share their experiences, watch some interviews on YouTube and other platforms, and search social media. These are always good ways to start an essay. A thesis statement is one sentence that says what the essay is about. This basic premise can be used for writing your entire paper. However, it should be specific and based only on what you will discuss in your writing. You will then need to support it using some evidence. By reading the thesis statement, you can understand what the rest of the paper will be about, and it should make you want to read the rest of what is written.

The paper's outline is the skeleton of your essay. It is great for ensuring that your paper is logical, well organized, and flows properly. Outlines help you see the logical steps of development in your essay. Use it to list ideas, main arguments, and supporting sources. It's crucial to outline your writing as it will guide your pen and keep you on track. First impressions always count. Every introduction must:. Even research papers by reputable academics can contain hidden biases, outdated information, and simple errors or faulty logic. Make notes as you do your research.

As you're researching your topic, keep detailed notes about relevant information, ideas that interest you, and questions that you need to explore further. If you plan to use any of the information that you find in your paper, write down detailed citation information. This will allow you to find the information again and cite it properly. 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. Choose a question to answer or an issue to address. As you do your research, you will likely find yourself narrowing your focus even further.

For example, you might discover that there is a particular question you want to answer, or that there's a popular argument or theory about your topic that you'd like to try to disprove. This question or issue will form the basis for your thesis or main argument. Create a thesis statement that summarizes your main argument. Once you've hit on a specific question or idea you'd like to address in your essay, look at your research and think about the major point or argument you'd like to make. Try to summarize your main point, in sentences. This will be your thesis statement. 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.

Write an outline to help organize your main points. After you've created a clear thesis, briefly list the major points you will be making in your essay. You don't need to include a lot of detail—just write sentences, or even a few words, outlining what each point or argument will be. Include sub-points addressing the evidence and examples you'll be using to back up each point. 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. Part 3. Write an introduction to provide context. Once you've written your thesis and outline, write an introduction to your essay. This should consist of a brief, general overview of your topic, along with your thesis statement. This is the place to provide information that will help orient the reader and put the rest of your essay in context.

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. Present your argument s in detail. Working from your outline, write a series of paragraphs addressing each of the major points you'd like to make. Each paragraph should contain a topic sentence, which is like a miniature thesis—it briefly explains the main point you are trying to make with your paragraph. Follow up your topic sentence with a few concrete examples to support your point.

Wodehouse's Jeeves novels. Try to show how the arguments in each paragraph link back to the main thesis of your essay. Use transition sentences between paragraphs. Your essay will flow better if you build connections or smooth transitions between your arguments. Try to find logical ways to link each paragraph or topic to the one before or after. Address possible counterarguments. If you're writing an argumentative essay, get familiar with the major arguments against your point of view. You'll need to incorporate those counterarguments into your essay and present convincing evidence against them. You might do this by presenting evidence that the red shrimp are, in fact, more likely to get eaten than shrimp with undecorated shells. Cite your sources properly. If you plan to use someone else's ideas or information that you got from another source, you will need to credit the source of your information.

This is true whether you're quoting another source directly or simply summarizing or paraphrasing their words or ideas. 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. 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. Wrap up with a concluding paragraph. To finish off your essay, write a paragraph that briefly reiterates the main point of your essay. State how your arguments support your thesis and briefly summarize your major insights or arguments. You might also discuss questions that are still unanswered or ideas that merit further exploration.

While the appropriate length will vary based on the length of the essay, it should typically be no longer than paragraphs. For example, if you're writing a 1,word essay, your conclusion should be about sentences long. Part 4. Take a break after finishing your first draft. After drafting your essay, it's a good idea to take some time away from it. That way, you can come back to it and look at it again with a fresh perspective. 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. Read over your draft to check for obvious problems. When you're ready to work on your essay again, first read it over to look for any major problems. You might find it helpful to read the essay out loud since your ears can pick up on things your eyes might miss.

If you spot anything, make a note of it, but don't try to fix it right away. Look out for issues such as: [17] X Research source 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. Correct any major problems you find. Once you've read over your essay, go through and edit it. When you're done, go back over the essay again to make sure it flows well and that there aren't any problems you missed.

You might also end up reordering some of the content of the essay if you think that helps it flow better. Proofread your revised essay. After editing your essay, go over it again closely to spot any minor errors, such as typos or formatting problems. There may be issues that you missed during your initial round of editing, and there could also be new typos or formatting issues if you made changes to the original draft. You may find it easier to spot these errors on a printout rather than on an electronic version of your essay. It may be helpful to read each sentence out loud to yourself. Essay Template. Sample Informative Essay. Sample Othello Essay. Sample Ozymandias Essay. Sample Tess of the d'Urbervilles Essay.

Begin your essay by narrowing your topic, researching your topic, taking notes, and brainstorming your ideas. Looking for more fun ways to learn on wikiHow? It always helps to collect your thoughts before you begin writing by brainstorming. Based on your prompt or thesis, try to generate as many ideas as possible to include in your essay. The preparation phase consists of both outlining your essay and collecting resources for evidence. Take a look at the results of your brainstorming session. First, isolate the ideas that are essential to support your thesis and then organize them in a logical and progressive order.

If you want empirical evidence or complementary citations, track them down now. The three most common style guides for academics are MLA , APA , and Chicago , and each has its own particular rules and requirements for citing just about any kind of source, including newspaper articles , websites , speeches , and YouTube videos. This is the main stage of essay writing where you roll up your sleeves and actually write your first draft. The revisions stage involves your second draft, your third draft, or even your twelfth draft if necessary.

Address all the nuances and subtleties you glossed over in the first draft. Pay attention to both word choice and clarity , as well as sophisticated writing techniques like avoiding the passive voice. Grammarly helps catch common mistakes with sentence structure—like run-on sentences, sentence fragments, passive voice, and more. Go through your essay and correct misspellings , formatting issues, or grammatical errors. Or copy and paste your writing to check your grammar and get instant feedback on grammar, spelling, punctuation, and other mistakes you might have missed. Essay structure almost always follows a simple beginning-middle-end format, or in this case, an introduction-body-conclusion format. Essays follow the same guidelines for introductions as any other piece of writing, with an extra emphasis on presenting the thesis prominently, ideally in the topic sentence.

By the end of your introduction paragraph, your reader should know without a doubt what your essay is about. From there, follow the conventional best practices on how to write an introduction. The majority of your essay is body paragraphs , all of which support your thesis and present evidence. Pay close attention to how you organize your body paragraphs. Some arguments benefit from a logical progression, where one point leads to a second, and that second point leads to a third. Serious writers can get pretty technical about how to organize an argumentative essay.

Last Updated: July 19, References Approved. This article was co-authored by Christopher Taylor, PhD and by wikiHow staff writer, Megaera Lorenz, PhD. Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article has 37 testimonials from our readers, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 7,, times. An essay is a common type of academic writing that you'll likely be asked to do in multiple classes. Before you start writing your essay, make sure you understand the details of the assignment so that you know how to approach the essay and what your focus should be.

Once you've chosen a topic, do some research and narrow down the main argument s you'd like to make. From there, you'll need to write an outline and flesh out your essay, which should consist of an introduction, body, and conclusion. After your essay is drafted, spend some time revising it to ensure your writing is as strong as possible. Christopher Taylor, PhD. Christopher Taylor, Professor of English, tells us: "Most essays will contain an introduction, a body or discussion portion, and a conclusion. When assigned a college essay, make sure to check the specific structural conventions related to your essay genre , your field of study, and your professor's expectations. Tip: In general, Wikipedia articles are not considered appropriate sources for academic writing.

Tip: Some writers find it helpful to write the introduction after they've written the rest of the essay. Once you've written out your main points, it's easier to summarize the gist of your essay in a few introductory sentences. Tip: If possible, have someone else check your work. When you've been looking at your writing for too long, your brain begins to fill in what it expects to see rather than what's there, making it harder for you to spot mistakes. If you need to write an essay, start by gathering information from reputable sources, like books from the library or scholarly journals online.

Take detailed notes and keep track of which facts come from which sources. As you're taking notes, look for a central theme that you're interested in writing about to create your thesis statement. Then, organize your notes into an outline that supports and explains your thesis statement. Working from your outline, write an introduction and subsequent paragraphs to address each major point. Start every paragraph with a topic sentence that briefly explains the main point of that paragraph. Finally, finish your paper with a strong conclusion that sums up the most important points.

For tips from our English Professor co-author on helpful revision techniques, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No. Log in Social login does not work in incognito and private browsers. Please log in with your username or email to continue. wikiHow Account. No account yet? Create an account. Courses Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article. Quizzes Contribute Train Your Brain Game Improve Your English. Popular Categories. Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies. Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks. Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health. Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues. Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games. Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene.

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By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Categories Education and Communications College University and Postgraduate Academic Writing Essays How to Write an Essay. Download Article Explore this Article parts. Essay Help. Related Articles. Article Summary. Co-authored by Christopher Taylor, PhD and Megaera Lorenz, PhD Last Updated: July 19, References Approved. Part 1. All rights reserved. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U. and international copyright laws. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.

Read your assignment carefully. The style, structure, and focus of your essay will vary depending on the type of essay you are writing. If you've been assigned to write an essay for a class, review the assignment carefully and look for information about the nature of the essay. 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.

Check for formatting and style requirements. If you're writing an essay for a class or a publication, there may be specific formatting and style requirements you need to follow. Read your assignment carefully to make sure you understand requirements such as: How long your essay should be Which citation style to use Formatting requirements, such as margin size , line spacing, and font size and type. Christopher Taylor, PhD English Professor. Narrow down your topic so your essay has a clear focus. Depending on your assignment, you may already have a specific topic you are supposed to write about, or you may simply be asked to write about a general theme or subject.

If the assignment doesn't specify your topic, take some time to brainstorm. Try to pick a subject that's specific, interesting to you, and that you think will give you plenty of material to work with. 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. Ask for clarification if you don't understand the assignment. If you're not sure what you're supposed to be writing about or how to structure your essay, don't hesitate to ask! Your instructor can help clarify anything you don't understand, and they may even be able to provide examples of the type of work they're looking for. Part 2. Find some reputable sources on your topic. If you're writing an academic essay or any type of essay that requires you to support your claims with evidence and examples, you'll probably need to do some research.

Head to your library or go online to find up-to-date sources that provide accurate, verifiable information about your topic. 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.

MLA Citation APA Citation Guide AMA Citation Format Bluebook Citation Harvard Style Citation. Essay Template. Some arguments benefit from a logical progression, where one point leads to a second, and that second point leads to a third. This might involve providing background information, giving an overview of important academic work or debates on the topic, and explaining difficult terms. No one can write an essay without mistakes on the first try. font, page numbers, line spacing.

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