Creating A Strong Academic Essay In 5 Steps


Writing a good academic essay can be done in a few simple steps. The idea is to break down the writing process into smaller steps to help you focus. From here, you can choose what you want to do and how to go about getting it done. The following steps are a few elements to help you get started writing your essay.

  1. Define your main idea or thesis and rewrite it if needed. A strong essay includes a well thought out thesis or main idea. This is what the essay is all about and when written well it makes it easier to prove it with relevant points. In some cases parts of an essay may be written first such as the body or conclusion to help define the main idea.

  2. Make a list of sources to use and start researching your topic. Once you have a basic idea of what to write about you can start thinking about potential sources. If you know your subject well this process is simple. Consider reputable sources that offer updated and reliable information. When you take notes be sure to collect useful and interesting data that will help provide the proof you need for your topic.

  3. Create an outline to help sort and organize data. A basic academic essay may include an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Your outline may be based on these elements, but you will provide questions or points you need to find supporting evidence for during research. The outline helps you focus on information you need and you can organize your findings at the same time.

  4. Write rough draft and revise content. Use your outline to help you start your rough draft. This includes getting raw ideas and data together to present in structured sentences and paragraphs. As you complete your draft you can focus on getting the main parts of the essay together such as the intro and conclusion. After writing your draft you can go back and revise. This means you will check over content placement and clarify details for easier reading.

  5. Edit, proofread, and review guidelines. After writing your essay, take time to review your content. Check for errors and mistakes with grammar, spelling, and word usage. Compare your essay to guidelines for the assignment. Ask yourself questions about your content and think about expectations of your instructor.

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