1. Writing an Essay Outline

Writing an effective essay begins with a good essay outline. Sometimes, instructors may also ask simply for an essay outline – as it represents the crux of an essay in a snapshot.

Are you confused about how to write an essay outline? Follow the steps below:

  • Write the title of the essay in bold at the top of the page.
  • Understand the type of essay you need to construct whether it is argumentative, descriptive, or discursive. Be aware of the category before starting the essay, this is imperative.
  • Begin to write points to include in your essay accordingly. Write your topic sentences in bullet points, leaving a few lines after each point. This is an important step because the premises of the entire essay depend upon each topic sentence. These points need to be clearly defined as they hold the ability to make or break your essay.
  • List the minor ideas that you may have for each point underneath. These add depth to each argument/point. However, do not add too many ideas since each topic sentence will essentially depict one paragraph, and too many ideas (especially loosely related ones) in a single paragraph may confuse the reader.
  • Make special arrows for additional examples/information. If you wish to add statistics, use a different colored pen for them, and label them with the point you wish to connect them with.
  • Write the main idea for the conclusion; bullet points or very briefly is your choice.

Your outline is ready, representing in a list-like manner, how the essay will be written; from points to transition to the very conclusion.

2. Writing an Essay Introduction

The introduction sets the tone for the essay and decides whether the reader will resume reading or simply put the write-up down.

For a good essay introduction, follow the steps below:

Begin with a catchy phrase. The beginning of the first paragraph is perhaps the most important. If you manage to grasp the readers’ attention with the first sentence, they are bound to read forth. For this, you can use various tactics. Begin with one apt for the essay of your choice:

  • A quotation,
  • A fun fact,
  • A mind-boggling statistic,
  • A question,
  • A personal anecdote; yes, a story can work well as a start, especially if it is something the reader can connect with.
  • Generally target the topic. This refers to giving any background information necessary, to reach upon the topic, explaining any technical terminology, etc. This step can also be take as contextualizing the topic.
  • Express the purpose of the essay. More like a thesis statement of the essay, this part is very important to get right. You need to address the topic of the essay in a way that the reader can easily grasp your position (in case of an argumentative essay) or aim.
  • This thesis statement should not be more than 2-3 lines long and will mark the end of the introduction, following which the body of the essay shall commence.

3. Writing an Effective Essay

  • Understand the essay prompt. This is an essential step to start writing the essay. Knowing what and who you are writing for is incredibly important. Highlight keywords in the essay prompt like ‘Argue’, ‘Compare’, ‘Contrast’, ‘Explain’, etc. Since each keyword is tackled differently, it is important to know how to form the entire essay.
  • Choose your topic. If you are not already given a topic and you have to find it, it is best to opt for a topic you are already well-versed with. For example, choosing a topic about medical expertise may not be a wise choice if you do not have a science background.
  • Brainstorm. Your teachers may have told you brainstorming is the key to producing an effective essay. This does hold much truth. Make a spider web diagram and begin jotting down ideas related to your topic. These can be write in a jumbled or systematic manner, depends upon you and the way the ideas ‘come’ to you.
  • Produce an essay outline. If you are writing an academic essay, some teachers require an outline to be submitted alongside the draft. Even if they do not, you should create an outline for yourself as this would systematically arrange your ideas with proper transitions. Thereby, making the feat of essay writing appear as surely a piece of cake.
  • Write the introduction. The introduction should give the background information, as well as technical information required to proceed to the main points of the essay. It needs to include a thesis statement and be effective enough to grasp the reader’s attention.
  • Write the body paragraphs. These will include the main points of your essay or the main arguments in case of an argumentative essay. Use one paragraph to address one or related claims. Create a new paragraph for a different claim. Do not simply hint at a point and move to the next one to be able to write a large number of points. A better way yet would be that even if you write lesser paragraphs or produce lesser arguments, each point is clearly be explain and given its due importance – thereby convincing the reader and making your essay an effective one.
  • Write the conclusion. Like all things need a good start, they also need a good end which ties all loose ends and produces a quality conclusion. To write a good concluding paragraph, summarize your main arguments in a few sentences. Follow this up with your opinion or address the prompt of the essay directly. For example, if the essay included a question like “Has Social Media Disconnected Us?”, the conclusion should specifically include an answer to this question.
  • Re-read, edit and improvise. Check for any grammatical or structural errors and rectify them. Submit/Publish your final essay draft.

What are the 5 parts of an essay?

As a result, such a paper has 5 parts of an essay: the introduction, writer’s arguments, counter arguments, refutation, and conclusion.

What is an essay format?

An essay format is a series of guidelines that determine how your paper should be arranged. It covers the title page, basic essay structure, essay outline, conclusion, citations, etc.

What are the basic steps to writing an essay?

How to Write an Essay in 5 Easy Steps
  1. Pick a topic. If possible, choose something that interests you.
  2. Brainstorm. Write down any idea that comes to your head about things you’d like to include, including key points, examples, and illustrations.
  3. Organize.
  4. Write.
  5. Revise.

What is the easiest essay to write?

A descriptive essay is the simplest and easiest type of essay. In a descriptive essay, the writer tries to describe a place, object, or person in detail.

What are the 4 types of essays?

There are many different types of essay, but they are often defined in four categories: argumentative, expository, narrative, and descriptive essays.

What is life short essay?

It shows how people look at their individual lives as well as the life of others around them so as to make a sense of what they do with their existence on earth. Meaning and purpose however are both difficult to find. Experiences are a major part of life. In fact it guides an individual through his life till his death.

How many paragraphs is an essay?

In its most basic format, an essay can contain three paragraphs. Each paragraph gets typically dedicated to each part of the article. Those who support the five-paragraph–essay have decided that the body of the essay should be three paragraphs.

How many paragraphs is 1500 words?

How Many Paragraphs Is 1,500 Words? 1,500 words is about 7.5-15 paragraphs for essays or 15-30 for easy reading. A paragraph typically has 100-200 words and 5-6 sentences.

Can an essay have 1 body paragraphs?

In its simplest form, an essay can consist of three paragraphs with one paragraph being devoted to each section. Proponents of the five paragraph essay say that the body text should consist of three paragraphs, but in reality, it’s fine to write more or fewer paragraphs in this section.

How many pages is 2000 words?

2,000 words is around 4 pages of A4 with single spacing, or 8 pages of A4 with double spacing.

Is it possible to write 2000 words in two hours?

This suggests a total time of about 4 hours and 40 minutes for writing a 2,000 word essay. If the subject is something that the writer is already familiar with, such an essay might require only 2 hours to 2.5 hours to write.

How many pages is 50000 words?

A 50,000 word manuscript is about 165 pages.

How many pages is 750 words?

3 Pages = 750 words. I looked this up. 250 words per page is considered to be the standard accepted number of words per page. So, three standard pages are about 750 words.

Can you write 4 pages in an hour?

Writing 4 pages will take about 50 minutes for the average writer typing on a keyboard and 1.7 hours for handwriting.

How long is 750 word?

A word count of 750 words will equal about 1.5 pages single spaced or 3 pages double spaced. Of course it will depend on the word processor settings, what font and font size you’re using and page margins.

Can you write a 5 page paper in 2 hours?

If you‘re panicking over a deadline, take hope in this: it’s possible to write a five page essay in an hour. It’s not, obviously, going to be your best work, but it can be a very passable paper so long as you follow this guide. Need any assistance with your essay?

Can you write a 10 page paper in one day?

Writing a 10–page paper is not an easy task, especially if you have a limited amount of time to do it. If you know what to do and how to concentrate your efforts, you won’t waste time doing useless things. Even one day may be enough to complete any assignment.