Simple Essay Writing Techniques Everyone Can Use
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No matter what you are studying, or what level you are at, it is likely that you will have to write an essay at some point. For many people, this form of writing feels quite daunting – especially if you have chosen a vocational subject that doesn’t require this kind of academic rigor!
The good news is that whether you are studying for a masters in English Literature or you are enrolled on a dnp neonatal online program, there are a few techniques that can help everyone write a brilliant essay.
Structuring Your Essay
The structure of your essay is the first thing you should think about. More than anything, structure will help you to organize your ideas and improve readability. If you are a nervous writer then a simple structure is always the best way to shore up your confidence first. The most basic structure is this: introduction, argument, conclusion. This structure is also the most common because it makes the most sense to the reader.
However, when you are writing your essay, you should start with your argument, then write your introduction and finally your conclusion. Writing this way means that you know exactly what you are going to introduce and you can make sure that your introduction matches your conclusion and ties your ideas together.
Most essays end up looking pretty similar but while this is a bit boring, in academia, it’s a sign that you are doing the right thing!
Organizing Your Argument
When you are trying to explain a complex idea, it is all too easy to get tangled up in your argument. The best advice is to start at the beginning and work from there. So, what is the first piece of information you need to give to develop your point?
If you are still struggling, you might consider using another simple structuring device: point, evidence, explain. So, if I was writing an essay about how to write an essay, my first point would be that the structure is the first thing to think about. The evidence for this is that structure will make it easy to organize your ideas and improve readability. The explanation is that the most basic structure is the one that makes most sense to the reader.
Be Clear Not Smart
One of the main reasons that students struggle to write good essays is that they are too focused on sounding smart and not focused enough on being clear. Clarity is essential for any style of writing and is usually accomplished by using simple language and simple sentences. Clarity isn’t just important for essay writing and there are plenty of tips for marketers that are relevant here too.
Though it is always tempting to manipulate your language to make yourself sound smarter – especially when you aren’t sure of the subject you are writing on – avoiding this temptation will make you a much better writer and will probably get you a better score.
Practice writing essays on simple topics to get your style and then, when you tackle a more difficult subject, your structure will be there for you. It will take time, but you will get there!