How To Write An Essay

Essays can range from being five paragraphs to twenty pages or more, covering any topic, whether it"s what you learned from your dog, or why societies become hierarchies. What all essays have in common, however, is that they must stay true to the roots of the word "essay" which derives from the French infinitive essayer, meaning "to try" or "to attempt". An essay is essentially your attempt to explain your point of view, and a skillfully written essay is clear, illuminating and informative.

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      Define the context. If the essay is assigned, certain parameters will usually be defined for you, such as the length of the essay, format of the title page, and the intended audience (e.g. your teacher, an admissions committee, a cheating website) and what length is appropriate. No matter what, if you"re given directions, follow them. A brilliant essay might still fail to get its point across if it doesn"t follow the rules. Remember, the main point is what you should concentrate on.

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      Choose a topic. Often this will be decided for you, but if not, try to choose something you"re interested in or, better yet, passionate about. It will make the essay easier to write. On the other hand you could choose a stand you disagree with because it will allow you to see flaws in your argument more easily. You can also think of your thesis statement at this point, but it shouldn"t be set in stone since it may be elaborated or changed as you do your research in the next step. A thesis statement is what your essay is attempting to explain and prove. Make sure your thesis statement explains everything you will talk about in the essay. It should also be no longer than 1 sentence. You can brainstorm a few different thesis statements and use them to guide your research. Some examples:...