How to structure your essay
An introductory paragraph briefly introduces the chosen topic by providing readers with your broad overview of important points and what your essay will be all about. Use this helpful introduction essay checklist. Start this section with your overall statement that will act as a topic sentence while offering a general discussion that leads to your thesis in the end.- Don’t explain intentions explicitly.
- Pick any thesis that your essay can support.
A helpful checklist for the main body
This section develops your outlined argument in the beginning, use this clear essay checklist to write and edit it effectively.- Use topic sentences. They provide a brief summary of the main idea and purpose of writing each body paragraph.
- Support every claim. Everything you write in a paragraph after a topic sentence should support or explain it while providing readers with strong evidence to support it. Quote reputable sources or cite specific works and find evidence in a number of sources, like case studies, facts, quotes, opinions, citations from articles, books, and sites.
- Make a transition to the next point. Concluding sentences are both hooks and transitions into the next section of your academic paper to give it more logical flow.
- Support and discuss a different idea in each paragraph. Its topic sentence can help organize important ideas and let readers know its meaning and purpose.
A checklist for a winning conclusion
A conclusion starts specific and becomes general. It’s the main difference from an introduction, and it also ties all major ideas together while bringing your essay to its culmination. It offers an overall discussion of major findings and shows the audience what you accomplished, uses this essay writing checklist to write a powerful conclusion.- Restate a thesis. Unlike an introduction, a conclusion starts specific and ends more general, and its basic purpose is to tie a list of your ideas together and bring your writing to its logical close.
- Discuss all findings based on your evidence and research.
- Don’t introduce anything new. The main point is to summarize and wrap up everything, not to confuse the audience by offering new facts or proofs.
- End your essay on a high note. Use different ways to do that, such as stating a call to action, giving suggestions for any future research, asking questions, or sharing quotes.
The importance of your bibliography
A works cited page or a bibliography is a list of your references in essays, and it can be either numbered or alphabetized based on the formatting style you use. The most common formats include MLA and APA. There are many other styles, so ask your instructors about university requirements to avoid making a huge mistake that may cost you marks. Ensure that all in-text citations and references are consistent and correct.General academic writing tips
Start writing your paper early
It’s easier to brainstorm and organize interesting ideas when you aren’t short of time and can research everything better. Avoid procrastination and ease this task.Select a good topic
Tutors are likely to give you a number of suitable topics to choose the best subject to write about, but you should refine it based on assignment instructions. Choose something you like or something you don’t know anything to learn along the way and improve your writing.Use different sources of information
You aren’t limited when looking for reliable and updated sources to use in your essay, including journal articles, books, the Internet, interviews, research studies, and others. Take notes to cite them all correctly and add to a bibliography.Brainstorm ideas and mind mapping
A mind map is a top educational technology trend that will not go away anytime soon. It's a diagram or a checklist that can help you organize all ideas and understand their existing connections visually. Your target is to develop the thesis that embodies the direction, meaning, purpose, and focus of your essay.Don’t plagiarize
It’s one of the biggest mistakes that students can make, so cite your paper, give credit where needed, learn basic rules to avoid plagiarism, avoid taking credit for other people’s ideas or thoughts and never forget about paper editing.Create a rough outline of all points and sections
Write down all useful or unique ideas to organize your thinking and understand what you should change, add, or improve. Provide strong evidence to support ideas. Every paragraph should contain an original idea, but you should support it with powerful information to make it credible and submit a good essay.Need help? Ask Us!