How to Write a Good Academic Essay?

By  //  November 26, 2022

The truth is that when we talk about writing a college essay, we may feel like running away because of the complexity we think it may have. The truth is that the basis of everything is the knowledge you have about the subject and that everything is always well supported; the rest has no reason to worry. 

In this article, we are going to tell you everything you need to know about writing an essay so that you can do well in your subject. 

What is an essay?

Before telling you some tips, it is important to know what an essay is. We are talking about a type of text that is written in prose and is usually expository and argumentative.

This allows the author to reflect, analyze the subject and evaluate the topic they have chosen. What this literary genre does is that it deals in a subjective way with all the subject matter and has a completely free format.

We have already seen that the essay has a free form, as well as very rigorous information, and is usually always checked in order to formulate your argument. 

Tips for writing a successful essay

The truth is that when we talk about an essay, we don’t just mean sitting down at the computer and starting to write. The truth is that it has many things that go beyond that, and here we are going to give you some tips to make it perfect. 

Choose an interesting topic

The truth is that many teachers usually leave the topic to the student’s decision. Hence, it is essential that when you choose one, it should be very interesting and allow you to investigate it without any problem. Another thing you can do to enrich your research is to place authors who support the topic you are working on.

Not only can you work with authors, but you should also start using the APA format to be able to cite the bibliography you decide to use. 

Choose a reliable source

It is of utmost importance that you use sources that are reliable; you can use journals that have academic articles or books, whether they are printed or digital.

You can also access websites to be sure that all the information has a good scientific foundation and that it also has bibliographic references that are formal and reliable. 

Do enough research

You may think that this point is superfluous, but the truth is that it will always be important to comment on and highlight it. Many students end up copying and pasting what they get on the Internet, not taking the trouble to write it in their own words.

We are not only talking about school papers but also about university papers. 

It is also important to study the topic well in order to know which information is deficient and which is correct. For that reason, it is of utmost importance that you can research not only in digital media but also in newspaper libraries and libraries. 

Study other essays on the same topic

You can also decide to look at other articles that deal with the same topic; that’s why you should read them very carefully and review the content. Not only should you evaluate the style and the way in which the author has planted the idea, but also the way in which he has decided to develop it.

You can rely on all this, but the important thing is to avoid plagiarism at all costs and always be honest. 

Respect the basic structure

We all know that any kind of essay has a basic structure. We are talking about the introduction, development, conclusion, and annexes or bibliography. 

When we talk about an index, we refer to the subjects, the names of the contents that are in a publication, the chapters, and other publications; this also adds the number of pages that should appear (which are placed at the beginning or at the end of the essay). 

When we talk about the introduction, we can say that it should be very brief, but the truth is that this will depend on the length and the way you decide to write the text.

The purpose of this is to introduce the reader to the topic to be covered in the article. The truth is that it is like a kind of outline, and the reader is informed of what has been said so far.

Now let’s talk a little bit about the development; we refer to the whole body of the essay, nothing more and nothing less than all of it. This part is where you should place all the arguments that will support the hypothesis. Remember how important it is to include quotations, sources, and references because all this will give great veracity to all your work.

When we talk about the conclusion, we are referring to the final part. That is where we will be able to make the recapitulation of the main lines of argument that a line from the hypothesis will guide, and that, in the end, allows us to have the opportunity to give our point of view or the final resolution of the topic. 

Almost all essays include a bibliography at the end. In a few words, we refer to the bibliographic sources that are used as a good theoretical foundation that can be taken from magazines, books, e-books, websites, as well as any type of image and photography that can function as a good support.

The absence of a bibliography may cast a shadow of suspicion on you, as you may be accused of plagiarism. Therefore, a list of resources from where you got the information for your essay is essential.

Without it, you just stole this information. It would also be logical to mention that, in addition to direct quotations, the rest of the text should be written by you, again, so that there are no accusations of plagiarism. An important thought is always worth remembering: “No one will write my essay for me.”

A great tip is to try to be as brief as possible, and it is important that there is coherence, that you are precise, and that you avoid at all costs writing a text that is too long.

Do not try to exhaust all the possibilities of a topic; what you have to do is try to focus on a single part. In addition, it is also important that each paragraph has between 4 to 10 lines; you can not have more because otherwise, the reader will be stunned and may end up getting lost. 

Support yourself with some connectors for writing

The truth is that many connectors can work for you when writing. The point is that you should use them with a lot of dynamism, so you will be able to capture the reader’s attention. You can use: maybe, in this way, in such a case, that is why, as a starting point, on the other hand, it is evident, consequently, in conclusion, to finish, etc. 

Essay characteristics

Here are the main characteristics of the essay: 

■ It is written in prose and what it does is that it addresses a topic that the author has chosen because it is significant. 

■ The purpose of an essay is to be able to express all the ideas that the author has as he explores the whole topic and puts the points of view and opinions that he has of this particular topic. It can be a bit persuasive, but the truth is that it is purely argumentative. 

■ The way you approach the topic should be very clear and not too broad; you have to be as specific as possible. 

■ The truth is that the topic is free. You can write about a wide range of subjects, and it can be about economics, politics, philosophy, or literature. 

■ In general, it is always written for academic purposes or to add more knowledge to a specific area.

■ It is part of a literary genre that belongs to didactics, which is linked to the miscellaneous, the dissertation, or the epistle.

■ The structure has to be flexible, and this is because the author approaches the topic in a freeway that generates interest in the readers. In the same way, an essay has an introduction, a knot, and a denouement.  

■ The length of the essay is variable, it can be a few pages, or it can be a complete book.

■ It is aimed at a varied and wide audience, which is why simple words are used and that anyone can understand them; the writing should not be complex at all. 

Types of essays

The essay is generally classified according to the area of knowledge to which it belongs, as well as the methodology used in its writing: 

Literary essay: we are talking about an essay that uses literary resources to address the author’s point of view on some topic that is determined in the field of literature. We are talking about a work that is detailed and completely subjective. 

Scientific essay: we are talking about an essay where the author offers his position and opinion on this topic or on any topic within the area of science. Generally, it includes objective information that is proven with clear and precise arguments. 

Academic essay: this type of essay is done in the intellectual, university, and school communities. Generally, the vocabulary used is formal, expository, and methodological. 

Sociological essay: we refer to the essay that deals with a subject in the sociology field. Generally, the author uses quite clear information, which is checked, as well as offers his reflections and opinions on the subject.

Historical essay: this type of essay deals with everything that has to do with the field of history. In this, the author offers information about the topic that is of interest, as well as his arguments and reflections. 

Expository essay: this is an essay in which the author seeks to make known or explain in a clear and detailed way all the subject matter so that the reader can understand it. The purpose of this essay is not to offer the author’s opinions on the subject or arguments. 

Descriptive essay: now we are talking about a type of essay where the author describes in detail a certain element or situation. It can be a place or a thing. The truth is that it is a completely subjective essay where the author gives his point of view or the look of what he is describing. 

Parts of an essay

In this part of the article, we are going to talk specifically about the parts of an essay so that you have a clearer idea of how to write an essay. The truth is that there is no universal or unique way in which an essay can be structured, but in general, it is always composed of the following three parts: 

Introduction: now we are talking about the parts of the essay where the bases are made, the context is talked about, and there are some minimum concepts so that the reader can know about the topic that is going to be talked about and the point of view of the writing. Every introduction goes at the beginning of the essay, and that is why it has to be very brief as well as explanatory. 

Knot or development: this is the part of the essay where the main ideas of the topic are placed, as well as where the author’s positions or points of view are argued or given. 

Closing or conclusion: in this part of the essay, the reader can know all the final interpretations of everything that was said in the essay. It can be said that everything is summarized or that, in general, some points that are considered vital are touched on again, as well as the author’s position.