how to improve your essay writing skills

How to Improve Your

SkillsEssay Writing

Essay writing is

introduced as

early as high

school. After

which, it is a

recurring

requirement

especially at

university from

bachelors level to

masters with

coursework and

doctorate with

papers.

Throughout

such long span

of time, you will

be developing

your essay

writing skills.

With such time,

you can improve

your skills. You

should. You

must.

Here is how you can improve your essay writing skills.

Practice and Process

Practice makes perfect.

Process makes perfect.

Practice the process.

Practice makes

perfect. However,

there is not much

opportunity and time

to practice essay

writing. Nevertheless,

you have no choice but

to “grab” each essay

assignment as a

chance to practice

while you are at your

“actual performance.”

Hence, you must do

your best.

Practice

ProcessWhile you are

practising in your

actual performance,

you need to follow a

process. Essay writing

is a process. And

improving your essay

writing skills is also a

process.

Process of Improvement

Improvement means going from one level

to the next or higher level.

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3

Level 4

I don't

know the

correct

process of

essay

writing.

I know

the

correct

process of

essay

writing

but don't

follow it.

I follow the

correct

process of

essay writing

but is not able

to perform

well or not

able to produce

good output.

I am able to

perform well the

correct process

of essay writing

or able to

produce good

output.

Level 5

I excel at essay

writing (and

still would like

to improve

further).

Start by assessing your current skills.

Still, whatever the level of essay

writing skills you have, the correct

process of essay writing applies.

For Levels

2 to 5,

you need to

revisit the

correct process

and perform it

better.

For Level 1

skills,

you need to

know the

correct process

and perform it.

Know the correct process of essay writing.

know what to do – interpret the

question or select a topic

01 gather materials – research the

question or topic and take down

notes

02 narrow down – organise your

notes and choose points

you will include

03

present – write your essay and proofread it

05 finalise – outline your chosen points

and develop your thesis statement

from it

04

1. Know What To Do

Interpret the question

correctly to determine what you should do to be able to answer it.

If it is a topic that is given, determine the alternative ways that you can address or

talk about that topic and choose one that

you can do best.OR

If it is part of the task that you come up with your own topic

based on the specific topics you have covered in your course or

subject, you should select a topic and come up with a specific one.

To be able to do so, perform a broad research and choose or narrow down to a topic or two

which you have enough substantial materials and for

which you have enough interest and ability.

OR

2. Gather Materials

If a question, topic or title is given:

proceed to researching about it. First, determine the scope of the research that you

need to perform and identify potential materials or sources. When you read these materials, take down notes as you go along. Make them complete and correct. These notes will help you when you proceed to

choose from them what you will include and when you finally write your essay, its source

citations or references and bibliography.

2. Gather Materials

If the task of coming up with your own topic, title or question is included in your essay assignment:

conduct a broader but quicker preliminary research which purpose is to give you a

glimpse of the available materials for the topics you can choose from and for you to

better assess which of them you have enough interest and ability to write. Then select a topic or come up with what you will finally

write about.

Then, you can proceed to researching further the topic you have chosen or developed.

3. Narrow Down

After concluding your research, organise your

notes and choose the points you will

include.

4. Finalise

Outline your points into a logical sequence. It is

usually best to start with your strongest point.

Putting your strongest point at the last also has its

advantages.

Organise your chosen points into an outline.

Structure of

an Outline

Title

Introduction

Discussion Point No. 1

Discussion Point No. 2

Discussion Point No. 3

Conclusion

From your logically organised outline, derive or develop your thesis or

argument. It is also your conclusion. You will present your argument in

your essay's introduction in the form of thesis statement. And, you will also restate it in the conclusion.

5. Present

Write your essay. From the previous step, you already have an outline of the overall structure of your essay. You will follow this. The other aspect is how to write the actual

paragraphs. The sentences.

Write, write,

rewrite, review...

You have the computer or laptop. Just type anything and everything that comes into your mind. You can edit or change anyway. Usually, being too choosy of or afraid about

what to “say” or write ends up with writing nothing at all.

The goal of proofreading is to spot errors on typing (typographical), spelling, grammar and the like. Here are actions that achieve that goal:

Proofread

– Proofread your essay first thing

tomorrow, specifically that not after rewriting

any portion.

– Proofread it on a

printed / hard copy.

– Have it proofread by

a friend.

01 02 03

PRESENTED BY: essaywriter.co.uk

Remember, practice makes perfect. You can improve your essay writing skills with every assigned essay that you write. Know the essay writing process and

follow it. Repeat doing the whole process and do it better.

PRESENTED BY: essaywriter.co.uk