how to improve your essay writing skills
TRANSCRIPT
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