How to write an essay

If you're a student, odds are you'll have to write an essay at some point but this type of academic writing doesn't have to be daunting. To achieve top grades discover how to compose a well-written essay

You might think you know how to write a good essay from your time at school but writing an essay at undergraduate level is a whole new ball game. Proper planning can lead to higher marks, with lecturers welcoming a logical structure that clearly demonstrates your understanding of the subject.

Quick tips for writing an essay

Understand the question.
Research and gather helpful resources.
Put together an essay plan.
Write the essay.
Tackle the introduction and conclusion.
Review what you've written.

A guide to writing a good university essay

Understand the question

The first step in tackling an essay is to make sure that you understand what is being asked of you.

Read and re-read the essay question. Break it down into its component parts and pay particular attention to instruction words, for example, 'explain', 'discuss', 'outline' - what do these mean in practice? What are you being asked to do? Be aware that essays take several different forms and a 'compare and contrast' essay requires a different approach to an analytical ('analyse') or argumentative ('critically examine') essay.

For instance, the question, 'Compare and contrast the representation of masculinity in two James Bond films from the 1960s and 2000s', can be classified like this:

instruction (i.e. compare and contrast)
topic (i.e. the representation of masculinity)
focus (i.e. in two James Bond films)
further information (i.e. from the 1960s and 2000s).
Ask yourself:
What is significant about the question and its topic?
What existing knowledge do you have that will help you answer this question?
What do you need to find out?
How are you going to successfully address this question?
What logical sequence will your ideas appear in?

If you still don't understand the question or the complexity of the response expected from you, don't be afraid to ask for clarification from your lecturer or tutor if you need it. If you have questions, speak up when the essay is set rather than leaving it too late.

Gather resources

With so much information available, it's vital that you only look for directly relevant material when researching. Decide where the gaps in your knowledge and understanding are, and identify the areas where you need more supporting evidence. Make a list of keywords that describe the topic and use them to search with.

Useful resources include:

course material
lecture notes
library books
journal articles
websites.

Engage in active reading and keep organised with effective note-taking. Once you've done your research, create a mind map. Carefully note the key theories, information and quotes that will help you to answer all components of the question. Consider grouping these into three or four main themes, including only the most significant points. You must be ruthless and exclude ideas that don't fit in seamlessly with your essay's focus.

Create an essay plan

When you have an idea of the points you're going to address in your essay, and a rough idea of the order in which these will appear, you're ready to start planning.

'There is no right way to do this, some people go straight into the work with minimal planning, while others spend a lot of time on planning,' says Liv Jonassen, academic skills team manager at Newcastle University. 'Writing is a process, with three main parts- planning, drafting and editing - the general rule is that if you don't spend much time planning, then you'll need more time editing.'

There are two main types of essay plans:

Linear plans听- useful for essays requiring a rigid structure. They provide a chronological breakdown of the key points you're going to address.
Tabular plans听- best for comparative assignments. You'll be able to better visualise how the points you're contrasting differ across several aspects.

Scrutinise the notes you've already made - including those from your evaluation of relevant materials from your literature search - and ensure they're placed into a logical order.

There are different approaches to planning an essay. Some students might prefer a step-by-step, structured approach, while others might find it helpful to begin in a more fluid way - jotting down keywords and ideas that they later develop into a more structured working plan.听Essay planning can take several forms - for example, you might try a mind map, a collage, or use headings. You might prefer to plan in written form or online. You'll also turn ideas over in your head - just remember to jot down these insights.

Write clearly and concisely

Most university essays are set with a word count and deadline in place. It's therefore important that you don't waste time or words on waffle. You need to write clearly and concisely and ensure that every sentence and paragraph works towards answering the essay question.

'Just start writing - the process is iterative with lots of back and forth, but getting rough ideas on the page is the best starting point,' advises Liv. 'The myth of people writing a perfect essay the first time is just that - a myth.'

So aim to write a first draft where you cover everything in your plan, 'reassure yourself that no one will see this, so it doesn't matter if it is messy,' adds Liv. You can then refine and edit this in your second draft.

Make sure you address all parts of the essay question. Also consider elements such as the level of critical thinking and whether it's written in a suitable style.

One of the most important elements of essay writing is ensuring that your assignment has a logical storyline. Make sure no idea is coming out of the blue and that the discussion flows logically.

Also consider your method of referencing. Some institutions specify a preferred citation style, such as The Harvard System. Whatever referencing system you're using ensure that you're doing so correctly to avoid plagiarism. It should go without saying that your writing needs to be your own.

'At the editing stage we suggest students edit in layers, so look at the overall structure first, then the analysis and then the style. This makes the process much more manageable,' says Liv.

If you need help, turn to your tutors and your peers. It's tempting with new and emerging AI technology to turn to these resources, and while they can be useful for idea generation, planning and proofreading the responses they provide aren't always reliable, factually correct or referenced properly. Some universities advise you to avoid these resources altogether.

Carefully consider the introduction and conclusion

Starting an essay and writing an impactful conclusion are often the trickiest parts.

It can be useful to outline your introduction during the early stages of writing your essay. You can then use this as a frame of reference for your writing. If you adopt this approach be aware that your ideas will likely develop or change as you write, so remember to revisit and review your introduction in later stages to ensure it reflects the content of your final essay.

While the conclusion may not be the first thing you write, it's still helpful to consider the end point of your essay early on, so that you develop a clear and consistent argument. The conclusion needs to do justice to your essay, as it will leave the greatest impression on your reader.

On the other hand, if you're unsure what shape your argument may take, it's best to leave both your introduction and conclusion until last.

Evaluate what you've written

Once you've written and edited your essay, leave it alone for a couple of days. Return to it with fresh eyes and give it a final check.

Reading an essay out loud works well for some students, while swapping drafts with a classmate could also work.

Don't skip this step; final checks are important. This is when you can pick up on formatting and spelling errors and correct any referencing mistakes. You should:

check that your introduction provides a clear purpose for your essay
ensure that the conclusion provides a clear response to the essay question, summarising your key findings/argument
check the structure of your paragraphs for clear topic and link sentences. Are the paragraphs in a logical order with a clear and consistent line of argument that a reader can follow?
read your essay slowly and carefully. Writing has a rhythm - does it flow and is it correctly punctuated?
remove unnecessary repetition
review the examples and evidence you've used. Is there enough to support your argument?

'A successful essay answers the task set, there is a range of evidence and points are justified - there aren't generalisations and the reader doesn't have to ask 'why', because this will be made clear in the essay,' says Liv.

What to avoid when writing an essay

Plagiarism - the most important thing you should aim to avoid when writing your university essays. To do this, cite all of your sources and reference correctly.
Informal writing styles - steer clear of slang, colloquialisms, contractions ('don't', rather than 'do not'), grand generalisations ('everyone knows that鈥�'), gendered and overly emotional language.
Lack of evidence - make sure that all the statements, theories and ideas in your essay are backed up with evidence found during your research.
Waiting until the last minute to get started - don't leave essay writing until the last minute. Rushed essays rarely get good marks.
Failing to proofread - once you've finished writing it's tempting to consider your essay done just to get it ticked off your to-do list, but neglecting to check through and proofread is a mistake.
Ignoring feedback - if a lecturer or tutor offers to review a draft of your essay, don't pass up this opportunity to receive feedback and once you have the feedback, don't ignore it. Make any amends they suggest.