How to Write a Strong Essay: A List of Useful Tips

Essay writing should be a fun and interesting activity, not a trial. If you still struggle with this task, use the following tips to learn how to write truly good papers:

• Jump right to the topic.

  You shouldn’t use phrases like “in this essay I will tell you about”. Just start by explaining the essay’s main topic, providing a bit of background information, and writing a “hook” that will draw the reader’s attention. This can be an interesting fact, a controversial statement, or even a joke. You have to make the introduction catchy and interesting so people want to continue reading the essay.

• Generate a strong and precise thesis statement.

  Being vague and unspecific with your thesis statement is a huge mistake. It should clearly state the purpose of your paper. Use as many words as necessary to explain everything, but do not elaborate too much.

• Be consistent with your position throughout the paper.

  You need to choose a side from the first sentences of the essay, and make sure that the point of view remains unchanged. This is especially important in argumentative papers because if your stance isn’t strong on every argument, your opponents will be able to use this against you.

• If you use terms, be consistent with them.

  There are many ways to call certain things. However, if you need to introduce some terms in your essay, you should stick with only one name. Explaining that something can be called another name every few sentences will make the paper look cluttered and unprofessional.

• Entertain the readers and make them emotionally engaged.

  Some types of essays make this very difficult to do, since it’s hard to get someone emotionally involved in recounting an experiment. In this case, you should try to keep the readers’ attention by presenting facts and statistics that will interest them.

In personal narratives and similar essays, you should let your writing style be light and engaging. Use humor and emotions to make the story more entertaining.

• Be consistent with your use of tenses.

  Good grammar is mandatory for any essay. You need to be consistent with the grammatical structures you use in the paper in order to maintain its style perfectly and make it look more professional.

• Follow the instructions.

  The instructions given to you by the professor usually contain a great deal of helpful hints. You need to study them very carefully and make sure that the paper you write meets every single one of the requirements. If some of them are unclear to you, consult your professor.