How to Write an Essay

essay

An essay is a piece of writing, typically of a grammatical or rhetorical nature. The term “essay” is a bit ambiguous, as it overlaps with other terms, such as article, paper, and pamphlet. Here are a few things to remember when writing an essay. You may need to do some research. Once you have the basics down, you’ll be well on your way to writing a winning essay.

First, you should brainstorm. Brainstorm a list of topics and eliminate the ones that are difficult, irrelevant, challenging, or uninteresting. You can then choose from the list of topics that interest you the most. Make a short list of possible essay topics, and begin writing. Once you’ve narrowed down your topics, you’ll have a clearer idea of what you’d like to write about. If you don’t have a topic in mind, brainstorm some others.

An essay can range from a few pages to a book. They can be informal or formal, but the best ones convey a message without research. Essays are usually shorter, less systematic, and less formal than dissertations, and they deal with a narrower perspective. Moreover, they’re more likely to focus on a single topic and express an author’s point of view. In addition to writing in an informal manner, literary essayists often aim to communicate their ideas in an engaging, informal style.

Another type of essay is a descriptive one. Descriptive essays describe a particular object or event in great detail. They are good for assessing your ability to use language in an imaginative way. While they may be loosely structured, they should always begin by introducing the object to be described and end by drawing a broad picture of that object. Make sure to use careful word choices and use figurative language throughout your essay. Here’s a sample of a descriptive essay:

Your sources should be properly referenced. Listed sources should be double-spaced, with the first line of every paragraph indented one half inch. The font style should be Times New Roman 12 point. You should use Times New Roman or Arial for your text. You should also set your margins one inch on all sides. When citing an article or database, be sure to include the author’s last name, volume number, and publication date.

Persuasive essays aim to convince readers to adopt a particular point of view. Although you must consider both sides of an argument, the overall goal of a persuasive essay is to persuade the reader that the writer’s point of view holds more weight than the other. It’s important to remember that a persuasive essay requires strong persuasive language. You can make the reader feel as if you’re a part of a larger group or are speaking directly to a single individual.