How to Write a Good Essay
An essay is, by definition, a written piece of writing which delivers the author’s argument, but often the precise definition is extremely vague, encompassing all of these things. Essays used to be sub-divided into both formal and informal categories. Formal essay is designed to deliver well-defined and precise information. Informal essay is generally more free-flowing, often dealing with feelings and emotions more so than logic and information.
One way to classify essays is to look at them as two items. The writer creates one piece of content, which is the essay itself. Then, as the writer must make certain the audience understands what he/she is attempting to say, the second piece of content is inserted into the first. In this way, essays are more than simply a collection of words on a page. In order to effectively communicate his/her ideas to the reader, the writer must make certain the two items being presented are meant to be seen together.
In order to properly express oneself, the essay writer must know how his/her readers will interpret his/her work. This requires understanding what types of language will be accepted and what types of language will not be accepted, as well as how the reader will compose his/her essay. Essays should be constructed as a form of art, with proper grammar, structure, sentence type, punctuation, formatting, etc., all utilized to express the writer’s thoughts in a meaningful and memorable format. As such, essays should be written in the same manner as one would write a creative work of literature.
When composing an essay that contains expository material, the writer must see to it that the essay will present scientific or technical facts in a meaningful manner. A good expository essay always begins with a study of the background of the expository subject matter, as well as a personal perspective on the matter at hand. One should never start an essay with an expository purpose if the essay has no bearing on the author’s opinion or point of view. In order for an essay to be successful, both the author and the reader must agree on the intended meaning.
An essay should also be written in a style that is clear, concise, and organized. To accomplish this, the writer should write several different drafts of the essay. Each draft should contain all of the necessary information for proving the expository essay’s points. If there are any inconsistencies between the first and second drafts, the essay should be changed. Being consistent from start to finish also helps a reader to determine whether to believe the writer or not.
The introduction paragraph of an essay is the most important part of the entire essay, as it introduces the topic and the overall theme or direction of the entire essay. The author may choose to begin his/her essay with a personal expository purpose, the thesis statement, or even an overview of the author’s point of view. Regardless of which format the author chooses to begin his/her essay, it should always begin with a clear statement of the purpose of the essay. The introduction paragraph should be logical and obvious, yet should still be brief enough so that the reader is able to follow the body of the essay easily. The body paragraphs of the essay should contain three to five sentences that expand on the main ideas of the essay.
