An essay is an analytic, interpretative or critical literary composition usually much shorter and less systematic and formal than a dissertation or thesis, dealing with its subject from a limited and often personal point of view.

The essay aims to make an argument or position on a topic interesting and accessible to real readers, not just to convey information or present an objective analysis of a situation. To accomplish this, the essay must be focused and clear and it should seek to engage and involve its readers in its ideas. An essay also needs to be persuasive, which involves addressing potential counterarguments. Finally, it needs to bolster its arguments with specific evidence and reasoning, utilizing scholarly sources to demonstrate an informed perspective on the topic.

Often the first step in writing an essay is creating an outline. This helps to keep the essay on track as it is being written and also provides a structure for the final draft. When creating an outline, it is important to be sure that the main topic or argument for the essay is clearly defined and articulated. Once the outline is complete, it is time to begin drafting the essay. In the drafting stage, it is important to resist the temptation to over-polish and focus instead on capturing the essence of the essay’s message. It is also a good idea to ask for feedback from peers to gain a fresh perspective and to identify areas for improvement.

In a body paragraph, the essay presents supporting evidence and reasoning to support its main argument. Typically, this evidence includes specific examples, facts, quotations, statistics and illustrations. In some cases, a brief summary of relevant scholarship can be included as well. Ideally, the information is presented in a logical order and is connected to the main argument with transition words such as “however,” “in addition to,” or “therefore.”

A descriptive essay uses vivid language to paint a picture for the reader. These essays can be organized by sense and often include details in each paragraph.

The conclusion is a short paragraph that brings the essay to a close. It can summarize the key points of the essay, but is generally not repeated as it would be redundant and boring for the reader. A great conclusion will leave the reader with something new to think about and something that connects with the theme of the essay.