At some point in your college career, you’re going to be asked to write an essay, and while it might seem like a simple task, there are definitely some ways to improve your essay writing abilities so that you have an easier time putting your thoughts into writing. This ultimate guide to writing an essay as a college student will help ensure that you make the most of your time spent researching and writing your paper by providing you with tips on how to properly format your paper, how to use quotes effectively, and even how to use the MLA citation style for easy reference.
Understand the assignment
Every professor has different expectations when it comes to writing, so you’ll want to make sure you know exactly what’s expected of you. Take notes on any instructions during class and don’t hesitate to ask questions. The sooner you get clarity, the better equipped you’ll be when it comes time for writing day as the essay writer. (Roughly 80 percent of students say they have trouble understanding their professors’ requirements).
Research, Research, Research
There are two things you’ll need when researching your essay: books and articles. Books are typically used for longer, well-researched topics or if your professor or teacher asks you to use them. You can get by without using any books at all if it’s not required (and some topics don’t require any). Articles, on the other hand, are great for shorter papers because you can read several in less time than it would take to finish one book. It also helps if your topic is focused around current events or popular topics; those are easier to find in magazines and newspapers that frequently have short pieces written about them. Don’t forget: Not all publications have academic versions of their magazines that contain references, though!
Write your rough draft
When writing your rough draft, you want to spend less time planning what you are going to write and more time just letting it flow. The point of a rough draft is not whether it’s grammatically correct or even well written. The purpose of a rough draft is for you to get your ideas down on paper. So write fast! Don’t stop to think about what you’re doing; don’t try to make it perfect. Write in complete sentences if that makes sense for your essay, but don’t worry about capitalization or punctuation (unless you have a specific reason for using them). If you find yourself stuck because you can’t figure out how to say something, skip that part and move on. You can always come back later and add it in when it occurs to you. Don’t worry about spelling either; spell check will take care of that later. Your goal at this stage is simply getting everything out onto paper so that your essay has structure. Once again: focus on speed! You’ll be able to go back later and edit things once they’re all laid out in front of you.
Revise, Edit, Proofread
Once you’ve finished writing your essay, it’s time to revise, edit and proofread. Most of us are so close to our own work that we find it difficult to spot errors; trust me when I say that even a short period of time away from your essay will reveal small mistakes and large flaws. Make sure you have at least one other person (a professional from grademiners) look over your work before submitting it—this can be another student, a parent or just someone who is willing and able.
Get Feedback
Before you start writing, make sure that you’ve done your research and that your topic is one that really interests you. Most important, though, is making sure you get feedback from others before submitting anything. Talk to a few people who are experts in your field of study from here https://urbanmatter.com/top-paper-writers-in-2022-for-any-academic-level-and-subject/. Make sure what you’re writing is relatable and will appeal to professors or anyone else reading it—it’s also helpful to ask them if they see any errors with your writing or if there are certain concepts they feel like could be explained better. The more feedback you can get before even beginning your first draft, the better off (and less frustrated) you’ll be when it comes time for final edits!
