Writing your essay

Introduction 

Start by writing a strong introduction, which needs to give a short overview of your topic, state the problem or tell the reader/listener the first point of the argument. 

The introduction should outline your key ideas and hook the reader. 

Some writers like to start the introduction with a rhetorical question. For example, an essay arguing to stop animal cruelty may start with, do I think animal cruelty is nasty? Yes, I think it is. 

Although, be careful that you’re not misunderstood. 

Note: You don’t have to start writing your essay from the introduction. If you find it easier, write down the whole essay, and then write the introduction. 

Tips for writing a brilliant introduction:

• Make the first sentence, or first few lines engaging and intriguing. This will make the reader/listener interested in what you’re about to say. 
• Make sure that your introduction is relevant to the rest of your essay. Don’t go off topic, and concentrate on what message you want to pass on. 
• Make the reader/listener feel a certain emotion in the introduction. For example, an essay about stopping animal cruelty should first make the reader/listener feel sympathetic towards the animals. 
• Don’t repeat the same words or sentences over and over. This can make your introduction very dull and tedious. 
• Keep your introduction short and focused on the topic. 
• Avoid using the popular phrase ‘In this essay I’m going to write about …’ 

Using evidence in your essay

A strong essay should provide proof for your points and back up your statements. 

Your essay will be much more convincing with evidence for all of your ideas. 

Make sure your evidence comes from a reliable source, the evidence also needs to be relevant and connected to the point. 

If you’re writing a literary essay, then use quotations from the text given. 

Note: Wikipedia articles are not considered appropriate for collecting reliable evidence or for academic writing. 

When writing your essay…. 

• Feel free to use words and phrases such as moreover; in addition; on the other hand; in light of… 
• Make your essay easy to read
• Use advanced vocabulary 
• Give statistics, relevant data and information on the topic
• Your strongest points should be in the first and last paragraphs
• Present your argument in detail
• Keep it interesting all the way through 

Taking breaks

After drafting your essay, don’t hesitate to take a break. This way, you can come back to it with a fresh perspective. 

So, if possible, put away your essay, come back after 1-2 days, and edit all your mistakes, or rewrite what you want. 

Common mistakes made when writing an essay:

• Not having enough facts
• Writing long and confusing sentences 
• Plagiarism 
• Forgetting, or being to lazy to proofread
• Forgetting to use quotes or references
• Using clichés and overused idioms
• Word repetition 
• Spelling mistakes 

Conclusion 

You can use phrases such as, 

• Finally 
• Lastly
• In summary 
• To conclude 
• In conclusion 

Tips for writing an essay conclusion:

• Don’t bring up any new points or ideas
• Give readers/listeners something they’ll remember or think about after reading your essay
• Include a brief summary of your points
• Avoid repetition 
• Don’t make your conclusion too long
• Use the word you to engage with the reader/listener, such as, and are you going do something about it? 

Last tips for writing an essay:

1. Don’t use long, boring sentences
2. Become very familiar with the topic before writing about it
3. Understand your essay
4. Make your conclusion and introduction powerful 
5. Presentation is important, make sure your handwriting is neat and tidy and clear to read

Remember, essay writing doesn’t need to be boring, take breaks, be creative and have fun!

Stay safe,