When you write a text or an essay you are constantly challening yourself. In fact, not only is an essay a way to test your knowledge about a particular topic, it is also a way to prove how well you express yourself and how you can value your ideas. In the UK, writing essays is a fundamental part of assessments at university. An essay has the same value as a written exam in an Italian university. In the course of my studies abroad, I have developed strategies that have helped me in writing essay as simply and effectively as possible. Here they are:
1. Write down your ideas
This first idea aims to clear your mind and get it ready for the writing part. Therefore, you can write down all the ideas that come to your mind in order to visualize them on paper and have a sense of what you want to include in your essay. This idea is useful even if you don't really know what to write. Do a research on the internet and write down everything your mind comes up with, either on paper or a Word document. I suggest you use short sentences and number them, unless you want to end up like Spongebob in the GIF. :) This system is great because if you feel that you've lost track of your themes while you're writing, your list will be ready to show you where you are in your writing and also what is left to say.
2. Do it one step at a time
When you have to write an essay, the temptation is to procrastinate, procrastinate and even more procrastinate until the day before submission comes and you still have only blank sheets of paper in front of you. You already know when you are supposed to finish this text so, if you can, don't leave it until the last minute.It's much easier to write a small part at a time, even just half an hour a day, than to do everything in a hurry in 24 hours and not even have time to proofread. Check how many words you have to write and divide them into days. For example, if your essay needs to be of 1000 words, write 250 for 4 days and you will have reached your goal in a short time.
3. Text cohesion and consistency
To give structure to the text and make it fluent and easy to read, use connectors. Connectors are words that serve to connect ideas to each other, to start paragraphs and to express a concept more effectively. Words such as therefore, while, however, in fact and nonetheless, to name a few. Not only are they great for showing that you know exactly what you're talking about and you're exaplining it properly, but they're also a trick for writing more words. If you don't know how to use these connectors, look them up in the dictionary and you'll have a better understanding. They'll give the text a very clean look and readers will appreciate it.
4. Paragraphs
I truly advise this with all my heart because I had to learn it at my own expense. In fact, I often wrote something potentially really good, but then I was penalized because I did not divide the text into paragraphs. Content is important but structure is also essential in order for you essay to be valid. Therefore, I really recommend dividing the text into paragraphs. The idea is that the text should be divided into introduction, thesis, antithesis and conclusion. Especially if you have more text to write and many ideas to articulate, dividing ideas into paragraphs following the advice 1 can make your life easier. You will write more easily because you will have a clearer idea of the points you are making, and so will the reader. Don't forget about bibliography, if required.
5. Give yourself some time before correction
Give yourself a day or two before submission so you can proofread the essay. Ask a friend or parent to go over it, to see if there are any errors and get an external opinion. In fact, when you are concentrated on writing, it is difficult to notice any mistake, especially grammar errors, because in your mind everything flows quickly as you read. Some people suggest reading the text backwards to see if there are grammar or spelling faults, but I can assure that reading it calmly and carefully saves you from any confusion. Make sure you check verbs, prepositions, puntuaction and words you may not be sure of. Finally, count the words again to see if you're there and arrange the division into paragraphs.
These were my tips for writing a good essay, I really hope you find them useful and keep going, exam period is coming to its end! Please share if you found this useful and have a good summer! I will see you soon on Lingueenee, the website for foreign language enthusiasts.
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