Luckily, there are essay writing methods! You just have to follow rules that are certainly quite strict but that offer a framework and will reassure you.
Here are some writing rules for writing an essay:
Any basic information the reader will need in order to make sense of your essay
A roadmap of how you will answer the question, with your main points and basic conclusion.
Tip: It’s often easier to write the roadmap part of the introduction at the end, when you know what your main points will be.
Rules for the body of the main paragraph
The main body of your essay will consist of several paragraphs; the number of paragraphs will depend on your word count and the complexity of your argument. Academic paragraphs are usually longer than expected and as a general rule one paragraph equals one point.
The paragraph should begin with a topic sentence that clearly states the point of the paragraph. This is usually the first sentence of the paragraph (although sometimes it can be the second sentence, the first being something that connects it to the previous paragraph).
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A good way to construct an essay is to write a list of your topics. This will allow you to see how the argument develops and where additional arguments are needed etc.
Evidence usually comes in the form of information from other sources such as books, academic journals or reputable websites. It can be a direct quote, but it’s usually best to write it in your own words. When providing information from other sources,
you must provide in-text citations that refer to your bibliography (or footnotes if you use). Evidence can also be your own data or your own experiences (especially in reflective essays).
The last section of the paragraph should be your own analysis of why the point is relevant to the essay. How does this help you answer the question? How does he develop your argument?
Rules for the conclusion
After doing your research and getting a feel for your main points, it’s often worth writing a very simple draft conclusion before writing the main body of your essay. It’s easier to plan a trip if you know where you’re going. This prevents you from going off on tangents, you can ask yourself “is this point relevant to my conclusion? If not, you can let it go!
Remember though that nothing is set in stone (yet) and you can adjust the conclusion if your argument develops as you plan your essay (or change it completely if you discover compelling conflicting information. during any further reading).
The conclusion must bring everything together. This should never be a surprise. It should flow from your main body arguments. There should be no new evidence (and therefore no need for citations) in your conclusion.
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