Writing an essay for the first time at the university level is intimidating. The step up from secondary education to higher education is great in size because while knowledge of the topic itself is expected, assessors require that the ability to construct an argument, engage critically with literature and articulate thoughts effectively is shown. Having understood this fundamental procedure once, it remains the same for virtually every topic and every essay at university. Here is how it is done.
Understand the Question Before Anything Else
One of the biggest mistakes that students make when writing their essays is that they do not answer the question set by the lecturer. Thus, prior to conducting research or even planning the work, one should understand precisely what the question requires. If it states "analyze", "evaluate", "compare", "critically discuss" and so forth, then all these words suggest a very specific way of addressing the question.
If there is uncertainty about the meaning of the question, then consultation with the lecturer will be useful.
Plan Before You Write
Starting to write without planning will most likely result in producing a poor-quality essay. An outline – even a simple list of main points in the required order – can add coherence to the essay structure even before you begin to write.
The usual essay structure in universities looks like this: an introductory part that introduces the topic of the essay and the thesis statement; several body paragraphs with arguments that support the thesis statement; a conclusion where all the major points are summarized without mere repetition. It is important to check whether all paragraphs relate to the thesis statement in some way – if a paragraph can be deleted without damaging the argumentation, it might as well be.
Build the Argument with Evidence
Essays written in universities are not personal opinions. Any statements that are made in an essay have to be supported by evidence from reliable sources – peer-reviewed journals, publications and reports, but not from any websites or blogs. When citing a source, do not just use a quote and forget about it; introduce the source, explain how it is relevant to the argument and connect it to your point. The analysis of evidence is what makes good university essays different from bad ones.
The majority of universities have research skills help in their libraries for students in need of university essay help on finding the relevant material or learning how to incorporate it into an argument.
Get Referencing Right from the Start
Referencing errors are among those university essay mistakes that get the greatest punishment and can be avoided quite easily. Find out what citation style is used in your department and stick to it all the way through your essay, including in-text citations and the reference list. Do not try to put off referencing until the very end; incorporate citations while writing your essay.
Write Clearly, Not Impressively
One of the typical mistakes made by freshmen is the attempt to sound academic rather than being able to express oneself clearly. Writing long sentences full of sophisticated vocabulary will never make a good impression on your marker. Try to imagine yourself talking to an educated person who knows nothing about your subject matter. Every time you have trouble understanding a sentence, make it simpler. There is no need in using such filler phrases as "it is interesting to note that".
Revise, Then Proofread
After the first draft is finished, take some time away from it before editing it. Taking some distance will make it much easier to notice the weaker arguments, the transitions, and other possible errors which you may have missed while writing the essay. Start with improving the content first — does it make sense? Was the evidence used effectively? — and only then move on to proofreading for any mistakes in the surface layer of your essay.
Reading your essay out loud will be one of the best methods to detect any awkward phrases, missing words, and other problems with your essay which silent reading won’t help you to find.
Conclusion
Writing a quality university essay is a skill that can be developed. There are five things that differentiate good essays from inconsistent essays and these are understanding the question, planning the essay structure, using the evidence, referencing the sources correctly, and editing.
