| As you probably are already aware, to achieve any | | | | muddle through trying to find the relevant information |
| kind of decent grade in your college essay you will | | | | as you went along. |
| need to be able to produce one that satisfies certain | | | | Once this is complete then you are ready to write a |
| requirements. Besides the actual knowledge needed | | | | draft version of the essay. At this stage it is |
| as it relates to the specific topic or area of expertise | | | | important to focus on simply getting the argument |
| your success will be based upon ensuring that the | | | | down on paper. Do not worry about the finer details |
| essay is well written and demonstrates your ability to | | | | as these can be easily refined later on. So many |
| logically argue your point of view. This brief article will | | | | students procrastinate after they have done the |
| explore some of the considerations you should make | | | | research and the planning as they try to discover the |
| in order to write a good essay. | | | | perfect essay. Instead it is far more productive to |
| The first and perhaps most important step in writing | | | | just get something loosely related to the research |
| an essay is to give yourself enough time to complete | | | | written down. Follow the structure and write about |
| the task. This sounds simple enough, but it is | | | | each of the points that you have outlined. |
| remarkable how many students think that they have | | | | Write the essay in a clear format. The essay needs |
| enough time, but instead find themselves panicking as | | | | to have a clear defined introduction and then each of |
| the deadline looms because they have not given the | | | | the key points of your argument should be written in |
| essay enough time. It is better to have written the | | | | separate paragraphs. The conclusion is the most |
| essay with a week to spare then have to rush it | | | | important aspect of the entire essay as this is where |
| through whilst watching the clock with hours to go. | | | | you collate your argument and offer a viewpoint on |
| Despite what you might think, no-one writes well | | | | the question you initially posed in the introduction. |
| under pressure. | | | | The final consideration that you should make when |
| The next stage is the planning stage. This is | | | | writing a good essay is proofreading. Once you are |
| important because once you have mapped out the | | | | happy with the essay, it is vital that firstly you read |
| basic structure of your essay then you are able to | | | | through it to check for basic spelling and grammatical |
| more clearly define the arguments that will ultimately | | | | errors and that it also makes sense in the context of |
| create the core of the essay. So at this stage you | | | | the question. It is wise at this stage to always have |
| should spend time researching the relevant literature | | | | the original question in your mind as you are reading |
| and construct a coherent argument in response to | | | | and you should constantly ask yourself, is the essay |
| the essay question. | | | | answering the question? |
| Develop a skeleton outline of the argument by briefly | | | | It is also a good idea to ask a friend or relative to |
| writing down what each section of the essay aims to | | | | read the essay once it is complete. Often a second |
| discuss. This planning will also help you to complete | | | | point of view can help to highlight a problem that |
| the task much more quickly than if you were to | | | | may have been missed by the original writer. |