How to Write an Academic Essay

Posted: October 5th, 2021

Academic essays are often formalised and written from a particular point of view. However, there are a number of general steps that can help you to write an effective essay on any subject.

Before You Start: Plan [ edit ]

Organise your thoughts by writing the main points of the thesis on a piece of paper first. Write them as short sentences or bullet points. This will ensure that you have covered all the necessary points before writing your essay. In some cases it may also be helpful to use mind-maps or graphic organisers. It is important not to just start straight off with writing out sentences as this could result in lack of cohesion and/or poor structure within paragraphs and sectionssee below). Also, if you plan your essay it will be easier to write and improve.

Introduction [ edit ]

Ensure that the introduction is correctly written and has an impact on the reader and sets out information about:

– What you’ve researched/what you’re going to research

– Key terms or concepts (highlighted in bold)

– Your argument – main point(s) of your piece of writing (thesis statement, overall claim)

– Introduce any factors such as key theorists, debates, topics used by others etc. which might be useful for readers who do not have a background in the subject area covered by your essay. Try not to use jargon or refer to specific pieces of work unless it’s absolutely necessary.

The introduction should now explain your research, backing it up with backing from other academics in the field. Make sure you are clear about the purpose of the essay, what angle you are taking and why you think it’s important to take this approach (for example, if discussing an issue which hasn’t been looked at before). Finish off by showing your overall point/thesis statement (see below for more information) or description of how you plan to argue your case.

Researching Your Topic [ edit ]

Ensure that the main body of your essay is well researched and supported with evidence (including key academic theories/research findings etc.) If your essay topic requires looking at factors such as background history, writers who have previously researched the topic, key political events etc., make sure these are included.

Using evidence (for example quotes or references) will help you to back up your argument and provide clarity for the reader. Ensure that this is used in a way which enhances understanding of particular points rather than just being piled up at random or being used as padding. A useful tip for referencing is also include some form of annotation within the text itself so that readers can find where important pieces of information are sourced from once they have finished reading.

The use of subheadings helps send a clear message to readers about how the essay has been sectioned – this makes it easier to read and see how topics are connected. For example, if discussing school dress codes you might have subheadings for “gender”, “race” and “class”. The use of subheadings are also useful if you’re looking at a very large or complicated topic.

Conclusion [ edit ]

The conclusion should show the reader that your argument has been thoroughly considered by looking back over the main points which you have made in the body of your essay. It is useful to restate some key points which you have previously mentioned, but avoid using any jargon unless it’s absolutely necessary. Try to sum up what you’ve written about, avoiding simple repetition. You can also try to discuss how these issues could be improved or suggest further areas where research could be carried out. If appropriate, thank people who helped with information etc.

What Is an Academic Essay?

An academic essay is written for a variety of purposes and audiences. While an essay can take many forms, it is usually a formal piece of writing with an argument made through deductive reasoning.

An academic essay can be used to express agreement or disagreement, to explore the validity of a topic, or to persuade readers. Academics frequently use essays as a part of assessments such as exams and presentations. The first step in writing an academic essay is determining the audience and purpose for which you are writing.

In order to write an effective paper, one must consider his or her topic carefully before beginning the process because all other decisions hinge on this choice. A strong introduction will make your reader want to read further while a weak one risks losing the audience’s interest.

Once the topic is chosen, it should be carefully researched to support the claims made in the paper. The body must provide evidence for these claims while still remaining concise and interesting for your readers. Once the main points are arranged into a logical order, one can conclude by restating his or her thesis statement along with detailing points that were either proven false or left unanswered.

An essay should avoid using vague language as well as passive voice whenever possible. Instead of saying “this paper will argue,” try to phrase it as “I argue.” This will make your text bolder and more direct without sacrificing clarity or meaning. A final word of advice: always proofread your work before submitting it! Spelling mistakes, awkward sentence structure, and incorrect facts can lead to poor grades.

An academic essay is written for a variety of purposes and audiences. While an essay can take many forms, it is usually a formal piece of writing with an argument made through deductive reasoning that follows three general parts: introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Academics frequently use essays as part of assessment such as exams or presentations. The first step in writing an academic essay is determining the audience and purpose for which you are writing. In order to write an effective paper, one must consider his or her topic carefully before beginning the process because all other decisions hinge on this choice. A strong introduction will make your reader want to read further while a weak one risks losing the audience’s interest. Once the topic is chosen, it should be carefully researched to support the claims made in the paper. The body must provide evidence for these claims while still remaining concise and interesting for your readers. Once the main points are arranged into a logical order, one can conclude by restating his or her thesis statement along with detailing points that were either proven false or left unanswered. An essay should avoid using vague language as well as passive voice whenever possible instead of saying “this paper will argue” try to phrase it as “I argue” this will make your text bolder and more direct without sacrificing clarity or meaning. A final word of advice always proofread your work before submitting it! Spelling mistakes, awkward sentence structure, and incorrect facts can lead to poor grades.

An academic essay is a written composition that discusses a particular topic in a factual and persuasive manner. They take many forms, but there are three general parts to an effective academic essay: introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. The first step in writing an academic essay is determining the audience and purpose for which you are writing. In order to write an effective paper, one must consider their topic carefully before beginning the process because all other decisions hinge on this choice. A strong introduction will make your reader want to read further while a weak one risks losing the audience’s interest. Once the topic is chosen, it should be carefully researched to support the claims made in the paper. The body must provide evidence for these claims while still remaining concise and interesting for your readers. Once the main points are arranged into a logical order, one can conclude by restating his or her thesis statement along with detailing points that were either proven false or left unanswered. An essay should avoid using vague language as well as passive voice whenever possible instead of saying “this paper will argue” try to phrase it as “I argue” this will make your text bolder and more direct without sacrificing clarity or meaning. A final word of advice always proofread your work before submitting it! Spelling mistakes, awkward sentence structure, and incorrect facts can lead to poor grades.

Types of Academic Essays

A summarizing essay is one in which the writer takes a larger work and condenses it. This type of essay will often times include quotes from the original material, as well as paraphrasing. The main purpose of this academic essay is to shorten the length and focus on the essential points of an original source without losing its meaning.

Summarizing essays must be concise yet thorough, with a clear thesis statement that captures attention and presents a plan for what content should be included in the finished product. This type of paper evaluates other sources, rather than evaluating itself or giving new opinions or theories about a topic. Often times this academic writing assignment is paired with another reading assignment, where students are given either primary documents to base their essays on or secondary sources, such as other books and articles.

Summarizing Essay Examples:

1) “A Comparative Analysis of Juvenile Justice Systems in the United States and Germany”

2) “Descartes and Descendants: A Brief Introduction to Cartesian Philosophy”

Argumentative Essay

In an argumentative essay, a writer analyzes a particular topic from different points of view by providing evidence from primary sources that support not only his/her opinion but also any counterarguments. The writer then must refute those counterarguments with sound reasoning that backs up his/her own claims. In this type of paper, there should be a clear stance taken by the author regarding certain issues with convincing evidence that backs up his/her argument.

Argumentative Essays can also be used to persuade readers into taking a side, though the writer’s own opinion or stance should not be made clear from the beginning of the paper. In order to better communicate their message, argumentative essay writers must remain unbiased and present both sides of an issue equally well. In many cases, this type of writing assignment is paired with another reading assignment where students are given primary sources as well as secondary sources such as articles or books written on related topics, in order to provide a more rounded view on the topic at hand. When doing research for an argumentative essay, one needs to make sure they use reputable sources and cite them accordingly using a system such as MLA format.

Argumentative Essay Examples:

1) “The Death Penalty: Cruel and Unusual Punishment or Humane Alternative to Incarceration?” by Eric R. Johnson

2) “Is Deforestation a Major Contributor to Global Warming?” by Joshua Casteel

Expository/Informative Essay

This type of essay is both informative and expository, meaning that the writer must explain an idea or concept using reasoning as well as provide evidence for his/her own opinion on the topic at hand. In this type of academic writing assignment, writers present their own opinions but they must also back up those opinions with facts obtained from reliable sources including primary and secondary sources. Expository/Informative Essay writers must present their view of a particular topic by explaining the different views and opinions on the subject, as well as providing insight into their own thoughts about it.

Expository/Informative Essays provide a clear thesis statement that acts as a guide to the writer’s writing process from start to finish. They often times include one or more subtopics that can be categorized into three main categories: definition, classification, and cause & effect. In order to write an effective expository paper, writers must explain concepts by using concrete reasoning with minimal emotional appeal or bias towards a particular side of an argument. Expository essays are often paired with secondary sources such as books and articles written on related topics in order to provide a more rounded view on the topic at hand.

Expository/Informative Essay Examples:

1) “The Four Noble Truths” by Ariyananda Bhikkhu

2) “Achieving Academic Success in College” by Stephanie Pappas

Argument Analysis Essay

Writers in this type of academic paper must prove that they can identify premises, conclusion, and logical arguments through reasoning. They must also provide valid reasons behind different views of an argument or claim while disproving opposing points of view with sound evidence. Most teachers will give their students several arguments to choose from, all which are written by different people in order to determine if their students can effectively identify each part of an argument; whether it be a logical or deductive argument.

Argument Analysis essays help students develop the ability to analyze arguments, whether they are presented in written form or spoken aloud. While taking notes on several different arguments including their premises and conclusions, writers must also take note of any counterarguments so that they can be refuted with sound reasoning later in the essay. Many teachers may also present two opposing views of an argument and ask students to either agree with one side or present a balanced view of both sides while presenting concrete evidence for their claims.

Argument Analysis Essay Examples:

1) “The Tea Party Movement” by Sean Hundtofte

2) “Feminism?” by Jim Donaldson

Expository/Informative essay examples:

1) “The Four Noble Truths” by Ariyananda Bhikkhu

2) “Achieving Academic Success in College” by Stephanie Pappas

Proper Format for Your Academic Writing

Writing is an important skill for doing well in school, college, and future career opportunities. Academic writing often requires a standard format that many people are unfamiliar with. This article will cover proper formatting for academic writing including punctuation, spelling, bibliographies/works cited pages, margins/fonts/page setup, spacing between lines/paragraphs, and more.

Punctuation

Academic writing should always have appropriate punctuation to break up sentences well and make it easier for the reader to understand what you are saying. All complete sentences should be separated by two spaces followed by a period (.), question mark (?), exclamation point (!), or ellipses (. . .). If someone else’s words are being quoted they should be in a separate sentence with the speaker’s name followed by a comma and then the quote. All of these examples should have a period at the end.

Spelling

Academic writing in APA, MLA, CBE, CSE, Turabian format all require American English spelling. Any words that have multiple spellings throughout your paper should be spelled the same way every time they are used to avoid confusing your reader. You can use a dictionary or ask someone if you are unsure how to spell a word correctly. The internet also has great options for looking up any words you do not know how to spell properly.

-Examples: Accept/Except Realise/Realize Complement/Compliment Emphasise/Emphasis Incorrect/Incorrect

Bibliographies and Works Cited Pages

In MLA format, a works cited page should have the author’s last name, a comma, year of publication, and then the page number(s) where you found that source. In APA format only the author’s last name and publication year are needed followed by a period. If multiple people wrote or contributed to one work it is separated with a comma. Each type of writing has its own formatting rules so be sure to look them up if you are unsure how they should be formatted. The list of sources on a bibliography page should always be in alphabetical order by author’s last name unless there is no known author for that work. This list should also include all the information you have on that source including page numbers. Do not use commas or parentheses in your bibliography. If there is more than one citation from the same author it should be distinguished with three dashes (—) before and after their name.

-Example: Bostwick, J., & Pitts, L. (2011). Skills for Success: Writing research papers (3rd Ed.). New York, NY: Pearson Education Inc.

Margins and Fonts/Page Setup

All academic writing uses margins that are 1″ to 1 ½” on all sides of each page depending on which type of paper it is. The font varies depending on if you’re using MLA, APA , CSE, CBE, or Turabian writing format, but it is always either Times New Roman or Arial. The font size should always be 12 point with double-spaced lines between paragraphs and one space after each period (.), question mark (?), exclamation point (!), or ellipses (. . .)

Spacing Between Lines/Paragraphs

There should always be an extra line space between all paragraphs; do not skip a line between paragraphs. If you are quoting directly from someone else’s work they can either be in the same paragraph as your own words or on their own separate indented paragraph that has less than six lines of text. For quotes over six lines long some people indent the first line five to show where the quote starts, but this is not necessarily needed.

Academic Essay Conclusion

Most essays have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. The conclusion is the final paragraph of the essay. It should summarize all the major points of the essay in order to finalize your argument.

Most academic essays require that you use evidence (examples or statistics) to prove your point; it’s not enough to simply state that people behave this way or another. You must back up your claims with convincing proof while also drawing logical conclusions about what it all means .

Many students struggle when writing their final paragraphs because they don’t know how to create an effective summary statement. If you cannot come up with something good on your own, there are several standard templates below that can help guide you through a strong conclusion for any kind of essay.

In the end, the conclusion should leave your reader feeling as though you have been successful in presenting your case and making it clear what is at stake .

Take a look at this essay’s conclusion:

“In conclusion, although renting a hotel room for a romantic encounter can sometimes be fun, I will not do it again – not because I am morally opposed to it – but because my girlfriend would probably break up with me if she found out about it.”

This paper presented some interesting points on why people choose to rent hotel rooms for intimate encounters. In general, most people think of this as something they wouldn’t ever do themselves. However, there are plenty of reasons why some might consider it – from being too broke to pay.