Before you start writing an academic essay, you need to do some preparations. The organization is key to successful writing, so you need to pay special attention to this aspect. You should keep your main concept, structure, and ideas in mind during the entire process. This means that you have to construct everything in your head (and notes) earlier than you actually begin.
Essays that lack organization and planning rarely get high grades. That is why, the professional setting will help you sound concise, clear, and to the point. In this post, we will discuss some crucial preparations that will show you the right direction to follow. Let’s get started!
Choose the topic
Obviously, a winning paper begins with a great topic. If your tutor didn’t give you one, you have to pick it yourself. Focus on the following:
- Choose the topic you are passionate aboutÂ
First of all, the topic must be interesting for you. If you are not inspired by it anyhow, the essay will look pretty dull. However, be careful if you are writing an argumentative essay – if you are too emotional about the issue, you might sound too subjectively.
- Choose the topic that has already been researchedÂ
Second, be confident that you can find enough information about the subject. Make a quick search to find out if there are enough books and articles you can use as sources.
- Make sure that your topic makes sense
Third, talk about something that is relevant and has value. If you are not sure that the chosen question is a suitable one, consult with your professor.Â
Plan everything ahead
You should understand what exactly you are going to write about before you start. Each of your paragraphs should be meaningful and effective. Remember, one paragraph – one idea. This means that you should make statements to support your ideas and these statements must be effective. Try to exclude the first arguments that come to your head. Reject them and try to think further and wider.Â
Think about the central points you would like to focus on and this will help you find the most relevant information, process it wisely, and express your thoughts clearly.Â
Make a visual plan before you start
Outlines are extremely important – when you create one before you start writing a paper, you include everything that you planned. If you don’t have an outline, your thoughts might start wondering around, so you risk forgetting something that matters. And there is a trick most professionals from custom-writing companies do. To fulfill the task in the best way, they usually draw diagrams and bubbles to visualize ideas. This is an easy practice – you simply write the main idea (your thesis statement) in a bubble, then make branches to add the facts and arguments to support it. This way, you can literally see how to expand your topic and develop it effectively.Â
Formulate a thesis statementÂ
No matter what topic you have chosen, you need to have a clear view of it. Formulate your main idea about the topic in 1-2 sentences and write it down. A thesis statement should be clear for both – you and your audience. Make sure that you know why you pick the particular side and how you are going to back it up.
Make your writing interestingÂ
First of all, your writing must be interesting for you. When essays are done without involvement, the audience feels that the writer was bored when writing it. As a result, they become bored themselves. If you don’t want to make your readers fall asleep over your work, make sure to:
- Use rich vocabularyÂ
- Add more variety to sentence structureÂ
- Try not to repeat yourselfÂ
- Write both short and long sentences and paragraphsÂ
Your audience expects that you will provide not just facts and retelling of something you have read before. Also, they would like to know more about your way of thinking. Explain yourself, provide reasons for your decisions, and interpret the materials you have read.Â
ConclusionÂ
Planning is no less crucial than writing, so you should pay special attention to this process. You will never compose a striking paper without an accurate organization. If you don’t know what exactly you will write about, there is a small chance that you will produce a winning piece. Don’t be frustrated if something goes wrong or you cannot deal with the task – nobody is a natural-born writer. Practice will help you create better papers and you will see the difference very soon. Follow the tips listed above and you will feel yourself more confident when working on another academic paper! Good luck!