Why do we hear so often about the essay format?
An essay is one of the main types of academic documents used in the US educational system. Thanks to the use of this genre, the author has a unique opportunity to think over and apply all the knowledge studied as part of the course. Besides, this type of task helps to learn to navigate and reflect on various problems, and types of solutions regarding the knowledge gained. The use of a sequence of argumentation contributes to a more precise presentation of thoughts and improved writing skills.
What is written in the paper?
An essay is intended to demonstrate an author’s personal point of view about a selected issue. Often the question’s formulated directly in the title of the topic. If the problem does not contain a direct question, then it must be expressed in the first sentence of the thesis statement. Often the issues that are selected for an essay imply relevant social issues or controversial topics.
How to improve an essay quickly
Do not ‘pour water’ and give specific examples. Pompous words and vague wording do not make sense if they’re not followed by a description of particular situations and results. For example, instead of writing ‘Learning has always been important to me’, you need to describe your experience so that the employer makes this conclusion himself. It’s better to write: ‘I dreamed that I would become a journalist, that from the age of 10 I began to distribute newspapers, and from 14 – to write articles in children’s commercial publications’.
Reread the received text aloud
When a person writes a text and reads it to himself/herself, one may skip typos and not notice that the sentence is inconsistent, overloaded, and the word order is violated in it. However, when reading aloud, the language ‘stumbles’ about errors, and they immediately become visible.
Re-read after a while or ask a friend. Often the meaning of some sentences escapes or is distorted due to unsuccessful formulations, but the author cannot notice this on his own. It’s necessary to put a text or passage aside for a short while and return to it after a while with a clear head. You can ask a friend to check – a view from the outside will help to detect and eliminate inaccuracies that are not obvious to the author.
Ask if it’s not clear
Some students think that if they do not understand something in the assignment and ask the professor a question, then he/she will consider them incongruous or incompetent. This is a big mistake. If you have any problem, it’s better to ask. This shows that the student is thinking ahead, until he has gone too far in the assignment.
Use introductory words. Introductory words help to organize text structure and logical transitions. This makes life easier not only for the author but also for the reader.
Write a trial essay. You can take any of the possible topics or come up with your own, and write a trial work. This will allow you to work out the structure of an essay, statement of the thesis, building arguments, and time management. You can identify weaknesses in grammar and punctuation that you should pay attention to during a real test.
Do not overdo the task
An essay’s a responsible task, but you need to approach writing it without fanaticism. Just answer the question in plain language so that those of us who are not familiar with your world can understand you.
Major mistakes in writing an essay:
- Grammar and punctuation errors. Errors in the text cross out all the student’s work because they say at least that he didn’t even check his own work.
- Logical errors. Arguments should prove the thesis of the author and not refute it. Moreover, they should not prove another thesis.
- Repetition of thoughts. Do not repeat the same idea twice, albeit in different words. The exception’s the reformulated thesis in conclusion.
- Plagiarism. Plagiarism’s copying someone else’s work without quoting or referencing the author, which will disqualify the work and ruin the student’s image.
Stream of thoughts and philosophizing about life. Yes, an essay’s reasoning in a free form, but it has a structure and bases on specificity:
- Facts;
- Examples;
- Data.
Do not touch politics and religion unnecessarily. It’s inappropriate to discuss political and religious topics unless the task itself requires it.
Usage of inappropriate vocabulary. An essay for hiring should look business-like: avoid using jargon and foul language.
How to stand out from other students?
The main secret is being honest and sincere. Sound too easy? Not at all. We often ’embellish’ our story without even realizing it. When it comes to the competition for work or a scholarship to the university. Naturally, everyone wants to prove themselves the best.
However, here, the majority replaces the image of the ‘best’ student with a picture of an ideal person who does not make mistakes. All the life he/she goes only in a straight line and only to success. Many customize their image to this ‘ideal’, and write a one-sided scholarly essay.
Just reveal yourself
An essay, to be unique, must show an author’s personality. It’s your personality that’s the trump card when all the other stages of the opening competition are completed.