How to Write a Perfect Essay in 5 Simple Steps

Writing assignments aren’t uncommon in academia. Whatever students study, essay writing plays a pivotal role in their final grades. Moreover, such writing tasks aim to improve students’ analytical and critical thinking abilities. Such tasks are also a win-win for teachers in that they demonstrate whether students keep up with the curricula, what skills they lack, and what areas they stand out.

Given the benefits essay writing provides, instructors often bombard students with such tasks. So it comes as no surprise that many seek writing help and have to buy college essays online. This article points out five simple steps to make essay writing as a routine manageable and less time-consuming.

What makes a good essay?
It would be reasonable to clarify what a good essay is. A well-written essay is usually:

- Free from errors
- Coherent
- Understandable
- Accurate
- Reliable

Students wrongly think that writing excellent essays is unattainable because papers must be furnished with complicated ideas and specific language. This is not true. Essays that score high marks are mostly simple in terms of the mentioned aspects. They demonstrate clear and easy-to-understand ideas and follow formal and plain language.

Meeting the requirements and answering the central question is far more critical to get a good grade. The following steps will help you achieve this goal.

Step 1. Researching the topic and taking effective notes
Researching is the first step toward receiving a high mark. It is essential to devote sufficient time to learning the topic and finding relevant sources. Depending on your topic and discipline it falls into, you may begin your research by looking for different sources. But whatever web page you visit–be it Google Scholar, Research Gate, or Jstor–make sure such information is relevant, unbiased, and updated. Specifically, check the source’s author, the publisher’s reputation, and the article’s publication date.

As you keep researching, remember to take practical notes, writing down page numbers. This will let you locate information for backing up your arguments much faster. Reviewing such notes will also help you with developing ideas for your essay.

Step 2. Deciding on a standpoint and building a thesis statement
Once you augment your knowledge area and find credible academic sources, the next step is to establish a stance, come up with ideas, and develop a thesis statement. Read the main question once again and try to answer it briefly. Which response do you think is better? Which one would be more interesting to the reader? If you choose a particular side and base your paper upon it, would it be insightful and, most importantly, debatable?

Remember that your essay should be debatable, calling for discussion afterward. Otherwise, it provides widely-known facts, which must be replaced. So, when you decide on a standpoint, choose an argument and start working on your thesis statement. And remember: whatever argument you develop, it has to be backed up with authoritative sources.

Step 3. Drawing up an outline
Creating an outline might not sound like an original tip. Yet, it helps create a coherent piece, making it straight to the point.

Another reason for laying out content in advance is that students are prone to including additional information when writing essays without a clear plan. They often think that it comes in handy. In reality, it is irrelevant and only confuses the readers. Thus, try to outline your document before delving into it. Not only will it let you write a flawless essay, but it will also increase your productivity.

Step 4. Creating the first draft
Having a plan that describes the steps you should take and the information you should include, you can start working on your paper. The primary purpose of a draft is to create a rough version and find its up and downsides.

Don’t pay too close attention to mistakes; they are insignificant at this stage. Just ensure building the first version and stepping away from it.

Step 5. Editing the essay
First things first, look at your paper. Does it fall into academic writing, visually speaking? A typical 2-page essay has an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. They all have to be easily identified, so ensure indenting every section. The editing process touches upon several elements, so make sure to reserve plenty of time to complete it and thus increase your chances of scoring a high mark.

Next, go through your piece and correct any issues related to grammar and punctuation. Teachers focus more on the content and students’ ideas, but it doesn’t mean grammar errors don’t influence the grade.

Finally, examine coherence. Reread your thesis statement and make sure your body part with evidence and explanations correspond with the argument stated in the thesis. For best results, ask your friends to proofread the essay.

By now, your paper should be ready for submission. Although essay writing is an everyday task, we recommend taking it earnestly and following every step from the above list. Doing that will help you compose a stellar paper quickly and get a good grade.