Regardless of what you choose to major in at college, expect that at some point, you will be required to write an essay. Your esteemed professor will evaluate and grade your essay, and your goal is to make sure that what you wrote will not disappoint. This is why you need to ensure that your essay sticks to the rules and conventions of writing. The fundamentals of essay writing are by now familiar to you. You started writing in school back in your primary years. But back then, even until reaching high school, perhaps you never gave much thought to your essays. It was enough that you wrote and submitted. But for the sake of writing, and since you have to deal with it, do try to put a few reminders in your writing.

Before tackling an essay, be sure to read the topic carefully. Far too often, students tend to misinterpret a topic and trail off from the objective. When this happens, the student does not have a coherent idea of how to address the problem presented in the essay. This mistake can be avoided simply by analyzing the topic at the beginning. Moreover, be sure that you know what type of essay is demanded. Is it a narrative, descriptive, expository, or persuasive essay?  What type of problem are you required to address and solve? It helps if you make a short checklist.

In essay writing, you do not have to do it alone. You can always discuss or share it with someone for opinion. Your peers can provide an insight into your essay, and you can critique one another’s work for that much-needed constructive feedback. Another ideal go-to person for writing advice is your tutor if you have access to one. Nowadays, online tutoring is increasing in popularity, and with a considerable number of tutoring service platforms, you can choose the most cost-effective tutor anywhere in the world. Your tutor could go over your essay and show you what works and what does not, and make suggestions on how you could improve your writing.

As a student, if you are to go back to the basics, you are well aware that the essay has functional parts divided into paragraphs. The main thing to remember is to address what type of “WH” question you need to answer. In answering the question, make it clear in the first paragraph what you intend to discuss. Your introduction needs to hook your reader to keep on reading. You are telling them why they need to keep reading and what they could glean from your ideas. This must be supported by strong, organized paragraphs. Think of your paragraphs as building columns. The strength of your house can collapse with just a single, weak column. If you can manage to keep your reader engaged until the end, you have written an effective essay. An essay is not an easy task, but it helps to build character by teaching you adherence to structure and discipline—virtues that you need once you join the real world. Your essay writing does not have to be bloody. You have the option to find someone who can guide you along the way.