Essay Tips: 7 Tips on Writing an

Effective Essay

According to Kathy Livingston’s Guide to Writing a Basic Essay, there are seven steps to
writing a successful essay:
1. Pick a topic.

You may have your topic assigned, or you may be given free reign to write on the
subject of your choice. If you are given the topic, you should think about the type of
paper that you want to produce. Should it be a general overview of the subject or a
specific analysis? Narrow your focus if necessary.

If you have not been assigned a topic, you have a little more work to do. However, this
opportunity also gives you the advantage to choose a subject that is interesting or
relevant to you. First, define your purpose. Is your essay to inform or persuade?

Once you have determined the purpose, you will need to do some research on topics
that you find intriguing. Think about your life. What is it that interests you? Jot these
subjects down.

Finally, evaluate your options. If your goal is to educate, choose a subject that you have
already studied. If your goal is to persuade, choose a subject that you are passionate
about. Whatever the mission of the essay, make sure that you are interested in your
topic.
2. Prepare an outline or diagram of your ideas.

In order to write a successful essay, you must organize your thoughts. By taking what’s
already in your head and putting it to paper, you are able to see connections and links
between ideas more clearly. This structure serves as a foundation for your paper. Use
either an outline or a diagram to jot down your ideas and organize them.

To create a diagram, write your topic in the middle of your page. Draw three to five lines
branching off from this topic and write down your main ideas at the ends of these lines.
Draw more lines off these main ideas and include any thoughts you may have on these
ideas.

If you prefer to create an outline, write your topic at the top of the page. From there,
begin to list your main ideas, leaving space under each one. In this space, make sure to
list other smaller ideas that relate to each main idea. Doing this will allow you to see
connections and will help you to write a more organized essay.

3. Write your thesis statement.

Now that you have chosen a topic and sorted your ideas into relevant categories, you
must create a thesis statement. Your thesis statement tells the reader the point of
your essay. Look at your outline or diagram. What are the main ideas?
Your thesis statement will have two parts. The first part states the topic, and the second
part states the point of the essay. For instance, if you were writing about Bill Clinton and
his impact on the United States, an appropriate thesis statement would be, “Bill Clinton
has impacted the future of our country through his two consecutive terms as United
States President.”

Another example of a thesis statement is this one for the “Winning Characteristics”
Scholarship essay: “During my high school career, I have exhibited several of the
“Winning Characteristics,” including Communication Skills, Leadership Skills and
Organization Skills, through my involvement in Student Government, National Honor
Society, and a part-time job at Macy’s Department Store.”

4. Write the body.

Each body paragraph will have the same basic structure. Begin by writing one of your
main ideas as the introductory sentence. Next, write each of your supporting ideas in
sentence format, but leave three or four lines in between each point to come back and
give detailed examples to back up your position. Fill in these spaces with relative
information that will help link smaller ideas together.

5. Write the introduction.

Now that you have developed your thesis and the overall body of your essay, you must
write an introduction. The introduction should attract the reader’s attention and show the
focus of your essay.

Begin with an attention grabber. You can use shocking information, dialogue, a story, a
quote, or a simple summary of your topic. Whichever angle you choose, make sure that
it ties in with your thesis statement, which will be included as the last sentence of your
introduction.

6. Write the conclusion.

The conclusion brings closure of the topic and sums up your overall ideas while
providing a final perspective on your topic. Your conclusion should consist of three to
five strong sentences. Simply review your main points and provide reinforcement of
your thesis.

7. Add the finishing touches.

After writing your conclusion, you might think that you have completed your essay.
Wrong. Before you consider this a finished work, you must pay attention to all the small
details.

Check the order of your paragraphs. Your strongest points should be the first and last
paragraphs within the body, with the others falling in the middle. Also, make sure that
your paragraph order makes sense. If your essay is describing a process, such as how
to make a great chocolate cake, make sure that your paragraphs fall in the correct
order.

Review the instructions for your essay, if applicable. Many teachers and scholarship
forms follow different formats, and you must double check instructions to ensure that
your essay is in the desired format.

Finally, review what you have written. Reread your paper and check to see if it makes
sense. Make sure that sentence flow is smooth and add phrases to help connect
thoughts or ideas. Check your essay for grammar and spelling mistakes.

Congratulations! You have just written a great essay.