How to write a good essay

1. Examine the question carefully, making sure that you understand what is being asked. Some students read the subject too quickly and then start writing the essay. At first glance, it seems like a good essay, but it doesn’t really answer the question completely.

2. Organize your ideas using a diagram. Plan out where you’ll include the key vocabulary and advanced grammatical structures. Essays should have an introduction, a body and conclusions.

Before you continue, make sure you can answer ‘yes’ to the following questions:

-          Is the thesis well-defined and is it clearly understood?

-          Are you including enough information to support your ideas?

-          Is the essay organized and coherent?

-          Are the transitions smooth?

-          Are you making an impact on the reader with your conclusions?

3. A good introduction doesn’t just summarize the subject. It has to catch the reader's attention, identify how you’ll focus on the question, and establish the main ideas that you’ll expand upon in the essay.

• You can start with a question that makes the reader think, with a series of questions, meaningful statistical data or a definition of a word related to the essay, a phrase, a saying or a quote by a renowned author.
• Establish a clear thesis that presents what you’ll be discussing.

4. The body should include two or more paragraphs that develop the main idea and support what’s being said in the introduction. Explain following a logical order and avoiding repetitions. Use smooth transitions when you go from one point to the next. Paragraphs should be presented in their order of importance, and should foreshadow the next paragraph.

5. The conclusion has to agree with the thesis in the introduction. It’s a general review, not just mere repetition of the main ideas dealt in the body of the essay. All of these ideas should be connected to one another and present a clear image of what you’ve discussed. You can end with a question, a quote or an affirmation that makes an impact on the reader.