The Do’s and DON’Ts of Essay writing

            I went to university for six long years, working my way through an English degree and an education program. I know all the ‘cheats’ that students use to meet word count measurements or page quotas. I’ve learned how to write essays at eleven - pm that are due by midnight, all the while praying that my email doesn’t shut down. Therefore, I do think I am a reliable source for giving advice to university essay writers that want to appease their professors.

            First of all, I’ll start by listing a few ‘tricks’ that don’t work. If you’re trying to meet a certain page length requirement, don’t up your Word document to a font size of 26. Professors can see through this. They’ll also notice if you’re planning to skip two or three lines between every paragraph just to make the essay longer. If you’re really short on information and are trying to stretch your essay to a longer length, try using Arial font instead of Times New Roman and edit the top and bottom margins of your page. (But you didn’t hear that from me…. )

            No, seriously. Avoiding the assignment or tweaking with margins just aren’t going to work. If you don’t have enough information, the best thing to do is head back to the drawing board. See if you can come up with more ideas to develop your main topic. Do research and see if there are others out there that support your point of view. If you’re doing a literary analysis, skim through the pages of your novel or play to find even more support for your position. Survey people for their responses and incorporate that research into your writing. Describe scenarios in detail and don’t leave any information out.  

            At the same time, though, try not to repeat yourself throughout your essay. The reader can understand your point the first time; you don’t need to explain it seventeen different ways. Good writers are concise and have lots to say – not wordy and lacking in insight.

            So spend some time thinking your essay through before you write it. Toss ideas at friends and family members and let their responses trigger new ideas and points of view. Try and analyze something from multiple perspectives and do as much research as you can before you ever sit down to write.

            The only way to write a quality essay is to take your time and think it through.