Mind Map Gallery How to Write an Essay
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How to Write an Essay
A mind map about how to write an essay.
Edited at 2020-09-07 12:42:50
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- Outline
How to Write an Essay
Decide what kind of essay to write
Narrative Essay
Tell a story or impart information about your subject in a straightforward, orderly manner, like in a story
Persuasive Essay
Convince the reader about some point of view
Expository Essay
Explain to the reader how to do a given process. You could, for example, write an expository essay with step-by-step instructions on how to make a peanut butter sandwich
Descriptive Essay
Focus on the details of what is going on. For example, if you want to write a descriptive essay about your trip to the park, you would give great detail about what you experienced: how the grass felt beneath your feet, what the park benches looked like, and anything else the reader would need to feel as if he were there
Argumentative Essay
Take a position on a controversial issue and present evidence in favor of your position
Compare and Contrast Essay
Identify similarities and differences between two subjects that are, typically, under the same umbrella
Problem Solution Essay
Describe a problem, convince the reader to care about the problem, propose a solution, and be prepared to dismantle objections
Brainstorm your topic
Write down everything that comes to mind as you can always narrow those topics down later
Use clustering or mind mapping to brainstorm and come up with an essay idea. This involves writing your topic or idea in the center of the paper and creating bubbles (clouds or clusters) of related ideas around it
Brainstorming can be a great way to develop a topic more deeply and to recognize connections between various facets of your topic
Research the topic
Develop a thesis
Outline your essay
Don't jumble too many ideas in each paragraph or the reader may become confused
Ensure you have transitions between paragraphs so the reader understands how the paper flows from one idea to the next
Fill in supporting facts from your research under each paragraph. Make sure each paragraph ties back to your thesis and creates a cohesive, understandable essay
Write your essay
Revise for clarity, consistency, and structure
Support your thesis adequately with the information in your paragraphs. Each paragraph should have its own topic sentence. This is the most important sentence in the paragraph that tells readers what the rest of the paragraph will be about
Make sure everything flows together. As you move through the essay, transition words will be paramount. Transition words are the glue that connects every paragraph together and prevents the essay from sounding disjointed
Reread your introduction and conclusion. Will the reader walk away knowing exactly what your paper was about?
Edit your writing to check spelling and grammar
Revise for technical errors
Check for grammar, punctuation and spelling errors. You cannot always count on spell check to recognize every spelling error. Sometimes, you can spell a word incorrectly but your misspelling will also be a word, such as spelling "from" as "form"
Another common area of concern is quotation marks. It's important to cite your sources with accuracy and clarity. Follow these guidelines on how to use quotes in essays and speeches
You might also want to consider the difference between quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing. Quoting is reserved for lines of text that are identical to an original piece of writing. Paraphrasing is reserved for large sections of someone else's writing that you want to convey in your own words. Summarizing puts the main points from someone else's text into your own words. Here's more on When to Quote, Paraphrase, or Summarize
https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/writing/how-to-write-an-essay.html