The transition from high school to college or university can be a difficult one. Students may receive top grades in high school to find themselves only scraping by in college. Nearly every course requires the composition of one or more essays. Students can maximize their chances of getting a high mark if they follow these guidelines on research, writing and presentation.
Research
Before starting the research for an essay, research the professor. It's true! Knowing what style of writing the teacher likes, increases the chance of doing well. Do they appreciate creative flair? Or are they by-the-book formal academic types? Get a sense of what might appeal to them. In all writing, one should consider the reader first. Listening carefully to lectures, participating in class and going to office hours helps here.
Then when it comes to the paper, make sure to understand the requirements. Research should include periodicals and books as well as web sites. Don't use Wikipedia as a source! Most essays, unless they're personal in nature, require at least 4-6 different kinds of materials. Try not to leave researching to the last minute as books may be checked out or one may not find them useful. Focus on specific rather than general sources.
Writing
As with researching, don't leave the composition of your essay until the night before. This practice causes stress and often leads to bad writing. The most important thing to remember is that every essay requires an argument. Try to prove a thesis "by reasoning and evidence." Don't just describe or claim without drawing quotes or paraphrases from the research.
Once one has an argument, organize the points beneath clear topic sentences. A topic sentence informs the reader what one will discuss in the paragraph. Keep one's tone formal unless the teacher tells one it is fine to use the personal pronoun. After writing the first draft, read it aloud. Get someone else to read it. Revise and revise again. Check if the argument makes sense, if it's been proved it with evidence and if the language is comprehensible. Vary the sentence length and diction. Keep the tenses active. Make it an enjoyable read and grades will soar!
Presentation
Every essay should have a title page and a list of Works Cited. An interesting title captures the eye. A Works Cited page, in the appropriate format, presents the research sources, in alphabetical order. Proper listing of sources proves that the student has not plagiarized your material. Staple or paper clip your essay pages. Don't put them in a binder. Number each page. Make sure that the paper is cleanly typed with no spelling, grammatical or typographical errors. Preparation in college or university essay writing always leads to success.
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