Writing a Successful College Essay
The Do's and Don't's of University Writing
Write successful college or university essays by preparing through research, writing and presentation.
The transition from high school to college or university can be a difficult one. You may have received top grades in high school to find yourself only scraping by in college. Nearly every course requires the composition of one or more essays. You can maximize the chance of getting a high mark if you follow these guidelines on research, writing and presentation.
Research Your Essay
Before you start researching for your essay, research your professor. It's true! If you know what style of writing your teacher likes, you're more likely to do 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 your paper, make sure you 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 you 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 you must remember is that every essay requires an argument. You must try to prove a thesis "by reasoning and evidence." Don't just describe or claim without drawing quotes or paraphrases from your research.
Once you have an argument, organize your points beneath clear topic sentences. A topic sentence informs the reader what you will discuss in your paragraph. Keep your tone formal unless the teacher tells you it is fine to use the personal pronoun. After you have written the first draft, read it aloud. Get someone else to read it. Revise and revise again. Ask yourself if the argument makes sense, if you've proved it with evidence and if your language is comprehensible. Vary your sentence length and diction. Keep the tenses active. Make it an enjoyable read and your 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 your research sources, in alphabetical order. Proper listing of sources proves that you have not plagiarized your material. Staple or paper clip your essay pages. Don't put them in a binder. Number each page. Make sure that your paper is cleanly typed with no spelling, grammatical or typographical errors. Smile when you hand it in, knowing you've done your best. Preparation in college or university essay writing always leads to success.
