Developing Your Essay Writing Skills: 5 Tips for Beginners

Some students like writing essays because this is their chance to demonstrate their great writing skills, while others struggle trying to make their papers somehow better. When you write essays regularly, you receive feedback from the teachers who review them so you can learn how to improve your paper’s quality. Practice makes perfect, but these easy tips for beginners will help you write better essays right away.

Tip 1: Read Great Essay Samples

It makes sense to look for great essay samples and learn how different authors write different kinds of essays. It helps you understand how to organize and structure your paper in a proper way, what words help you communicate your ideas effectively, and what writing techniques you might use in essays of your own. You should try to stay critical, and determine what is written adequately and what seems meaningless.

Tip 2: Build Your Vocabulary

It is a good idea to make use of thesauri and dictionaries so that you will be able to express exactly what you mean in the way you want. Readers appreciate clear and concise writing, and do not want to waste their time reading long pieces of text. Your ideas should be written to the point, which is easier to do when you command an extensive vocabulary. Some students start their own vocabulary books, which help them remember words and phrases that may be used in their writing.

Tip 3: Prepare an Outline First

Many students avoid writing essay outlines. However, this strategy will not allow you to write a solid paper and present your key ideas in the best manner. A good outline consists of your thesis statement, list of key ideas and supportive details, short summary, and important notes. When you finish an outline, you will be able to evaluate your argumentation and check whether you have enough material to complete your paper.

Tip 4: Mention What Other People Say About the Topic

Some background study will help you prepare a better essay. It is fine to quote and cite other people; you may agree or disagree with them, but it is important to give a good reasoning for doing so. Sometimes, it is a good idea to provide theopinions of others to support your own position. You should, however, provide citations with your thoughts and demonstrate that you do not hide behind other people’s words.

Tip 5: Check Your Tone of Voice

You probably know that it is important to check your essay for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. However, it is also important to make your paper sound interesting and intelligent. Your readers should easily understand your key points and feel engaged, so you should use a confident tone of voice and avoid passive voice throughout your writing.