Essay Writing Skills

Here’s a list of the requirements:

1/. Read the requirements for the Essay.

Make sure that you understand what is needed.

Check the due date.

Check the word count (or number of pages required), if applicable.

When you have an understanding and take note of these, it’s time to start the ‘real stuff’.

2/. Do your research.
In doing this, make dot point notes of what you consider to be relevant responses to the task requirements that you have researched.

Also make notes of your sources for the research, in case you need them again. In assignments in senior years you may need to reference these sources either in text or at the end. There may well be several articles needed to research.

3/. Prepare your draft, referring again back to the task and your dot point notes.
Make sure that when writing your task, you write it and do not make it a conversation, as it is a written piece of work, not a chat!

Usually this will be done in the past tense… he was, the were, it was, there were…

Keep your sentences and paragraphs short, for easier reading. Long sentences in particular are ‘painful’!

Ensure that when the draft is completed, you go back and re-check it against the task requirements.
At this point do a spelling and grammar check.

(If you really need to make a comment, use brackets and speech marks – “This story sounds ridiculous, but these are the facts!”) Here you have added a personal comment but noted the facts were as presented!

4/. Take a break, if possible. Do something else, like going for a run or something or take the dog/s for a walk. Have food and drink. If possible have a break of a day before you get back to it. This means you will have more time to think about what you could include.

Don’t rush it! It is very obvious when a task is done in a rush and usually things are left out!

5/. Start preparing the final document.

Use short paragraphs and not too long sentences. (Makes much easier reading!)

6/. When this is done, do a spelling and grammar check, as well as sentence construction check. Ensure there are capitals for names of people and places.

7/. When this is completed, take a break.

8/. Proof read what you have done and again check this against the task requirements. Again do a spelling and grammar check, just to be sure all is good! Make sure what you have written all makes sense!

9/. Hand it in, by the due date.

10/. If you follow this plan and do not leave it until the last minute to do. It will be really obvious if you do!

If your method of preparation includes using a computer and not a written hand in, you have much more flexibility – such as spelling and grammar checks, moving sentences and paragraphs around by cut’n’paste.

IF however it is a handwritten essay or assignment, write neatly, so that your work can be read. The big drawback here is when editing you may well have to rewrite your work all over again!

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