If you’re choosing to study English or a related subject in Arts and Humanities at university you’ll be required to do lots of writing essays. This is an art to master , as it requires both creativity and thinking logically. If you follow the following when you write an essay, you’ll be well on your way to success:
1. Plan
It may seem time-consuming, but if it’s a really good plan you will actually save yourself time when it comes to writing your essay. Because you’ll know where your response is heading and will not force yourself into a corner. If you’re stuck in the beginning – just write down some ideas, and the rest will be following. I find it easy to create a map of my mind using each new ‚bubble represents one of my main paragraphs. I write down quotes that will aid in my analysis of the bubble.
For instance, if was to answer the question ‚To what extent is Curley’s wife seen as a person of victimization in Of Mice and Men? This might prompt me to make a mind map which looks something like this:
You can keep adding to this outline, separating bits out and linking the different bubbles whenever you see patterns between them.by link https://ventsmagazine.com/2022/09/02/6-best-ways-to-write-an-essay/ website Even though you’ll not have time for an elaborate outline during exams, it may be helpful just create a rough sketch with some important words so that you don’t feel overwhelmed and drift out of topic when writing your essay. If you don’t like the mindmap style, there are plenty of other options to consider: it is possible to create a table or flowchart, or simply the list of bullet points.
2. Create a clear structure
Take note of this when you are making plans. Your essay is just like an argument or speech – it needs to be organized, with all your points coming together to answer the question. The first step is to establish the basics. It is recommended to select the most important points that can become the main paragraphs. Three main paragraphs is the ideal amount for an essay in an exam given that you are under a lot of pressure. Your points should be organized in a pattern with“YES“ (agreement regarding the topic) (agreement with the question) – AND (another „YES“ point) – BUT (disagreement or complications) whether you agree or disagree with the whole question or YES – BUT AND if you do not agree. This will ensure that your mind is focused on your arguments and don’t stray too far from the topic.
For instance, you might create an example of the Of Mice and Men sample questions as follows:
In what way is Curley’s partner portrayed as a subject in Of Mice and Men?‘
- Yes – details of her appearance
- And – the attitudes of other people towards her
- But, her position as the sole female member of the ranch gives her influence in using her femininity to advantage
If you wanted to write an essay that was longer then you can add more paragraphs within the ‚YES/AND‘ category, perhaps describing the ways in which Curley’s wife reveals her vulnerability as well as insecurities. She also shares her fantasies with the other characters. On the other hand, you could also extend your essay by including a separate ‚BUT‘ paragraph regarding her cruel and manipulative streak.
Of course, this’s not necessarily the only option to address this essay question As long as you back up your arguments by citing the text, then you are free to choose any viewpoint that makes sense.
3. Be sure to back your claims with well-studied quotes
There’s no way to write a research report without presenting evidence to back your claims therefore why should it be any different with an essay? While you’ren’t required to substantiate every single point you make with a quotation, there’s no reason not to try. An attentive reading of the quotes can improve your appreciation of the question and can impress your exam takers.
If you’re deciding which quotations to incorporate in your essay, be sure to keep an eye for literary strategies that are specific to the author. For instance, you can discuss Curley’s wife’s use of rhetorical questions. She declares: ‚What is my job? In this room, I’m speaking to several stiffs of bindle‘:
The question „An What is my life doing?“ signifies that Curley’s wife is very insecure She appears to be asking herself questions about her choices. Moreover, the fact that she doesn’t expect others to reply to their question underscores her isolation.
Other literary strategies to keep an eye out for include:
- Tricolon is a phrase that consists of three words or phrases that are placed in close proximity to highlight
- Tautology is a term used to describe different things that refer to the same thing, eg ‚frightening‘ and frightening.
- Parallelism ABAB structure. It is usually a sign of the transfer of concepts from one to another
- Chiasmus Chiasmus ABBA structure; draws attention to this phrase
- Polysyndeton Many conjunctions can be found in the same sentence
- Asyndeton is the absence of conjunctions It can also speed up pace of the sentences
- Polyptoton is the use of the same word in different forms for emphasis, e.g „done“ and „doing“
- Alliteration is the repetition or repetition of the exact sound. Different forms of alliteration include assonance (similar vowel sounds) as well as plosive (‚b‘ as well as ‚d‘, ‚p‘ and vowels) as well as sibilance (’s‘ sounds)
- Anaphora: repetition of words; typically used to emphasize an idea
Do not fret if you are unable to discover all these literary techniques in the work it’s analyzing – you’ll be able to consider more obvious effects including simile, metaphor and onomatopoeia. It’s okay if it’s difficult to remember the long names – it’s much more important to describe the impact of literary techniques and their relevance to the subject than to employ the appropriate terminology.
4. Make sure you are creative and unique all the way
Everyone could write an essay following these tips, but the part that makes it ‚perfect‘ is your unique perspective on the topic you’re discussing. If you’ve spotted something intriguing or novel in your research be sure to highlight it: If you like it there’s a good chance that the judge will , too.
Writing essays and creative writing are much more intertwined than you might imagine; keep the notion of crafting a speech or an argument to your mind, and you’re sure to capture your reader’s interest.
It’s vital to clearly define your line of argument in your introduction, explaining your main points and the general direction your essay is likely to be taking, but you should remember to leave something behind for the end of your essay also. Yes, you’ll need to outline your main points but if you’re simply repeating what you’ve said in your introduction, the article itself will become meaningless.
Imagine your conclusion as the high point of your speech, the bit every other thing has led towards, and not that boring plenary at conclusion of your fascinating stuff.
To return to Of Mice and Men once more, here’s an illustration of the best distinction between an introduction and a conclusion:
Introduction:
in John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, The wife of the protagonist is described as a confusing character. Her character could be seen as a vicious sexually attractive temptress or as an isolated woman who is a victim of her society’s perceptions. While she may wield a form of sexual power, it’s evident that Curley’s wife is mostly dependent. This is backed up with Steinbeck’s portrayal of her looks, other characters‘ behavior, their dreams, and her evident loneliness and insecurity.
Conclusion:
Overall, it is clear that Curley’s spouse is a victim. She is depicted as such throughout the book, through its descriptions of the appearance of Curley’s wife, her fantasies as well as in the judgemental behavior of other characters as well as her loneliness and fears. The reality is that a person who was a victim and nothing else would be one-dimensional and Curley’s wife is not. While she is afflicted in a variety of ways however, she’s shown to assert herself through the manipulation of her femininity . This is a tiny indignation against the violence she is subjected to.
The two essays both refer back repeatedly to an earlier question, while presenting the main arguments of the essay however, the conclusion includes something new which has been introduced in the main body of the paper, yet creates more complexity than the simple summary that is found in the introduction.