Developing and enhancing writing capabilities is one of the critical aspects of studying at a university. Students must acknowledge the writing to plan and structure their work and acknowledge references appropriately.

What is academic writing?

Any form of writing which follows a technical, formal, and objective approach for scholarly purposes is called academic writing. It usually contains an outline, an introduction, a body with a thesis or problem statement, arguments, and a conclusion, written in a formal tone. Academic writings generally avoid direct reference to people or things and emphasize the problem statement, objectives, facts, and ideas. According to many famous academic writers, it also uses a vocabulary specific to the discipline.

Different disciplines demand different styles of writing. For instance, while science students use factual information with dense, shorter paragraphs, humanities students write elaborate sentences with in-depth details about a particular topic.

To become the best academic writer, you need to research your discipline and follow the demanded structure for each writing task. Some ways to do so are:

• By asking for details and more information from your tutor, supervisor, or lecturer
• Studying different articles of your discipline and researching the prestige journals
• Referring to the academic writings of the students in your respective discipline

Types of academic writing

There are four main types of professional writing, with specific language features and purposes for each class, which are mentioned below in detail.

Descriptive

This is the simplest form of academic writing, whose purpose is to impart factual information on the topic of discussion. This can include a summary of an article, lab reports, or reports of certain types of experiments, etc. The process of writing descriptive writing follows five simple steps:

• Identify
• Report
• Record
• Summarize
• Define

Analytical

Although descriptive is the simplest type of academic writing, no essay or research can be purely descriptive. Analytical writing is a branch of descriptive writing which includes re-organizing all the facts and gathered information into parts, groups, categories, types of relationships, etc., to deliver well-structured content. The simple steps in writing analytical content are:

• Analyze
• Compare
• Contrast
• Relate
• Examine

Persuasive

Any form of academic writing or college writing demands students to go one step further, write their point of view on the problem statement, and deliver a viable solution. This is called persuasive wiring. However, a critical aspect of this is to back each claim and support it with research and information from case studies. Simple steps to follow in this type of writing are:

• Argue
• Evaluate
• Discuss
• Take a stand

Critical

This form of academic writing is common for researchers, advanced graduates, and postgraduate students. While persuasive writing needs at least one point of view of the writer, a critical essay demands a minimum of two points of view. This form of writing involves the following steps:

• Critique
• Debate
• disagree
• Evaluate

Whether in high school, college, or post-graduate university, chances are you’ll have to write at least one essay (or more) during your educational career. And if you’re anything like most students, you’re probably dreading it.

Don’t worry – we’re here to help. In this article, we’ll give you some essential tips on how to write a great essay, no matter what level you’re at. After all, only when you nail the basics will you be able to produce top-notch work that’ll earn you the grades (or job) you’re after.

Let’s get started!

Do’s Of Essay Writing

Do Plan Ahead

A staunch procrastinator? We feel you. But when it comes to essay writing websites, planning is key. By mapping out what you want to say before you start writing, you’ll save yourself a lot of time (and stress) later on.

To do this, take a notepad and jot down a rough outline of your essay. At the very least, note the main points you want to cover. Doing this will ensure that your final piece is concise and on-point – exactly what markers are looking for. If you already have an essay prompt, make sure to break it down into smaller chunks to tackle it easily.

Next, make a routine and stick to it. Set aside time each day (or week, depending on how much time you have) to work on your essay. By breaking the task into manageable sections, you’ll make the process less daunting – and you’re more likely to stay focused and produce quality work.

Do Write In Your Own Voice

One of the biggest mistakes students make is trying to sound too formal in their essays. After all, you’re not writing a legal document – so there’s no need to use overly complicated language. Instead, write in your own voice and use words you would actually use in conversation. It’ll make your essay sound more natural and less like you’re trying to impress your marker.

Of course, this doesn’t mean you should write informally or use slang. Instead, aim for a balance between formal and casual language. For example, instead of saying “in conclusion,” try wrapping up your essay with phrases like “All things considered” or “When you look at the evidence.”

Do Use Transitions Between Paragraphs

If you’ve ever gone through a piece of writing that sounded like a robot generated it, you’ve probably encountered a lack of transitions. In case you’re not familiar, transitions are words or phrases that help to connect one idea to the next. They make your writing flow more smoothly and improve its overall readability.

Including transitions in your essay is vital to get a high grade. If your ideas don’t flow well, your marker will have difficulty understanding what you’re trying to say. Hence, when writing your essay, use transitions between paragraphs to help the reader follow your train of thought.

Here are some common phrases that act as bridges between paragraphs (transitions):

• In addition
• Furthermore
• Hence
• As said earlier
• To put it briefly
• Despite the previous arguments
• In contrast
• Likewise
• Speaking about this

Do Support Your Arguments With Evidence

If you want to score high marks, you need evidence to support your arguments. It could be in the form of data, statistics, quotes from experts, or real-life examples.

When using evidence, make sure to explain how it supports your argument. Doing so will show that you understand what you’re talking about and that you’re not just including it for the sake of it. Also, when you do use quotes or data, make sure to reference them correctly. It’ll avoid any issues with plagiarism.

Do Use Advanced Vocabulary

One way to make your essay sound more sophisticated is to use advanced vocabulary. However, don’t go overboard with this – using big words for the sake of it will only make your writing sound pretentious. Instead, use words that are relevant to the topic and that you actually know the meaning of. If you’re unsure about a word, look it up in a dictionary before using it.

Besides, avoid repeating the same words too close to each other, as it’ll make your essay sound monotonous and boring. Instead, try using a synonym if you need to repeat a certain word. For instance, you can use the words “awful,” “poor,” or “substandard,” instead of “bad.”

Do Seek Essay Writing Help

Did you know that you can find many online cheap essay writing services nowadays? These are companies or professional essay writers that provide help to students who are struggling with their essays. If you’re finding it difficult to write a high-quality essay, you can get assistance from an expert.

The best part is that essay writing services are very affordable, you can buy essays online without breaking the bank. So, make sure to scour the internet to find a top essay writing website that writes essays for you instead of struggling with it alone.

Don’ts Of Essay Writing

Don’t Forget To Proofread Your Article

Whether you write the essay on your own or have the best essay writing services do it for you, always proofread and edit your article before submitting it. This way, you can avoid errors or typos in your work. If the essay writer service you use provides a free revision or proofreading add-on, well and good!

It’s also a good idea to have someone else read over your essay before you submit it. It could be a sibling, a friend, or even a professional editor. They’ll be able to spot any mistakes that you might have missed.

Don’t Plagiarise

Plagiarism is one of the most cardinal sins of essay writing. It is when you copy someone else’s work without giving them credit for it. It could be either intentional or unintentional. Either way, it’s not allowed and will result in severe penalties. It could even cost you your degree.

So, how can you avoid plagiarism? The best way is to always reference your sources correctly. When using someone else’s ideas or data, ensure to include the author’s name and the source. This could be in the form of a footnote, endnote, or in-text citation.

Another way to avoid plagiarism is to paraphrase the information you use. This means rewriting it in your own words. However, ensure you don’t change the meaning of what was originally said.

You can also use an advanced plagiarism checker to scan your essay for copied content. Such tools can help you identify and fix plagiarised sections before submitting your work.

Last but not least, you could hire the best essay writing service that also offers a plagiarism-checking service. This way, you can be sure that your essay is 100% original.

Don’t Provide Too Many Facts

This suggestion might sound like a contradicting statement, but it’s actually very important to provide just the right amount of facts in your essay. Too many facts will make your essay sound boring. On the other hand, not enough facts will make it seem like you’re just making things up.

So, what’s the right amount of facts? It depends on the type of essay you’re writing. For instance, if you’re writing an argumentative essay, you’ll need to provide evidence to support your claims. However, if you’re writing a narrative essay, you won’t need to provide as much evidence.

Don’t Stray Away From The Essay Prompt

An essay prompt is a set of instructions that tell you what you need to do in your essay. It’s important to follow these instructions carefully, so you don’t stray away from the main topic.

Ask your teacher or professor for clarification if you’re unsure what the essay prompt is. After all, if you’re not clear about what you’re supposed to be writing about, how can you expect to do a good job?

A good way to be on track is to outline your essay before you start writing. It’ll help you stay focused on the main points you need to cover.

Don’t Overuse Idioms

Often, we’re given the tip of keeping our essays light and casual without sounding too formal. However, this doesn’t mean you should overdo it with idioms and colloquialisms.

An idiom is a phrase that has a meaning that can’t be understood from the literal definition of the words used. For example, the idiom “it’s raining cats and dogs” doesn’t mean that animals are actually falling from the sky. It means that it’s raining very hard.

Similarly, a colloquialism is an informal phrase used in everyday conversation. For example, the phrase “I’m starving” doesn’t mean that you’re literally going to die if you don’t eat. It means that you’re very hungry.

While using these phrases in your essay is okay, don’t overdo it. Doing it will only make your essay sound childish and immature.

Don’t Stress Out

Writing an essay can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. If you start to feel overwhelmed, take a deep breath and relax. Take a break if you need to.

There’s no need to stress out about your essay. Just take your time and do the best that you can. Your teacher or professor will appreciate it. And if nothing else works, you can always hire the best essay writers online to help you out.