When it comes to written assignments, the form is just as important as substance. As a matter of fact, to write an excellent essay, you should pay attention to both the content and structure of your work. This principle is the essence of good academic writing.
At first, improving your academic writing might seem difficult. There’s a specific structure to follow as well as plenty of details that one should pay attention to. Yet, as a student, you get to practice writing essays fairly often. Each such assignment is an opportunity to train and get closer to becoming an A+ student.
In this article, you’ll find some easy-to-follow tips on how to improve your academic writing and make sure you hone this skill.
1. Use Topic Sentences And Signposting
When writing an essay, your main goal is not only to provide some information on a specific topic but to make a point in a clear and comprehensive way. For this, you should strive for the coherence of the text on every level. Put differently, there is a point in your essay, and everything you write should be relevant to it in one way or another.
Using topic sentences and signposting will help you achieve this goal. Specifically, you should use topic sentences to show your reader what the paragraph is going to be about. To point out the different arguments that you use to explain your thesis, you can use signposts. These can be words or phrases that will help readers track your arguments.
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2. Use The Active Voice
Unless you intentionally want to make the point of your essay more obscure, you should avoid using the passive voice. Such constructions make sentences longer and more complex. As a result, these sentences can slow down your readers’ process of understanding, as they demand more cognitive effort.
Your writing will come across clearer if you use an active voice. That is, make a “main character” of your essay the subject of a sentence. Sentences that have subjects performing a particular action are much easier to read. Yet, if there’s no “doer” of the action or they are irrelevant, you’re free to use the passive voice.
In general, the active voice will make your text sound more clear and natural in your reader’s mind. That being said, you might still use the passive voice when necessary, just be careful and try not to misuse it in your writing.
3. Use Linking Words
Using linking words is another technique to produce a clear and well-structured essay. You can use these words whenever there’s a transition in your text.
Linking or transition words can be divided into different categories, based on the purpose they serve. For example, you can use them to add, compare, contrast, explain, or summarize different parts of your text. The common place for transition words and phrases are at the beginning of a sentence.
When applied properly, linking words and phrases can help your text flow. Yet, you should use them only when there’s a transition or a relationship. Otherwise, your writing might appear awkward and wordy.
4. Write A Strong Conclusion
No matter which kind of essay you have to produce, you should always aim at ending it in the best way possible. After all, a conclusion is one of the most important parts of the essay, as it leaves the final impression on your reader. In general, it should prove that your text is cohesive and your thesis, as well as analysis, are insightful.
To convey the sense of cohesiveness, your text should present your readers with the feeling of closure. You can achieve this by making sure that your introduction and conclusion address the same topic. That is, you can repeat the phrase that you used at the beginning of the essay when writing concluding thoughts.
Think about concluding your essay with some ideas, issues, or questions that might be interesting for future research. This way, you’ll show your readers that your essay topic is complex and thought-provoking. You can also end your essay by stating why it’s important and why anybody should care about it.
5. Revise The Draft Of Your Essay
First of all, you should put your draft aside for a couple of days. Don’t start revising it as soon as the work is done, because chances are that you won’t be able to see its drawbacks yet. Your essay needs a fresh look, so it’s better you switch over to another assignment for a while.
If you have anyone who can read your essay and provide you with some valuable feedback, don’t hesitate to ask for this favor. This way, you’ll immediately find out whether everything in your text is clear, reasonable, and persuasive. Be ready to edit your essay if necessary.
Proofread your text and check it for grammar and punctuation mistakes. And make sure that you don’t misuse the passive voice or apply the linking words in the absence of transitions. In a nutshell, revise the draft to ensure that your writing is flawless and the essay is ready for submission.
Wrapping Up
Academic writing is a crucial skill that you need to hone as soon as possible. After you learn to present your thoughts in a logical, cohesive, and persuasive way, you’ll see that your academic performance will improve.
To make your A+ dream come true, you should use the following techniques when writing an essay. Use topic sentences, signposts, the active voice as well as linking words to make your text flow. Also, invest your time into writing a solid conclusion and revising the draft.
These simple techniques will definitely help you write essays that your readers will enjoy!
