essay writing is an art that requires many planning

• StudySkills@Sheffield
• Academic writing skills
• Academic writing

How to structure and plan an essay

This page will help you to organise and plan an academic essay by outlining clear initial stages to follow, and will introduce you to a model for organising a typical academic essay.

What is an essay? 

An essay is a focused, academic discussion of a particular question, problem or issue.

Many of you have been writing essays for years, and are probably good at it. That's great, and everything you look at here will build on and develop those skills.

But it's worth asking: are there different things expected of a university essay from those for school, college, or other contexts?

The obvious answer is yes, and it takes time and effort to learn the range of writing skills needed to produce university essays effectively.

There are all sorts of reasons why essays are common forms of assessment. They allow you to explore a problem in-depth, express yourself concisely and precisely, and debate other people's published opinions on a topic.

They're also a good warm-up for traditional forms of academic publication, such as a journal article.

Academic essays usually follow an established organisational structure that helps the writer to express their ideas clearly and the reader to follow the thread of their argument.

An essay's structure is guided by its content and argument so every essay question will pose unique structural challenges.

Planning stages

Essay writing is a process with many stages, from topic selection, planning and reading around, through to drafting, revising and proofreading.

Breaking the task down and creating a clear plan with milestones and intermediate deadlines will allow you to focus attention more fully on the writing process itself when you put your plan into action either as part of an assignment or an exam.

1. Understand the question

• Is the question open-ended or closed? If it is open-ended you will need to narrow it down. Explain how and why you have decided to limit it in the introduction to your essay, so the reader knows you appreciate the wider issues, but that you can also be selective.
• If it is a closed question, your answer must refer to and stay within the limits of the question (ie specific dates, texts, or countries).
• What can you infer from the title about the structure of the essay?

2. Brainstorm for ideas

• What you know about the topic – from lectures, reading etc
• What you don't know about the topic, but need to find out to answer the question
• Possible responses or answers to the question – any ideas about your conclusion.
• Consider using a mind map to organise your thoughts…

3. Make a plan

• Planning your essay makes it more likely that you have a coherent argument
• It enables you to work out a logical structure and an endpoint for your argument before you start writing
• It means you don't have to do this type of complex thinking at the same time as trying to find the right words to express your ideas
• It helps you to commit yourself to sticking to the point!

Have a look at this Glossary of Essay Instruction Words (PDF, 100KB) , or watch this short Study Skills Hacks video on identifying the tasks in a question to help you identify what is required.

The Hourglass essay

If you're stuck on an overall structure for your essay, try this simple model for organising a typical academic essay. An hourglass essay introduces a broad area, before narrowing the focus towards the specific question that you are answering. It finishes by placing that narrow area back into a wider context. 

Introduction: the funnel of the hourglass

Set the scene and lead your reader into your essay by introducing the broad area of interest and then narrowing towards your specific focus:

• Start broad with a hook to catch the reader's attention
• Provide some context for the hook. What does your project add to it?
• Focus on the narrow area of your essay: can you summarise it in a single sentence mission statement?

Body: the stem of the hourglass

The body of your essay should be as narrow and focused as possible. Body paragraphs will take one sub-topic at a time and provide a logical flow of ideas for your reader:

• Start each paragraph with a topic sentence to tell your reader what it will cover
• Fill your paragraph with a range of supporting evidence and examples
• Finish your paragraph with a final wrapping-up sentence to summarise and/or link ahead

Conclusion: the base of the hourglass

Your chance to reinforce your key messages and go out with a bang:

• Revisit your mission statement: how have you addressed it?
• Summarise the main points of your argument or findings
• Finish with a broader scope, explaining how your topic might inform future research or practice, or where gaps remain

Have a go at using this template (google doc) to plan a structure for your essay, paying particular attention to the ways in which you have broken down the topic into sub-themes for your body paragraphs.

Come along to an Essay Structure and Planning workshop, which will outline how to analyse your essay question, discuss approaches logically structure all your ideas, help you make your introductions and conclusions more effective, and teach how to link your ideas and ensure all essay content flows logically from the introduction.

Book an Essay Structure and Planning Workshop place here

Book workshop on writing Writing Persuasive Introductions, Conclusions and Discussions and Writing Effective Thesis Statements and Topic Sentences which explore both features and linguistic structures.

More information

• Start planning early, leave your plan for a couple of days, and then come back to it. This may give you a fresh perspective.
• It is often easiest to write the introduction last, but when you are planning your essay structure make sure you have your mission statement.
• A good plan will make it much easier to write a good essay. Invest the time in making a plan that works.
• Check what your tutor wants, but it is often best to focus on one element in great detail, rather than discuss several aspects superficially.
• Make sure you allow time to proofread your work before submission!
• How to structure a paragraph
• How to paraphrase and quote
• How to write in an academic style

Use your mySkills portfolio to discover your skillset, reflect on your development, and record your progress.

Planning the essay

“A good plan is like a road map: it shows the final destination and usually the best way to get there.” -  H. Stanely Judd

• Understand the question
• Read the question

Think around the focus

Organise ideas, what does planning involve.

Planning is an important part of the writing process. It begins when you receive the assignment question. Before you start to gather ideas on the topic and before you write anything, you need to spend some time reading the question carefully to understand exactly what you have to write about and how you have to organise your ideas.

This section will look at the following:

• the types of questions commonly used in undergraduate essay assignments
• strategies for reading the question to find the central focus
• strategies for thinking aound the focus and making a rough plan
• some basic principles for organising ideas.

  First, let us have a look at the crucial steps in the writing process.

The writing process

Finding the focus

Most questions have an internal structure. There is often a content focus and a function focus. Content is the answer you will have to write in response to the question asked, and function refers to the approach you need to take in answering the question:

Identify key words

How would you identify the key words in this essay question?

Discuss the effects of the unemployment benefit system on the New Zealand economy.

Use your own paper and then click below to view how it might be done using the various strategies mentioned.

Click here to view different strategies.

Using the Bull’s Eye Strategy

Use the B ull’ s Eye S trategy to analyse the following questions:

Question 1 : How relevant are the principles of public service broadcasting to television in contemporary New Zealand society? (FTVMS 100 – Type 1 question)

Question 2 : International society has long recognised the economic disparity between Northern and Southern Hemispheres. However, it is not reduced. Why? What are the implications? (Political Studies – Type 3 question)

Use your own paper and click below to view some suggested answers. Try the strategy with questions from your own subject area.

Click here to view the suggested answers.

The correct Answer is: 2

Many: used for countable nouns a number of hence, that equires much planning is the right usage., similar questions.

I have visited Mumbai two years ago (1)/ and I am planning to visit again (2)/ in the near future. (3)/ No error (4).

In India, (1)/ there are (2) / many poors. (3)/No error (4)

Knowledge Check

In the following questions, one part of the sentence may have an error. find out which part of the sentence has an error and click the button corresponding to it. if the sentence is free from error, click the "no error" option. 9. essay writing is an art (a)/ that requires many planning (b)/ on the part of the writer. (c)/no error (d), he is (1) / having many (2) / friends here. (3) / no error. (4).

Either an officer (1)/ or an assistant (2)/ are required. (3)/ No error (4)

Directions : In the following questions, some parts of the sentences have errors and some are correct. Find out which part of a sentence has an error. The number of that part is the answer. If a sentence is free from error, your answer is (4) 1.e. No error. The visitor took the vacant seat (1)/ next from mine (2)/one of the many huge sofas in the room. (3)/ No error (4)

It is to certify that he has won (1)/ the essay writing competition organised (2)/ by the Department of Arts and Culture.(3)/ No error (4)

The artist and writer (1)/ has (2)/ died. (3)/ No error (4)

What a confort to see that you (1)/ have organizing and planning (2)/ everything for us. (3)/ No Error (4)

In the following question, some part of the sentence may have errors. Find out which part of the sentence has an error and select the appropriate option. If the sentence is free from error, select 'No Error'. That summer, elections were (1)/ held at many a place (2)/ without any untoward incident. (3)/ No error (4)

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Mastering the Art of Essay Writing: A Comprehensive Guide

Essay writing is a fundamental skill in humanities subjects, and mastering it is key to achieving top marks in your exams. In this guide, we’ll break down the processes, steps, and key strategies to help you craft compelling essays that stand out across various exam boards.

Understanding the Essay Structure:

1. Introduction:

   Begin your essay with a clear and concise introduction that outlines your main argument. This is called a topic statement.

Use sentence starters like:

   – “In this essay, I will explore…”

   – “The purpose of this essay is to analyze…”

2. Body Paragraphs:

   – Each paragraph should focus on a single idea or argument.

   – Use topic sentences to introduce the main point of each paragraph.

   – Provide evidence and examples to support your arguments.

3. Conclusion:

   Summarize your main points and restate your thesis in a conclusive manner.

   – Avoid introducing new information in the conclusion.

Key Strategies for Essay Writing with different GCSE Exam Boards:

   – AQA often emphasizes a balanced argument and a clear line of reasoning.

   – Use connecting words such as “however,” “therefore,” and “consequently” to enhance the flow of your essay.

2. Edexcel:

   – Edexcel exams may require a critical analysis of sources.

   – Practice incorporating source analysis seamlessly into your essay.

   – OCR values well-structured essays with a logical progression of ideas.

   – Utilize signposting phrases like “firstly,” “secondly,” and “finally” to guide the reader through your essay.

Structured Tips for Essay Writing Success:

1. Plan Your Essay:

   Before writing, create a clear essay plan to organize your thoughts and arguments logically.

2. Use Varied Sentence Structures:

   Employ a mix of short and complex sentences to enhance readability. Remember, complex sentences are not complicated to understand! They simply include a main clause and subordinate clause. If this feels gibberish, reach out to one of our English Tutors!

3. Provide Concrete Examples:

   – Support your arguments with specific examples and evidence. Remember P.E.E paragraphs from KS2/3… we did those for a reason! Prove it!

   – For instance, use phrases like “For example,” “In addition,” or “Moreover.”

4. Answer the Question:

   Ensure your essay directly addresses the question or prompt provided. This is a big one and where many students get tripped up. They read a part of the question at the start and then set off to write their paper. Don’t do that! Read the whole question numerous times to ensure full understanding and to identify key words.

5. Proofread Thoroughly:

• Check for grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and clarity.
• Sentence starters for revising: “This could be better phrased as…” or “Consider rephrasing to…”

Conclusion:

Mastering essay writing is a skill that can significantly impact your success in humanities exams. By understanding the structure, nuances of different exam boards, and employing structured tips and examples, you’ll be well on your way to crafting exceptional essays that earn you top marks. If you find essay writing challenging, consider seeking guidance from an experienced English tutor to enhance your skills further.

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