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How to Write Any High School Essay (With Examples!)

Last Updated: August 1, 2024 Fact Checked

• Research & Outlining Your Essay
• Writing the Intro
• Types of Essays & Sample Topics

Writing Techniques Cheat Sheet

This article was co-authored by Emily Listmann, MA and by wikiHow staff writer, Sophie Burkholder, BA . Emily Listmann is a Private Tutor and Life Coach in Santa Cruz, California. In 2018, she founded Mindful & Well, a natural healing and wellness coaching service. She has worked as a Social Studies Teacher, Curriculum Coordinator, and an SAT Prep Teacher. She received her MA in Education from the Stanford Graduate School of Education in 2014. Emily also received her Wellness Coach Certificate from Cornell University and completed the Mindfulness Training by Mindful Schools. There are 16 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 567,618 times.

Writing an essay is an important basic skill that you will need to succeed in high school, college, and beyond. While the exact requirements of any essay will vary depending on the teacher and assignment, most high school essays follow the same basic structure. By presenting a well-written five-paragraph essay with a strong thesis statement, you can successfully write an essay for any high school class or topic!

Writing in a High School Essay Format

Decide on and research a topic, then create your essay outline. Write an introduction that states your argument with a thesis statement, then support the thesis statement with evidence in your three main body paragraphs. Finally, restate your thesis and summarize your argument in your concluding paragraph.

Writing a High School Essay: The Preparation Stage

• While most high school essays follow a similar format, different requirements are needed for different types of essays —such as a persuasive, expository, narrative, or descriptive essay. [1] X Research source
• If you need help coming up with a topic , brainstorm or search for subjects related to your assignment’s focus.

• Eventually, the sources you find in your research will be the evidence to back up the main point of your essay.

• For example, the statement “Elephants are used to perform in circuses” does not offer an arguable point—this statement just presents a fact.
• Instead, you may try a thesis statement like “Elephants should not be kept in the circus since they are mistreated.” Since people may reasonably agree or disagree with this statement, you’ll be able to find supporting arguments for and against it to use in your essay.
• Keep in mind that some types of essay writing may not require an argument, such as a narrative essay. However, the standard high school essay structure typically requires a thesis statement.

• Introduction Paragraph Hook: Thesis Statement:
• Body Paragraph 1 Topic Sentence: Supporting Evidence #1: Supporting Evidence #2: Supporting Evidence #3:
• Body Paragraph 2 Topic Sentence: Supporting Evidence #1: Supporting Evidence #2: Supporting Evidence #3:
• Body Paragraph 3 Topic Sentence: Supporting Evidence #1: Supporting Evidence #2: Supporting Evidence #3:

• Talk to your school’s librarian for direction on specific books or databases you could use to find your information.
• Many schools offer access to online databases like EBSCO or JSTOR where you can find reliable information. If you need help, consult with your teacher.
• Wikipedia is a great starting place for your research, but it can be edited by anyone in the world, so it’s not a reliable source. Instead, look at a related Wikipedia article’s references to find the sites where the information really came from.
• Use Google Scholar if you want to find peer-reviewed scholarly articles for your sources.
• Make sure to consider the author’s qualifications when determining source credibility . If a source does not include the author’s name, then it might not be a good option.

Writing an Essay Introduction

• However, make sure that your hook is both accurate and related to the subject of your essay.
• Example : Gender inequality has been an inescapable fact of life for as long as history can remember.

• Example: Women have been seen as inferior, and have been treated as such, for centuries. But to respond to such sexist ideas and treatment, the modern feminist movement arose. Feminism has become a prevalent theme in all forms of art, including literature. Feminist criticism examines works of literature in order to analyze their portrayal of the sexes.

• Example: In John Steinbeck’s short story “The Chrysanthemums,” the lens of feminist criticism provides insight into how the issue of gender inequality affects the main protagonist, Elisa Allen.

• Mapping out this structure for the reader helps them know exactly what you’re discussing and what they should expect from the rest of your essay.
• However, this structural preview in the introductory paragraph is typically only included in longer, more advanced essays. If you’re not sure about including this segment, double-check with your teacher. When in doubt, leave it out and end the intro with your thesis.
• Example: This paper begins by exploring the limitations placed on Elisa due to her gender, then goes on to discuss the ways in which Steinbeck showcases Elisa’s struggles through symbolism and other literary devices. Finally, this essay will explore the modern-day parallels of Elisa’s story and the continuing ramifications of gender inequality.

Writing Body Paragraphs

• Check with your teacher if you’re not sure how many paragraphs should be in the body of your essay.

• Don’t assume your reader will make the connection between your info and the thesis of your paper. Analysis also gives you a chance to include your own thoughts and interpretation of the facts you provide.
• Unless you’re writing a personal essay, avoid the use of “I” statements since this could make your essay look less professional.
• When quoting or paraphrasing specific pieces of information or evidence, don’t forget to cite your sources in-text based on the format required for your paper. [10] X Research source Many high school essays are written in MLA or APA style. Ask your teacher what format they want you to follow if it’s not specified.

• For example, if your body paragraphs discuss similar points in a different way, you can use phrases like “in the same way,” “similarly,” and “just as” to start other body paragraphs.
• If you are posing different points, try phrases like “in spite of,” “in contrast,” or “however” to transition.

Writing an Essay Conclusion

• For example, if your thesis was, “The cell phone is the most important invention in the past 30 years,” then you may restate the thesis in your conclusion like, “Due to the ability to communicate anywhere in the world and access information easily, the cell phone is a pivotal invention in human history.”
• If you’re only writing a 1-page paper, restating your main ideas isn’t necessary.

• For example, if you write an essay discussing the themes of a book, think about how the themes are affecting people’s lives today.

• Try to pick the same type of closing sentence as you used as your attention getter.

• Including a Works Cited page shows that the information you provided isn’t all your own and allows the reader to visit the sources to see the raw information for themselves.
• Avoid using online citation machines since they may be outdated.

• At the high school level, most teachers dislike common concluding phrases like “To sum up” or “In conclusion,” so avoid using those in your final paragraph.

Revising & Completing Your Essay

• Have a peer or parent read through your essay to see if they understand what point you’re trying to make.
• If you find any off-topic or contradictory sections, cut them from your essay or find a way to tie it into your main focus. If you do cut parts out of your essay, make sure to reread it again to see if it affects the flow of how it reads.

Writing Different Types of High School Essays

• Write a clear thesis statement in the introductory paragraph.
• Provide evidence support for your thesis statement in each body paragraph.
• Use clear and concise language without any figurative or sensory imagery.
• Sample Topics: “What makes a good leader?,” “Describe how the internet changed the world,” “What is the theme of [literary work]?”

• Write a thesis statement in the first paragraph that clearly states your opinion.
• Use well-researched, factual, and detailed information to support your argument .
• Include a counterpoint paragraph where you present the opposing argument and point out its flows.
• Use the conclusion to synthesize the essay and provide insight into further research.
• Sample Topics: “The best music genre is…,” “Is capitalism the best form of economy?,” “Should schools have dress codes?”

• Structure your essay like a story with a plot, characters, setting, conflict, and theme.
• Use the first-person pronoun “I” as needed, since the story is told from your point of view.
• Write the events in chronological order to aid organization and help readers understand better.
• Sample Topics: “Describe a performance or sporting event you took part in,” “Describe a time in your life when you’ve been scared,” “Explain a family tradition, how it developed, and its importance today.”

• Structure your essay with an introduction, body paragraph, and summary conclusion.
• Use figurative and vivid language to provide a sensory description to the reader. Mention what something looks, feels, smells, sounds, and tastes like.
• Use transition words to lead the readers into the right stages of emotions and follow the logical flow of the essay.
• Sample Topics: “What is your happiest memory?,” “Write about your favorite place,” “Describe yourself to someone who has never met you.”

Community Q&A

• If you have writer's block , take a break for a few minutes, stretch, get a snack, and come back to your essay. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Your teacher should have provided you with a rubric, so use that as your final guide to make sure your essay is meeting all of the criteria for this assignment. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• Avoid using plagiarism since this could result in academic consequences. Thanks Helpful 5 Not Helpful 1

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/types-of-essays/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/thesis-statements/
• ↑ https://facultyweb.ivcc.edu/rrambo/eng1001/outline.htm
• ↑ https://guides.libs.uga.edu/reliability
• ↑ https://examples.yourdictionary.com/20-compelling-hook-examples-for-essays.html
• ↑ https://wts.indiana.edu/writing-guides/how-to-write-a-thesis-statement.html
• ↑ https://guidetogrammar.org/grammar/five_par.htm
• ↑ https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/paragraphs/topicsentences
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/transitions/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/ending-essay-conclusions
• ↑ https://libguides.newcastle.edu.au/how-to-write-an-essay/conclusion
• ↑ https://pitt.libguides.com/citationhelp
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/revising-drafts/
• ↑ https://www.csueastbay.edu/scaa/files/docs/student-handouts/expository-essay.pdf
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/historical_perspectives_on_argumentation/toulmin_argument.html
• ↑ https://gallaudet.edu/student-success/tutorial-center/english-center/writing/resources-for-writing-different-types-of-essays/guide-to-different-kinds-of-essays/

About This Article

Writing good essays is an important skill to have in high school, and you can write a good one by planning it out and organizing it well. Before you start, do some research on your topic so you can come up with a strong, specific thesis statement, which is essentially the main argument of your essay. For instance, your thesis might be something like, “Elephants should not be kept in the circus because they are mistreated.” Once you have your thesis, outline the paragraphs for your essay. You should have an introduction that includes your thesis, at least 3 body paragraphs that explain your main points, and a conclusion paragraph. Start each body paragraph with a topic sentence that states the main point of the paragraph. As you write your main points, make sure to include evidence and quotes from your research to back it up. To learn how to revise your paper, read more from our Writing co-author! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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• What is an essay? 

What makes a good essay?

Typical essay structure, 7 steps to writing a good essay, a step-by-step guide to writing a good essay.

Whether you are gearing up for your GCSE coursework submissions or looking to brush up on your A-level writing skills, we have the perfect essay-writing guide for you. 💯

Staring at a blank page before writing an essay can feel a little daunting . Where do you start? What should your introduction say? And how should you structure your arguments? They are all fair questions and we have the answers! Take the stress out of essay writing with this step-by-step guide – you’ll be typing away in no time. 👩‍💻

What is an essay?

Generally speaking, an essay designates a literary work in which the author defends a point of view or a personal conviction, using logical arguments and literary devices in order to inform and convince the reader.

So – although essays can be broadly split into four categories: argumentative, expository, narrative, and descriptive – an essay can simply be described as a focused piece of writing designed to inform or persuade. 🤔

The purpose of an essay is to present a coherent argument in response to a stimulus or question and to persuade the reader that your position is credible, believable and reasonable. 👌

So, a ‘good’ essay relies on a confident writing style – it’s clear, well-substantiated, focussed, explanatory and descriptive . The structure follows a logical progression and above all, the body of the essay clearly correlates to the tile – answering the question where one has been posed. 

But, how do you go about making sure that you tick all these boxes and keep within a specified word count? Read on for the answer as well as an example essay structure to follow and a handy step-by-step guide to writing the perfect essay – hooray. 🙌

Sometimes, it is helpful to think about your essay like it is a well-balanced argument or a speech – it needs to have a logical structure, with all your points coming together to answer the question in a coherent manner. ⚖️

Of course, essays can vary significantly in length but besides that, they all follow a fairly strict pattern or structure made up of three sections. Lean into this predictability because it will keep you on track and help you make your point clearly. Let’s take a look at the typical essay structure:  

#1 Introduction

Start your introduction with the central claim of your essay. Let the reader know exactly what you intend to say with this essay. Communicate what you’re going to argue, and in what order. The final part of your introduction should also say what conclusions you’re going to draw – it sounds counter-intuitive but it’s not – more on that below. 1️⃣

Make your point, evidence it and explain it. This part of the essay – generally made up of three or more paragraphs depending on the length of your essay – is where you present your argument. The first sentence of each paragraph – much like an introduction to an essay – should summarise what your paragraph intends to explain in more detail. 2️⃣

#3 Conclusion

This is where you affirm your argument – remind the reader what you just proved in your essay and how you did it. This section will sound quite similar to your introduction but – having written the essay – you’ll be summarising rather than setting out your stall. 3️⃣

No essay is the same but your approach to writing them can be. As well as some best practice tips, we have gathered our favourite advice from expert essay-writers and compiled the following 7-step guide to writing a good essay every time. 👍

#1 Make sure you understand the question

#2 complete background reading.

#3 Make a detailed plan 

#4 Write your opening sentences 

#5 flesh out your essay in a rough draft, #6 evidence your opinion, #7 final proofread and edit.

Now that you have familiarised yourself with the 7 steps standing between you and the perfect essay, let’s take a closer look at each of those stages so that you can get on with crafting your written arguments with confidence . 

This is the most crucial stage in essay writing – r ead the essay prompt carefully and understand the question. Highlight the keywords – like ‘compare,’ ‘contrast’ ‘discuss,’ ‘explain’ or ‘evaluate’ – and let it sink in before your mind starts racing . There is nothing worse than writing 500 words before realising you have entirely missed the brief . 🧐

Unless you are writing under exam conditions , you will most likely have been working towards this essay for some time, by doing thorough background reading. Re-read relevant chapters and sections, highlight pertinent material and maybe even stray outside the designated reading list, this shows genuine interest and extended knowledge. 📚

#3 Make a detailed plan

Following the handy structure we shared with you above, now is the time to create the ‘skeleton structure’ or essay plan. Working from your essay title, plot out what you want your paragraphs to cover and how that information is going to flow. You don’t need to start writing any full sentences yet but it might be useful to think about the various quotes you plan to use to substantiate each section. 📝

Having mapped out the overall trajectory of your essay, you can start to drill down into the detail. First, write the opening sentence for each of the paragraphs in the body section of your essay. Remember – each paragraph is like a mini-essay – the opening sentence should summarise what the paragraph will then go on to explain in more detail. 🖊️

Next, it's time to write the bulk of your words and flesh out your arguments. Follow the ‘point, evidence, explain’ method. The opening sentences – already written – should introduce your ‘points’, so now you need to ‘evidence’ them with corroborating research and ‘explain’ how the evidence you’ve presented proves the point you’re trying to make. ✍️

With a rough draft in front of you, you can take a moment to read what you have written so far. Are there any sections that require further substantiation? Have you managed to include the most relevant material you originally highlighted in your background reading? Now is the time to make sure you have evidenced all your opinions and claims with the strongest quotes, citations and material. 📗

This is your final chance to re-read your essay and go over it with a fine-toothed comb before pressing ‘submit’. We highly recommend leaving a day or two between finishing your essay and the final proofread if possible – you’ll be amazed at the difference this makes, allowing you to return with a fresh pair of eyes and a more discerning judgment. 🤓

If you are looking for advice and support with your own essay-writing adventures, why not t ry a free trial lesson with GoStudent? Our tutors are experts at boosting academic success and having fun along the way. Get in touch and see how it can work for you today. 🎒

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Essay Writing Tips: 10 Steps to Writing a Great Essay (And Have Fun Doing It!)

by Joe Bunting | 118 comments

Do you dread essay writing? Are you looking for some essay tips that will help you write an amazing essay—and have fun doing it?

Lots of students, young and old, dread essay writing. It's a daunting assignment, one that takes research, time, and concentration.

It's also an assignment that you can break up into simple steps that make writing an essay manageable and, yes, even enjoyable.

These ten essay tips completely changed my writing process—and I hope that they can do the same for you.

Essay Writing Can Be Fun

Honestly, throughout most of high school and college, I was a mediocre essay writer.

Every once in a while, I would write a really good essay, but mostly I skated by with B's and A-minuses.

I know personally how boring writing an essay can be, and also, how hard it can be to write a good one.

However, toward the end of my time as a student, I made a breakthrough. I figured out how to not only write a great essay, I learned how to have fun while doing it . 

And since then, I've become a professional writer and have written more than a dozen books. I'm not saying that these essay writing tips are going to magically turn you into a writer, but at least they can help you enjoy the process more.

I'm excited to share these ten essay writing tips with you today! But first, we need to talk about why writing an essay is so hard.

Why Writing an Essay Is So Hard

When it comes to essay writing, a lot of students find a reason to put it off. And when they tackle it, they find it difficult to string sentences together that sound like a decent stance on the assigned subject.

Here are a few reasons why essay writing is hard:

• You'd rather be scrolling through Facebook
• You're trying to write something your teacher or professor will like
• You're trying to get an A instead of writing something that's actually good
• You want to do the least amount of work possible

The biggest reason writing an essay is so hard is because we mostly focus on those external  rewards like getting a passing grade, winning our teacher's approval, or just avoiding accusations of plagiarism.

The problem is that when you focus on external approval it not only makes writing much less fun, it also makes it significantly harder.

Because when you focus on external approval, you shut down your subconscious, and the subconscious is the source of your creativity.

The subconscious is the source of your creativity.

What this means practically is that when you're trying to write that perfect, A-plus-worthy sentence, you're turning off most of your best resources and writing skills.

So stop. Stop trying to write a good essay (or even a “good-enough” essay). Instead, write an interesting  essay, write an essay you think is fascinating. And when you're finished, go back and edit it until it's “good” according to your teacher's standards.

Yes, you need to follow the guidelines in your assignment. If your teacher tells you to write a five-paragraph essay, then write a five-paragraph essay! If your teacher asks for a specific type of essay, like an analysis, argument, or research essay, then make sure you write that type of essay!

However, within those guidelines, find room to express something that is uniquely you .

I can't guarantee you'll get a higher grade (although, you almost certainly will), but I can absolutely promise you'll have a lot more fun writing.

The Step-by-Step Process to Writing a Great Essay: Your 10 Essay Writing Tips

Ready to get writing? You can read my ten best tips for having fun while writing an essay that earns you the top grade, or check out this presentation designed by our friends at Canva Presentations .

1. Remember your essay is just a story.

Every story is about conflict and change, and the truth is that essays are about conflict and change, too! The difference is that in an essay, the conflict is between different ideas , and the change is in the way we should perceive those ideas.

That means that the best essays are about surprise: “You probably think it's one way, but in reality, you should think of it this other way.” See tip #3 for more on this.

How do you know what story you're telling? The prompt should tell you.

Any list of essay prompts includes various topics and tasks associated with them. Within those topics are characters (historical, fictional, or topical) faced with difficult choices. Your job is to work with those choices, usually by analyzing them, arguing about them, researching them, or describing them in detail.

2. Before you start writing, ask yourself, “How can I have the most fun writing this?”

It's normal to feel unmotivated when writing an academic essay. I'm a writer, and honestly, I feel unmotivated to write all the time. But I have a super-ninja, judo-mind trick I like to use to help motivate myself.

Here's the secret trick: One of the interesting things about your subconscious is that it will answer any question you ask yourself. So whenever you feel unmotivated to write your essay, ask yourself the following question:

“How much fun can I have writing this?”

Your subconscious will immediately start thinking of strategies to make the writing process more fun.

The best time to have your fun is the first draft. Since you're just brainstorming within the topic, and exploring the possible ways of approaching it, the first draft is the perfect place to get creative and even a little scandalous. Here are some wild suggestions to make your next essay a load of fun:

• Research the most surprising or outrageous fact about the topic and use it as your hook.
• Use a thesaurus to research the topic's key words. Get crazy with your vocabulary as you write, working in each key word synonym as much as possible.
• Play devil's advocate and take the opposing or immoral side of the issue. See where the discussion takes you as you write.

3. As you research, ask yourself, “What surprises me about this subject?”

The temptation, when you're writing an essay, is to write what you think your teacher or professor wants to read.

Don't do this .

Instead, ask yourself, “What do I find interesting about this subject? What surprises me?”

If you can't think of anything that surprises you, anything you find interesting, then you're not searching well enough, because history, science, and literature are all brimming   over with surprises. When you look at how great ideas actually happen, the story is always, “We used  to think the world was this way. We found out we were completely wrong, and that the world is actually quite different from what we thought.”

These pieces of surprising information often make for the best topic sentences as well. Use them to outline your essay and build your body paragraphs off of each unique fact or idea. These will function as excellent hooks for your reader as you transition from one topic to the next.

(By the way, what sources should you use for research? Check out tip #10 below.)

4. Overwhelmed? Write five original sentences.

The standard three-point essay is really made up of just five original sentences surrounded by supporting paragraphs that back up those five sentences. If you're feeling overwhelmed, just write five sentences covering your most basic main points.

Here's what they might look like for this article:

• Introductory Paragraph:  While most students consider writing an essay a boring task, with the right mindset, it can actually be an enjoyable experience.
• Body #1: Most students think writing an essay is tedious because they focus on external rewards.
• Body #2: Students should instead focus on internal fulfillment when writing an essay.
• Body #3: Not only will focusing on internal fulfillment allow students to have more fun, it will also result in better essays.
• Conclusion: Writing an essay doesn't have to be simply a way to earn a good grade. Instead, it can be a means of finding fulfillment.

After you write your five sentences, it's easy to fill in the paragraphs for each one.

Now, you give it a shot!

5. Be “source heavy.”

In college, I discovered a trick that helped me go from a B-average student to an A-student, but before I explain how it works, let me warn you. This technique is powerful , but it might not work for all teachers or professors. Use with caution.

As I was writing a paper for a literature class, I realized that the articles and books I was reading said what I was trying to say much better than I ever could. So what did I do? I quoted them liberally throughout my paper. When I wasn't quoting, I re-phrased what they said in my own words, giving proper credit, of course. I found that not only did this formula create a well-written essay, it took about half the time to write.

It's good to keep in mind that using anyone else's words, even when morphed into your own phrasing, requires citation. While the definition of plagiarism is shifting with the rise of online collaboration and cooperative learning environments, always  err on the side of excessive citation to be safe.

When I used this technique, my professors sometimes mentioned that my papers were very “source” heavy. However, at the same time, they always gave me A's.

To keep yourself safe, I recommend using a 60/40 approach with your body paragraphs: Make sure 60% of the words are your own analysis and argumentation, while 40% can be quoted (or text you paraphrase) from your sources.

Like the five sentence trick, this technique makes the writing process simpler. Instead of putting the main focus on writing well, it instead forces you to research  well, which some students find easier.

6. Write the body first, the introduction second, and the conclusion last.

Introductions are often the hardest part to write because you're trying to summarize your entire essay before you've even written it yet. Instead, try writing your introduction last, giving yourself the body of the paper to figure out the main point of your essay.

This is especially important with an essay topic you are not personally interested in. I definitely recommend this in classes you either don't excel in or care much for. Take plenty of time to draft and revise your body paragraphs before  attempting to craft a meaningful introductory paragraph.

Otherwise your opening may sound awkward, wooden, and bland.

7. Most essays answer the question, “What?” Good essays answer the “Why?” The best essays answer the “How?”

If you get stuck trying to make your argument, or you're struggling to reach the required word count, try focusing on the question, “How?”

For example:

• How did J.D. Salinger convey the theme of inauthenticity in  The Catcher In the Rye ?
• How did Napoleon restore stability in France after the French Revolution?
• How does the research prove girls really do rule and boys really do drool?

If you focus on how, you'll always have enough to write about.

8. Don't be afraid to jump around.

Essay writing can be a dance. You don't have to stay in one place and write from beginning to end.

For the same reasons listed in point #6, give yourself the freedom to write as if you're circling around your topic rather than making a single, straightforward argument. Then, when you edit and proofread, you can make sure everything lines up correctly.

In fact, now is the perfect time to mention that proofreading your essay isn't just about spelling and commas.

It's about making sure your analysis or argument flows smoothly from one idea to another. (Okay, technically this comprises editing, but most students writing a high school or college essay don't take the time to complete every step of the writing process. Let's be honest.)

So as you clean up your mechanics and sentence structure, make sure your ideas flow smoothly, logically, and naturally from one to the next as you finish proofreading.

9. Here are some words and phrases you don't want to use.

• You  (You'll notice I use a lot of you's, which is great for a blog post. However, in an academic essay, it's better to omit the second-person.)
• To Be verbs (is, are, was, were, am)

Don't have time to edit? Here's a lightning-quick editing technique .

A note about “I”: Some teachers say you shouldn't use “I” statements in your writing, but the truth is that professional, academic papers often use phrases like “I believe” and “in my opinion,” especially in their introductions.

10. It's okay to use Wikipedia, if…

Wikipedia is one of the top five websites in the world for a reason: it can be a great tool for research. However, most teachers and professors don't consider Wikipedia a valid source for use in essays.

Don't totally discount it, though! Here are two ways you can use Wikipedia in your essay writing:

• Background research. If you don't know enough about your topic, Wikipedia can be a great resource to quickly learn everything you need to know to get started.
• Find sources . Check the reference section of Wikipedia's articles on your topic. While you may not be able to cite Wikipedia itself, you can often find those original sources and cite them . You can locate the links to primary and secondary sources at the bottom of any Wikipedia page under the headings “Further Reading” and “References.”

You Can Enjoy Essay Writing

The thing I regret most about high school and college is that I treated it like something I had  to do rather than something I wanted  to do.

The truth is, education is an opportunity many people in the world don't have access to.

It's a gift, not just something that makes your life more difficult. I don't want you to make the mistake of just “getting by” through school, waiting desperately for summer breaks and, eventually, graduation.

How would your life be better if you actively enjoyed writing an essay? What would school look like if you wanted to suck it dry of all the gifts it has to give you?

All I'm saying is, don't miss out!

Looking for More Essay Writing Tips?

Looking for more essay tips to strengthen your essay writing? Try some of these resources:

• 7 Tips on Writing an Effective Essay
• Tips for Writing Your Thesis Statement

How about you? Do you have any tips for writing an essay?  Let us know in the  comments .

Need more grammar help?  My favorite tool that helps find grammar problems and even generates reports to help improve my writing is ProWritingAid . Works with Word, Scrivener, Google Docs, and web browsers. Also, be sure to use my coupon code to get 20 percent off: WritePractice20

Coupon Code:WritePractice20 »

Ready to try out these ten essay tips to make your essay assignment fun? Spend fifteen minutes using tip #4 and write five original sentences that could be turned into an essay.

When you're finished, share your five sentences in the comments section. And don't forget to give feedback to your fellow writers!

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Joe Bunting

Joe Bunting is an author and the leader of The Write Practice community. He is also the author of the new book Crowdsourcing Paris , a real life adventure story set in France. It was a #1 New Release on Amazon. Follow him on Instagram (@jhbunting).

Want best-seller coaching? Book Joe here.

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Essay Writing: A complete guide for students and teachers

P LANNING, PARAGRAPHING AND POLISHING: FINE-TUNING THE PERFECT ESSAY

Essay writing is an essential skill for every student. Whether writing a particular academic essay (such as persuasive, narrative, descriptive, or expository) or a timed exam essay, the key to getting good at writing is to write. Creating opportunities for our students to engage in extended writing activities will go a long way to helping them improve their skills as scribes.

But, putting the hours in alone will not be enough to attain the highest levels in essay writing. Practice must be meaningful. Once students have a broad overview of how to structure the various types of essays, they are ready to narrow in on the minor details that will enable them to fine-tune their work as a lean vehicle of their thoughts and ideas.

In this article, we will drill down to some aspects that will assist students in taking their essay writing skills up a notch. Many ideas and activities can be integrated into broader lesson plans based on essay writing. Often, though, they will work effectively in isolation – just as athletes isolate physical movements to drill that are relevant to their sport. When these movements become second nature, they can be repeated naturally in the context of the game or in our case, the writing of the essay.

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Planning an essay

The Boys Scouts’ motto is famously ‘Be Prepared’. It’s a solid motto that can be applied to most aspects of life; essay writing is no different. Given the purpose of an essay is generally to present a logical and reasoned argument, investing time in organising arguments, ideas, and structure would seem to be time well spent.

Given that essays can take a wide range of forms and that we all have our own individual approaches to writing, it stands to reason that there will be no single best approach to the planning stage of essay writing. That said, there are several helpful hints and techniques we can share with our students to help them wrestle their ideas into a writable form. Let’s take a look at a few of the best of these:

BREAK THE QUESTION DOWN: UNDERSTAND YOUR ESSAY TOPIC.

Whether students are tackling an assignment that you have set for them in class or responding to an essay prompt in an exam situation, they should get into the habit of analyzing the nature of the task. To do this, they should unravel the question’s meaning or prompt. Students can practice this in class by responding to various essay titles, questions, and prompts, thereby gaining valuable experience breaking these down.

Have students work in groups to underline and dissect the keywords and phrases and discuss what exactly is being asked of them in the task. Are they being asked to discuss, describe, persuade, or explain? Understanding the exact nature of the task is crucial before going any further in the planning process, never mind the writing process .

BRAINSTORM AND MIND MAP WHAT YOU KNOW:

Once students have understood what the essay task asks them, they should consider what they know about the topic and, often, how they feel about it. When teaching essay writing, we so often emphasize that it is about expressing our opinions on things, but for our younger students what they think about something isn’t always obvious, even to themselves.

Brainstorming and mind-mapping what they know about a topic offers them an opportunity to uncover not just what they already know about a topic, but also gives them a chance to reveal to themselves what they think about the topic. This will help guide them in structuring their research and, later, the essay they will write . When writing an essay in an exam context, this may be the only ‘research’ the student can undertake before the writing, so practicing this will be even more important.

RESEARCH YOUR ESSAY

The previous step above should reveal to students the general direction their research will take. With the ubiquitousness of the internet, gone are the days of students relying on a single well-thumbed encyclopaedia from the school library as their sole authoritative source in their essay. If anything, the real problem for our students today is narrowing down their sources to a manageable number. Students should use the information from the previous step to help here. At this stage, it is important that they:

●      Ensure the research material is directly relevant to the essay task

●      Record in detail the sources of the information that they will use in their essay

●      Engage with the material personally by asking questions and challenging their own biases

●      Identify the key points that will be made in their essay

●      Group ideas, counterarguments, and opinions together

●      Identify the overarching argument they will make in their own essay.

Once these stages have been completed the student is ready to organise their points into a logical order.

WRITING YOUR ESSAY

There are a number of ways for students to organize their points in preparation for writing. They can use graphic organizers , post-it notes, or any number of available writing apps. The important thing for them to consider here is that their points should follow a logical progression. This progression of their argument will be expressed in the form of body paragraphs that will inform the structure of their finished essay.

The number of paragraphs contained in an essay will depend on a number of factors such as word limits, time limits, the complexity of the question etc. Regardless of the essay’s length, students should ensure their essay follows the Rule of Three in that every essay they write contains an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Generally speaking, essay paragraphs will focus on one main idea that is usually expressed in a topic sentence that is followed by a series of supporting sentences that bolster that main idea. The first and final sentences are of the most significance here with the first sentence of a paragraph making the point to the reader and the final sentence of the paragraph making the overall relevance to the essay’s argument crystal clear. 

Though students will most likely be familiar with the broad generic structure of essays, it is worth investing time to ensure they have a clear conception of how each part of the essay works, that is, of the exact nature of the task it performs. Let’s review:

Common Essay Structure

Introduction: Provides the reader with context for the essay. It states the broad argument that the essay will make and informs the reader of the writer’s general perspective and approach to the question.

Body Paragraphs: These are the ‘meat’ of the essay and lay out the argument stated in the introduction point by point with supporting evidence.

Conclusion: Usually, the conclusion will restate the central argument while summarising the essay’s main supporting reasons before linking everything back to the original question.

ESSAY WRITING PARAGRAPH WRITING TIPS

●      Each paragraph should focus on a single main idea

●      Paragraphs should follow a logical sequence; students should group similar ideas together to avoid incoherence

●      Paragraphs should be denoted consistently; students should choose either to indent or skip a line

●      Transition words and phrases such as alternatively , consequently , in contrast should be used to give flow and provide a bridge between paragraphs.

HOW TO EDIT AN ESSAY

Students shouldn’t expect their essays to emerge from the writing process perfectly formed. Except in exam situations and the like, thorough editing is an essential aspect in the writing process. 

Often, students struggle with this aspect of the process the most. After spending hours of effort on planning, research, and writing the first draft, students can be reluctant to go back over the same terrain they have so recently travelled. It is important at this point to give them some helpful guidelines to help them to know what to look out for. The following tips will provide just such help: 

One Piece at a Time: There is a lot to look out for in the editing process and often students overlook aspects as they try to juggle too many balls during the process. One effective strategy to combat this is for students to perform a number of rounds of editing with each focusing on a different aspect. For example, the first round could focus on content, the second round on looking out for word repetition (use a thesaurus to help here), with the third attending to spelling and grammar.

Sum It Up: When reviewing the paragraphs they have written, a good starting point is for students to read each paragraph and attempt to sum up its main point in a single line. If this is not possible, their readers will most likely have difficulty following their train of thought too and the paragraph needs to be overhauled.

Let It Breathe: When possible, encourage students to allow some time for their essay to ‘breathe’ before returning to it for editing purposes. This may require some skilful time management on the part of the student, for example, a student rush-writing the night before the deadline does not lend itself to effective editing. Fresh eyes are one of the sharpest tools in the writer’s toolbox.

Read It Aloud: This time-tested editing method is a great way for students to identify mistakes and typos in their work. We tend to read things more slowly when reading aloud giving us the time to spot errors. Also, when we read silently our minds can often fill in the gaps or gloss over the mistakes that will become apparent when we read out loud.

Phone a Friend: Peer editing is another great way to identify errors that our brains may miss when reading our own work. Encourage students to partner up for a little ‘you scratch my back, I scratch yours’.

Use Tech Tools: We need to ensure our students have the mental tools to edit their own work and for this they will need a good grasp of English grammar and punctuation. However, there are also a wealth of tech tools such as spellcheck and grammar checks that can offer a great once-over option to catch anything students may have missed in earlier editing rounds.

Putting the Jewels on Display: While some struggle to edit, others struggle to let go. There comes a point when it is time for students to release their work to the reader. They must learn to relinquish control after the creation is complete. This will be much easier to achieve if the student feels that they have done everything in their control to ensure their essay is representative of the best of their abilities and if they have followed the advice here, they should be confident they have done so.

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13 Ways to Quickly Improve Your Academic Essay Writing Skills

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Written by  Scribendi

Anyone can learn to produce an academic essay if they begin with a few basic essay-writing rules. 

An academic essay must be based upon a solid but debatable thesis, supported by relevant and credible evidence, and closed with a succinct and thorough conclusion.

By adhering to the best way to write an essay, you can create valuable, persuasive papers even when you're under a time crunch!

What Makes a Good Essay?

As previously noted, the foundation of any good academic essay is its thesis statement. 

Do not confuse your thesis with your opening sentence. There are many good ways to start an essay , but few essays immediately present their main ideas.

After you draft your thesis, you can begin to develop your essay around it. This development will include the main supporting points of your essay, which will scaffold its main body. 

Essays also typically include a relevant and compelling introduction and conclusion.

Learn How to Write a Great Thesis Statement .

Understanding How to Write a Good Essay

When writing an academic essay, you must take a number of qualities and characteristics into careful consideration. Focus, development, unity, coherence, and correctness all play critical roles when it comes to distinguishing an exceptional essay from one that is less than perfect.

The following essay-writing tips can help writers organize, format, and support their essays in ways that fit their intended purpose and optimize their overall persuasiveness. Here are 13 essay tips for developing and writing your next academic paper.

1. Know What You Are Going to Write About Before You Start Writing

While untrained writers might just sit down and start typing, educated and experienced writers know that there are many steps to writing an essay.

In short, you should know what you want to say before you type a single word. The easiest way to narrow down a thesis and create a proper argument is to make a basic outline before you begin composing your essay.

Your outline should consist of rough notes that sketch out your introduction (including your thesis), the body of your essay (which should include separate paragraphs that present your main supporting points with plenty of evidence and examples), and your conclusion (which ties everything together and connects the argument back to your thesis).

2. Acquire a Solid Understanding of Basic Grammar, Punctuation, and Style

Before getting into more refined essay-writing techniques, you must have a solid grasp of grammar, punctuation, and style. Without these writing fundamentals, it will be difficult to communicate your ideas effectively and ensure that they are taken seriously.

Grammar basics include subject and verb agreement, correct article and pronoun use, and well-formed sentence structures. Make sure you know the proper uses for the most common forms of punctuation. Be mindful of your comma usage and know when a period is needed.

Finally, voice is tremendously important in academic essay writing. Employ language that is as concise as possible. Avoid transition words that don't add anything to the sentence and unnecessary wordiness that detracts from your argument.

Furthermore, use the active voice instead of the passive whenever possible (e.g., "this study found" instead of "it was found by this study"). This will make your essay's tone clear and direct.

3. Use the Right Vocabulary and Know What the Words You Are Using Actually Mean

How you use language is important, especially in academic essay writing. When writing an academic essay, remember that you are persuading others that you are an expert who argues intelligently about your topic.

Using big words just to sound smart often results in the opposite effect—it is easy to detect when someone is overcompensating in their writing.

If you aren't sure of the exact meaning of a word, you risk using it incorrectly. There's no shame in checking, and it might save you from an embarrassing word misuse later!

Using obscure language can also detract from the clarity of your argument—you should consider this before pulling out a thesaurus to change a perfectly appropriate word to something completely different.

4. Understand the Argument and Critically Analyze the Evidence

While writing a good essay, your main argument should always be at the front of your mind. While it's tempting to go off on a tangent about an interesting side note, doing so makes your writing less concise.

Always question the evidence you include in your essay; ask yourself, "Does this directly support my thesis?" If the answer is "no," then that evidence should probably be excluded. 

When you are evaluating evidence, be critical and thorough. You want to use the strongest research to back up your thesis. It is not enough to simply present evidence in support of an argument. A good writer must also explain why the evidence is relevant and supportive.

Everything you include should clearly connect to your topic and argument.   

5. Know How to Write a Conclusion That Supports Your Research

One of the most overlooked steps to writing an essay is the conclusion. Your conclusion ties all your research together and proves your thesis. It should not be a restatement of your introduction or a copy-and-paste of your thesis.

A strong conclusion briefly outlines the key evidence discussed in the body of an essay and directly ties it to the thesis to show how the evidence proves or disproves the main argument of your research.

Countless great essays have been written only to be derailed by vague, weakly worded conclusions. Don't let your next essay become one of those.     

6. Build a Solid Thesis to Support Your Arguments

A thesis is the main pillar of an essay. By selecting a specific thesis, you'll be able to develop arguments to support your central opinion. Consider writing about a unique experience or your own particular view of a topic .

Your thesis should be clear and logical, but it should also be debatable. Otherwise, it might be difficult to support it with compelling arguments.

7. Develop an Interesting Opening Paragraph to Hook In Readers from the Get-Go

No matter how you begin your essay, you must strive to capture the reader's interest immediately. If your opening paragraph doesn't catch the eye and engage the brain, any attempt at persuasion may end before the essay even starts. 

The beginning of your essay is crucial for setting the stage for your thesis.

8. Always Remember to Edit and Proofread Your Essay

Any decent writer will tell you that writing is really rewriting. A good academic essay will inevitably go through multiple drafts as it slowly takes shape. When you arrive at a final draft, you must make sure that it is as close to perfect as possible.

This means subjecting your essay to close and comprehensive editing and proofreading processes. In other words, you must read your paper as many times as necessary to eliminate all grammar/punctuation mistakes and typos.

It is helpful to have a third party review your work. Consider consulting a peer or professional editing service. Keep in mind that professional editors are able to help you identify underdeveloped arguments and unnecessarily wordy language, and provide other feedback.

Get Critical Feedback on Your Writing

Hire an expert academic editor , or get a free sample, 9. when developing your essay's main body, build strong and relevant arguments.

Every sentence in the main body of your paper should explain and support your thesis. When deciding how much evidence to include in an academic essay, a good guideline is to include at least three main supporting arguments.

Those main supporting arguments, in turn, require support in the form of relevant facts, figures, examples, analogies, and observations. 

You will need to engage in appropriate research to accomplish this. To organize your research efforts, you may want to develop a list of good research questions . 

10. Choose the Format of Your Essay before Writing It

The final shape that your essay takes depends a great deal on what kind of format you use. Popular college essay format types include the Modern Language Association of America ( MLA ), American Psychological Association ( APA ), and Chicago Manual of Style ( Chicago style).

These formats govern everything from capitalization rules to source citation. Often, professors dictate a specific format for your essay. If they do not, you should choose the format that best suits your field.

11. Create Clear Transitions between Your Ideas

Although unnecessary transition words are the enemy of clarity and concision, they can be invaluable tools when it comes to separating and connecting the different sections of your essay. 

Not only do they help you express your ideas but they also bring a cohesive structure to your sentences and a pleasant flow to your writing. Just be sure that you are using the right transition words for the right purpose and to the proper effect.

12. Always Include an Organized Reference Page at the End of Your Essay

As a key component of MLA, APA, and Chicago Style formatting, the reference or Works Cited page is an essential part of any academic essay.

Regardless of the format used, the reference page must be well organized and easy to read so that your audience can see exactly where your outside information came from. 

To produce a properly formatted reference page, you may have to familiarize yourself with specialized phrases and abbreviations, such as " et al ." 

13. Use Inclusive Language

Incorporating inclusive language in your academic writing ensures that your work is respectful and accessible to all readers. Use gender-neutral pronouns like "they/them" and replace gender-specific terms with inclusive alternatives, such as "firefighter" instead of "fireman." 

You can also respect cultural diversity by avoiding stereotypes and generalizations, specifying details like "Japanese, Thai, and Indian cuisine" rather than "Asian cuisine." Engaging with diverse audiences for feedback and staying updated on inclusive language practices will help you continuously improve your writing.

How to Write a Good Hook for an Essay

The key to a good hook is to introduce an unexplored or absorbing line of inquiry in your introduction that addresses the main point of your thesis. 

By carefully choosing your language and slowly revealing details, you can build reader anticipation for what follows. 

Much like an actual worm-baited fishing hook, a successful hook will lure and capture readers, allowing the writer to "reel them in."

How to Get Better at Writing Essays

You can get better at writing essays the same way that you improve at anything else: practice, practice, practice! However, there are a few ways that you can improve your writing quickly so you can turn in a quality academic essay on time.

In addition to following the 13 essay tips and guidelines above, you can familiarize yourself with a few common practices and structures for essay development. 

Great writing techniques for essays include brainstorming and tree diagrams, especially when coming up with a topic for your thesis statement. Becoming familiar with different structures for organizing your essay (order of importance, chronological, etc.) is also extremely helpful.

How to Write a Good Introduction for an Essay

To learn how to write a good essay, you must also learn how to write a good introduction. 

Most effective essay introductions begin with relatively broad and general subject matter and then gradually narrow in focus and scope until they arrive at something extremely specific: the thesis. This is why writers tend to place their thesis statements at the very end of their introductory paragraph(s).

Because they are generally broad and often relate only tangentially to an essay's main point, there is virtually no limit on what the beginning of a good introduction can look like. However, writers still tend to rely on somewhat cliché opening sentences, such as quotations and rhetorical questions.

How to Write a Good Conclusion for an Essay

Briefly put, a good conclusion does two things. It wraps up any loose ends and drives home the main point of your essay. 

To learn how to write a good conclusion, you will want to ensure that no unanswered questions remain in the reader's mind. A good conclusion will restate the thesis and reinforce the essay's main supporting points.

Take Your Essay from Good to Great

About the author.

Scribendi's in-house editors work with writers from all over the globe to perfect their writing. They know that no piece of writing is complete without a professional edit, and they love to see a good piece of writing turn into a great one after the editing process. Scribendi's in-house editors are unrivaled in both experience and education, having collectively edited millions of words and obtained nearly 20 degrees collectively. They love consuming caffeinated beverages, reading books of various genres, and relaxing in quiet, dimly lit spaces.

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How to Write the Perfect Essay

06 Feb, 2024 | Blog Articles , English Language Articles , Get the Edge , Humanities Articles , Writing Articles

You can keep adding to this plan, crossing bits out and linking the different bubbles when you spot connections between them. Even though you won’t have time to make a detailed plan under exam conditions, it can be helpful to draft a brief one, including a few key words, so that you don’t panic and go off topic when writing your essay.

If you don’t like the mind map format, there are plenty of others to choose from: you could make a table, a flowchart, or simply a list of bullet points.

Discover More

Thanks for signing up, step 2: have a clear structure.

Think about this while you’re planning: your essay is like an argument or a speech. It needs to have a logical structure, with all your points coming together to answer the question.

Start with the basics! It’s best to choose a few major points which will become your main paragraphs. Three main paragraphs is a good number for an exam essay, since you’ll be under time pressure. 

If you agree with the question overall, it can be helpful to organise your points in the following pattern:

• YES (agreement with the question)
• AND (another YES point)
• BUT (disagreement or complication)

If you disagree with the question overall, try:

• AND (another BUT point)

For example, you could structure the Of Mice and Men sample question, “To what extent is Curley’s wife portrayed as a victim in Of Mice and Men ?”, as follows:

• YES (descriptions of her appearance)
• AND (other people’s attitudes towards her)
• BUT (her position as the only woman on the ranch gives her power as she uses her femininity to her advantage)

If you wanted to write a longer essay, you could include additional paragraphs under the YES/AND categories, perhaps discussing the ways in which Curley’s wife reveals her vulnerability and insecurities, and shares her dreams with the other characters. Alternatively, you could also lengthen your essay by including another BUT paragraph about her cruel and manipulative streak.

Of course, this is not necessarily the only right way to answer this essay question – as long as you back up your points with evidence from the text, you can take any standpoint that makes sense.

Step 3: Back up your points with well-analysed quotations

You wouldn’t write a scientific report without including evidence to support your findings, so why should it be any different with an essay? Even though you aren’t strictly required to substantiate every single point you make with a quotation, there’s no harm in trying.

A close reading of your quotations can enrich your appreciation of the question and will be sure to impress examiners. When selecting the best quotations to use in your essay, keep an eye out for specific literary techniques. For example, you could highlight Curley’s wife’s use of a rhetorical question when she says, a”n’ what am I doin’? Standin’ here talking to a bunch of bindle stiffs.” This might look like:

The rhetorical question “an’ what am I doin’?” signifies that Curley’s wife is very insecure; she seems to be questioning her own life choices. Moreover, she does not expect anyone to respond to her question, highlighting her loneliness and isolation on the ranch.

Other literary techniques to look out for include:

• Tricolon – a group of three words or phrases placed close together for emphasis
• Tautology – using different words that mean the same thing: e.g. “frightening” and “terrifying”
• Parallelism – ABAB structure, often signifying movement from one concept to another
• Chiasmus – ABBA structure, drawing attention to a phrase
• Polysyndeton – many conjunctions in a sentence
• Asyndeton – lack of conjunctions, which can speed up the pace of a sentence
• Polyptoton – using the same word in different forms for emphasis: e.g. “done” and “doing”
• Alliteration – repetition of the same sound, including assonance (similar vowel sounds), plosive alliteration (“b”, “d” and “p” sounds) and sibilance (“s” sounds)
• Anaphora – repetition of words, often used to emphasise a particular point

Don’t worry if you can’t locate all of these literary devices in the work you’re analysing. You can also discuss more obvious techniques, like metaphor, simile and onomatopoeia. It’s not a problem if you can’t remember all the long names; it’s far more important to be able to confidently explain the effects of each technique and highlight its relevance to the question.

Step 4: Be creative and original throughout

Anyone can write an essay using the tips above, but the thing that really makes it “perfect” is your own unique take on the topic. If you’ve noticed something intriguing or unusual in your reading, point it out – if you find it interesting, chances are the examiner will too!

Creative writing and essay writing are more closely linked than you might imagine. Keep the idea that you’re writing a speech or argument in mind, and you’re guaranteed to grab your reader’s attention.

It’s important to set out your line of argument in your introduction, introducing your main points and the general direction your essay will take, but don’t forget to keep something back for the conclusion, too. Yes, you need to summarise your main points, but if you’re just repeating the things you said in your introduction, the body of the essay is rendered pointless.

Think of your conclusion as the climax of your speech, the bit everything else has been leading up to, rather than the boring plenary at the end of the interesting stuff.

To return to Of Mice and Men once more, here’s an example of the ideal difference between an introduction and a conclusion:

Introduction

In John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men , Curley’s wife is portrayed as an ambiguous character. She could be viewed either as a cruel, seductive temptress or a lonely woman who is a victim of her society’s attitudes. Though she does seem to wield a form of sexual power, it is clear that Curley’s wife is largely a victim. This interpretation is supported by Steinbeck’s description of her appearance, other people’s attitudes, her dreams, and her evident loneliness and insecurity.

Overall, it is clear that Curley’s wife is a victim and is portrayed as such throughout the novel in the descriptions of her appearance, her dreams, other people’s judgemental attitudes, and her loneliness and insecurities. However, a character who was a victim and nothing else would be one-dimensional and Curley’s wife is not. Although she suffers in many ways, she is shown to assert herself through the manipulation of her femininity – a small rebellion against the victimisation she experiences.

Both refer back consistently to the question and summarise the essay’s main points. However, the conclusion adds something new which has been established in the main body of the essay and complicates the simple summary which is found in the introduction.

Hannah is an undergraduate English student at Somerville College, University of Oxford, and has a particular interest in postcolonial literature and the Gothic. She thinks literature is a crucial way of developing empathy and learning about the wider world. When she isn’t writing about 17th-century court masques, she enjoys acting, travelling and creative writing. 

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14 Ways to Write Better in High School

Write better essays, papers, reports and blogs

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• B.A., English, University of Michigan

Whether you're putting together a research paper for class, posting a blog, composing your SAT essay or brainstorming for your college admissions essay , you just kind of need to know how to write. And sometimes, high school kids really struggle to get the words from their brain onto paper. But really, writing is not all that tricky. You should not break out in a cold sweat when your teacher announces an essay exam . You can write better in six minutes if you just use some of these tips to help you get the ideas that flow so easily from your mouth to do the same thing from your fingertips. Read on for 14 ways to write better essays, blogs, papers, the works!

1. Read Cereal Boxes

Yep, cereal boxes, magazines, blogs, novels, the newspaper, ads, e-zines, you name it. If it has words, read it. Good writing will challenge you to up your game, and bad writing will help you learn what not to do.

A variety of reading materials can influence you in subtle ways, too. Ads are often perfect examples of succinct, persuasive text. The newspaper will show you how to hook a reader in a few lines. A novel can teach you how to incorporate dialogue seamlessly into your essay. Blogs are great for demonstrating an author's voice. So, if it's there, and you've got a second, read it.

2. Start a Blog/Journal

Good writers write. A lot. Start a blog (maybe even a teen blog?) and advertise it all over Facebook and Twitter if you're interested in feedback. Start a blog and keep it quiet if you're not. Keep a journal. Report on things happening in your life/around school/ around your home. Try to solve daily problems with quick, one-paragraph solutions. Get started on some really unique creative writing prompts . Practice. You'll get better.

3. Open Up a Can of Worms

Don't be afraid to get a little risky. Go against the grain. Shake things up. Tear apart the poems you find meaningless on your next essay. Research a touchy political subject like immigration, abortion, gun control, capital punishment, and unions. Blog about topics that generate real, heartfelt, impassioned discussion. You don't have to write about hummingbirds just because your teacher loves them.

4. To Thine Own Self Be True

Stick with your own voice. Nothing sounds faker than a high school essay with words like alas and evermore sprinkled throughout, especially when the author is a skater kid from Fresno. Use your own wit, tone, and vernacular. Yes, you should adjust your tone and level of formality based on the writing situation (blog vs. research paper), but you don't have to become a different person just to put together your college admissions essay . They'll like you better if you're you.

5. Avoid Redundancy

Just drop the word "nice" from your vocabulary. It doesn't really mean anything. Same goes for "good." There are thirty-seven better ways to say what you mean. "Busy as a bee," "sly as a fox," and "hungry as a wolf" belong in country songs, not in your ACT essay .

6. Keep Your Audience in Mind

This goes back to adjusting your tone and level of formality based on the writing situation. If you're writing to gain entrance to your first choice for college, then perhaps you'd better not talk about that time you made it to second base with your love interest. Your teacher is not interested in your sticker collection, and the readers on your blog don't care about the stellar research project you put together on the migratory habits of emperor penguins. Writing is one part marketing. Remember that if you want to be a better writer!

7. Go To the Dark Side

Just for the heck of it, allow yourself to consider the possibility that the opposite opinion is actually correct. Write your next essay defending the 180 of your thought processes. If you're a Coke person, go Pepsi. Cat lover? Defend dogs. Catholic? Figure out what the Protestants are talking about. By exploring a different set of beliefs, you open up your brain to endless creativity, and maybe garner some fodder for your next debate, too.

8. Make It Real

Boring writing doesn't use the senses. If your writing assignment is to report on the local parade and you fail to mention the shrieking kids, dripping chocolate ice cream cones, and rat-tat-tatting from the marching band's snare drum, then you've failed. You need to make whatever you're writing about come alive to your reader. If they weren't there, put them on that street with the parade. You'll be a better writer for it!

9. Give People Goosebumps

Good writing will make people feel something. Tie something concrete – relatable –to the existential. Instead of talking about justice as a vague idea, tie the word, "judgment," to the sound the gavel makes as it hits the judge's desk. Tie the word, "sadness," to a young mother lying on her husband's freshly dug grave. Tie the word, "joy" to a dog careening around the yard when it sees its owner after two long years at war. Make your readers cry or laugh out loud at the coffee shop. Ticked off. Make them feel and they'll wanna come back for more.

10. Write Creatively When You're Sleepy

Sometimes, the inspiration bug bites when you're all strung-out from being up too late. Your mind opens up a bit when you're tired, so you're more likely to shut down the "robot-I-am-in-control" portion of your brain and listen to the whisper of the muses. Give it a whirl the next time you're struggling to get out of the gate on your take-home essay.

11. Edit When You're Fully Rested

Sometimes those late-night muses steer your writing vessel directly into a rocky shoreline, so don't make the mistake of calling your work done at 3:00 AM. Heck, no. Make time the next day, after a long, satisfying rest, to edit all of those ramblings and misspelled words.

12. Enter Writing Contests

Not everyone is brave enough to enter a writing contest, and that's just silly. If you want to become a better writer, find some free writing contests for teenagers online and submit everything you wouldn't be embarrassed to see plastered all over the Internet. Often, contests come with editing or feedback, which can really help you improve. Give it a shot.

13. Dive Into Nonfiction

Not all good writers write poetry, plays, scripts, and novels. Many of the most successful writers out there stick to nonfiction. They write memoirs, magazine articles, newspaper articles, blogs, personal essays, biographies, and advertisements. Give nonfiction a shot. Try describing the last five minutes of your day with startling clarity. Take the latest news report and write a two-paragraph description of the events as if you were there. Find the coolest person you know and write your next essay about his or her childhood. Write a two-word ad for the best pair of shoes in your closet. Try it – most of the good writers do!

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Daniel Wong

How to Be Successful in School: 40 Practical Tips for Students

Updated on June 6, 2023 By Daniel Wong 170 Comments

Do you think of yourself as a smart student?

Probably not.

If you’re like most students, you probably feel as if you take some time to grasp new concepts.

Or that you don’t perform up to expectations because of exam stress .

It seems as if success at school comes to some students naturally. These students always get good grades, no matter what else is going on in their personal lives or extracurricular activities.

I was a straight-A student throughout my academic career, and I was obsessed with how to do better in school.

But I’ll be the first one to say that grades aren’t everything. Grades are only one part of your education.

I now realise that successful students aren’t necessarily more intelligent than other students. They’re just more disciplined and focused, and they’ve developed winning study habits .

So if you don’t feel as if you’re a smart student, don’t worry.

In this article, I’m going to share with you how to be successful in school, even if you don’t think of yourself as a top student .

(Download the free bonus below to learn 10 bonus tips too!)

Enter your email below to download a PDF summary of this article. The PDF contains all the tips found here, plus  10 exclusive bonus tips that you’ll only find in the PDF.

1. rely on systems, not motivation.

How can students do better in school? By being methodical and systematic, instead of waiting to feel motivated.

Students who do well in school don’t wait until they’re in the mood to do a focused study session before they get down to work.

Neither do they wait until they feel motivated before they start preparing for an exam.

Instead, successful students rely on systems to ensure that they get the work done, even when they don’t feel like it.

(Keep on reading to find out what some of these systems are.)

2. Review any new information you’ve learned on the same day

This daily review won’t take long to complete, but it’s a vital step that ensures you stay on top of the material.

Applying this tip will also help you to move the information to your long-term memory more quickly.

3. Write everything down

To be an effective student, write everything down.

This includes homework to be completed, test and exam dates, project deadlines, competition dates, school and family events, etc.

Don’t assume that you’ll be able to remember anything; write it all down to stay organised.

This tip might sound extreme, but life only gets busier as you get older.

Good organisational skills are the basis for achieving success at school and beyond. So this tip will serve you well for the rest of your life.

4. Create a rough weekly schedule

It’s impossible to follow a schedule down to the minute, but it’s still helpful to create a schedule.

Write down your rough weekly schedule based on your recurring commitments, e.g. school, extracurricular activities, family and social events, religious activities.

Then block out regular time each week for homework and studying.

For example, your rough weekly schedule might state that you’ll do work on:

• Monday, Wednesday and Friday: 7pm to 9:30pm
• Tuesday and Thursday: 4pm to 7pm
• Saturday and Sunday: 2pm to 5pm

5. Get rid of distractions before they become distractions

The biggest obstacle to doing well in school is distractions.

To overcome distractions, you can’t only depend on willpower. Few of us have the willpower necessary to fight off all the distractions that surround us in this digital era.

Here are some ways to eliminate distractions before they become distractions:

• Turn off notifications on your phone/tablet
• Delete all the apps that distract you
• Put your phone/tablet in another room before you start work
• Set a really, really long password to unlock your phone/tablet
• Restrict your Internet access
• Have only one tab open in your browser at any one time
• Find an accountability partner as you make these changes

6. Develop good posture

Good posture improves your mood, and also enhances your memory and learning .

So sit up straight, pull your shoulders back, and lift up your chin – and you’ll perform better in school.

For more tips on improving your posture, check out this detailed article .

7. Don’t multitask

It’s a fact: There’s no such thing as multitasking .

Whenever you’re multitasking, you’re actually just switching between tasks. This reduces your studying efficiency.

So don’t multitask when you’re studying or doing your homework. Instead, focus on one task at a time, and you’ll find that you get your homework done faster .

8. Cultivate the belief that intelligence isn’t a fixed trait

Research has proven that students who believe that they can become smarter actually do become smarter.

Belief is that powerful.

In other words, intelligence is a trait that you can develop over time.

Don’t ever label yourself as “dumb” or “not academically inclined”, because with the right mindset you can become more intelligent.

How can you do better in school? It starts with believing that you can. By telling yourself that you’re incompetent before you even try, you’ve already lost the battle.

Develop a can-do attitude and your grades will naturally improve.

9. Work in short blocks of time

I’ve found that most students can’t maintain a high level of focus for more than 45 minutes at a go.

As such, I generally recommend working in 30- to 45-minute blocks, followed by a 5- to 10-minute break.

Working in shorter blocks of time is more effective for the majority of students, rather than struggling to focus for a couple of hours straight.

10. Exercise regularly

Regular exercise helps you to remember information better , enhances your concentration, and makes you more creative.

This is in addition to the other health benefits of exercise.

What does this mean for students who want to be successful in school?

Make exercise a fixed part of your weekly routine. Exercise three to four times a week, for at least 20 to 30 minutes each time.

11. Be organised

Students who aren’t organised end up wasting precious time looking for items or notes, or doing last-minute work they forgot about.

Here are some ways to become more organised :

• Set a daily reminder to check if there’s any homework due the following day
• Set reminders to start preparing for tests and exams
• Use the MyStudyLife app
• Use a planner or Google Calendar
• Clear your desk at the end of every day
• Use an app like Google Keep to do a “brain dump”

12. Break big tasks into smaller ones

Big tasks seem complicated and overwhelming, which is why many students procrastinate .

Break every big task down into smaller tasks. For instance, instead of deciding to work on your history paper, you might break the task down into the following smaller tasks:

• Read Chapter 3 (notes)
• Read Chapter 3 (textbook)
• Do online research (5 to 10 articles)
• Develop thesis statement
• Write outline
• Write introduction
• Write main paragraph #1
• Write main paragraph #2
• Write main paragraph #3
• Write main paragraph #4
• Write main paragraph #5
• Write conclusion
• Proofread and edit

When you work on the history paper, focus on completing one task at a time. This will make it less likely that you’ll procrastinate.

13. Get at least 8 hours of sleep every night

Students who perform well are effective learners. As the research shows , sleep is a vital part of becoming an effective learner.

Sleep boosts memory and enhances learning. So go to bed at roughly the same time every day, and make it a priority to get 8 hours of sleep a night.

If you do this, I’m sure you’ll see an improvement in your academic performance.

Pulling all-nighters definitely isn’t how to do better in school. It might enable you to get some last-minute work done.

But over time, your performance in school will decline.

14. Create a conducive studying environment

Here are some tips to do this:

• Tidy your desk daily
• Ensure that you have all the stationery, notebooks, etc. that you need
• Ensure that the lighting in the room is suitable
• Use earplugs to block out noise if necessary
• Put up one or two motivational quotes at your study area
• Get a comfortable chair
• Remove all distractions from the room

15. Keep track of important dates, deadlines, etc.

This is related to Tip #3, but it’s more specific.

I’ve worked with many students who try to keep track of important dates by storing them in their brains.

Needless to say, these students occasionally forget about upcoming tests or deadlines. This results in panic – and low-quality work too.

Use Google Calendar or Google Keep (an old-fashioned planner works too) to keep track of important dates, and you’ll become a more effective student.

16. Take notes during class

I’m always surprised by how many students tell me that they don’t take notes in class. This is despite the fact that taking notes is vital to your success at school.

It’s important to take notes in class because it helps you to pay attention and to learn the concepts better.

I prefer taking notes in a linear, sequential manner. But there are several other note-taking systems that you can learn about here .

17. Ask lots of questions

Asking your friends and teachers questions about what you’re learning is a great way to stay engaged. It also ensures that you understand the new material.

Don’t be afraid of asking silly questions. Besides, if you pay attention in class, your questions will likely be logical and insightful.

18. Eat healthily

Research shows that the better your nutrition, the better your brain function.

And the better your brain function, the better your performance in school.

Here are some basic tips to eat more healthily:

• Eat vegetables and fruit
• Eat meat and fish
• Avoid processed foods
• Avoid sugar
• Avoid trans fats
• Avoid artificial sweeteners
• Drink plenty of water
• Avoid sugary beverages

So, if you’re wondering how to do well in school, one thing you can do right away is to change your diet.

19. Do consistent work

Don’t do last-minute work, and don’t cram for exams.

Easier said than done, I know.

But if you do consistent work, you won’t even need to study that hard for your final exams. You’ll naturally do better in school because you’ll retain the information more effectively.

(By applying the rest of the tips in this article, you should be well on your way to doing consistent work.)

20. Manage your thoughts and emotions

Students who lose focus or motivation are typically discouraged. They’re often discouraged because they feel as if they won’t do well academically, so they lose hope.

The question you probably still have on your mind is…

How to be a good student?

By managing your thoughts and emotions effectively – especially when faced with disappointment.

To do so, take a step back and ask yourself the following questions:

• Are these thoughts true?
• Are these thoughts helpful?
• Am I taking things too personally?
• How can I view the situation more positively?
• Do I need to forgive the other person?
• Do I need to forgive myself?
• How can I be more compassionate toward myself?
• What productive actions can I take to improve the situation?

Through answering these questions, you’ll adopt a more positive and resilient mindset.

21. Take a few minutes to prepare for each class

As Benjamin Franklin once said, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”

Preparing for class is something every student should do.

Every night, think about the classes that you’ll be having the following day in school.

Take a few minutes to skim the textbook or notes, so that you’ll be familiar with what your teacher will cover the next day.

In addition, do a quick recap of the previous topic, because the new topic will likely build on what you’ve already learned.

This process won’t take long, but it will pay off in the long run.

22. Give yourself rewards

To keep yourself motivated, give yourself small rewards whenever possible.

For example, you might decide that after 45 minutes of work, you’ll reward yourself with a 5-minute YouTube video.

Or if you enjoy exercising, you might decide that after you finish your math and science homework, you’ll get to do a 30-minute workout.

Rewards are a simple way to encourage you to get to work, even when you don’t feel like it. That’s a useful strategy for how to do better in school.

23. Manage your stress

Students who don’t manage their stress well are more likely to experience performance anxiety and get worse grades.

To manage your stress levels:

• Perform deep breathing exercises
• Listen to music
• Spend time with friends on a regular basis
• Read a book
• Keep a gratitude journal
• Take a few minutes to reflect at the end of each day

24. Do and submit your homework on time

This tip might sound like common sense, but a large proportion of the students I work with don’t do this.

Make it a non-negotiable to submit your homework on time, and give a good effort for each assignment.

This is the foundation of how to be a good student.

25. Challenge yourself

Taking it one step further, don’t just do the assigned homework.

Challenge yourself and do extra questions that require deep thinking. Look for online resources. Learn information that’s outside the syllabus.

This will help you to see the wonder and beauty in all that you’re learning. You’ll also be reminded that getting better is its own reward.

26. Make time to relax

Doing well in school isn’t about getting good grades and outperforming your classmates. It’s about leading a balanced life that’s focused on contributing to others.

To lead a balanced life, it’s important to set aside time for relaxation.

Block out time for relaxation in your weekly schedule to ensure that you don’t burn out.

27. Be consistent about your study time

This is a follow-up to Tip #4. In addition to having a regular weekly schedule that you stick to, it’s important to be consistent about your study time.

The more consistent you are, the less likely it is that you’ll need to feel “inspired” to get down to work.

On the contrary, you’ll get down to work out of habit and routine. This is crucial if you want to manage your time as a student effectively .

28. Have a specific plan or objective for each study session

Many students share with me that their mindset toward studying is that they’ll “study hard”. This might sound good, but it actually means that they don’t have a specific objective or plan.

They’re interested in attaining success at school and getting good grades, but they’re not clear about what positive actions they’re going to take in particular.

This vague approach isn’t the one that effective students take toward their academics.

For each study session, set a clear objective as to what you intend to achieve. This might be to read through a set of notes thoroughly or complete 30 multiple-choice questions.

29. Use memory techniques

Memory techniques are powerful ways to learn information more quickly.

Here are some of the most useful ones I’ve come across:

• Visualisation
• Association

30. Test yourself periodically

Don’t assume that just because you’ve read the notes and looked through some examples that you understand the material well.

For all you know, you might have been daydreaming during those study sessions.

What else should you do to be a good student, if reading your notes doesn’t guarantee that you’ll get better grades?

Test yourself periodically. Do plenty of practice questions and keep a list of the mistakes you’ve made, so that you won’t repeat those mistakes in the exam.

31. Take practice exams under exam conditions

It isn’t practical to do too many practice exams under exam conditions, because it’s time-consuming.

But before every exam, I recommend that you do at least two to three practice exams under exam conditions.

This will help you to prepare adequately, and will train you to deal with the time pressure of the exam too.

32. Start studying for tests at least one to two weeks in advance

Cramming for tests is always a bad idea. It won’t enable you to achieve long-term success at school.

I recommend that you set a reminder on your phone (or make a note in your planner) one to two weeks before every scheduled test, so that you’ll start preparing for the test.

For big exams, I recommend that you start studying four weeks in advance or more.

This study tip is a vital one for students to implement.

33. Find ways to help others and contribute

Students often lose motivation when they focus too much on achievement and too little on contribution.

After all, the aim of education is to become equipped with skills and knowledge so that you can help others.

When students lose sight of this, they sometimes feel as if school is meaningless.

To keep things in perspective, find simple ways to contribute in your capacity as a student, e.g. volunteering, fundraising, solving problems in your school, serving the underprivileged.

These types of activities will teach you to have a heart of service and humility. They’ll empower you as you discover how to do better in school and life.

34. Develop a sense of purpose

Few students can maintain a consistent level of concentration and drive if they lack a sense of purpose.

If students feel as if their school life is just about striving to get straight A’s, they will likely run out of steam.

How can you develop a sense of purpose?

Think about…

• What values you want to live by
• What long-term goals would be meaningful to you
• How you’d like to contribute to the good of others
• What your duties and responsibilities are
• What relationships you’d like to nurture
• What kind of person you’d like to become

As you reflect on these aspects of your life, you’ll have a clearer idea about how to do well in school in light of the purpose you’re living out.

This clarity will help you to be more successful in school.

35. Don’t blame others

The key to developing resilience is to take full responsibility for your life.

This means that you refuse to blame others for anything that’s going on in your life.

No blaming your teachers, parents or friends.

No blaming the school principal or the government.

No playing the victim.

When you take this approach toward your student life, you’ll see that there’s always something you can do to improve the situation.

36. Hang out with people who are motivated and focused

No matter how much we’d like to think that we’re immune to peer pressure, we’re most definitely not.

Peer pressure affects people of all ages . This means that we must be intentional about the people we surround ourselves with.

Do you hang out with people who are pessimistic?

Are they always complaining?

Do they pursue excellence, or do they try to find shortcuts?

Spend time with people who are positive, motivated, focused, kind, generous and hardworking. You’ll find yourself developing those traits as the days and weeks go by.

As a result, you’ll become more successful in school.

37. Analyse the mistakes you make in tests and exams

It might not be a pleasant experience, but I encourage you to go through every mistake you make in tests and exams.

Analyse why you made each mistake. Ask yourself questions such as:

• Was the mistake due to carelessness?
• Did I forget a key fact?
• Did I have a poor understanding of a certain concept?
• How can I make certain that I won’t repeat the mistake?
• What do I need to do to be better prepared for future tests?

This analysis will help you to make continual progress in your academics.

38. Pre-commit to specific behaviours and habits

Pre-commitment is a strategy in which you commit in advance to certain desirable behaviours. This way, you won’t be tempted to do otherwise in the future.

Here are some examples:

• Use the StayFocusd Chrome extension to restrict the amount of time you spend on certain websites
• Ask your parents to change the password on your tablet, so that every time you want to use your tablet you need them to unlock it
• Tell a friend that you’ll delete all your social media apps on your phone by the end of the day – if not, you’ll give your friend $100

Pre-commitment is a powerful strategy that all good students use.

39. Keep a “done” list

Just as important as keeping a to-do list is keeping a “done” list.

Write down all the things you’ve accomplished at the end of each day. This will help to remind you that you’ve indeed been productive, even if you don’t feel so.

In the long run, keeping a “done” list will help you to stay positive and motivated.

40. Don’t try to remember to do things; make it impossible to forget

Some examples of these “things” might be:

• Studying for tests
• Bringing your textbook to school
• Bringing your water bottle to school
• Bringing your calculator into the exam hall for a math exam

The list goes on.

To be successful in school, don’t just try to remember to do these things. Rather, make it impossible to forget to do these things.

There’s a huge difference between these two approaches.

To make it impossible to forget to do something, you might need to stick a Post-it note on the front door. Or set an alarm (or two alarms). Or create a daily reminder to check your calendar or planner.

As you adopt this approach, you’ll become a more reliable and effective student!

If you apply all the tips in this article, it’s almost impossible that you won’t become a better student. (To get 10 more bonus tips, enter your email in the box at the end of this article.)

Of course, it’s neither reasonable nor practical to expect you to implement all the tips at once.

After all, the road to success is built one step at a time.

Success – as a student and in life in general – is about daily choices and habits.

Implement one or two tips in the coming week, and get some like-minded friends to join you.

As you gain momentum, implement more tips as the weeks go by. (You can try applying my rules for success in life too.)

You’ll soon find that you’re becoming a more successful student who’s leading a more balanced life too.

Wishing you all the best – I’m excited about this journey that you’re about to embark on!

Like this article? Please share it with your friends.

February 6, 2018 at 5:19 am

February 6, 2018 at 9:36 am

You’re welcome, Jessie.

August 10, 2018 at 9:06 pm

August 11, 2018 at 8:21 am

You’re welcome.

February 2, 2019 at 2:39 am

April 23, 2019 at 3:14 am

November 12, 2019 at 10:13 pm

So happy🤗 Thanks alot

August 3, 2020 at 4:19 pm

Here’s everything you want in your student life! I loved it and all of you should apply these steps 😆

August 8, 2020 at 11:32 pm

Excellent tips and very true and practical in fact these will help every one not only just in academic but later at carrier too. Really appreciated for providing such a entire gamate of tips for any one. Keep it up!

August 23, 2020 at 3:24 am

March 22, 2021 at 4:19 am

May 31, 2021 at 8:38 pm

Thanks so much. I really Appreciate this.

October 25, 2019 at 10:48 pm

Awesome ! You have a good brain for achieving success in education !

April 13, 2020 at 7:38 pm

THANKS FOR THE LESSON.

May 19, 2020 at 8:13 pm

Thanks alot Daniel Wong

October 9, 2020 at 8:20 am

As a child, how would I assure my parents that I’m doing well in school?

September 11, 2023 at 3:22 pm

Am very appreciated, thanks u so much

April 25, 2020 at 7:48 pm

Thanks so much Daniel Coz i know this article of your will help me in my study so much

August 19, 2020 at 11:15 pm

This was really berry berry helpgull

January 17, 2021 at 9:16 pm

Thanks so much for the tips

February 8, 2018 at 1:11 pm

Hi is it possible to have an exact copy of the article and not the pdf sheet of concise tips as I would like my students to read with the detailed explanation.

February 8, 2018 at 3:03 pm

Hi Evelyn, sure I’ve just emailed you the PDF version.

January 31, 2019 at 10:04 pm

Dear Daniel.

I absolutely love the article.

Would it be okay if I include this as part of my notes for my students. I have decided to start a consultancy business, where I consult schools.( Strategy Savvy Consultancy). This is to help students by developing and implementing Learning Strategies which are designed to improve the student’s achievements in all subject areas by focusing on:

organizational skills, time management, study and test-taking skills, goal setting and self-assessment.

February 1, 2019 at 11:20 am

Hi Bianca, sure feel free to include this as part of your notes, but if you do so please include the link to this original article with due credit. Thank you, and wishing you all the best!

March 15, 2021 at 4:29 am

Hello, I’m interested in the PDF as well for my special ed study strategies students. Thank you for all your insight!

February 23, 2024 at 4:14 pm

February 13, 2018 at 4:14 pm

A very informative article. Thank you.Your ideas are very helpful.

February 13, 2018 at 4:32 pm

You are welcome, Charles.

February 13, 2018 at 9:17 pm

You are welcome

April 10, 2019 at 10:34 am

I really like your article. It has helped me a lot. Thank you

October 8, 2019 at 5:20 am

Are these quotes from one of your books

December 3, 2019 at 2:02 am

thank you so much Daniel Wong for this lovely information my brain has expanded a lot while i was reading this article. I would like to meet you one day and award your successful achievement in life.

April 20, 2020 at 6:07 pm

Hi,After I’v found this website i have a lot of successful thanks.

February 17, 2018 at 8:32 am

Hello Dany Wong

you killed it here, great article for students, to be serious I learnt some facts here which I will implement on myself and others.

February 18, 2018 at 2:08 pm

Great to hear!

February 28, 2018 at 9:20 pm

Thank you daniel!! Hope so this tips will work for me

March 1, 2018 at 7:33 am

I’m confident that the tips will work for you!

January 8, 2020 at 8:45 pm

Thanks itbwill help me alot

December 18, 2020 at 1:55 am

Hey I’m really not doing good in school

May 22, 2021 at 5:47 am

December 10, 2022 at 2:25 am

well if u read this you might be better?!

August 15, 2018 at 5:41 pm

Hlw daniel!… I’m feeling so depressed because recently I have participated in 2 competitions but got no prizes while my classmate has received prizes in both.

August 25, 2018 at 4:15 am

Thanks for elaborating on the different things you can do to be successful in school. I agree that setting out a schedule for the week is important because it helps you get the week in line. I would imagine things can get pretty hectic if you don’t have it written down somewhere.

August 27, 2018 at 1:20 am

Fascinating article! These tips are helpful not only to students, also for people who want to be successful in life. Thanks for sharing such a nice article Wong!!

August 27, 2018 at 8:45 pm

omg thanks so much for your artical i really feel impressive right now i appriciate that ..

August 30, 2018 at 3:33 pm

wow !! thnx for sharing this article. i can’t stop to share this post. keep sharing

August 31, 2018 at 3:32 am

i lovz it i am gretfull

September 10, 2018 at 7:04 pm

hello, thanx for sharing such wonderful info

October 1, 2018 at 9:35 pm

just love this article…can’t Wait to share…..

October 10, 2018 at 10:23 am

Hello. Im really hoping this will help me. right now I might get kicked out of my school because im struggling so much! But if this helps.. im sure ill give you credit! this is really helpful for after school too. Im a seventh grader who just happened to go to a smart kid school. Its really hard and stressful. I just worked out and I feel great! Thank you. I need as much help as possible right now.

March 6, 2019 at 5:17 am

October 11, 2018 at 5:50 am

Thank you so much for this article.. At a moment j felt I could no longer become the smart student j used to be. I am in the university now and a lot of distractions have made me fall back on my studies but after going through this article, I would say I have hope again and after j apply the tips I know I am heading to be better and contribute greatly to my family, friends and society at large.. THANK YOU SO MUCH And please I’ll love to have the PDF of the article

October 14, 2018 at 3:29 am

thank you for the tips.Hope they will work….

October 16, 2018 at 7:19 pm

Best article I ever read…. I like this article …..good job Daniel wong. ..👍👍

October 17, 2018 at 2:00 am

Hello Daniel Wong Your tips are inspiring very much,i gonna apply them

October 19, 2018 at 10:27 pm

Great tips. Some of them actually go beyond students and can be applied to areas of our lives even as adults.

October 20, 2018 at 12:38 am

Thank you so much

October 27, 2018 at 1:20 am

I feel motivated more than normal Thank you very much Daniel……..i am sure this wil be very effective to me and get good grades

#Brian from Kenya

November 8, 2018 at 7:09 pm

I read through your article and some of your readers’ comments. Yours is the only one that really made sense to me. Thanks a bunch. Your article has sparked a lot of thought for me. I share your views.

November 11, 2018 at 12:36 pm

Thank you very much

November 19, 2018 at 10:11 pm

These are actually helpful, compared to laughable social media tips. Thank you Daniel. As a college student who has lots on her shoulders, I can’t wait to get on with these.

November 21, 2018 at 10:38 pm

December 6, 2018 at 2:39 pm

Excellent article Daniel! I loved this point “Hang out with people who are motivated and focused” because I missed this in my schooling. After a long time, I realized that I have wasted my time by hanged out with some other guys. My advice is also the same “Be with motivated people”.

May 15, 2021 at 3:52 am

Very insightful. I read through it all and took some notes. i really really appreciate this. thanks again

December 17, 2018 at 3:02 am

Hey Daniel! Can i translate your article and show the article to my student i think this article is great for my student

December 17, 2018 at 9:56 am

Hi Trung, sure that would be fine. Can I ask what language you’ll be translating the article into?

December 18, 2018 at 12:57 pm

Sure think Daniel, I want to translate this article into Vietnamese

December 18, 2018 at 1:02 pm

Sure, thanks for letting me know.

December 29, 2018 at 7:08 pm

how come i feel i am going to rock it in school aftr reading this article,,,thanx daniel

January 5, 2019 at 11:49 am

Hi , Thanku For Such wonderful article as it is very useful for school students.

January 6, 2019 at 5:34 pm

mr.Daniel thank you,like God show me this article.stay blessed.

January 17, 2019 at 6:19 am

January 28, 2019 at 4:08 am

Hello Praisy. Please do not feel disheartened that you didn’t get any prizes. It is just a competition. There are people who win and people who don’t win. It’s okay to not win or get prizes. Better luck next time .

January 31, 2019 at 9:19 am

It interests me, how u are able to show people the right way to succeed, and that’s one thing that lifts me and my heart up, to succeed in life. Your words inspire me, as they inspire myself. I appreciate your help, and I hope I become better in the future.

February 3, 2019 at 3:31 am

I love this article. God bless you for it.

I will be glad if I can get some motivational articles from you. I will like to use it to reach students and every other youth around me.

February 21, 2019 at 8:42 pm

Thank you in advance for the marvelous articles

February 22, 2019 at 6:26 am

February 25, 2019 at 4:30 pm

i really liked the article it is really educative thanks

February 27, 2019 at 11:49 am

Danial can you help me with something I am not succeeding. in kindergarten I really was confident about learning. but in third grade NO like I’m being disrespectful and not following directions Doing what I want to do If you Found a way to help me please let me know THANKS

March 2, 2019 at 1:35 pm

What can you do if you feel like you have studied everything you can possibly study for an exam. Like for a psychology midterm I thought I studied everything in the book and then I only got an avg score on the midterm? How can I prepare myself For anything I could be asked?

March 10, 2019 at 7:22 pm

its the best i have come acroosed so far

March 21, 2019 at 5:56 pm

Hi I really love your article! It’s exactly what I need right now. Honestly I’ve been failling a lot of my exams lately. I know this is not me. Due to many out school activities I tend to forget to studying. Right now I’m handling online business, serving to church, and taking care of my siblings. It’s really hard to do all things simultaneously. Oh! By the way, i just received my score in one of my subjects and it’s so sad to know that I failed. Then, I searched for tips and I saw this! Thank you. You helped me have positive attitude towards this problems I’m facing.

Anyways, I cant download the pdf file for unknown reason. Can I ask you a favor to send it to me in my email? Thank you! Looking forward your response. 😊

March 22, 2019 at 10:47 am

This helped me with school work because we had a project thank this helps so MUCH!!!

March 24, 2019 at 5:34 pm

Thank you a lot for your information

March 29, 2019 at 3:01 am

I like the tip that you gave to focus on one thing at a time in school. My wife and I have been thinking about finding a school for us, and it would be important for us to know that we can be successful. If we choose to go to school, I will be sure to focus on one thing at a time.

March 31, 2019 at 5:25 pm

I am so glad I found out about your blog. I am usually a hardworking student but lately I’ ve felt really demotivated and stressed. I lost control over my emotions. My performance was really bad for my final exams. I’ve been searching for ways to get me back on track and reading your blog helps me a lot. I feel like you understand teenagers well and your methods work. Thank you!

April 7, 2019 at 2:15 pm

Hey, I am in grade-12. I am an A student. No one beats me when it comes to getting good grades. There is this girl I like, she is also in grade 12, its just that I feel my grades will drop if I start dating. So please just help me out on that one .

April 8, 2019 at 2:49 pm

Fantastic list! Thank you for this.

April 9, 2019 at 9:06 am

Great article with the information I needed to get on and stay on the right track. Thank You

April 23, 2019 at 3:38 am

This i did not try yet but i cannot try them all because I’m in a Spanish school and things work out differently. BTW: nobody in my school has an attitude like you said. 🙁

April 26, 2019 at 2:14 pm

Thank’s wong for your wisely tips. I am not doing well during examination becouse i lack the skills you have mentioned, i hope i will have a change in my performance. Thanks may God grand with more wisdom to improve peoples performance in the world.

April 30, 2019 at 3:40 pm

Yes, the student will only adopt proper strategies that will help you reach your end goal. Thanks for sharing valuable information.

May 11, 2019 at 2:10 pm

thanks for sharing this tips

May 12, 2019 at 10:17 am

Thanks It’s Helpful

May 15, 2019 at 3:46 am

Mr Daniel, you indeed know the needs of students. Your article is very helpful, thank you sir.

May 21, 2019 at 8:59 pm

Thanks for this advice for being in school. You mentioned that you should try to test yourself every now and then, like through practice questions and make a list of mistakes you’ve made. This sounds helpful if it can let you know what topic you should spend additional time researching and learning about.

June 1, 2019 at 3:26 pm

hi, this is a very helpful list! For the exercise part, however, could you please suggest some apps we could use?

June 26, 2019 at 11:16 am

I love this article. Thank you.

July 22, 2019 at 7:54 pm

your word is a big contribution to humanity we are grateful and more grace sir.

August 4, 2019 at 6:18 am

Thanks daniel wong.. Its really a big help! 😊

August 10, 2019 at 9:11 pm

You are the man of God thank you.I used this article to my form six exam i made wonders as i was to lose hope.I thank yo daniel come inTANZANIA STAY BLESSED.I FAIL TO PRAISE YOU MR.DANIEL.YOU SAVED ME

August 30, 2019 at 7:48 pm

This is beautiful!

September 16, 2019 at 2:17 pm

Daniel Wong, this is just good, wow thanks.

September 27, 2019 at 1:43 am

I don’t know who prepared this article… But it is damn inspiring… I felt like I got all the motivation I needed just to stay focused abt my goal and worry abt ntng else

October 16, 2019 at 11:25 am

what do i do if I’ve tried all of these things and I’m still not doing well in school? i don’t want to blame my teacher or anything but i can’t help but feel like I’m a lost cause. School was easy for me in past grades but I’m already really struggling this year. what can i do?

October 23, 2019 at 7:34 am

Dear Daniel Wong, Thankyou very much for this artical.Im a seventh grade student and all my term report àre really bad and my parents are dissapointed in me but i know that through this tips i’ll try my best.One more thing im not One of the smartest students in class but I can do it.💖💖💖👍👍👍👍

November 27, 2019 at 2:17 am

Dear Mr. Wong, ever since i moved to Canada, almost 10 years ago now i have been experiencing difficulty with being successful in my school years. My parents have lost hope in me and i about to lose hope in myself and on life. I decided that i wanted to make a change before I would now be classified as a first year college drop out. As i myself would like to tell a great story to my future family of how i went from a slacker to a successful student. My journey begins here because of these wise words spoken to me through you.

P.S. Email this list to school email down below.

December 3, 2019 at 12:26 am

Thanks for the help

December 3, 2019 at 4:53 am

you are a vary kind person. and my colleague will soon send you a email and u will be getting our latest book for free.

December 3, 2019 at 8:16 pm

Hi Mr Wong,you Did Develop A Success Formula For Scholars.Thanks Much Papa

December 3, 2019 at 10:20 pm

Thank you so much, this was helpful

December 21, 2019 at 6:11 am

Could you please email me this article in pdf

December 21, 2019 at 7:44 am

Hi Bright, you can use this free service ( https://www.printfriendly.com/ ) to convert the article into a PDF. Hope this helps.

December 25, 2019 at 3:36 am

wow I really love this thank you so much

February 16, 2020 at 1:44 am

Thanks for the piece of advice

February 17, 2020 at 12:30 pm

Thanks Daniel.

February 20, 2020 at 4:45 am

February 26, 2020 at 1:31 am

March 10, 2020 at 2:38 pm

I really loved and did all your steps of being successful in life❤it really helped me allot in my time management and studies👍thank you very much sir and May You Have a wonderful life🌟

March 11, 2020 at 12:05 am

Great article sir, loved it .A request maybe if you could also guide us on how to deal with school politics (drama with teachers peers) and how important is our participation in it.

March 17, 2020 at 1:03 am

Hi thank you soooooooooo much for this article I am a student and am not doing well in school this really is helping me a lot is it’s possible that I ge.t the full original artical thank you 🌹🌹♥️♥️♥️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

April 4, 2020 at 5:49 am

Dear Daniel, Greetings from Kenya in East Africa. My name is Victoria and I’m a form four student. I’ve read your article and its like you were reading my mistakes. I have now learnt what to do to improve myself and my grades. My final exam will be at the end of this year. I will follow your tips and hopefully I will get a good grade. Thank you so much and I’ll be sure to send my end year results. Yours faithfully, Victoria Mukami.

April 19, 2020 at 4:06 pm

Hello Daniel, thanks for the .l have liked it and I will always follow the stated tips of being successful in school.

May 22, 2020 at 5:11 am

It’s really motivating. I will definitely put these advice in practice. God’s willing. Thanks a lot once again.

May 31, 2020 at 7:10 pm

I love this tip’s and I would practice it

June 18, 2020 at 1:53 am

Thank you for the advice; very informative and helpful

June 30, 2020 at 6:14 pm

Thank a lot.A. great advice

July 19, 2020 at 7:48 pm

thanks alot daniel may God bless you

July 30, 2020 at 3:11 pm

Thank you for the great tips. Every point is explained well and somehow can be applied throughout adulthood.

August 11, 2020 at 3:00 pm

August 18, 2020 at 2:00 pm

Thank you for your tips 🧡

August 18, 2020 at 3:06 pm

Thank you so much my grade improved a lot 🧡

August 21, 2020 at 2:05 pm

I believe that after this article I will achieve the best score ever ,thank you

October 6, 2020 at 12:21 am

Mr. Wong, I appreciate your help and the 40 tips that you provided.

October 8, 2020 at 9:41 pm

Mr. Wong, you did a great work here.

And I will also ask for app suggestion for the exercise part. Thanks

October 23, 2020 at 7:07 am

Thank you for making an amazing article! It really helps me to be motivated and realize the other things that I’m not doing, like sleeping at least 8 hours every night hehe. When I read it, I feel guilt and I hope I can do it little by little. Thanks again Mr. Wong 😀 !

October 29, 2020 at 6:15 pm

November 5, 2020 at 4:24 pm

Thanks a lot this was very insightful. I used to be a straight a student but along the way my grades started to suffer as family problems and mental health issues started coming up. I want to now get back in the track again to my old self, who was always intelligent. I wouldn’t say I’m not intelligent, all I’m saying is that for the past years I always looked at the mirror and said the school system is not made for me, of course that’s a lie and I have to change it! As a parkour athlete I understand that hard work does equal great results and that mentality can be applied anywhere and you reminded me of that! Thank You!

November 13, 2020 at 8:23 am

Thank you so much for this. I need it. I’m almost failing french currently. I’m bookmarking every article I read. I am going to try everything I’ve read.

November 17, 2020 at 1:43 am

this helped a lot thank you so much

January 7, 2021 at 9:10 am

I am currently doing a hybrid schedule at school due to Covid, so on Fridays I don’t have school until 11:40 not counting yearbook, but I never got assignments done because I was procrastinating. I did the rough schedule and it helped so much because I knew I needed to get that assignment done around that time. I tried to beat the due time that I set and I got so much done. I felt so good afterwards especially because they work was FINALLY done on time and I got good grades on them. I’m so happy. Thank you so much! These tips helped me so much.

January 20, 2021 at 11:22 am

very informative

January 23, 2021 at 10:49 am

thanks a ton it was so helpful

January 29, 2021 at 4:49 pm

Splendid one

January 31, 2021 at 9:51 pm

This is great and really helpful, thanks…

February 9, 2021 at 1:32 am

Thanks Danny👊

February 9, 2021 at 2:13 pm

This was very helpful Thank you

February 25, 2021 at 3:24 am

Thanks, this was very helpful and it will help me a lot.

March 17, 2021 at 1:58 pm

Great read! I will definitely benefit from a lot of these valuable points.

March 18, 2021 at 8:43 am

Very helpful!

March 25, 2021 at 8:29 pm

let’s see if all this helps.

March 29, 2021 at 6:46 am

This was very good read and I have see that this has some very good information and will definitely incorporate into my routine. Thank you for sharing.

March 29, 2021 at 7:23 am

good helpful tips

April 20, 2021 at 2:18 pm

Thank u so much for the tips and strategies. This is the best article I’ve found on how to excel academically. I like the tip of not just aiming for grades but helping schoolmates as well but all in all the tips are so good

May 7, 2021 at 12:45 am

May 17, 2021 at 1:24 am

wow! What good ideas are they ….I just feel like applying them now …. thanks so much Wong!

May 24, 2021 at 9:52 am

Thanks a lot, so helpful

August 11, 2021 at 3:44 am

I am marvelously enlightened

September 9, 2022 at 11:05 pm

these were very helpful tips.

September 21, 2022 at 3:11 am

Incredible….just Incredible

October 25, 2022 at 12:46 am

THE TIPS ARE GREAT….

February 16, 2023 at 3:41 pm

This a nice article.

February 17, 2023 at 1:49 am

It is a good learning opportunity.

March 2, 2023 at 9:21 pm

thank you for sharing

April 4, 2023 at 2:57 am

thanks for sharing

April 4, 2023 at 2:59 am

Very helpful points.

June 1, 2023 at 6:05 am

this was helpful

December 21, 2023 at 4:41 am

Thank you Mr. Daniel Wong. I know with these ideas listed in your article I’ll be able to achieve my dreams of becoming a successful Robotics Engineer.

December 21, 2023 at 4:46 am

Hi again it’s me Machi Cynthia. I hope you got my comment and thanks again for this article , just so you know it helped me in preparing for my exam and am proud to say I made an A in 10 of my courses. Thanks so much Mr Wong.

August 11, 2024 at 2:06 am

Jesus Bless You All!

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• How to Do Your Absolute Best in Exams: the Definitive Guide Written by an Exam Ace

People who like exams are few and far between.

They’re a necessary part of life, but they put us under immense pressure and can sometimes feel as though they’re designed to catch us out, or make us feel stupid. Because of this, many students crumble in an exam environment because nerves get the better of them. But exams don’t have to be scary, or fill you with dread. With the pressure of so many exams and so much material to learn and recite, you may feel you lack control of the situation at times; but follow these tips and you’ll soon find that there’s plenty you can do to grasp the bull by the horns and increase your chances of exam success.

In the run-up to the exam

To do well in an exam, you need to lay the best possible foundations for success. In the months and weeks leading up to the exam, boost your exam performance by doing the following.

Revise, learn new things and revise some more

You know what they say: “To fail to prepare is to prepare to fail”. No matter how well you think you know a subject, never rest on your laurels. Revision is a vital part of exam success, no matter how tedious it may seem, and even if you think you know a subject inside out, you can still enhance your chances of exam success by using ‘revision’ time to cover new, related ground. This will enable you to impress in the exam by dropping in extra facts and insights that other students in your class may not have covered. We’ve already covered effective revision techniques for the sciences and the humanities in separate articles, so have a read of those before you start revising.

Sit some practice papers

Get hold of some practice papers and sit them under exam conditions, giving them to a teacher to mark afterwards. You’ll probably have some mock exams organised by your school anyway, but extra practice never hurts. This will help you become accustomed to the format the exams will take, allowing you to get the hang of timings and enabling you to start to predict the styles of questions you can expect in the real thing. By studying the patterns of which questions appear again and again, you may even be able to predict what questions you’re likely to get on the day (be careful with this, though, and don’t plan your revision based entirely on it; exam-setters are wise to students doing this, and may throw a curveball by not including a particular question or topic, or adding a new style of question). What’s more, sitting practice papers will also expose any gaps there may be in your knowledge, so that you can focus more of your revision time on these areas.

Study the mark scheme and syllabus

Find out exactly what the examiners are looking for by having a thorough read of the mark scheme for each of your subjects and noting what sorts of things are awarded extra points (and whether points are deducted for anything). Looking at the syllabus should also give you an indication of the full range of topics you may be questioned on, so that nothing comes as a surprise when you turn over the question paper. At this stage, if you spot an area that you think needs work, ask a teacher for advice.

Immediately before the exam

If you followed the above tips, by the time you reach the 12 to 24 hours before your exam, you should be feeling confident with your level of knowledge, as well as how to deploy that knowledge effectively. Your focus now switches to physical and mental preparation for the exam itself.

Get a good night’s sleep

Never ‘pull an all-nighter’ the night before an exam. Sleep plays a vital role in converting knowledge from short-term to long-term memory, meaning that the things you’ve learned start to sink in while you’re sleeping. What’s more, it’s important to get a good night’s sleep so that you don’t have to contend with flagging concentration levels and lethargy in the exam room.

Eat brain food

If you’re in a morning exam slot, ensure you have a good breakfast before you set off. Porridge is a good thing to have as it releases its energy slowly, keeping you going throughout the morning and stopping hunger pangs from distracting you during your exam. If you’re in an afternoon exam slot, have a good lunch beforehand – ideally one containing proteins, such as eggs or fish. Don’t rely on the stimulants and sugars found in drinks such as coffee or Red Bull to get you through; their effects quickly wear off, and won’t last long enough to see you through the whole exam.

Read up on the exam rules and regulations

To avoid unnecessary extra stress on the day, it’s a good idea to be completely au fait with what’s allowed and what isn’t. For example, if you want to take a bottle of water into the exam room with you, you’ll almost certainly have to remove the label. Now’s the time to ensure that you have regulation equipment where necessary – for example, if you’re sitting a maths exam, check what kinds of calculator are permitted and for which papers.

Adjust your mindset

Don’t approach your exam with a negative mindset. There’s nothing worse than telling yourself “I’m going to fail”, “this is going to be awful” or “I’m not ready for this”. Thoughts like these can become self-fulfilling prophecy, so instead, try to fill your mind with positive thoughts. You’d be amazed at the power of positive thinking in an exam situation, and you’ll find that it increases your confidence and makes you better able to tackle the questions, no matter how difficult they may be. Tell yourself “I can do this”, and see the exam as an intellectual challenge and an opportunity to show off how much you’ve learned during your years at school, sixth form or university.

Last-minute revision

Have a last-minute skim through your subject crib sheets just before you go into the exam, so that the topics are fresh in your mind and you’re in the frame of mind for tackling this particular subject.

In the exam

The moment has arrived, and now it’s your chance to shine. Keep a level head and read on for some indispensable tips for effective exam technique.

Read every question thoroughly

Before you begin the exam, read the whole question paper very carefully, and then read it again. It’s vital that you understand exactly what’s being asked of you before you make your final selection of questions to answer. Choose the questions you think you can score the most points in, and remember that these may not necessarily be the ones that appear to be on the topics you know most about.

Plan what order you’ll tackle the questions in

Don’t waste lots of time on planning what order to tackle the questions in; a quick mental note to yourself will suffice as you’re reading through the question paper. Circle the questions you plan to answer. Tackle the easiest questions first, as this will mean that you’re quickly able to score points early on, ensuring you have a base level of marks before you start dealing with the trickier questions, which may take longer to complete.

Write an essay plan

Essays can quickly become unstructured in the pressure of an exam environment, when your inclination may be to ‘brain dump’ by writing down as much as you know or can remember about the topic. Beware of doing this; use your time effectively by only including relevant material, as concisely as possible. To help you do this, make a very quick essay plan before you start, outlining a rough structure and areas you want to cover. Don’t forget to include an introduction and a conclusion that pulls everything together.

Answer the question

Questions may be worded slightly differently to how you might expect, which may lead to an initial panic when you think you don’t know what you should be writing about. You’ll almost certainly find that once you read through it again, you have the knowledge to be able to tackle it effectively. Don’t make the mistake many students make, though:  answering the question you want to answer, rather than the one being asked. No matter how brilliant your essay, you’ll get little credit if it’s answering a different question. Don’t forget to note instructions such as “analyse” or “compare and contrast” and ensure you do as instructed.

Deploy quotes from other people and sources where you can

Without relying solely on the words of other people, you’ll impress in an exam if you can quote what others say about a particular topic and quote from original source material. This means that your answer, rather than being vague, will be sharp and well-informed, showing the examiner that you’re very familiar with the literature involved and comfortable using it to back up your arguments.

Don’t include more examples than you need to

You may be able to rattle off half a dozen examples to illustrate a particular point, but you don’t need to include all of them. One or two examples briefly cited will be enough to support your point, without wasting valuable time.

Don’t just regurgitate facts

Examiners see the same facts repeated all the time, so if you really want to impress, you’ll need to do more than just regurgitate. Show that you’re in command of the facts by deploying them intelligently, using them to illustrate your points and offering pertinent insights.

If you get stuck…

…try tackling a different question and then go back to the one you were stuck on. Focusing on something else for a bit should help clear your mental block and leave you with fresh inspiration for the problem question.

Closely monitor time

Plan how much time you’ll spend on each question according to how many marks are available for each question, and ensure you stick rigidly to these allocated times. If you don’t, you risk running out of time, and marks may sometimes be deducted for incomplete answers. Conversely, it’s not a good idea to leave the exam room early. If you find you have time left over, use it to read through your answers and possibly add extra paragraphs if additional points occur to you. If you’ve finished way before everyone else, there may be a reason for that – so study the questions and your answers carefully to ensure you’ve not missed anything important, and ensure you’ve answered the required number of questions.

Allow time for reading over your answers at the end

It’s best to allow time within each allotted question time for reading over your answer to check it makes sense, and to correct any ‘typos’ you may inadvertently have made.

After the exam

Phew – it’s over! Let’s end with a few final tips on what happens next.

Don’t look back

However tempting it is, don’t try to do a post-mortem of your exam performance. You can’t change what you wrote now, and stressing over what you should or shouldn’t have written isn’t going to do you any favours. Don’t, whatever you do, look back over your notes for that paper. It will only fill you with insecurity and doubt, possibly hampering your performance in other exams that you may have looming. Put your notes for that topic away in a drawer, without opening them, and forget about them.

Relax and re-focus

The chances are that you’ll have a run of exams rather than just one, so after each exam, factor in a bit of relaxation time and then turn your focus to the next subject.

If it went really badly…

We’re our own worst critic, so the chances are that the exam went a lot better than you thought it did. But if, on results day, your suspicions are confirmed, all is not lost:  you can always retake a paper as a last resort. And if you feel that the mark you’ve ended up with is bafflingly lower than you feel it should have been, you can also pay a small admin fee to have the paper remarked (which may push the marks up high enough to gain you a higher grade – but beware that it might also push your marks down). The secret of exam success lies primarily in diligent preparation, effective exam technique and a positive mental attitude. We hope you’ve found these tips useful; if you have any you think should be on this list, feel free to let us know in the comments section below. Good luck!

• Writing Worksheets and Other Writing Resources

Nine Basic Ways to Improve Your Style in Academic Writing

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1. Use ACTIVE VOICE

Don't say:  "The stepmother's house was cleaned by Cinderella."  (Passive.)

Say instead:  "Cinderella cleaned the stepmother's house."  (Active voice.)

Passive voice construction ("was cleaned") is reserved for those occasions where the "do-er" of the action is unknown.

Example:  "Prince Charming saw the glass slipper that was left behind."

2. Mix it up in terms of PUNCTUATION

Here are a few commonly misused punctuation marks that a lot of people aren't sure about:

The  semi-colon (;)  separates two complete sentences that are complementary.

Example:  "She was always covered in cinders from cleaning the fireplace; they called her Cinderella."

The  colon (:)  is used...

a. preceding a list.

Example:  "Before her stepmother awoke, Cinderella had three chores to complete: feeding the chickens, cooking breakfast, and doing the wash." 


b. as a sort of "drum roll," preceding some big revelation.

Example:  "One thing fueled the wicked stepmother's hatred for Cinderella: jealousy."  


The  dash (--)  is made by typing two hyphens (-). No spaces go in between the dash and the text. It is used...

a. to bracket off some explanatory information.

Example:  "Even Cinderella's stepsisters-who were not nearly as lovely or virtuous as Cinderella--were allowed to go to the ball." 


b. in the "drum roll" sense of the colon.

Example:  "Prince Charming would find this mystery lady--even if he had to put the slipper on every other girl in the kingdom."  


3. Vary your SENTENCE STRUCTURE

Don't say:  "Cinderella saw her fairy godmother appear. She was dressed in blue. She held a wand. The wand had a star on it. She was covered in sparkles. Cinderella was amazed. She asked who the woman was. The woman said, 'I am your fairy godmother.' She said she would get Cinderella a dress and a coach. She said she would help Cinderella go to the ball."

Instead say: (there are multiple correct ways to rewrite this, but here's one)  "Amazed, Cinderella watched as her fairy godmother appeared. The woman dressed in blue was covered in sparkles and carried a star-shaped wand. Cinderella asked the woman who she was, to which the woman replied, 'I am your fairy godmother." The fairy godmother would get Cinderella a dress and a coach; she would help Cinderella get to the ball."

4. Closely related to this, avoid CHOPPINESS

Don't say:  "She scrubbed the floors. They were dirty. She used a mop. She sighed sadly. It was as if she were a servant ."

Instead say : (again, there are multiple ways to do this)  "She scrubbed the dirty floors using a mop, as if she were a servant. She sighed sadly."

5. Avoid REPETITION.

Don't say:  "The stepsisters were jealous and envious ."

Instead say :  "The stepsisters were jealous ."  (...or envious. Pick one.)

6. Be CONCISE

Don't say:  "The mystery lady was one who every eligible man at the ball admired."

Instead say :  "Every eligible man at the ball admired the mystery lady."

7. Use the VOCABULARY that you know.

Don't always feel you have to use big words. It is always better to be clear and use simple language rather than showing off flashy words you aren't sure about and potentially misusing them. This is not to say, however, that you should settle for very weak vocabulary choices (like "bad" or "big" or "mad").

8. But also work on expanding your VOCABULARY.

When reading, look up words you don't know. See how they're used. Start a list. Incorporate them into your writing as you feel comfortable and as they are appropriate.

9. Keep language FORMAL and avoid language of everyday speech.

Don't say:  "Cinderella was mellow and good. She never let her stepmother get to her ."

Say instead:  "Cinderella was mild-mannered and kind. She never let her stepmother affect her high spirits ."

So, essentially, when it comes to working on style, there are three things to remember:

Empower yourself with knowledge..

Learn to punctuate correctly, enhance your vocabulary, etc. Give yourself all the tools there are so that you are free to...

...Mix it up!

Avoid repetition of words and sentence structure. Variance promotes good "flow" and is more interesting for your reader.

"Write to EXPRESS, not to IMPRESS."

Above all, write actively, clearly, and concisely.

Amber Carini

Student Learning Center, University of California, Berkeley

©2002 UC Regents

  This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Essay Papers Writing Online

Tips and tricks for crafting engaging and effective essays.

Writing essays can be a challenging task, but with the right approach and strategies, you can create compelling and impactful pieces that captivate your audience. Whether you’re a student working on an academic paper or a professional honing your writing skills, these tips will help you craft essays that stand out.

Effective essays are not just about conveying information; they are about persuading, engaging, and inspiring readers. To achieve this, it’s essential to pay attention to various elements of the essay-writing process, from brainstorming ideas to polishing your final draft. By following these tips, you can elevate your writing and produce essays that leave a lasting impression.

Understanding the Essay Prompt

Before you start writing your essay, it is crucial to thoroughly understand the essay prompt or question provided by your instructor. The essay prompt serves as a roadmap for your essay and outlines the specific requirements or expectations.

Here are a few key things to consider when analyzing the essay prompt:

• Read the prompt carefully and identify the main topic or question being asked.
• Pay attention to any specific instructions or guidelines provided, such as word count, formatting requirements, or sources to be used.
• Identify key terms or phrases in the prompt that can help you determine the focus of your essay.

By understanding the essay prompt thoroughly, you can ensure that your essay addresses the topic effectively and meets the requirements set forth by your instructor.

Researching Your Topic Thoroughly

One of the key elements of writing an effective essay is conducting thorough research on your chosen topic. Research helps you gather the necessary information, facts, and examples to support your arguments and make your essay more convincing.

Here are some tips for researching your topic thoroughly:

By following these tips and conducting thorough research on your topic, you will be able to write a well-informed and persuasive essay that effectively communicates your ideas and arguments.

Creating a Strong Thesis Statement

A thesis statement is a crucial element of any well-crafted essay. It serves as the main point or idea that you will be discussing and supporting throughout your paper. A strong thesis statement should be clear, specific, and arguable.

To create a strong thesis statement, follow these tips:

• Be specific: Your thesis statement should clearly state the main idea of your essay. Avoid vague or general statements.
• Be concise: Keep your thesis statement concise and to the point. Avoid unnecessary details or lengthy explanations.
• Be argumentative: Your thesis statement should present an argument or perspective that can be debated or discussed in your essay.
• Be relevant: Make sure your thesis statement is relevant to the topic of your essay and reflects the main point you want to make.
• Revise as needed: Don’t be afraid to revise your thesis statement as you work on your essay. It may change as you develop your ideas.

Remember, a strong thesis statement sets the tone for your entire essay and provides a roadmap for your readers to follow. Put time and effort into crafting a clear and compelling thesis statement to ensure your essay is effective and persuasive.

Developing a Clear Essay Structure

One of the key elements of writing an effective essay is developing a clear and logical structure. A well-structured essay helps the reader follow your argument and enhances the overall readability of your work. Here are some tips to help you develop a clear essay structure:

1. Start with a strong introduction: Begin your essay with an engaging introduction that introduces the topic and clearly states your thesis or main argument.

2. Organize your ideas: Before you start writing, outline the main points you want to cover in your essay. This will help you organize your thoughts and ensure a logical flow of ideas.

3. Use topic sentences: Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence that introduces the main idea of the paragraph. This helps the reader understand the purpose of each paragraph.

4. Provide evidence and analysis: Support your arguments with evidence and analysis to back up your main points. Make sure your evidence is relevant and directly supports your thesis.

5. Transition between paragraphs: Use transitional words and phrases to create flow between paragraphs and help the reader move smoothly from one idea to the next.

6. Conclude effectively: End your essay with a strong conclusion that summarizes your main points and reinforces your thesis. Avoid introducing new ideas in the conclusion.

By following these tips, you can develop a clear essay structure that will help you effectively communicate your ideas and engage your reader from start to finish.

Using Relevant Examples and Evidence

When writing an essay, it’s crucial to support your arguments and assertions with relevant examples and evidence. This not only adds credibility to your writing but also helps your readers better understand your points. Here are some tips on how to effectively use examples and evidence in your essays:

• Choose examples that are specific and relevant to the topic you’re discussing. Avoid using generic examples that may not directly support your argument.
• Provide concrete evidence to back up your claims. This could include statistics, research findings, or quotes from reliable sources.
• Interpret the examples and evidence you provide, explaining how they support your thesis or main argument. Don’t assume that the connection is obvious to your readers.
• Use a variety of examples to make your points more persuasive. Mixing personal anecdotes with scholarly evidence can make your essay more engaging and convincing.
• Cite your sources properly to give credit to the original authors and avoid plagiarism. Follow the citation style required by your instructor or the publication you’re submitting to.

By integrating relevant examples and evidence into your essays, you can craft a more convincing and well-rounded piece of writing that resonates with your audience.

Editing and Proofreading Your Essay Carefully

Once you have finished writing your essay, the next crucial step is to edit and proofread it carefully. Editing and proofreading are essential parts of the writing process that help ensure your essay is polished and error-free. Here are some tips to help you effectively edit and proofread your essay:

1. Take a Break: Before you start editing, take a short break from your essay. This will help you approach the editing process with a fresh perspective.

2. Read Aloud: Reading your essay aloud can help you catch any awkward phrasing or grammatical errors that you may have missed while writing. It also helps you check the flow of your essay.

3. Check for Consistency: Make sure that your essay has a consistent style, tone, and voice throughout. Check for inconsistencies in formatting, punctuation, and language usage.

4. Remove Unnecessary Words: Look for any unnecessary words or phrases in your essay and remove them to make your writing more concise and clear.

5. Proofread for Errors: Carefully proofread your essay for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. Pay attention to commonly misused words and homophones.

6. Get Feedback: It’s always a good idea to get feedback from someone else. Ask a friend, classmate, or teacher to review your essay and provide constructive feedback.

By following these tips and taking the time to edit and proofread your essay carefully, you can improve the overall quality of your writing and make sure your ideas are effectively communicated to your readers.

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High Schoolers Need to Do Less So That They Can Do Better

By Tim Donahue

Mr. Donahue teaches high school English at Greenwich Country Day School in Connecticut.

To earn the distinction of valedictorian at Sunny Hills High School in Fullerton, Calif., a student must maintain a straight-A average and take at least 32 honors-level, semester-long classes. One weak “Gatsby” essay during these four years, one math test taken after an ankle sprain, one poorly conjugated verb can put a leak in the boat. And yet this past May, 39 of the 606 graduating seniors maintained the buoyancy to become valedictorians.

This is hardly unusual. In 2022, Edison High in Fresno, Calif., had 115 valedictorians in the class of 558. In 2017, Central Magnet School in Murfreesboro, Tenn., had 48 out of 193. And in 2019, Washington Liberty High in Arlington, Va., had 213 earning the top honor in their class of 595.

In the way some teachers sniff out A.I.-generated essays, some colleges engage in “countermeasures” to decode the truth behind the ever-increasing numbers of ever-improving transcripts they read. But the bigger truth is that many colleges just throw up their hands and don’t factor in weighted G.P.A.s (scaled according to the difficulty of the class) at all. So the same students who are now sweating on the too-hot turf during early-season practices are going to sweat through lots and lots of classes whose contents they can’t possibly retain in order to simply tread water.

We have pushed high school students into maximizing every part of their days and nights. Those who take the bait are remarkably compliant, diluting themselves between their internships and Canva presentations. We condition students to do a so-so job and then move on to the next thing. We need to let them slow down. Critical cognition, by definition, takes time.

The underbelly of grade inflation is that now the ambitious student must clear more time in their schedule for the stuff that really makes a difference. Harvard’s dean of undergraduate education, Amanda Claybaugh, said: “Students feel the need to distinguish themselves outside the classroom because they are essentially indistinguishable inside the classroom. Extracurriculars, which should be stress-relieving, become stress-producing.”

“When we are overloaded with mental activity,” wrote Leidy Klotz, the author of “Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less,” “we are less likely to think about taking things off of our plates. So, this overload that students get into creates a feedback loop that is hard to get out of. The more overloaded they are, the more likely they are to rely on heuristic thinking, and that heuristic thinking is going to tell them to add things first.”

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• How to write an argumentative essay | Examples & tips

How to Write an Argumentative Essay | Examples & Tips

Published on July 24, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An argumentative essay expresses an extended argument for a particular thesis statement . The author takes a clearly defined stance on their subject and builds up an evidence-based case for it.

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Table of contents

When do you write an argumentative essay, approaches to argumentative essays, introducing your argument, the body: developing your argument, concluding your argument, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about argumentative essays.

You might be assigned an argumentative essay as a writing exercise in high school or in a composition class. The prompt will often ask you to argue for one of two positions, and may include terms like “argue” or “argument.” It will frequently take the form of a question.

The prompt may also be more open-ended in terms of the possible arguments you could make.

Argumentative writing at college level

At university, the vast majority of essays or papers you write will involve some form of argumentation. For example, both rhetorical analysis and literary analysis essays involve making arguments about texts.

In this context, you won’t necessarily be told to write an argumentative essay—but making an evidence-based argument is an essential goal of most academic writing, and this should be your default approach unless you’re told otherwise.

Examples of argumentative essay prompts

At a university level, all the prompts below imply an argumentative essay as the appropriate response.

Your research should lead you to develop a specific position on the topic. The essay then argues for that position and aims to convince the reader by presenting your evidence, evaluation and analysis.

• Don’t just list all the effects you can think of.
• Do develop a focused argument about the overall effect and why it matters, backed up by evidence from sources.
• Don’t just provide a selection of data on the measures’ effectiveness.
• Do build up your own argument about which kinds of measures have been most or least effective, and why.
• Don’t just analyze a random selection of doppelgänger characters.
• Do form an argument about specific texts, comparing and contrasting how they express their thematic concerns through doppelgänger characters.

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An argumentative essay should be objective in its approach; your arguments should rely on logic and evidence, not on exaggeration or appeals to emotion.

There are many possible approaches to argumentative essays, but there are two common models that can help you start outlining your arguments: The Toulmin model and the Rogerian model.

Toulmin arguments

The Toulmin model consists of four steps, which may be repeated as many times as necessary for the argument:

• Make a claim
• Provide the grounds (evidence) for the claim
• Explain the warrant (how the grounds support the claim)
• Discuss possible rebuttals to the claim, identifying the limits of the argument and showing that you have considered alternative perspectives

The Toulmin model is a common approach in academic essays. You don’t have to use these specific terms (grounds, warrants, rebuttals), but establishing a clear connection between your claims and the evidence supporting them is crucial in an argumentative essay.

Say you’re making an argument about the effectiveness of workplace anti-discrimination measures. You might:

• Claim that unconscious bias training does not have the desired results, and resources would be better spent on other approaches
• Cite data to support your claim
• Explain how the data indicates that the method is ineffective
• Anticipate objections to your claim based on other data, indicating whether these objections are valid, and if not, why not.

Rogerian arguments

The Rogerian model also consists of four steps you might repeat throughout your essay:

• Discuss what the opposing position gets right and why people might hold this position
• Highlight the problems with this position
• Present your own position , showing how it addresses these problems
• Suggest a possible compromise —what elements of your position would proponents of the opposing position benefit from adopting?

This model builds up a clear picture of both sides of an argument and seeks a compromise. It is particularly useful when people tend to disagree strongly on the issue discussed, allowing you to approach opposing arguments in good faith.

Say you want to argue that the internet has had a positive impact on education. You might:

• Acknowledge that students rely too much on websites like Wikipedia
• Argue that teachers view Wikipedia as more unreliable than it really is
• Suggest that Wikipedia’s system of citations can actually teach students about referencing
• Suggest critical engagement with Wikipedia as a possible assignment for teachers who are skeptical of its usefulness.

You don’t necessarily have to pick one of these models—you may even use elements of both in different parts of your essay—but it’s worth considering them if you struggle to structure your arguments.

Regardless of which approach you take, your essay should always be structured using an introduction , a body , and a conclusion .

Like other academic essays, an argumentative essay begins with an introduction . The introduction serves to capture the reader’s interest, provide background information, present your thesis statement , and (in longer essays) to summarize the structure of the body.

Hover over different parts of the example below to see how a typical introduction works.

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts is on the rise, and its role in learning is hotly debated. For many teachers who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its critical benefits for students and educators—as a uniquely comprehensive and accessible information source; a means of exposure to and engagement with different perspectives; and a highly flexible learning environment.

The body of an argumentative essay is where you develop your arguments in detail. Here you’ll present evidence, analysis, and reasoning to convince the reader that your thesis statement is true.

In the standard five-paragraph format for short essays, the body takes up three of your five paragraphs. In longer essays, it will be more paragraphs, and might be divided into sections with headings.

Each paragraph covers its own topic, introduced with a topic sentence . Each of these topics must contribute to your overall argument; don’t include irrelevant information.

This example paragraph takes a Rogerian approach: It first acknowledges the merits of the opposing position and then highlights problems with that position.

Hover over different parts of the example to see how a body paragraph is constructed.

A common frustration for teachers is students’ use of Wikipedia as a source in their writing. Its prevalence among students is not exaggerated; a survey found that the vast majority of the students surveyed used Wikipedia (Head & Eisenberg, 2010). An article in The Guardian stresses a common objection to its use: “a reliance on Wikipedia can discourage students from engaging with genuine academic writing” (Coomer, 2013). Teachers are clearly not mistaken in viewing Wikipedia usage as ubiquitous among their students; but the claim that it discourages engagement with academic sources requires further investigation. This point is treated as self-evident by many teachers, but Wikipedia itself explicitly encourages students to look into other sources. Its articles often provide references to academic publications and include warning notes where citations are missing; the site’s own guidelines for research make clear that it should be used as a starting point, emphasizing that users should always “read the references and check whether they really do support what the article says” (“Wikipedia:Researching with Wikipedia,” 2020). Indeed, for many students, Wikipedia is their first encounter with the concepts of citation and referencing. The use of Wikipedia therefore has a positive side that merits deeper consideration than it often receives.

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An argumentative essay ends with a conclusion that summarizes and reflects on the arguments made in the body.

No new arguments or evidence appear here, but in longer essays you may discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your argument and suggest topics for future research. In all conclusions, you should stress the relevance and importance of your argument.

Hover over the following example to see the typical elements of a conclusion.

The internet has had a major positive impact on the world of education; occasional pitfalls aside, its value is evident in numerous applications. The future of teaching lies in the possibilities the internet opens up for communication, research, and interactivity. As the popularity of distance learning shows, students value the flexibility and accessibility offered by digital education, and educators should fully embrace these advantages. The internet’s dangers, real and imaginary, have been documented exhaustively by skeptics, but the internet is here to stay; it is time to focus seriously on its potential for good.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

• Ad hominem fallacy
• Post hoc fallacy
• Appeal to authority fallacy
• False cause fallacy
• Sunk cost fallacy

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An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.

An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

The majority of the essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Unless otherwise specified, you can assume that the goal of any essay you’re asked to write is argumentative: To convince the reader of your position using evidence and reasoning.

In composition classes you might be given assignments that specifically test your ability to write an argumentative essay. Look out for prompts including instructions like “argue,” “assess,” or “discuss” to see if this is the goal.

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Caulfield, J. (2023, July 23). How to Write an Argumentative Essay | Examples & Tips. Scribbr. Retrieved September 6, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/argumentative-essay/

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3 Ways to Get Your Teen Excited About School

Unlock motivation and engagement for a bright future..

Posted September 4, 2024 | Reviewed by Monica Vilhauer

• A Parent's Role
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• Engaged students are more than twice as likely to thrive and see a great future ahead of them.
• Lack of engagement often shows through minimal effort, easy class choices, and avoiding school discussions.
• Teens are more engaged when they like the subject matter and see its real-world applications.
• Hands-on learning and passionate teachers can reignite a teen's interest in education.

A recent survey of over 2,000 Gen Zers enrolled in kindergarten through 12 th grade found that 25% to 54% of the students do not feel that what they’re learning is important or interesting. Just under half of those surveyed think their schoolwork positively challenges them, and even fewer think their schoolwork aligns with what they do best. Why do these numbers matter? Because according to the survey, students who feel engaged at school are more than twice as likely as students who report the lowest engagement to be thriving in their lives and are more than four times as likely to strongly agree they have a great future ahead of them (Gallup, 2024).

Essentially, we want our teens to be engaged in learning. We want them to feel passion for some of their subjects, to feel excited and challenged about material, and to think their education will help them in the future. From research on motivation , we know it’s not possible to always feel passionate, excited, and challenged when it comes to anything. These things will ebb and flow and that’s completely normal. In fact, I cover this in depth in my book, Helping Your Unmotivated Teen . But we want our teens to feel engaged in learning and to feel challenged at school, no matter their level of motivation.

How to Know Your Teen Isn’t into School

For some parents, this is a no-brainer. Your teen complains constantly about school, and you have to pull out every trick in the book to get them to do their homework or study. You’re painfully aware of how much your teen doesn’t like school or learning. But for other parents, it might not be as obvious. Your teen may not be as talkative or be able to articulate what’s bothering them. Or maybe you have a busy household or your teen has lots of different things going on and you just don’t have the time or space to really know what’s happening in every area of their life.

Here are some signs that your teen isn’t engaged in learning*:

• They put in very little effort on their schoolwork. Please know that this isn’t about grades though, this is about effort. Your teen could be in easy classes and getting high grades without putting in effort or your teen could be putting in a ton of effort but getting low grades. Pay attention to how much time and energy they’re exerting over their schoolwork and ask questions about what they did during their study hall. Get a sense of how hard they’re working to see if they’re interested or care about school.
• When given a choice, they take the easiest path. Maybe you’ve allowed your teen to decide which classes to sign up for and, despite knowing they’re capable of higher-level courses, they’re taking the ones that are easy for them. Or perhaps they can choose their topic for a class project, and you notice them recycling something from another class despite having plenty of free time.
• They shut down any conversation about school or show a negative attitude whenever it’s brought up. You try asking questions about their day, what they’re learning, or what projects they’re working on, but they change the subject, get angry, or completely shut down. You can’t find a way to bring up school without it resulting in an argument or being avoided altogether.

(*Please know that when teens are experiencing symptoms of mental health issues like depression or anxiety , they may also show these signs. However, the difference is that their apathy or lack of interest isn’t only confined to school. You notice it happening in other areas of their life too such as social withdrawal or not wanting to do things they were previously interested in.)

How To Get Your Teen Engaged in Learning

• Students feel more excited about learning when they have a teacher who's excited about what they're teaching (Gallup, 2024). If your teen complains that their teacher is boring , uninterested in the material, or doesn't make the material more exciting, it may be a good idea to find a different teacher, hire a tutor who can get excited about the topic, or help your teen find what's interesting in the material.
• Teens in the survey also reported that they're more engaged in learning when they like the subject matter (Gallup, 2024). This means making sure your teen has some say in what they're signing up for (when possible) or helping them connect the dots on how the information will help them in something they're truly interested in. For example, maybe your teen isn't so into their history class right now but is watching the political conventions and debates alongside you. Ask them how what they're learning in history is showing up in the debates or where they see connections to the past.
• Teens said they like it when the learning is hands-on or when it's connected to real world experiences (Gallup, 2024). If your teen isn't getting that at school, help them find ways to get it at home. Perhaps taking a weekend trip to a field museum, doing your own science experiment together in the kitchen, or having them shadow a relative at work could help bridge the gap.

Engaging your teen in learning may feel impossible. However, by understanding what drives their interest, and actively seeking ways to make learning more relevant and exciting, you can help reignite their passion for education. Remember, it's not just about pushing them to do well in school but helping them find meaning in what they learn. When teens see the value in their education—whether through passionate teachers, relatable subject matter, or hands-on experiences—they are more likely to stay engaged and motivated, setting them up for success both now and in the future.

With a little creativity and patience, you can support your teen in rediscovering their enthusiasm for learning and ensure that they view their education as a powerful tool for achieving their goals.

Gallup, Inc. (2024). K-12 Schools Struggle to Engage Gen Z Students . Retrieved August 24, 2024, from https://news.gallup.com/poll/648896/schools-struggle-engage-gen-student…

Melanie McNally, Psy.D., is a clinical psychologist, brain coach, and author of The Emotionally Intelligent Teen and Helping Your Unmotivated Teen.

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4 Ways Schools Can Help Students Learn to Disagree Respectfully

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Americans are increasingly divided about public-policy issues, they feel negatively toward people in the opposing political party, and they rarely spend time with those who think differently than they do, according to polling data.

And that polarization often trickles down to K-12 schools , political scientists and historians say.

Indeed, schools have become political battlegrounds. Reports of unruly school board meetings, protests over curricula, and politically motivated lawsuits against district policies have been making regular appearances in the media in recent years.

This has led some teachers to avoid discussing topics that could be controversial . A nationally representative EdWeek Research Center survey conducted in July found that 3 in 10 teachers have changed their approach to a lesson because they were concerned it could be controversial and result in complaints from parents, students, or administrators.

Still, a majority of educators (77 percent) believe that schools should own the responsibility to teach students how to have respectful conversations with people they disagree with, according to EdWeek Research Center data.

Many political scientists and historians emphasize that schools have a role to play in countering polarization and ensuring a healthy democracy, especially as social media and artificial intelligence exacerbate societal divisions.

Below are select quotes from Education Week interviews of political scientists and education historians discussing ways schools can counter polarization and help students learn to get along with those who think differently than they do:

1. Focus on media literacy for educators and students

   i think professional development opportunities that focus specifically on building information literacy skills in educators are essential and must be ongoing. i view media literacy as a crucial part of broader information literacy. schools must allocate resources to prepare educators so they feel confident about their ability to critically evaluate claims and work with students to build those same skills in them. librarians and other information systems specialists should play key roles in constructing and even delivering these trainings. last, schools should encourage educators to lean into the political minutiae as they teach students to critically weigh information claims so they can build the capacity to critique arguments and agendas from all angles and consider which groups are harmed and which groups benefit..

— ArCasia James-Gallaway, an education historian and teacher educator at Texas A&M University

   It’s really important for students to learn information literacy skills so that they can understand what kinds of information are credible and what kinds are not credible, what kinds of sources of information should be trusted and what kinds of sources of information should be viewed skeptically. Related to that, it's important for students to get critical thinking skills so they can evaluate information, evaluate materials that they read or see online or watch on TV, evaluate arguments that are being made by political figures, thought leaders, commentators, other people that they may come across in any medium.

— Jordan Tama, a provost associate professor at American University’s School of International Service

2. Encourage students to listen to different perspectives

   another thing to emphasize is the importance of developing an appreciation for engaging across differences or engagement with different perspectives. students should be exposed to different perspectives and given practice in engaging respectfully and constructively with different perspectives, both through materials that they read or view as part of a curriculum and in classroom discussions. related to that, it's important for educators to not teach in a way that suggests that there's only one right view of an issue, or only one right way to see an issue. instead, open up space for dialogue and discussion and conversation across different perspectives..

— Jordan Tama

   If we continue to villainize the other side, we don't have productive conversations happening. We've lost the art of having productive conversations and saying it's OK to disagree. So schools should provide the space for students to practice democracy and have those tough conversations without villainizing the other side. It's OK to have emotions and passions for things that you believe in, but how do you express that in a way that's productive?

— Katlynn Cross, a high school social studies teacher in Georgia researching political polarization within public education

3. Emphasize civics education in meaningful ways

   it's important for american students to get some common base of civics knowledge. civics has been under-emphasized in american schools, generally, in recent decades. but there will be less polarization if americans at least have a common base of knowledge about the basics of the u.s. political system and the foundations of democracy, so when they're entering into political conversations, they're at least starting with some common foundation., 4. use teaching materials that aren’t politically biased,    [schools] should be doing their best to encourage curricula that are not politically biased. there's something fortunately that's been going on, where we have had a very good reckoning with the impossibility of being objective. it's totally true: we all have biases. nobody's perfectly objective. anyone who says they are is just full of it, i think. but at the same time, it doesn't mean we shouldn't try to see perspectives different from our own. one of the biggest compliments that my students have given me is, ‘we love that we don't know what you think,’ because i assign people who i really disagree with. one thing from a pedagogical perspective is making sure that professors or teachers are assigning a wide range of political perspectives and are absolutely not using their classroom as a pulpit to promote one idea. even if everyone agrees with them, that's a problem. but it's also a problem if they're alienating people in the class..

— Natalia Mehlman Petrzela, an associate professor of history at The New School in New York City

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