Those of us who work in the educational field know that sooner or later we will need to know the characteristics and structure that an essay should have, either to have relevant references when writing it, in the case of students, or to review and evaluate it, in the case of teachers. In any situation, the writing of this text usually brings certain doubts, so it is convenient to know some relevant aspects that will help us to understand its composition in a better way.
What is an essay?
An essay is a piece of writing in which the author makes an analysis of a certain subject or idea, expresses his point of view and gives a personal opinion. To make this analysis, he/she carries out a research in order to enrich and support the opinions he/she expresses. This writing is generally brief, and it exposes, analyzes and comments on the subject without the length and depth required by a treatise or manual.
There are many types of essays and essays a student can write, and it's easy to get confused. The content and scope of essays depend on the level, subject, and requirements of a particular course. It is worth saying that an experienced agency such as StudyCrumb can help with essays.
However, most academic essays have the same purpose. That goal is to convince readers of one's position or point of view through reasoned arguments based on evidence, analysis, and interpretation.
Characteristics of an essay
- It is a flexible text in which a great variety of topics can be dealt with freely.
- In this type of text the author makes his point of view known; it is the opinion he has on the subject.
- The author must have some knowledge of the subject and be able to make a judgment on the matter.
- The opinion of the writer is enriched by the research he/she does on the subject.
- The treatment given to the subject is varied: it can be presented as something unfinished, it can adopt a polite tone to cover up an irony or it can be polemical.
Parts of an essay
Entrance: Paragraph(s) that attempt to engage the reader. It begins with anecdotes, short stories or dialogues that attract attention.
Presentation: Paragraph(s) of the writing in which formality is increased; it gives a glimpse of the research work done.
Tips for writing an essay
- Stay close to the topic.
- When planning the essay, identify key words to guide the writing.
- Avoid words that have nothing to do with the topic.
- Introduce the topic from the first paragraph, so that you understand what you are talking about.
- Use connectors to link paragraphs.
- The final paragraph should address the conclusion of the topic presented in the introduction.
- Sources should be properly cited in the body of the essay or in the footnote.
- Check spelling and grammar thoroughly.
- We recommend you: Connectors for text writing, types, functions and examples.
How do you write an essay?
-Choose a topic that is interesting for the writer.
-Set a position on the topic (thesis)
-Collect and analyze information on the topic, making sure that the sources consulted are reliable. Likewise, it is advisable to rescue the data from the bibliography consulted.
-To plan the ideas that arise in a writing scheme; in this scheme the ideas that will be written in the beginning, the development and the conclusion are organized, as well as the authors and sources consulted that will be cited.