How to write a good college essay

How to Write a Good College Essay
Though the task of essay writing can be observed
in each academic level of the contemporary
education system, the nature of this task
becomes more complicated as the level ascends.
The main reason behind allocating an essay
assignment is to judge and assess a student’s
creativity and the ability to establish a point of
view rationally by opposing other aspects. A flat
and straightforward discussion is not desired in a
good college essay.

Factors to be Considered for Composing a
Good College Essay
The following factors should be considered while
drafting a college essay.
• Adequate discussion on the topic
• Reference to the larger context of the issue
• Reference to more than one perspectives
• Incorporation of one’s own point of view with
valid justification

Several Types of College Essays
A college essay can be anything starting from
a narrative essay to a persuasive one. Let us have
an idea about the distinct genres of essay writing
to learn writing college essays more properly,
using this useful and complete Essay Writing
Guide. Essays can be grouped into four major
categories such as- Expository essays, descriptive
essays, narrative essays and persuasive essays.
These categories can be further divided into
some sub-categories like informative essays,
personal essays, and argumentative essays and
so on.

Expository Essays
An expository essay presents an adequate and
balanced analysis and discussion of the issue or
topic by using relevant statistics, definitions,
facts, and examples. This essay is sometimes
called an informative essay when it aims to
educate the audience about a certain topic.

Characteristics of this Style of Essay Writing
Some characteristics of an ideal expository or
informative essay are discussed below.
• It should not include any personal opinion. An ideal
expository essay contains only the facts and the
detailed explanation of the topic or issue.
• The focal point of an expository essay should
always be the topic of the essay. Wandering from the
main issue is not accepted in a good argumentative
essay.

Narrative Essays
A narrative essay throws light on real life
experiences. It always conveys a story. This type of
essay sometimes is divided into another sub-group
known as personal essay where the writer shares his
or her personal experience.

Characteristics of Both Narrative and Personal
Essays
• As personal essay is recognized to be the
subdivision of narrative essay both of the styles share
common features or characteristics and they are-
• As this genre of essay writing is considered as the
recreation of real life experiences, try to compose an
engaging piece so that the readers can relive the
moments experienced by the author or the writer
• A good personal essay is identified in terms of
effective story telling techniques
• The aspects included in a narrative essay have to be
relevant and well discussed

Descriptive Essay
This category of essay can be recognized as a sister of
narrative essays. This particular genre aims to draw a
sketch with the aid of words.

Characteristics of Descriptive Essay
• Some notable characteristics of a descriptive essay
are enlisted below.
• An ideal descriptive essay helps the readers to
visualize the scenario mentioned in the essay
• It should describe the subject or topic of the essay
from several distinct positions
• A comparative approach can be adopted in order to
write a good descriptive essay

Persuasive Essay
The main objective of this genre of essays is to
compel the readers for accepting the author’s
opinion by simply convincing them. Another sub-
division of this distinct style is argumentative essay
where one has to refer to at least three perspectives
on the topic in order to support a particular aspect by
contradicting opposing views or arguments.

Characteristics of Persuasive Writing
Though argumentative essay is known to be a sub-
categorization of a persuasive essay, there is hardly
any difference between this two writing styles. The
features that can be observed in both of these essay
genres are-
• An ideal persuasive essay should be convincing
enough to compel the readers to accept the writer’s
point of view
• The thesis statement should have adequate
evidence in support of it.

Significance of Essay Writing
Students often fail to understand the significance of
writing an essay. The primary significance of writing
an essay is that it teaches one to express his or her
own opinion rationally. Other benefits of writing an
essay are given below.
• It helps one to enhance his or her writing skills
• Essay writing helps one to communicate his or her
thoughts more precisely

writing an essay. The primary significance of writing an
essay is that it teaches one to express his or her own
opinion rationally. Other benefits of writing an essay are
given below.
• This task helps to harness one’s critical thinking skills
Tips to Write a Good College Essay
You must be thinking how to compose the above-
mentioned parts or sections of an informative
college essay. Before going to this composition
part, it is required to follow some fundamental
steps first. Otherwise, you will get perplexed
while learning the rules to draft all the paragraphs
or sections of an informative essay

given below.
Start as Early as Possible
If you want to impress your examiner by writing a
brilliant essay, then do not wait for the last
moment. Start composing your essay assignment
as early as possible. If you start early, then you
will get enough time to focus whole-heartedly on
your essay and give your 100 percent efforts.

given below.
Do Research
Adequate research is required for writing an
informative college essay. First, understand the
topic. Do research on that topic to become well
acquainted with all the aspects of the subject of
the essay. Write down all the important points
that you wish to incorporate in your essay.
Research work can be considered to be the main
foundation of an essay. It is impossible to write a
well-formed essay without doing a sufficient
research.

given below.
Make an Outline
Before start writing the essay, make an outline of
the essay. You have to make a plan how you will
proceed. As most of the students find difficulty in
deciding in which direction they want to proceed,
you are suggested to identify the parameter
according to which you will discuss your essay
topic. Suppose you are going to write an essay on
the relevance of Shakespeare’s works in this
contemporary era, you need to choose a certain
parameter to avoid ambiguity. In this context, you
can write either a generalized essay or you can
focus on a particular text of Shakespeare.

given below.
Just Start Writing
After acquiring all the information regarding the
topic of your essay, just start writing whatever
comes to your mind. As it is the initial stage of the
task of writing the essay, it is better not to be
concerned about the structure and perfection.
Just write down your own point of views
regarding the topic so that you can easily
associate your viewpoints with the existing
perspectives or aspects of the topic or subject. Let
us elaborate this issue with an example for your
better understanding. If you think so, then you
have to state valid reasons.

given below.
Speak your Heart Out
It is always advised to add a personal and honest
point of view for drafting a unique college essay.
Do not paraphrase from others. Just state what
you actually believe as it is tougher to justify
someone else’s view than yours.

given below.
Make a Rough Copy
It is always recommended to draft a rough copy
first so that whenever you need to make some
changes you can do it easily. Do not write the final
copy initially; as you will proceed, you will come
across several new interesting and significant
aspects. So, for producing a top quality college
essay first make a skeleton structure and then you
can incorporate important points and notions to
achieve perfection.

given below.
Read and Rewrite
After writing the first rough copy, read the
content several times. It will help you to point out
the flaws. Then rewrite and include all the major
points that you have missed out on your first
attempt. Continue this process until you are
unable to find any flaw or mistake. Though the
task of rewriting is quite boring, it helps one to
compose an error-free essay. Rewriting also helps
to enhance the language style and tone of the
essay.

given below.
Use Unambiguous Syntax
According to many, using bombastic words and
complicated syntactical structures is the ideal way
to score high. But this notion is absolutely wrong.
Ambiguous and complicated syntactical structures
give rise to an ill-formed and ambiguous essay. So,
if you want to write a wow essay, it is
recommended to use short and uncomplicated
sentences. If the text requires the grandiloquent
morphological form, then only it is allowed to use
such words or forms.

given below.
Do Experiments
Do not end up with writing a so-called
conventional essay. Try to write something
completely unique if you want your essay to be
recognized as an example of a high-scoring essay
by your professors or teachers. Suppose your
topic is- relevance of Shakespeare’s works in this
contemporary era, try to find out the aspect or
perspective that have not been dealt with before.
For that, you have to read all the literary criticisms
on Shakespeare’s work by the Shakespearean
Critiques.

given below.
Discuss with your Professor or Teacher
After writing the first rough copy, you can discuss
the aspects and notions that you are considering
with your professors or teachers to understand or
assess the validity or relevance of the content that
you have already written. You can ask for their
suggestions to improve the quality of your essay.
The best way is that make them read the content
and then ask them to give their opinion.

given below.
Avoid using Irrelevant Points
It is better no to include irrelevant points in the
college essay. The smartest way to point out the
irrelevant points is to read the composed essay
again and again. If you keep on reading, you will
eventually come across the irrelevant aspects or
points. Do not think twice to omit those points as
quality is important than quantity.

given below.
Focus on the Topic
An ideal essay always focuses on the core topic. If
you want to write an informative college essay,
then your focus should be on the topic. Do not get
distracted from the topic. Otherwise, your essay
will become meaningless. Your essay should be
straight to the point.

given below.
Be Rational while Describing an Aspect
Each aspect included in your essay should be
rationally discussed. You cannot state any fact
without appropriate justification. Especially when
you are going to write a college essay, the essay
should reflect your ability to establish a notion
logically. You have to provide valid evidence in
support of your arguments. Be it a narrative
essay, persuasive essay, expository essay or
descriptive essay you need to incorporate rational
points.

given below.
Do Revise
If you want to submit an impeccable essay, you
have to revise the essay several times. Many
students take this revision task very casually and
here they commit the biggest mistake. Finish the
writing part at least 4 days before the final
submission so that you can have enough time for
the revision. Always remember that revision
enables one to improve the quality of the essay. If
you do not revise how you will omit the
unnecessary points.

given below.
Edit
It is recommended to edit the essay that you have
written as editing helps one to compose a
structured essay or text. Editing mainly refers to
the task of giving the most appropriate shape to a
text or paper. Editing comprises many parts such
as rewriting some sentences, omitting some parts,
reorganizing the paragraphs if required, checking
the flow of sentences and reassuring the
incoherency of the text. This task is considered as
one of the most crucial parts of writing a perfect
essay. So, dedicate at least one day for this task. If
you are facing difficulty in editing.

given below.
Proofread
You have to proofread your paper or essay also as
proofreading is basically a task of checking the
grammatical and punctuation aspects of a text. If
there is any grammatical or punctuation error in
your essay, it can create a negative impact on your
teachers or professors. So, be very attentive while
proofreading your text.

given below.
Do not Expect Too Much
You can take breaks whenever you feel exhausted
or overloaded to boost up yourself. People do
several activities during the breaks according to
their suitability. You can listen to the soft music.
You can go for a walk also. According to many
great personalities, they become more productive
if they take a break.

given below.
Do Not Rush
The task of writing a college essay requires lots of
patience and hard work. Do not rush to complete
your essay assignment. If it is taking time, then it
is absolutely okay. Just take a deep breath, relax,
and continue writing.

given below.
Read Great Essay Writers
Read the essays written by the famous essay
writers. It will help you to come across the most
updated literary techniques used in essay writing.
As essays are divided into several categories or
genres, each genre has a certain parameter. You
must have a clear idea about those particular
parameters and all the genres. If you read more,
you will know more. It is suggested to read
several kinds of essays.

given below.
Choose and Identify a Particular Essay
Type
If your professor has assigned you to write a
certain genre, then no need to choose a genre,
just identify the specialty of that essay category
and start writing. If you have been assigned a
generalized topic without any essay genre
specification, then you need to choose a specific
genre of essay writing, as you cannot jumble up
the features of all categories.

given below.
Do Not Use Too Many Quotes
Using too many quotes can affect the equilibrium
of your essay. You can use maximum five
quotations. It is always better to paraphrase a
quote in order to write a 100 percent plagiarism
free content. Plagiarism is considered to be an
academic offense.

given below.
Know all the Requirements of Your University
Every university has some requirements regarding
the academic papers. Before start writing your
college essay, know all the academic rules and
guidelines of your university. Otherwise, your
essay assignment may get rejected.

given below.
Use Relevant References
Many students use irrelevant references in order
to expand the length of the reference list. It is
nothing but a foolish act. You are suggested to use
relevant references. Irrelevant references can ruin
all your efforts by making your academic paper or
essay irrelevant.

given below.
Know the Proper Formatting Style of Citations
The citation is an essential part of writing an
academic paper or essay. Each university prefers a
certain citation style as there are numerous
referencing styles. Some of the most preferred
citation styles are- APA, MLA, Harvard, Oxford,
and Chicago referencing style. Before drafting this
section know your university’s requirement
regarding the formatting style of citation.

given below.
The citation is an essential part of writing an academic
paper or essay. Each university prefers a certain
citation style as there are numerous referencing
styles. Some of the most preferred citation styles are-
APA, MLA, Harvard, Oxford, and Chicago referencing
style. Before drafting this section know your
university’s requirement regarding the formatting
style of citation.
The Ideal Structure of a Good College
Essay
A good college essay must consist of five
paragraphs. They are mentioned below.
Introduction- first paragraph
Main body or content- second, third and
fourth paragraph
Conclusion- last or fifth paragraph

given below.
style of citation.
Introduction
The introduction should be a gateway to the main
content of the essay. This introductory paragraph
should introduce the larger context of the topic. Most
importantly, this section should be interesting enough
to engage the readers. This is the part, which will help
your professors to have an idea about the standard of
the entire essay. It is better to include the thesis
statement i.e. the statement focuses on the core topic
and the perspectives related to the topic. There are
several ways to write an impressive opening
sentence. Those ways are mentioned below.

given below.
style of citation.
Rhetorical Question
To attract readers’ attention you can start the
introductory part with a catchy rhetorical question. A
rhetorical question is considered as one of the most
effective literary tools to make a text interesting. “O
wind,
If winter comes, can spring be far behind?”
For your better understanding, some examples from
daily language usage are given below.
“Who knows?”
“Why not?”
“Isn’t it?”

given below.
style of citation.
Use Famous Quote
The smartest method to begin an impressive essay is
to include an admired quote of a famous author or
person at the beginning of the introduction but it
does not mean that you can use any quote. The
quotation that you are going to incorporate in your
essay should be relevant from the aspect of the topic
you have selected.

given below.
style of citation.
Figurative Language
Figurative language makes an essay very interesting.
It is suggested to use this language for writing a
strong introduction. Figurative language refers to
those phrases or words, which do not have a literal or
normal everyday meaning. Figurative language can be
used in many ways such as similes, metaphors,
hyperbole, and personification.

given below.
style of citation.
Simile
Simile refers to the process of comparing a thing with
something else using the terms or words- as or like.
Example- His will power is as strong as a rock

given below.
style of citation.
Metaphors
The metaphor is such kind of a literary tool that
makes an implied or implicit contrast between two
unrelated things.
Example- My sister is boiling mad (It means she is very
angry)

given below.
style of citation.
Hyperbole
Hyperbole refers to extreme exaggeration of a thing
or point.
Example- I have watched this movie million times.

given below.
style of citation.
Personification
Personification refers to the method of assigning
human qualities to a non-human object.
Example- A golden opportunity is knocking at the
door.
The moon is blushing like a new bride.

given below.
style of citation.
Sentence Focusing on the Backdrop of your
Area
To write an informative essay you can start with a
sentence that concentrates on the background of the
topic. It will help the readers to acquire some
knowledge about the larger context of the issue or
topic that you have chosen

given below.
style of citation.
Example
An example is discussed here to make you understand
how you can begin the introduction of your essay. For
your convenience, let us determine a particular topic.
Suppose the topic is- the relevance of Shakespeare’s
works in this contemporary era. You can begin in the
following format.
“Literature reflects the society. Though Shakespeare’s
works represent Elizabethan period…….his works are
relevant in this contemporary society as well……….”

given below.
style of citation.
Main Body or the Content
The success of an essay depends on the well-
formedness of the main body. In this section, you
have to describe, explain, or argue the topic you have
selected. For your convenience, you can choose any
three outlooks of the topic of your essay and discuss
each of them in each paragraph of this section. Each
outlook has to be elaborated and analyzed precisely.
You need to compare and contrast all the aspects in
order to draft a well informative college essay.
“Shakespeare’s Macbeth is still relevant now from
the perspective of the politics…………”

given below.
style of citation.
Conclusion
Writing the concluding paragraph is considered as one
of the toughest tasks as the conclusion is not only a
summary of the entire essay. Your opinion should be
reflected in this paragraph. You should not include
any completely new aspect in this section.
“Shakespeare’s works are immortal”

given below.
style of citation.
MyAssignmenthelp.com- the Most Reliable
Essay Guide
If you have been assigned to write a college essay and
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recommended to consult a professional essay guide.
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given below.
style of citation.
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How to write a good college essay

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