Essays including nursing essays are frequently used in the academic and professional worlds to provide background on a topic and make a case for a certain point of view. Learning to express yourself clearly and concisely in writing is an important skill that will serve you well in school and in your future career. It is possible to hone your abilities in idea generation, text construction, and editing in a number of ways. In this post, you will learn about the various essay genres and get helpful hints on how to become a better essay writer.
What Is an Essay?
Generally speaking, an essay is considered a writing assignment that focuses on a specific topic. Some essays are meant to educate its audience on a certain topic, while others are written to persuade them to adopt the author’s point of view. As explained on Scribbr, the standard essay format consists of an introductory paragraph, body, as well as conclusion. Examples of a few distinct classes of essays are as follows:
Definition essays: In this essay, it is writing that sets out to define a word or concept. You provide an explanation of the topic’s meaning to aid the reader in grasping the subject as a whole.
Descriptive essays: In such essays you would describe something to the reader, whether it be an experience, person, or a place. The goal of a descriptive essay is to help the reader form an image in their head of the subject at hand.
Critical essays: These essays are written in the critical mode analyze and assess a piece of writing. You summarize the main points and arguments of the text while providing evidence to back up the author’s assertions.
Argumentative essay: It is a persuasive essay, considered a great way to learn more about a topic of your choosing. You do research, draw conclusions, take a stand, and support your arguments with proof.
Personal essays: a statement is a common requirement for higher education and employment applications. A personal essay for a job application highlights your qualifications and why you would be an asset to the company.
Essay Writing Tips
- Make sure you read the question attentively
Essays are commonly assigned as part of coursework or required for scholarship applications, and students are often provided with a prompt that specifies the required topic or suggests many suitable ones. Careful reading of the prompt might lead to better topic selection for your essay and provide insight into how to organize your argument. Make sure to highlight the wording of the prompt that specifies the expected length of the essay or the number of issues that must be addressed.
2. If you have the option, go with a captivating subject for the essay.
When given the option, you may be asked to write an essay for an assignment. f you’re not provided a topic ahead of time, compose an essay on a subject you find intriguing. Think about why you’re writing the essay before you pick a topic. If you need to write a persuasive essay about something, like saving the environment, you could find it easier to write if the subject is one you care about. Caring for your issue can make it easier to locate points that support your position. If you’re torn between two options, write down the arguments you could make for each and pick the one whose reasons you find most compelling.
3. Make use of a wide variety of resources
It’s acceptable practice to cite your references in some writings. Your essay will have more weight and credibility if you use sources from a variety of disciplines. There are many other types of materials that can be used for research, such as online databases, books, videos, online journals, plus primary sources like novels and films. Use the bibliographic information to compile a list of sources that support your topic and provide evidence for your claims.
4. Produce a plan or a diagram.
An essay’s arguments and substantiation can be organized with an overview or a worksheet before you begin writing. In an outline, you can list your major arguments and then list your supporting evidence just under them, showing the writer exactly where to find this information in the final text. To make a diagram, you should start by writing out your topic and then drawing some lines that extend out from it. Then, label each line with a key concept and build more connections between them. Both approaches allow you to see how various elements relate to one another.
5. Become more proficient in the use of correct spelling, grammar and punctuation.
By honing your grammatical abilities, you can produce rough drafts that are more like the final product and so spend less time in the editing phase. Getting extra assistance from your English or writing teacher is a great idea if you’re having trouble with punctuation, active voice, or pronoun use. Those writers who are no longer enrolled in formal education may wish to purchase a grammar workbook or enroll in a grammar course online.
6. Avoid inappropriate language.
The tone and objective of your essay will determine the vocabulary you use. Always utilize terms that you know how to use correctly when you write. In order to broaden the scope of your writing, reference materials such as dictionaries and thesauri might be helpful. Be mindful of the overall tone of your essay when you make word selections. If you want your academic paper to sound serious and professional, don’t use text speak or acronyms.
7. Thoroughly examine the evidence.
Before presenting an argument, carefully examine the evidence you’ve gathered. Take a rigorous and analytical approach. It’s possible you’ll want to consult works by authors that have impressive credentials, such academic affiliations or experience as journalists. Evidence found in books and academic publications can be trusted. Support your argument as well as thesis with solid evidence throughout the essay..
8. Write a strong conclusion
If you want your reader to think highly of you and your writing abilities, make sure your essay ends on a strong note with a well-written, meaningful closing paragraph. You might summarize your main ideas and thesis in the final paragraph. You can also demonstrate your topic’s significance by discussing the results of your study and the conclusions you get from your argument. In an article advocating for increased support for the arts at your institution, for instance, you might close by imagining the amazing pieces of art that your readers might produce if they were given the resources they need to pursue their passions.
9. Specify what you mean
Use concrete examples, anecdotes, and statistics, as well as vivid descriptions of settings and characters, to bolster your essay’s point and keep readers interested. Consider your topic and your essay’s purpose when deciding what kind of details to include. If you were writing about a city’s population expansion through time, for instance, you could reference census figures and then describe the different areas of town that sprang up in response to the influx of new residents.
10. Consider the “how”
An interesting essay that also teaches its readers something can be created by including context that describes the circumstances under which the event took place. If you’re going to write about the influence of social media on modern culture, for instance, it’s not enough to simply describe that influence and explore why it’s had a significant impact; you also need to explain how it had that influence. You’ll have more to work with and will be better able to focus on your argument or issue as a result. The reader’s confidence in your authority on the subject matter might be bolstered if you provide sufficient evidence of your expertise.
11. Check for spelling and grammar mistakes in your paper as you proofread.
Read your essay over multiple times before turning it in to check for typos and other mistakes in punctuation, grammar and spelling. To get a second opinion on your writing’s tone, clarity, and readability, have a friend or classmate read your final manuscript. Reading your essay aloud to yourself can help you catch awkward phrasing and word selection.
12. Constantly practice writing essays
For practice and to boost your confidence, try writing essays on a variety of topics. By writing essays on a regular basis, you can develop your skills and feel more confident when the time comes to write an actual essay. Current students can ask their instructors for sample questions that are similar to those that will likely appear on tests and homework. Online, you can also obtain examples of essay questions for a wide range of subjects. Sites such as Nursing Pro Writers can help students appreciate the art of writing essays.