Write 101 - 6 Tips for Writing High School and College Essays

Are you having a difficult time getting started on that high school or college essay? Here are six tips to help you breeze through the process. If you master the process during your high school years, your college career should be off to a good start.

1. Remember the basic five-step essay.

The 5-step essay includes an introductory paragraph with thesis (which includes three supporting arguments), a paragraph or two supporting each aspect of your thesis, and a concluding paragraph. The essay does not need to be confined to five paragraphs. As you develop academically, you will be required to write more in depth essays. However, the basic principles of the five-step essay will be in place.

2. Once you have your thesis sentence, which should be the last or next to last sentence in your introductory paragraph or page, discuss it with your teacher or professor.

The thesis statement will be the backbone of your entire essay, whether at the high school or college level. As a result, it is a good idea to discuss it briefly with your professor or teacher. If it is completely not what he or she is looking for with regards to a specific assignment, you will have caught it early and will have saved yourself the trouble of having to completely redo the assignment. If you have discussed your thesis statement with your instructor, you are more likely to ace the assignment.

3. Keep grammar and punctuation in mind as you are writing the paper.

This may appear to be a give, but in today's era of computer technology, many students simply don't give it much thought. However, paying close attention as you are writing the piece will save you time as you use the spell/grammar checker during the proofreading process.

4. Use the spell and grammar check on your word processor.

Spell and grammar checkers are far from perfect, but they do help you correct the most glaring spelling and grammatical errors. However, realize that there are times in which the spell and grammar check will not catch your errors. In addition, there are times when they only provide suggestions. In other words, it can't get into your mind and figure out exactly what you are trying to say. Realize that spell and grammar check is but one proofreading too.

5. Realize that spell and grammar check doesn't catch everything.
It is always a great idea to proofread your entire essay once you have used spell and grammar check. You will likely catch a few additional errors and have a solid essay at this point.

6. Have someone proofread your paper.

At this point, your essay should be polished enough to show other people. It is always a good idea to have someone you trust (i.e. someone who will provide you with honest, insightful feedback) read your work. He or she will likely pick up on any remaining errors such as sentences that are too complex or redundant. At this point, you have put so much time into the essay; you will likely overlook additional errors. A fresh set of eyes is what you need.

With these simple steps, you will be well on the road to writing great essays for your classes. With small modifications, you can use these steps for research papers as well. There are only a few additional steps that need to be considered. Happy writing!