Emily

PhD History Student

Top tips for essay writing

Essays have four main sections: introduction; main argument; conclusion; and references/bibliography.

In the introduction, let the reader know your argument subject. Academics hate surprises! Your essay development should be clear from the start. The main body develops this argument by providing evidence to back up your perspective. A helpful way to ensure you analyse things properly is to use the acronym 'PEE' for each paragraph. Make a point, provide evidence, and explain how this evidence supports your point. A conclusion summarises the main argument.  Nothing new should be in this section and ensure you directly answer the essay question or title. This is followed by your sources section to list all your evidence. 

To ensure your essay has a focused argument, you should plan out your essays in advance, so start well before any deadlines! Everyone plans their essays differently, the best way to find out which works for you is to practice and decide your preference. Some people make mind-maps, others create bullet-point lists. I write out points and then cut them up and sit on the floor, moving them around until I feel they all flow together. 

When writing the essay, you should ensure you are in a workspace that suits you. Some people like to go to the library or a café to work, others find it distracting and need silence. For me, it changes depending on the task and my mood. Whichever you prefer, set yourself writing goals to keep focused but remember to take regular short breaks away from the screen. When I am struggling, I use a short timer (say two-five minutes) and try to write a whole paragraph before the alarm sounds. After the alarm, I go back and correct any typos, take a sip of water, and then reset the alarm and move on to the next paragraph. 

The writing tone should be formal.  Avoid using the first person and contractions (for example words joined with an apostrophe such as “won’t”). You do not have to use big words or long, over-complicated sentences with semi-colons everywhere. If you are not sure you are using these correctly, it can make your writing weaker. Once I submitted an essay, I realised I had used “thus” in every sentence for the last two pages!  The University of Leeds has a helpful guide to academic writing which you can access here. 

Finally, once you have written your essay, you need to proofread it. I find it best to leave my essay for a couple of days and then read it with a fresh pair of eyes. I also find it helps to read my work out loud.  You would be surprised at how different sentences can sound once they are spoken! This process can also help find missing words, punctuation errors, or sentences where the meaning has become a bit lost. Don’t forget to run a spell check on your work - MS Word has this built-in, but I like to use Grammarly as you can set the writing style and goals. More importantly, Grammarly explains why it suggests corrections, which has helped me learn from my mistakes. 

So, what is left? Submit your essay and take a well-earned break! Good luck with your essay writing!