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How to Write a Last Minute Essay
âWhat If I Donât Have Anything Interesting to Write About in My College Essay?
8 Tips for Overcoming Writerâs Blockâ
Ooops! You waited until the very last minute to begin the college application process, and itâs probably stressing you out. But never fear â CollegeVine is here to make sure that your procrastination impacts your essay as minimally as possible.
Weâve included a guide for the 30-day essay, the 15-day essay, and the 3-day essay. If you have multiple essays to write in a short time, you can follow the appropriate guide for multiple prompts simultaneously, or offset it by a few days.
The 30-Day Essay
At this point, you want to focus on ideas. You have the freedom to spend a few days figuring out which direction your essay is going to take, so take your time to think about what you want to convey in your essay. Find four to five topics to begin withâyou can ask your parents, friends, and teachers about what they find interesting about you in order to speed this process up. Try to choose anecdotes from your life that, in retrospect, you learned from, and these stories will inform your topic. Even the shortest, most insignificant moment can make a great essay if it shaped you in some way. If you are writing a âwhy this schoolâ essay, make a list of reasons why you are applying. Do appropriate research to find strong reasons that show your genuine interest in the school.Â
Now that you have a few potential topics, think about how each one would respond to the prompt. Spend 15 minutes outlining each one, using your prompt to guide the outline. In essays that ask you to tell a story, a good topic should write itself and finding a strong essay idea will nearly always be more productive than forcing a story to respond to the prompt. For âwhy this schoolâ essays, focus on the structure and connection between your reasons. Giving this step the necessary hours now will pay off later. Narrow your list of potential topics to your top one to three choices.
Now itâs time to put pen to paper. If youâre having a hard time, try writing in different environmentsâcoffee shops, your room, or a library, for exampleâand alternate between topics, and remember that at least at this stage, more words is better than fewer; there will be a step to polish your writing later.Â
By day 14, you should have written one rough essay for every âtop choiceâ topic you decided on during day 5. This means that you should now have anywhere between one to three potential essays for a single prompt.
If you do have more than one essay written, it is now time to choose a single essay. Out of the two or three essays you have written in the past couple days, there is probably one that speaks to you more than the rest. If youâre having a hard time, think about which of the topics youâd like to spend another two weeks with, and try to figure out which one says the most about you. Essays with twice the number of words allowed or more should be ruled out; the anecdote is probably too long, or the topic requires too much detail to be effective.
Break days! Distance is important when writing. Take a break from your essays so that you can continue to edit with a fresh mind. These are great days to give your essay to other people to editâschool faculty members who know you well, a coach/music teacher, your parents, and one or two friends. If you are over the word limit, ask specifically for these editors to help you cut down the essay.
Reading your essay with a fresh mind should help you catch big, structural edits. Your first round of edits should involve content edits; youâre looking for what the essay really says about you as a person, and whether that was what you were trying to get across. How does the sentence flow? Does the essay move itself?
Break day! Get some more distance from your writing.
At this point, you might have received some edits back from the people you handed your essay to. Go through each of the edits and decide which suggestions you plan to take, and which seem to alter your personal voice or which donât match the essay stylistically. Try to stay objective as you review these editsâsome of them will be detrimental. If you canât see why the change was made, itâs probably best to ignore it. If multiple people give you the same feedback, however, you may want to give it some thought.
Implement the edits that you liked. Then read through the essay again and make sure that there are no structural edits or content edits that still need to happen.
These days are the middle stage of your editing process. Youâre looking for words that donât fit the style of the essay, or which could be improved, as well as sentence flow problems. Are all your sentences the same length? Is one paragraph not as well written as the rest of the essay? This should also be the time that you cut words. If you are still more than 70 words over, try to cut full sentences. Otherwise, start by cutting unnecessary phrases and words.
Start doing smaller grammatical edits. A great way to catch edits is to record yourself reading your essay aloud and then listening to the recording. As you go through this process, highlight, mark, and comment on your essay. Afterwards, go through and use your notes to fix word flow, word choice, and grammatical mistakes.
Break day! Itâs close to the deadline, we know. Take a break anyway â you need and deserve it.
Last minute edits! Spend some quality time with your essay by just reading it every few hours. Try to catch any small mistakes or random sentence flow problems. (If you suddenly realize that you hate your essay, reference the 3-Day Essay below. Be sure that you arenât being hyper-critical, thoughâyou may just hate the essay because youâve spent so much time on it).
Congratulations! Your essay is done! Itâs time for you to catch a break.Â
The 15-Day Essay
Spend a few hours working on a list of ideas that could become potential essays. Choose one and make an outline.
Write your essay!
Ask a few people who you think would give constructive comments to read your essayâ teachers, parents, and friends. Spend some time doing content and structure edits. Figure out what you want the essay to convey about your personality, and determine whether your essay actually gets this across.
Do some structural editing. Pay attention to sentence flow, the length of paragraphs, overall organization. If your essay is too long, try to cut down on unnecessary information. Pay close attention to the way that you have structured paragraphs and make sure each one makes sense.
Take a break!
Synthesize the comments you received on your essay. Decide which suggestions you want to use and which ones you donât. If you canât figure out why a particular suggestion was made, ask the person who gave it. After youâve gone through all the feedback, edit your essay accordingly.
Cut your essay down to the word limit â ask yourself which anecdotes, details, and adjectives are truly necessary. If youâre having trouble, reference the editors that you spoke to previously.
Work on grammatical and other small edits. Look for minor things that need to be corrected, such as punctuation and word choice. This process requires a few dedicated hours. Aim to really spend some time polishing your language. Reading your essay aloud can be a productive way to accomplish this.
Take a break from your essay!
Spend the whole day with your essay. Every few hours, do a reread and see if you can catch any small last minute edits. Donât try to change anything majorâyou donât have time!
Submit the essay and take a good nap. Youâve finished!Â
The 3-Day Essay
Donât panic. This is doable, but itâll be a busy few days. Spend the morning coming up with ideas for your essay. Choose one, and use the afternoon to write it. Email this draft to teachers, and show it to your parents. Then, take a few hours off, and later at night, read it through to edit for content. Does the essay say what you intended it to?
Check your email throughout the day. When you get edits back, start incorporating those into the essay. Be picky about which ones you choose to include because you donât want to take your own voice out of the essay. Spend the day doing structural edits. Every hour, take a thirty minute break from editing. By the end of the day, you should have an essay that fits within the word limit and also has a strong flow. The organization should be good, and you should be able to see how the essay builds upon itself.
DO NOT OPEN EDITS. If any of your readers have replied to your email, donât open them at all. At this point, the extra edits will just freak you out, and you donât have time to do major fixes. The name of the game today is small edits; look for grammar, word changes, and minor sentence structure changes. When youâre finally done, take a breath; you can finally relax.Â
The 1-Day EssayÂ
Of course, writing a college essay the day before itâs due is far from ideal, but we know there are probably some of you out there who will find yourself in this situation. Donât worry, it is not hopeless. Instead of trying to fit a step-by-step plan into a tight timespan, weâve compiled some general tips to help you churn out that essay in one day.Â
Choose your prompts strategically.
If you already know what youâre going to write about, great! Move on to the next tip. If not, see if you might have already written an essay to any of the available prompts. Especially if the prompts are open-ended, you may have already addressed a potential topic in previous school papers. Look through your files to see if you have any essays that you might be able to recycle. The key here is recycle : it goes without saying that you shouldnât use a previously-written essay word for word for your college submission. You should still take time to tailor it to the prompt and make sure that it conveys your message clearly, whether itâs illustrating your strengths or expressing why you wish to attend that particular college.Â
Make an outline.Â
Yes, you may feel that you donât have time for extensive planning, and that you should just jump in and get everything on paper. Try to rein in this urge and take one hour to make a brief outline, spelling out your âthesisâ and all the points you want to address. This will help keep your thoughts in order as you write, especially in such a time-constricted context.Â
Get that distance, re-read, and edit.Â
Itâs always tempting to just click submit once youâre done with a project you worked long and hard on, to feel that relief when you know itâs done. However, especially given the rushed nature of a last-minute essay like this, the revision and editing process is crucial, even if itâll be minimal. Blatant errors will reflect poorly in your application!Â
So when youâre done writing, set it aside for a few hours. Then, reread it, and make any necessary correctionsâgrammar mistakes, typos, sentence flow. When youâre sure it sounds they way you want it to, then you can submit.Â
Wrapping it Up
Procrastinating on your college essays isnât the best way to go, but it can be saved. If you havenât started applying yet, start your college essays as early as possible! Longer breaks between editing sessions will allow you to get the distance necessary to be objective, and to produce the best quality essay you can.
Want help with your college essays to improve your admissions chances? Sign up for your free CollegeVine account and get access to our essay guides and courses. You can also get your essay peer-reviewed and improve your own writing skills by reviewing other studentsâ essays.
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- How to do a large amount of work in a small amount of time: advice from a veteran of rushing, botching, and bashing it out
1. Get in the zone
I donât know about you, but I have a dozen little rituals I have to perform before I sit down to do a big slog of work. In general, I make it a rule to work in the library or university, because I find working at home, with all its possibilities of making and drinking tea, drifting off to watch TV, or being drawn into long conversations with my housemates, too distracting.
But when Iâm really up against the clock, or even about to start what I know will be an all-nighter, I prefer to be in my room, with easy access to vital things like coffee, food and the shower. (N.B. There is nothing like a shower for waking yourself up in the middle of a miserable work-session. Just donât do what I did one particularly inauspicious Wednesday at 4am: fall asleep sitting down in it with a foot covering the plug, and wake half an hour later under a jet of now-freezing water to find that you have transformed your bathroom into a giant soapy sea).
But back to the rituals. Before I do any serious, or seriously rushed, work, Iâve got to do a number of things to âget in the zoneâ. This might sound like elaborate procrastination — which, in reality, it most definitely is — but if I donât do these little things, I find my concentration is poor, and my mind constantly wanders. First, my room has to be absolutely, books-in-alphabetical-order, spotless — mess is incredibly distracting, and when Iâm working I want to use all the space on my desk. Plus, while youâre tidying you get to watch videos of cats falling over on YouTube. Next, I have to have a strong coffee (which I never drink more than a few sips of before remembering that I hate coffee and it gives me a headache — but it smells nice and is somehow a very reassuring thing to sit next to). Third, classical music doesnât work for me; while Iâm working, and especially at night, I find it keeps the mind sharp to blare out tragic noughties techno music. In particular, the songs of the ultimately unsuccessful Australian band Pendulum played at approximately a million decibels are so unpleasant they keep one constantly skittish with adrenaline, hammering out a thousand questionable words an hour while simultaneously imagining youâre in a warehouse rave. Finally, and most embarrassingly, I have a pair of leggings called my essay leggings that I like to wear while Iâm working. Theyâre very comfy (and holey) and havenât been replaced since my first year of university, because theyâre somehow magically conducive to getting lots done in very little time. Now, the line between preparing oneself for work and procrastination is always thin, and one I continually find myself on the wrong side of. Your rituals might look very different to mine, and perhaps take a little less time. But if you need to do certain things to change your mindset from play to work, Iâd advise you do them.
2. Work out exactly what youâve got to do
Now that youâre sitting comfortably at your desk in your spotless room, work out exactly what youâve got to do — and how long youâve got to do it. Make a list of your tasks in order of priority, what they involve, the date theyâre due in and how long you realistically think theyâll take. Your list might look something like this:
- Write out labels for Art coursework (2 hours, due tomorrow)
- Write self-analysis for Art coursework (3 hours, due tomorrow)
- Finish researching, plan and write History coursework essay (12 hours? 2 days? Due Friday)
- Finish Physics lab report (2 hours, due Thursday)
- Maths problems (3 hours, due tomorrow)
Now, for some of these tasks it will be absolutely essential that you hand the work in on or before the deadline. For any task that counts towards your coursework, or an exam, youâll usually lose marks if theyâre late — in my university, we would lose 5 marks out of 100 if an essay was handed in one minute after 12pm on the day of the deadline, and a further 10 if it was more than a day late. For these tasks, you absolutely canât mess about — they should sit right at the top of your list of things to do, and be the first thing you get out of the way — and the ones you put most effort into getting right. But, even though it wonât make you very popular with your teachers, sometimes youâve got to accept that you canât do everything youâre expected to in a small amount of time. When Iâve got a big deadline coming up, I jettison everything else: I tell people I canât make other commitments, even if that annoys them, and if I havenât got time, I simply donât do less important pieces of work. On the list above, for example, I might decide that only the pieces of coursework were really important, and that I wasnât going to bother handing in the lab report or the Maths problems. Of course, all this is advice for an emergency situation: if youâve got the time to do everything you need to, then deciding that you wonât is probably not the best strategic move and will mean you have to endure hours of unnecessary telling-off.
Make a timetable detailing exactly when youâre going to do each of the things on your list. Make sure you plan enough time for each task rather than being overly optimistic — youâre going to stick to this timetable no matter what . Think about the times of day when you work best, and how tired youâre going to be at various stages of the day/night/week youâre mapping out — the morning of your deadline, for example, when your eyes are itchy with tiredness and your brain about as much use as its equivalent weight in mincemeat, is probably not the best time to be proof-reading or tackling difficult Algebra problems. I study English and consequently write lots of essays, and I find that I can read and take notes at pretty much any time of day, but planning and writing are tasks I can only really do well first thing in the morning. Once youâve made your plan, sit back and take a deep breath — it might be a rush, and you might not see sunlight for the next week, but it is possible to do everything you need to in the time youâve got. All you need to do (and this is the important bit) is make sure you stick religiously to your timetable. Hereâs how:
 4. Let things be less-than-perfect
If youâre still not happy with something near the end of the time youâve allotted for it — tough. Finish up and leave it in its imperfect state — if youâre lucky, you might have time at the end to come back to it, but itâs much more important to stick to a schedule which will allow you to get everything done than it is to perfect one part of the task. This means not reading that extra useful-looking article, not toying with the wording in an introduction any longer, and leaving a problem you just canât solve. Remember — when youâre working on any task, itâs completely normal that that task will feel like the most important one — but itâs important to take a step back and gain some perspective over your whole project. Iâm constantly messing up because I find it really hard to leave things alone – – for example, I wasnât happy with my dissertation last year the day before I handed it in, and decided to stay up all night before the deadline restructuring and rewriting the last 3,000 words before Iâd even begun my referencing or conclusion. This meant (as Iâm sure you can guess) that the section I rewrote was garbled and full of spelling mistakes, my footnotes and bibliography were a total mess and my conclusion was 5 lines long- not exactly what Iâd planned when I decided to begin my noble rewriting mission, and not exactly the formula for a winning dissertation. Polished and finished, if slightly flawed, work will always make a much better impression than something messy and incomplete, even if itâs more carefully thought out — it actively irritates examiners to find silly mistakes or signs of haste in things theyâre marking. Take it from me, look at the bigger picture and simply move on .
5. Be selfish
Iâve got a friend who actively refuses to make any plans other than a quick coffee for about four weeks before any deadline. Sometimes she doesnât leave her house for days, and while sheâs working she lets other people cook for her and tidy up her mess. Last year she didnât go to her boyfriendâs birthday party because it was the week before a talk she was preparing. Now, this might all sound a bit mad, but my friend always does really, really well at everything she puts her mind to. Basically, in quite an extreme way sheâs got her priorities straight — most of the time sheâll do anything for anyone, but when sheâs got important work on her plate, sheâll say honestly that she needs to concentrate, and just canât make other commitments. I, meanwhile, work in the absolute opposite way. I let friends come to visit me the week before a deadline because I donât want to annoy them by cancelling, and am anxious about work and cranky for the whole time theyâre there. Iâll go to the library with someone else but get annoyed when we distract each other. I end up getting so stressed out over all the commitments Iâve made that I canât concentrate even when Iâve actually got time to work. Iâve come to conclude that my friendâs got it sorted. When youâve got stuff to do, be selfish. This is one of very few chances youâll have in your life (apart from, if youâre a girl, maybe your wedding) to be totally unreasonable, self-centred, and rude to everyone around you. Like a mad cross between Professor Snape and Kim Jong Un. Get your mum to make you dinner but refuse to sit and eat it at the table. Cancel plans, leave a mess. Refuse to read someone elseâs work or do anyone a favour. Your friends might not like the new crazy you, but youâll probably annoy them just as much by being irritable and stressed than you will by being selfish — and if you pick the latter course, you might actually get stuff done.
6. Do not entertain the thought that you might not finish
With the energy Iâve spent over the years asking for extensions, making up excuses or writing cringing apology emails to tutors and employers explaining that I just havenât done things, I could have written novels. Stuff it, I could have written the Iliad . Extensions and the like might feel brilliant in the short term, but theyâre not the solution to anything — youâll still have to do the work one way or another, and youâll annoy people and complicate your own life in the process of putting it off.
7. Just do the work
This is fairly self-explanatory. Though this article has tried to show that you can make things seem easier and more surmountable by organising, rationalising, and preparing, there are no magic solutions that can make you work miraculously quickly. Thereâs no substitute for sitting down, closing the door, turning off the internet and just doing your work . It might not be exactly fun, but itâll feel worth it when youâre done, and then you can sleep and relax properly without feeling guilty or stressed. Got any top tips for getting things done quickly? Let us know in the âCommentsâ section below!
How to Write an Essay Quickly: 7 Speedy Steps to Success
Chris Drew (PhD)
Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]
Learn about our Editorial Process
Do you think you could write a 2000 word essay in 2 hours? How about a 20 page paper overnight? What if itâs getting into the small hours of the last night before due date and youâre starting with ⌠3 hastily written paragraphs? A title? A blank page? Thereâs hope. Letâs take a close look at how to write an essay quickly with 7 easy steps.
Iâm going to save the lecture about how you should not have gotten yourself into this situation for another day. Right now, thereâs more pressing matters. The essay itself.
Itâs time to get started. Thereâs no time to waste.
Below, I have outlined 7 straightforward steps on how to write an essay quickly. Be warned: this list is full of shortcuts and emergency measures. Itâs not the best way to do things, but itâs the best way to do it in your situation.
So here goes. Buckle in and get going on these 7 speedy steps to getting that paper written. I hope youâve poured yourself a coffee:
1. Hack your teacherâs lecture slides
If I had 2 hours to write a 2000-word essay, this is exactly where Iâd start â every time.
The lecture slides are your cheat sheet. Theyâre a summary of your teacherâs (yes â the one who will be marking your piece) thoughts on the issues. Itâs literally a teacherâs translation of the content. Theyâve read it, taught it to themselves, then put together slides translating the content into a way that they â your marker â thinks is relevant .
Thatâs the closest to a cheat sheet youâll ever get off these people. So use it to write your essay quickly.
Go onto your courseâs webpage (Canvas? Blackboard? Moodle?) and download the lecture slides for every week that seems slightly relevant. You know? The weeks where:
- Your teacher introduced the key theorist, scientist or scholar behind an idea;
- Your teacher explained the ideas you need to write about;
- Your teacher analysed different perspectives on that ideas.
It might be one weekâs slides, it might be ten weekâs slides. But you need to download them and start reviewing them.
Each time you find a point that you think is relevant to your assessment outline or question, quickly make a note of what key point is being made.
Also write down any ideas that come to mind that might fit into the essay. I find when I review lecture slides more ideas come to mind to add in.
If your lecture hasnât provided lecture slides, some other places to look for ideas on what to write in your paper include:
- Your own lecture notes ;
- Readings your teacher set for you;
- Any online videos, websites or other content your teacher provided.
2. Write down ten to fifteen key points to discuss
Hopefully your research in step 1 got you a lot of key points written down so youâre off to a hasty start to writing your essay quickly.
Nowâs your time to brainstorm â are there any other interesting points you can make about the topic that come to mind after reviewing the course materials?
Aim to gather between ten and fifteen key points. Anywhere less than 10, youâre not likely to have enough to say unless youâve got a paper thatâs less than 2000 words. Anywhere over 15, your teacherâs mind is going to wander while they go through all your ideas!
These points can be scrawled all over a piece of paper or listed on a word document, but make sure theyâre written down!
Once youâve got 10 to 15 key points, itâs time to list them in order of relevance. Whatâs the most relevant or useful or informative thing you want to say? Put that first. Then go down the list, so your best ideas are at the top.
3. Turn each point into a 4 to 6 sentence paragraph
Starting from the top of your list of 10 to 15 points to discuss, start turning each point into a 4 to 6 sentence paragraph. This is the ideal paragraph length to obtain depth without losing your readerâs attention.
In each paragraph make sure you mention:
- A topic sentence that explains exactly what your key point is.
- An explanation sentence (or two) that adds detail to your first point.
- An example sentence showing how the idea or point would link to the real-life.
You can keep expanding on that key idea if you want â but limit it to about 6 sentences max. Otherwise youâll put your marker to sleep â who ever wants to read a super long paragraph!?
Make sure each key point is given one 4 â 6 sentence paragraph at least. You might find each key point needs two or three paragraphs to explain everything in enough detail.
4. Use readings while writing your paragraphs.
When providing explanations of your key points, go back to where you found these key points. What is the source? Did your teacher note on the lecture slides where this information comes from? If so, youâll need to reference those sources in your paragraphs.
Then, add in more references from:
- The Assigned Readings. Start referencing the set readings that your teacher provided. Go to the courseâs webpage and download all the set readings for weeks relevant to your assessment topic. If you download your assigned readings and open them with Adobe Acrobat, youâll be able to use the search function to find the exact key ideas youâre looking for. For example, if your topic is on âIssues of doctor-patient confidentiality in modern medicineâ, you might search through your set readings for âconfidentialityâ in order to find the right sections of your readings where you could find explanations that you can use and reference in the piece. Aim to cite each relevant reading that was provided by your teacher at least once in the piece.
- Google Scholar. Youâll also need to cite some other scholarly readings . I recommend going to google scholar and type in the keywords from your key idea. For example, if your key idea is âClimate change causes sea temperatures to riseâ, you would want to type into the google scholar search bar: âClimate changeâ and âsea temperaturesâ. Find sources that have direct links to the pdf or html document of the text â these are sources that arenât hidden behind paywalls. Make sure you get a good number of additional readings from google scholar (I usually aim for 50% assigned readings, 50% additional readings).
You might also want to make sure you have least one â preferably two âreferences per paragraph. If you have included two references, aim to reference two different sources rather than the one source twice.
5. Write a compelling Introduction and Conclusion
Keep an eye on that word count.
Hopefully for each paragraph you write you see that wordcount jumping by about 150 to 200 words. Before long youâll be at 500, 800, 1400 words!
Make sure you stop writing when you get within 300 words of the word limit (about one page if youâve been given a page limit). Youâre going to want to use the last 300 words or so for creating an amazing introduction and conclusion.
If you hit the desired word count but donât get around to some key points, thatâs okay. We sorted the points from most to least relevant in Step 2 for just this reason: the ones you miss will be the least relevant, anyway.
Now, write your introduction.
A compelling introduction should:
- Identify the key focus or argument of the essay in the first sentence
- Explain the topicâs relevance. Why is it worth discussing at this particular time? What value does it have for your future profession?
- Let your reader know what you plan on saying in the piece.
Then write your conclusion .
A compelling conclusion should:
- Summarize your key points
- Explain how your key points support your argument and/or address the essay question
- Identify any contradictions , limitations or questions that remain unanswered within the topic area. What is the future direction of research into this topic in the next 5, 10 or 20 years?
Use the above bullet points to formulate your introduction and conclusion . Again, aim for 4 to 6 sentences (150 words or so) for the introduction and about 4 to 6 sentences for the conclusion. Make sure in the introduction and conclusion that you show your reader you have a good birdâs eye understanding of the topic you are covering and its relevance to real life.
6. Fix up that Reference List
Your reference list is probably a mess. Itâs not likely to be in the correct referencing format that you need it to be in.
Thanks to Google Scholar, this part is a heck of a lot easier than it was ten years ago.
Hereâs what you do:
- Type the name of each source that you reference into the Google Scholar search bar
- Find the source in the list that Google Scholar generates (it should be in the first few spots on the list.
- Press the cite button underneath the source. A pop-up should appear showing how to cite the source in each referencing style.
- Copy the citation and paste it into your paperâs reference list
- Check to see if the citation is correct: are there any missing details?
Once youâve listed all the sources you used in your reference list, youâll need to sort them alphabetically. Highlight the whole reference list then sort it using:
- Microsoft Word: The A>Z button under the âhomeâ menu
7. Edit it in the Morning
Once youâve written a full draft, youâve got a decision to make:
- If the piece is due in the next few hours, youâve got to crack on and start editing immediately;
- If the piece is due tomorrow morning, give yourself permission to go to sleep. Having a break between writing and editing lets you look at your work with fresh eyes tomorrow. But, be prepared. In the morning youâve still got some work to do.
Editing your work â even just once the morning before you submit â will earn you a big bump in your marks.
You probably will only have time to edit the work once, so I recommend this:
- Print the work. Editing work on paper is far more effective than editing it on the screen. Errors jump out at you more if youâre reading it on paper.
- Read through the work and cross out sentences that donât make sense. Underline sentences that need rewording for clarity. Circle words that need to be changed or spell-checked.
- The name of the game while editing is increasing clarity. If a sentence is too long, complicated or confusing when youâre editing it, you need to find a way to say it more clearly. Sometimes that means turning one sentence into two shorter sentences. Thatâs okay. A good way to find sentences that need shortening is to use the ProWritingAid app which produces a special report identifying sentences that are too long.
- Once youâve done scrawling your edits on the paper copy, jump onto the computer and go from the start: insert all the edits you wrote down on the paper copy into the computer copy.
This print-and-edit strategy is by far the most effective editing strategy. It dramatically increases the quality of any studentâs work and bumps up their grades.
Editing your work is worthwhile, no matter how tight the deadline. It could be the difference between a C and a B or â even more importantly â a fail and a pass.
Read Also: 39 Better Ways to Write ‘In Conclusion’ in an Essay
Look, letâs face it. You should have written it earlier.
But, thereâs always still hope. Nowâs the time for action â get those top ten points you want to say on the issue done, then keep following the steps to the end. You can do it!
Letâs sum up those seven key steps one more time:
- Hack your teacherâs lecture slides
- Write down ten to fifteen key points to discuss
- Turn each point into a 4 to 6 sentence paragraph
- Use readings while writing your paragraphs.
- Write a compelling Introduction and Conclusion
- Fix up that Reference List
- Edit it in the Morning
If youâve finished all the steps â Congratulations. You got through! Now make sure you donât do it again with these strategies that can help you get started early on even the toughest paper. You might recognise some of them?
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How to Write an Essay Fast: Tips and Examples
Almost every student has experienced a circumstance where they had just a few hours before the essay deadline. So, what is the best course of action in this case? We suggest that you should either begin writing right away or seek professional assistance. Hiring a pro to write your essay is an easy way out. You can just order essay from our research paper writing services , and in a blink of an eye, your piece is ready to be sent out on time. But, if you want to write it yourself, then you need to know how to write an essay quickly.
Step-by-Step Guide on How to Write an Essay Fast
The essay writing process isn't simple. Especially when you want to do it quickly under the pressure of upcoming deadlines, but don't panic! Whether youâre wondering how to write an essay in a day or just an hour, you can still write an engaging and good essay fast. Here are some tips to help you write a paper faster:
Stage đ | Task âď¸ | Time âąď¸ | Tips âď¸ |
---|---|---|---|
Planning | Understand the prompt | 5 minutes | Read carefully, identify key terms, and underline important instructions. |
Planning | Brainstorm and Outline | 10 minutes | Jot down ideas, then structure them into an outline with a thesis statement and main points for each body paragraph. |
Research | Gather Information | 5 minutes | Focus on relevant and credible sources, and use online resources efficiently. Don't get bogged down in details. |
Writing | Draft the Body Paragraphs | 15 minutes | Focus on getting your points across clearly. Use topic sentences, evidence, and transitions. Don't worry about perfect grammar or style yet. |
Writing | Introduction & Conclusion | 5 minutes | Write a strong hook for the introduction and summarize your main points in the conclusion. |
â How Can You Write an Essay as Fast as Possible
We discussed a few tips to write an essay fast, but they may still not be enough for everyone to do their essay quickly. There are many reasons why it can get difficult: you struggle to understand the essay topic and the main idea of it, you lack motivation, you overthink an essay prompt, you get constantly distracted, etc. Sometimes we all feel that way, and it's normal, but to make writing your last-minute essay easier, we should overcome those feelings.
So, let's dive deeper into how to write an essay fast to help you with the paper you completely overlooked.
Step 1. Get Rid of Distractions and Plan Your Time
Taming the writing beast can be challenging, especially with distractions lurking around every corner. So, letâs equip you with strategies to eliminate distractions and craft a time management plan to turn you into a focused, productive writing machine.Â
Hint đĄ | Description đ°ď¸ | Benefit ⥠|
---|---|---|
Silence the Sirens 𤍠| Turn off phone notifications, silence social media apps, and consider using website blockers. | Blocks digital distractions, allowing you to immerse yourself in writing fully. |
Set up a Writing Sanctuary đď¸ | Find a quiet, clutter-free space dedicated solely to writing. Consider using noise-canceling headphones or calming music to block out external disturbances. | Creates a focused environment that fosters concentration. |
Embrace the Pomodoro Technique âď¸ | Set a timer for 25 minutes of focused writing, followed by a short break. Repeat this cycle to maintain focus while allowing for necessary mental breaks. | Promotes sustained focus and prevents burnout. |
Plan Your Attack đ°ď¸ | Before writing, create an outline that breaks down your essay into manageable sections. Schedule realistic writing sessions for each section. | Provides a roadmap for your essay, ensuring you stay on track and avoid writer's block. |
Reward Yourself đ | After completing a writing session or achieving a milestone, indulge in a short reward like a healthy snack or a quick walk. | Positive reinforcement motivates you to stay productive and keeps the writing process enjoyable. |
Step 2. Write First Ideas Which Spring up in Your Mind
While reading an essay question carefully, start making a note of the very first ideas that pop up in your mind. This way, you'll have a view of what to write about. Then start analyzing the thesis statement, highlight the major points of the key sentences you want to discuss and then choose which ideas fit best to them.
Don't overthink the statement. To write essays faster, you need to have a concise view of what you are writing about from the very beginning. You don't have much time, so do not spend any of it on overthinking.
Step 3. Elaborate a Plan to Write an Essay Fast
If you have ever had only an hour left to write your essay or are now in that situation, you're lucky to be here reading this. It's entirely possible to do your paper in an hour, and we'll show you an essential step-by-step plan on how to write an essay fast.
But before planning the whole essay, you have to choose your topic. This is a no-brainer, but people are often stuck at this point. If you have the freedom to choose your own topic, determine the kind of theme you are familiar with and can discuss without having to spend much time on research. But if you have several topics, choose the one on which you can deliver a more in-depth analysis.
Now let's move to the next steps on how to plan the process to write an essay fast.
Step 4. Conduct a Research
Conducting research may seem difficult when you have an hour for the whole essay, but don't worry. You can manage that too! You already have the topic and the thoughts around it, and now you need a little research. So be brief and concise, look for the specific information that you're definitely using in your paper, and don't waste time on general concepts. To write an essay fast, you have to conduct research faster.
While searching on the internet, save bookmarks of your needed pages. This will serve not to start looking for the information all over.
Do these tips to write an essay fast make enough sense for you yet?! Anyways, don't pressure yourself! If it's manageable for others to write essay fast, then it is for you too. So read through carefully, act according to this plan, and you'll make it.
Step 5. Make an Outline
Before you start writing:
- Create an outline of your ideas, and organize your thoughts around the theme.
- Write down your words on paper and determine how they are logically connected.
- List your ideas and relate them to the larger concepts.
This way, you can have a general structure for your paper and step forward to write an essay fast. Regardless of how much effort and time you put into the work, it's useless if you can't organize your thoughts.
Now that you have an essay topic and the main idea around it, you can think of creating the thesis statement. Refer to the outlines you noted and try to express the major points of your essay with them. The statement will have two parts - outlining the topic and outlining the objective of your essay.
Now you are one step closer to mastering how to write essays quickly. Several steps to go, and you're all done!
Step 6. Write a Draft with Key Sentences for Each Paragraph
You should develop your arguments in the body and turn every idea you outlined before into separate paragraphs. Remember that each of the sections should have the same format. Start to incorporate your primary ideas into the opening sentence. After that, add your secondary supporting ideas to it. Also, do not forget to use proper sentence format.
You should clearly explain your topic in key sentences to strengthen the arguments. Every paragraph should contain supporting evidence, main points, and summarizing sentences.
Does it seem easier now to write an essay fast? Then, let us make it completely manageable for you with further steps.
Want to research how Steve Jobs revolutionized the world?
Discussing how Steve Jobs shaped modern technology makes a perfect research paper. Our writers are ready to make it even more perfect!
Step 7. Intro: Start with a Hook
After finishing the previous steps, then it is time to write an introduction. But how will you introduce something that hasn't been created yet? It may be unusual to write the beginning after you've already got the middle part, but it makes sense. Now that you have your thesis and arguments on paper, you can take the interesting elements and turn them into an attention-grabbing intro. Write a hook preceding it - it can be statistical information, a dialogue, a relevant anecdote, a quote, or just some fact, but it has to tie in with your thesis.
Also, if it's more comfortable to think of the hook first and then about the other parts, you're free to do so. Starting with the hook can help your creative process, but don't think too much about it. This way is more adjustable when you don't need to search for âhow to write an essay quicklyâ and have enough time to spend on it.
Step 8. Make a Strong Conclusion
Writing the conclusion paragraph is an important part of making a clear expression of everything you wrote above that. It is your opportunity to reinforce the thesis. Restate the arguments to leave the reader with something interesting to think about. It should be 3-5 strong conclusive sentences that place the whole information into a broader context. Don't forget to avoid introducing new points or ideas in your conclusion,
The introduction and conclusion is often the hardest part to write. So, you should save both for last, especially when you want to write an essay fast. It will take all of your time if you start thinking about them in the beginning when you haven't discussed any arguments yet. When you have the body paragraphs of your essay, it should be much easier to write a summarized conclusion and introduction.
Step 9. Check Everything
If you just typed âhow to write an essay quicklyâ and now reading this, then you already know you have to review your paper besides how much time you have before the deadline. So you always have to keep extra minutes to revise your work.
Check if there are any grammatical errors, if the paragraphs are in order - the main argument should be the first and last paragraph in your body, or if your work makes sense at all. These little elements affect the quality of your essay, especially the one you're writing in an hour.
This is the ultimate guide and your last step in learning to write an essay fast. Just don't panic and set your mind on doing it properly.
How to Write 500 Word Essay Fast
The essay writing process isn't so easy, especially when you want it done quickly. But it doesn't mean it's impossible. For example, have you ever wondered how to write a 500 word essay fast? If you are reading this article, you already have the answer. The previous examples we examined about writing papers faster are also adjustable to 500-word essays.
Let's do a small recap! First, decide on an interesting topic you want to write about, but don't overthink it. Instead, choose the one you know more about. Secondly, make a quick, basic outline of your thoughts and thesis statements. Then start working on your body paragraph, and lastly, do your introduction and conclusion. You can read above how to do each of these steps very easily.
In addition, you might be writing an SAT paper. In this case, you can apply these tips to the writing process with specific needs.
How to Write a Research Essay Fast
If you ever looked up 'how to write a research essay fast' and couldn't manage to find the solution through research, then we're here to help you out.
While writing a research paper requires a lot of effortâfrom developing a compelling thesis to locating relevant literatureâdoing so may be more fun if you select a topic you are passionate about. In addition, you have an opportunity to consider other people's discoveries and draw your own conclusions about what they signify.
Most essays have specifics that should be considered to be worth a good grade. If you don't know these needs, it can be difficult for you to complete the task properly. So then, what's your answer to it? Are you just sitting there wondering, 'how can I get research paper writing help ?' If you still haven't found the way, click on it, and there is your solution.
Pros and Cons of Writing an Essay Fast
As with everything else, writing your paper fast has its positive and negative sides too.
Let's start with the cons:
- When writing fast, you may not leave yourself the time for proofreading and editing the work, which will lead to not a very good essay and a satisfactory grade.
- Knowing that the deadline is coming closer can pressure you while preventing the creative process which can be destructive for your essay.
- Time spent on each part of the paper may not be enough or correctly distributed, which can mess with essay structure.
Pros of writing essay fast:
- The positive side of writing an argumentative essay fast is that now you know how to do it and don't need much time to waste.
- You are always on time for deadlines when you know how to write a good essay fast.
- Improves your time management skills.
So, It's entirely possible to write a good essay fast. For example, if you need to know how to write a process analysis essay, consider what we have already discussed above, and just like that, you are left with a great piece in a very short period!
Sometimes, writing an essay fast is impossible because of writerâs block, fatigue, or a lack of free time. Youâre not alone in this, as thousands of students feel the same way and experience the same difficulties every semester. How do they manage such hurdles? The best way to put the finger on urgent writing assignments is to use a professional service where real human writers commit to original, captivating papers for students.Â
Need urgent writing assistance?
Contact our experts to get a perfect paper tailored to your requirements!
Can I Write an Essay in 2 Hours?
Can i write a 1000-word essay in 1 hour.
Daniel Parker
is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Danielâs work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.
is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.
- Updated writing tips.
- Added informative tables.
- How to write faster essays? (n.d.). The Student Room. https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7338694
- https://www.wizeprep.com/blog/writinga500wordessayin40minutes
- Buffet, A. (2021, June 14). How To Write An Essay Fast In An Exam - Youth Incorporated Magazine. Youth Incorporated Magazine. https://youthincmag.com/how-to-write-an-essay-fast-in-an-exam
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How to Write a Good Essay in a Short Amount of Time
Last Updated: August 17, 2024 Approved
This article was co-authored by Megan Morgan, PhD . Megan Morgan is a Graduate Program Academic Advisor in the School of Public & International Affairs at the University of Georgia. She earned her PhD in English from the University of Georgia in 2015. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 16 testimonials and 80% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 901,552 times.
Sometimes, you need to be able to write a good essay in a short amount of time for a timed exam, such as the Advanced Placement exams in high school. At other times, you might find yourself in the uncomfortable situation of having to write an essay fast because you procrastinated or let it sneak up on you. Although an essay written at the last minute will almost never be as good as an essay you spent more time on, putting together a decent essay quickly is still feasible. With a little planning and a lot of hard work, you can write an essay thatâs good (or good enough!) in just a short time.
Doing the Prep Work for Your Essay
- Be honest about your strengths and weaknesses when devising your plan. [1] X Research source For example, if you are a good researcher but not great at editing, spend less time on the research section in favor of spending more time on the revising section.
- Make sure to schedule breaks for yourself to refresh your brain and recharge yourself.
- An example of a plan for a one-day essay writing project might look like this:
- 8:00 â 9:30 â Consider an essay question and argument for the topic.
- 9:30 â 9:45 â Take a short break.
- 10:00 â 12:00 â Conduct research.
- 12:00 â 13:00 â Outline the essay.
- 13:00 â 14:00 â Take a lunch break.
- 14:00 â 19:00 â Write your essay.
- 19:00 â 20:00 â Take a dinner break.
- 20:00 â 22:30 â Revise and copy edit your essay.
- 22:30 â 23:00 â Print and prepare your essay submission. [2] X Research source
- Make sure you understand what the question is asking for! If you provide a summary when the essay prompt asked you to âanalyze,â youâre unlikely to do very well.
- If you donât have an essay topic, choose a subject that interests you and consider the essay question afterward. You are more likely to write a good essay on a topic that youâre interested in.
- If you donât have much experience with your topic, it might be difficult to develop an argument. You can still consider your argument and then use your research to support or refute the claims you want to make.
- A good exercise to help you quickly figure out your essay question and argument is to write âI am studying (choose a topic) because I want to know (what do you want to know) in order to show (this is where your argument goes).â
- For example, âI am studying the medieval witch trials because I want to know how lawyers employed evidence in their cases in order to show that the trial process influenced modern medical techniques and legal practices.â
- Consider counter-arguments in order to strengthen your essay.
- Since you donât have a lot of time to write, focus on one or two places where you can do research. For example, the library and internet offer many different options for sources. [4] X Research source
- Just make sure that you use reliable sources, such as peer-reviewed journals, government and university websites, and newspapers and magazines written by professionals. Donât use personal blogs, obviously biased sources, or sources that donât have professional credentials.
- You can draw upon information you know to speed up the research process. Simply find a (reliable!) source to support it and include it in your sources. [5] X Research source
- Doing preliminary research online can point you to sources in a library such as books and journal articles. It can also point you in the direction of web sources including newspaper article archives or other research on your topic.
- If you're reading books, "gut" the book to get through it quickly and move on to other sources. To "gut" a book, skim the introduction and conclusion to find the main arguments, and then pick a few details from the body of the book to use as evidence. [6] X Research source
- Take notes on your research sources. These will show that youâve legitimately researched the topic while giving credit to the person who forwarded the idea. [7] X Research source This is especially important if you plan to use direct quotes and will also help you add footnotes and bibliographic information to your essay without having to look them up in the sources.
- Structure your outline as you will your essay, with an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.
- The more detail you put into your outline, the easier and more quickly you can write the essay. For example, instead of just writing a basic paragraph about the body, flesh it out into bullet points or sentences that presents argument and supporting evidence. [9] X Research source
Writing an Untimed Essay
- Nothing will keep you from finishing an essay on time like goofing off online or ending up watching eight straight hours of Cartoon Network. Turn the TV off, switch your phone to silent, and exit out of Facebook and other social media/chat sites.
- Make sure you have all your material nearby when you start to write. Getting up to fetch a book or a piece of paper or a snack will eat into your precious time.
- The most important part of your introduction is your argument or thesis statement. This tells the reader the point your trying to make in the essay.
- Write a âhookâ that will grab the readerâs attention to start, then introduce the argument with a few relevant facts woven into the narrative. End by stating how you will demonstrate your points. [12] X Research source
- An example of a hook could be, âPeople say Napoleon had a complex because of his size, but he was actually an average height for the time in which he lived.â
- It's sometimes helpful to write the introduction after you have written the body so you know how to introduce the topic and your arguments best.
- A good rule of thumb is to not have the introduction be more the 10% of your essay. Thus, for a five page essay, you shouldnât write more than one paragraph. [13] X Research source
- Pick two to three main points to help make your argument or thesis statement. Any fewer and you wonât have enough evidence for your argument and any more may make you not explore each point thoroughly enough.
- Keep your evidence to support the main points concise. Going off on explanatory tangents will cost you precious time.
- Support your main points with the evidence compiled during your research. Make sure to explain how the evidence supports your claims!
- If havenât reached your word limit, pick a main point and conduct more research on it to expand on your point. [14] X Research source
- Avoid "fat" language when you write. Text that includes long prepositional phrases, passive verbs, and paragraphs that don't further your argument waste time that you could spend writing or revising your essay.
- Free-writing can also help you overcome writerâs block that results from not knowing how to say something. If youâre struggling with getting the wording of an idea just right, write it as well as you can and come back to it later.
- The essay conclusion should also be relatively short. Aim for the conclusion to be 5-10% of your essayâs total length.
- Aim to do more in your conclusion than just restate your thesis and the evidence you used. You could acknowledge the limitations of your argument, suggest a direction for future research, or expand the relevance of your topic to a wider field.
- Just as you drew in reader with good introduction, end your conclusion with a sentence that make a lasting impression on your reader. [18] X Research source
- Re-read the entire essay. Make sure that you are still arguing the same thing at the end of the essay that you are at the beginning. If not, go back and adjust your thesis.
- Make sure that your paragraphs build on one another and donât feel haphazard. You can use transitions and strong topic sentences to help you draw connections between your paragraphs.
- Spelling and grammar are the easiest mistakes to revise, but they cost you a lot of reader goodwill if you donât fix them. [19] X Research source
Writing a Timed Essay
- Read the prompt carefully! If the question asks you to take a position, take one. If it asks you to evaluate the events that led to the downfall of Rome, donât just give a summary of Roman history. [20] X Research source
- Jot down an idea map. You probably wonât have time to make a formal outline. However, having an idea of the main points that you want to touch on and how they relate will help you structure the essay. If you canât figure out how to connect your main points, thatâs a sign you need to think a little bit more before you start writing.
- Figure out your argument. Once youâve noted down some main points, figure out what you want to say about them. Even timed essays need a unified argument or thesis.
- For example, you wouldnât want to spend the same amount of time and effort on a 3-paragraph essay question worth 20% as you would a 2-page essay question worth 60%.
- If you see a question that you feel will be more difficult for you, it could be a good idea to tackle it first. This will get the hard stuff out of the way while youâre still fresh.
- If you notice that your introductory paragraph starts with something broad or hugely general, such as âThroughout the history of time, humans have been fascinated by science,â cut it.
- Donât put anything in a timed essay that doesnât support your point. If you are talking about the importance of religious belief in modern society, donât dilute your point by also referencing socialism, Hollywood, and banana farming.
- Claim. This is the main argument of the paragraph. It is probably located in your topic sentence.
- Evidence. This is the supporting detail that proves your claim.
- Explanation. This connects the evidence back to your claim and explains why the evidence proves what you say it does.
- If anything in your paragraph doesnât fit one of these three elements, itâs a good sign you donât need it in the paragraph.
- Does the essay actually demonstrate and support what your thesis says is the main argument? Itâs not uncommon for ideas to evolve as you write. If this has happened, tweak your thesis accordingly.
- Do the paragraphs flow smoothly from one to the next? Timed essays donât have the same standards that regular essays do, but your reader should still be able to follow your argument in a logical progression without feeling yanked around or lost.
- Do you offer a conclusion that sums up your argument? Donât leave the essay hanging without a conclusion. Even if itâs very brief, a conclusion will help your essay feel complete.
Community Q&A
- Transition words such as "furthermore", "indeed", and "in fact" can make your flow better. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
- Don't fluff up your essay too much. A reader will want you to get to the point as quickly as possible. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
- When starting a new paragraph, don't forget to indent. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
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About This Article
If you need to write a good essay in a short amount of time, try to plan your argument and avoid distractions while you're writing. Before you start your essay, decide your thesis statement or the main argument you want to make. This will help you narrow down your research and write the essay quicker. Find a quiet place to work, turn your phone off, and avoid any other distractions. Make sure you schedule short breaks to avoid burn out. If you get stuck, write whatever you can, even if you think itâs really bad or doesnât make sense. It will be much easier to edit once youâve gotten the words on the page. Make sure you leave a few hours to revise and spellcheck your essay. For more tips from our Teaching co-author, including how to write a timed essay, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No
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Academic Editing and Proofreading
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- Guide to Essay Editing: Methods, Tips, & Examples
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- The AâZ of Dissertation Editing: Standard Rates & Involved Steps
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- The Ethics of Academic Research
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- How to Cite a Website in MLA Format | 9th Edition Rules
- 10 Best AI Conclusion Generators (Features & Pricing)
- Top 10 Academic Editing Services of 2024 [with Pricing]
Additional Resources
- Plagiarism: How to avoid it in your thesis?
- Final Submission Checklist | Dissertation & Thesis
- 7 Useful MS Word Formatting Tips for Dissertation Writing
- How to Write a MEAL Paragraph: Writing Plan Explained in Detail
- Em Dash vs. En Dash vs. Hyphen: When to Use Which
- The 10 Best Citation Generators in 2024 | Free & Paid Plans!
- 2024’s Top 10 Self-Help Books for Better Living
- The 10 Best Free Character and Word Counters of 2024
Citation and Referencing
- Citing References: APA, MLA, and Chicago
- How to Cite Sources in the MLA Format
- MLA Citation Examples: Cite Essays, Websites, Movies & More
- Citations and References: What Are They and Why They Matter
- APA Headings & Subheadings | Formatting Guidelines & Examples
- Formatting an APA Reference Page | Template & Examples
- Research Paper Format: APA, MLA, & Chicago Style
- How to Create an MLA Title Page | Format, Steps, & Examples
- How to Create an MLA Header | Format Guidelines & Examples
- MLA Annotated Bibliography | Guidelines and Examples
- APA Website Citation (7th Edition) Guide | Format & Examples
- APA Citation Examples: The Bible, TED Talk, PPT & More
- APA Header Format: 5 Steps & Running Head Examples
- APA Title Page Format Simplified | Examples + Free Template
- How to Write an Abstract in MLA Format: Tips & Examples
- 10 Best Free Plagiarism Checkers of 2024 [100% Free Tools]
- 5 Reasons to Cite Your Sources Properly | Avoid Plagiarism!
Dissertation Writing Guide
- Writing a Dissertation Proposal
- The Acknowledgments Section of a Dissertation
- The Table of Contents Page of a Dissertation
- The Introduction Chapter of a Dissertation
- The Literature Review of a Dissertation
- The Only Dissertation Toolkit Youâll Ever Need!
- 5 Thesis Writing Tips for Master Procrastinators
- How to Write a Dissertation | 5 Tips from Academic Editors
- The 5 Things to Look for in a Dissertation Editing Service
- Top 10 Dissertation Editing & Proofreading Services
- Why is it important to add references to your thesis?
- Thesis Editing | Definition, Scope & Standard Rates
- Expert Formatting Tips on MS Word for Dissertations
- A 7-Step Guide on How to Choose a Dissertation Topic
- 350 Best Dissertation Topic Ideas for All Streams in 2024
- A Guide on How to Write an Abstract for a Research Paper
- Dissertation Defense: What to Expect and How to Prepare
- Creating a Dissertation Title Page (Examples & Templates)
Essay Writing Guide
- Essential Research Tips for Essay Writing
- What Is a Mind Map? Free Mind Map Templates & Examples
- How to Write an Essay Outline: 5 Examples & Free Template
- How to Write an Essay Header: MLA and APA Essay Headers
- What Is an Essay? Structure, Parts, and Types
How to Write an Essay in 8 Simple Steps (Examples Included)
- 8 Types of Essays | Quick Summary with Examples
- Expository Essays | Step-by-Step Manual with Examples
- Narrative Essay | Step-by-Step Guide with Examples
- How to Write an Argumentative Essay (Examples Included)
- Guide to a Perfect Descriptive Essay [Examples & Outline Included]
- How to Start an Essay: 4 Introduction Paragraph Examples
- How to Write a Conclusion for an Essay (Examples Included!)
- How to Write an Impactful Personal Statement (Examples Included)
- Literary Analysis Essay: 5 Steps to a Perfect Assignment
- Compare and Contrast Essay | Quick Guide with Examples
- Top 10 Essay Writing Tools in 2024 | Plan, Write, Get Feedback
- Top AI Essay Writers in 2024: 10 Must-Haves
- 100 Best College Essay Topics & How to Pick the Perfect One!
- College Essay Format: Tips, Examples, and Free Template
- Structure of an Essay: 5 Tips to Write an Outstanding Essay
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- Tags: Academic Writing , Essay , Essay Writing
Knowing how to write an essay can help you out significantly in both, your academic and professional life. An essay is a highly versatile nonfiction piece of writing that not only tests your knowledge of a topic but also your literary and argumentative skills.
Each essay requires the same basic process of planning, writing, and editing. Naturally, we’ve used these stages to group our steps on how to write an essay. So w ithout further ado, letâs get into it! Here are the eight steps to write an essay:
Stage 1: Planning
1. Pick an appropriate research topic
In certain cases, your teacher or professor may assign you a topic. However, in many cases, students have the freedom to select a topic of their choice. Make sure you choose a topic that youâre well versed in and have significant knowledge of.
Having prior knowledge of the topic will help you determine the subsequent steps to write an essay. It will also make your research process considerably easier.
2. Form an appropriate thesis statement
A thesis statement is the central idea or premise your essay is based on. It is usually a sentence or two long and is included in the introduction of the essay. The scope of your thesis statement depends on the type of your essay and its length.
For instance, the scope of the thesis statement for a 500â1000 word school essay will be narrower than a 1000â5000 word college essay. A rule of thumb is that your essay topic should be broad enough to gather enough information, but narrow enough to address specific points and not be vague. Hereâs an example:
The invention of the airplane by the Wright Brothers in 1903 revolutionized transportation and paved the way for modern aviation. It represents a monumental achievement in human history that forever changed the course of human civilization.
3. Create an essay outline
Creating a well-organized essay outline not only gives structure and flow to your essay but also makes it more impactful and easy to understand. The idea is to collect the main points of information that support or elaborate on your thesis statement. You can also include references or examples under these main points.
For example, if your thesis statement revolves around the invention of the airplane, your main points will include travel before the invention of the airplane, how it was invented, and its effects on modern-day travel. Take a look:
The Wright Brothers’ invention had a massive impact on modern-day travel. The subsequent growth of the aviation industry led to increased accessibility of air travel to the general public.
Stage 2: Writing
4. Write a comprehensive introduction
After creating the basic outline, it is important to know how to write an essay. Begin your essay by introducing your voice and point of view to the reader. An introduction is usually a paragraph or two long and consists of three main parts:
- Background information
- Thesis statement
Letâs better understand this with the help of an example:
The Wright Brothers’ invention of the airplane in 1903 revolutionized the way humans travel and explore the world. Prior to this invention, transportation relied on trains, boats, and cars, which limited the distance and speed of travel. However, the airplane made air travel a reality, allowing people to reach far-off destinations in mere hours. This breakthrough paved the way for modern-day air travel, transforming the world into a smaller, more connected place. In this essay, we will explore the impact of the Wright Brothers’ invention on modern-day travel, including the growth of the aviation industry, increased accessibility of air travel to the general public, and the economic and cultural benefits of air travel.
Letâs understand how to construct each of these sections in more detail.
A. Construct an attractive hook
The opening sentence of an essay, also known as the hook, should include a powerful or startling statement that captures the readerâs attention. Depending on the type of your essay, it can be an interesting fact, a surprising statistic, or an engaging anecdote.
B. Provide relevant background information
While writing the introduction, itâs important to provide context or background information before including the thesis statement. The background information may include the time before a groundbreaking invention, the pros and cons of a significant discovery, or the short- and long-term effects of an event.
C. Edit the thesis statement
If youâve constructed your thesis statement during the outlining stage, itâs time to edit it based on the background information youâve provided. Observe the slight changes weâve made to the scope of the thesis statement in the example above. This accommodates the bits of information weâve provided in the background history.
5. Form relevant body paragraphs
Body paragraphs play a crucial role in supporting and expanding the central argument presented in the thesis statement. The number of body paragraphs depends on the type of essay as well as the scope of the thesis statement.
Most school-level essays contain three body paragraphs while college-level essays can vary in length depending on the assignment.
A well-crafted body paragraph consists of the following parts:
- A topic sentence
- Supporting information
- An analysis of the information
- A smooth transition to the next paragraph
Letâs understand this with the help of an example.
The Wright Brothers’ invention of the airplane revolutionized air travel. They achieved the first-ever successful powered flight with the Wright Flyer in 1903, after years of conducting experiments and studying flight principles. Despite their first flight lasting only 12 seconds, it was a significant milestone that paved the way for modern aviation. The Wright Brothers’ success can be attributed to their systematic approach to problem-solving, which included numerous experiments with gliders, the development of a wind tunnel to test their designs, and meticulous analysis and recording of their results. Their dedication and ingenuity forever changed the way we travel, making modern aviation possible.
Hereâs a detailed overview of how to construct each of these sections.
A. Construct appropriate topic sentences
A topic sentence is the title of the body paragraph that elaborates on the thesis statement. It is the main idea on which the body paragraph is developed. Ensure that each topic sentence is relevant to the thesis statement and makes the essay flow seamlessly.
The order of topic sentences is key in creating an impactful essay. This order varies depending on the type of essay you choose to write. These sentences may be arranged chronologically, in the order of importance, or in a cause-and-effect format.
B. Provide supporting information
It is necessary to provide relevant supporting information and evidence to validate your topic statement. This may include examples, relevant statistics, history, or even personal anecdotes.
You should also remember to cite your sources wherever you use them to substantiate your arguments. Always give researchers and authors credit for their work!
C. Analyze the supporting information
After presenting the appropriate evidence, the next step is to conduct an in-depth analysis. Establish connections and provide additional details to strengthen the link between your topic sentence and the supporting information.
Depending on the type of essay, this step may also involve sharing your subjective opinions and key takeaways.
D. Create a smooth transition
In case you plan to create multiple body paragraphs, it is crucial to create a seamless transition between them. Transitional statements not only make the essay less jarring to read but also guide the reader in the right direction.
However, these statements need not be too lengthy and complicated. Use words such as “however”, “in addition to”, and “therefore” to convey transitions.
6. Construct an impactful conclusion
An impactful conclusion creates a lasting impression on the mind of the reader. Although it varies in length depending on the specific essay, the conclusion is typically a paragraph long.
It consists of
- A restated thesis statement
- Summary of the main points
- The broader implications of the thesis statement
Hereâs an example of a well-structured conclusion:
The Wright Brothers’ invention of the airplane forever changed history by paving the way for modern aviation and countless aerospace advancements. Their persistence, innovation, and dedication to problem-solving led to the first successful powered flight in 1903, sparking a revolution in transportation that transformed the world. Today, air travel remains an integral part of our globalized society, highlighting the undeniable impact of the Wright Brothers’ contribution to human civilization.
Letâs take a closer look at how to construct each of these sections.
A. Restate the thesis statement
Your conclusion should call back to your original argument or thesis statement.
However, this does not mean repeating the thesis statement as is. The essence of your argument should remain the same, but it should also be modified and evolved as per the information presented in your essay.
B. Summarize important points
A powerful conclusion not only lingers in the reader’s mind but also provokes thought. You can create a strong impression on the reader by highlighting the most impactful points of your essay.
C. State the greater implications
End your essay with the most powerful and impactful part: the larger perspective. This canâ include a question youâd like to leave the reader with, the broader implications and impact of your thesis statement, or the long-term, lingering effects of your experience.
Make sure to include no new evidence or arguments, or to undermine your findings in any way.
Stage 3: Editing
7. Review your essay
Knowing how to write an essay is just one part of essay writing. Properly reviewing and editing your essay is just as important. Make sure to spend enough time going over your essay and adding any bits of information that youâve missed.
This is also a good time to make minor structural changes in your essay.
8. Thoroughly proofread your essay
After making the necessary structural changes, recheck your essay word by word. It is important to not only correct major grammatical and spelling errors but also minor errors regarding the phrasing or tone of voice.
You can either choose to do this by yourself, ask a friend for assistance, or hire an essay proofreading service to go over your writing. To construct a fool-proof, error-free essay, it is helpful to have a trained pair of eyes go over it. Professional proofreaders can spot errors that are not visible to most people and set the right tone for your essay.
Now that you know the basics of how to write an essay, itâs time to learn about the specifics. Feel free to dig into the articles below and keep reading!
- How to Write an Essay Header in 4 Steps
- How to Write an Essay Outline
- What is an Expository Essay?
- How to Start an Essay
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How to Write an Essay
Use the links below to jump directly to any section of this guide:
Essay Writing Fundamentals
How to prepare to write an essay, how to edit an essay, how to share and publish your essays, how to get essay writing help, how to find essay writing inspiration, resources for teaching essay writing.
Essays, short prose compositions on a particular theme or topic, are the bread and butter of academic life. You write them in class, for homework, and on standardized tests to show what you know. Unlike other kinds of academic writing (like the research paper) and creative writing (like short stories and poems), essays allow you to develop your original thoughts on a prompt or question. Essays come in many varieties: they can be expository (fleshing out an idea or claim), descriptive, (explaining a person, place, or thing), narrative (relating a personal experience), or persuasive (attempting to win over a reader). This guide is a collection of dozens of links about academic essay writing that we have researched, categorized, and annotated in order to help you improve your essay writing.Â
Essays are different from other forms of writing; in turn, there are different kinds of essays. This section contains general resources for getting to know the essay and its variants. These resources introduce and define the essay as a genre, and will teach you what to expect from essay-based assessments.
Purdue OWL Online Writing Lab
One of the most trusted academic writing sites, Purdue OWL provides a concise introduction to the four most common types of academic essays.
"The Essay: History and Definition" (ThoughtCo)
This snappy article from ThoughtCo talks about the origins of the essay and different kinds of essays you might be asked to write.Â
"What Is An Essay?" Video Lecture (Coursera)
The University of California at Irvine's free video lecture, available on Coursera, tells you everything you need to know about the essay.
Wikipedia Article on the "Essay"
Wikipedia's article on the essay is comprehensive, providing both English-language and global perspectives on the essay form. Learn about the essay's history, forms, and styles.
"Understanding College and Academic Writing" (Aims Online Writing Lab)
This list of common academic writing assignments (including types of essay prompts) will help you know what to expect from essay-based assessments.
Before you start writing your essay, you need to figure out who you're writing for (audience), what you're writing about (topic/theme), and what you're going to say (argument and thesis). This section contains links to handouts, chapters, videos and more to help you prepare to write an essay.
How to Identify Your Audience
"Audience" (Univ. of North Carolina Writing Center)
This handout provides questions you can ask yourself to determine the audience for an academic writing assignment. It also suggests strategies for fitting your paper to your intended audience.
"Purpose, Audience, Tone, and Content" (Univ. of Minnesota Libraries)
This extensive book chapter from Writing for Success , available online through Minnesota Libraries Publishing, is followed by exercises to try out your new pre-writing skills.
"Determining Audience" (Aims Online Writing Lab)
This guide from a community college's writing center shows you how to know your audience, and how to incorporate that knowledge in your thesis statement.
"Know Your Audience" ( Paper Rater Blog)
This short blog post uses examples to show how implied audiences for essays differ. It reminds you to think of your instructor as an observer, who will know only the information you pass along.
How to Choose a Theme or Topic
"Research Tutorial: Developing Your Topic" (YouTube)
Take a look at this short video tutorial from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to understand the basics of developing a writing topic.
"How to Choose a Paper Topic" (WikiHow)
This simple, step-by-step guide (with pictures!) walks you through choosing a paper topic. It starts with a detailed description of brainstorming and ends with strategies to refine your broad topic.
"How to Read an Assignment: Moving From Assignment to Topic" (Harvard College Writing Center)
Did your teacher give you a prompt or other instructions? This guide helps you understand the relationship between an essay assignment and your essay's topic.
"Guidelines for Choosing a Topic" (CliffsNotes)
This study guide from CliffsNotes both discusses how to choose a topic and makes a useful distinction between "topic" and "thesis."
How to Come Up with an Argument
"Argument" (Univ. of North Carolina Writing Center)
Not sure what "argument" means in the context of academic writing? This page from the University of North Carolina is a good place to start.
"The Essay Guide: Finding an Argument" (Study Hub)
This handout explains why it's important to have an argument when beginning your essay, and provides tools to help you choose a viable argument.
"Writing a Thesis and Making an Argument" (University of Iowa)
This page from the University of Iowa's Writing Center contains exercises through which you can develop and refine your argument and thesis statement.
"Developing a Thesis" (Harvard College Writing Center)
This page from Harvard's Writing Center collates some helpful dos and don'ts of argumentative writing, from steps in constructing a thesis to avoiding vague and confrontational thesis statements.
"Suggestions for Developing Argumentative Essays" (Berkeley Student Learning Center)
This page offers concrete suggestions for each stage of the essay writing process, from topic selection to drafting and editing.Â
How to Outline your Essay
"Outlines" (Univ. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill via YouTube)
This short video tutorial from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill shows how to group your ideas into paragraphs or sections to begin the outlining process.
"Essay Outline" (Univ. of Washington Tacoma)
This two-page handout by a university professor simply defines the parts of an essay and then organizes them into an example outline.
"Types of Outlines and Samples" (Purdue OWL Online Writing Lab)
Purdue OWL gives examples of diverse outline strategies on this page, including the alphanumeric, full sentence, and decimal styles.Â
"Outlining" (Harvard College Writing Center)
Once you have an argument, according to this handout, there are only three steps in the outline process: generalizing, ordering, and putting it all together. Then you're ready to write!
"Writing Essays" (Plymouth Univ.)
This packet, part of Plymouth University's Learning Development series, contains descriptions and diagrams relating to the outlining process.
"How to Write A Good Argumentative Essay: Logical Structure" (Criticalthinkingtutorials.com via YouTube)
This longer video tutorial gives an overview of how to structure your essay in order to support your argument or thesis. It is part of a longer course on academic writing hosted on Udemy.
Now that you've chosen and refined your topic and created an outline, use these resources to complete the writing process. Most essays contain introductions (which articulate your thesis statement), body paragraphs, and conclusions. Transitions facilitate the flow from one paragraph to the next so that support for your thesis builds throughout the essay. Sources and citations show where you got the evidence to support your thesis, which ensures that you avoid plagiarism.Â
How to Write an Introduction
"Introductions" (Univ. of North Carolina Writing Center)
This page identifies the role of the introduction in any successful paper, suggests strategies for writing introductions, and warns against less effective introductions.
"How to Write A Good Introduction" (Michigan State Writing Center)
Beginning with the most common missteps in writing introductions, this guide condenses the essentials of introduction composition into seven points.
"The Introductory Paragraph" (ThoughtCo)
This blog post from academic advisor and college enrollment counselor Grace Fleming focuses on ways to grab your reader's attention at the beginning of your essay.
"Introductions and Conclusions" (Univ. of Toronto)
This guide from the University of Toronto gives advice that applies to writing both introductions and conclusions, including dos and don'ts.
"How to Write Better Essays: No One Does Introductions Properly" ( The Guardian )
This news article interviews UK professors on student essay writing; they point to introductions as the area that needs the most improvement.
How to Write a Thesis Statement
"Writing an Effective Thesis Statement"Â (YouTube)
This short, simple video tutorial from a college composition instructor at Tulsa Community College explains what a thesis statement is and what it does.Â
"Thesis Statement: Four Steps to a Great Essay" (YouTube)
This fantastic tutorial walks you through drafting a thesis, using an essay prompt on Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter as an example.
"How to Write a Thesis Statement" (WikiHow)
This step-by-step guide (with pictures!) walks you through coming up with, writing, and editing a thesis statement. It invites you think of your statement as a "working thesis" that can change.
"How to Write a Thesis Statement" (Univ. of Indiana Bloomington)
Ask yourself the questions on this page, part of Indiana Bloomington's Writing Tutorial Services, when you're writing and refining your thesis statement.
"Writing Tips: Thesis Statements" (Univ. of Illinois Center for Writing Studies)
This page gives plentiful examples of good to great thesis statements, and offers questions to ask yourself when formulating a thesis statement.
How to Write Body Paragraphs
"Body Paragraph" (Brightstorm)
This module of a free online course introduces you to the components of a body paragraph. These include the topic sentence, information, evidence, and analysis.
"Strong Body Paragraphs" (Washington Univ.)
This handout from Washington's Writing and Research Center offers in-depth descriptions of the parts of a successful body paragraph.
"Guide to Paragraph Structure" (Deakin Univ.)
This handout is notable for color-coding example body paragraphs to help you identify the functions various sentences perform.
"Writing Body Paragraphs" (Univ. of Minnesota Libraries)
The exercises in this section of Writing for Success will help you practice writing good body paragraphs. It includes guidance on selecting primary support for your thesis.
"The Writing ProcessâBody Paragraphs" (Aims Online Writing Lab)
The information and exercises on this page will familiarize you with outlining and writing body paragraphs, and includes links to more information on topic sentences and transitions.
"The Five-Paragraph Essay" (ThoughtCo)
This blog post discusses body paragraphs in the context of one of the most common academic essay types in secondary schools.
How to Use Transitions
"Transitions" (Univ. of North Carolina Writing Center)
This page from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill explains what a transition is, and how to know if you need to improve your transitions.
"Using Transitions Effectively" (Washington Univ.)
This handout defines transitions, offers tips for using them, and contains a useful list of common transitional words and phrases grouped by function.
"Transitions" (Aims Online Writing Lab)
This page compares paragraphs without transitions to paragraphs with transitions, and in doing so shows how important these connective words and phrases are.
"Transitions in Academic Essays" (Scribbr)
This page lists four techniques that will help you make sure your reader follows your train of thought, including grouping similar information and using transition words.
"Transitions" (El Paso Community College)
This handout shows example transitions within paragraphs for context, and explains how transitions improve your essay's flow and voice.
"Make Your Paragraphs Flow to Improve Writing" (ThoughtCo)
This blog post, another from academic advisor and college enrollment counselor Grace Fleming, talks about transitions and other strategies to improve your essay's overall flow.
"Transition Words" (smartwords.org)
This handy word bank will help you find transition words when you're feeling stuck. It's grouped by the transition's function, whether that is to show agreement, opposition, condition, or consequence.
How to Write a Conclusion
"Parts of An Essay: Conclusions" (Brightstorm)
This module of a free online course explains how to conclude an academic essay. It suggests thinking about the "3Rs": return to hook, restate your thesis, and relate to the reader.
"Essay Conclusions" (Univ. of Maryland University College)
This overview of the academic essay conclusion contains helpful examples and links to further resources for writing good conclusions.
"How to End An Essay" (WikiHow)
This step-by-step guide (with pictures!) by an English Ph.D. walks you through writing a conclusion, from brainstorming to ending with a flourish.
"Ending the Essay: Conclusions" (Harvard College Writing Center)
This page collates useful strategies for writing an effective conclusion, and reminds you to "close the discussion without closing it off" to further conversation.
How to Include Sources and Citations
"Research and Citation Resources" (Purdue OWL Online Writing Lab)
Purdue OWL streamlines information about the three most common referencing styles (MLA, Chicago, and APA) and provides examples of how to cite different resources in each system.
EasyBib: Free Bibliography Generator
This online tool allows you to input information about your source and automatically generate citations in any style. Be sure to select your resource type before clicking the "cite it" button.
CitationMachine
Like EasyBib, this online tool allows you to input information about your source and automatically generate citations in any style.Â
Modern Language Association Handbook (MLA)
Here, you'll find the definitive and up-to-date record of MLA referencing rules. Order through the link above, or check to see if your library has a copy.
Chicago Manual of Style
Here, you'll find the definitive and up-to-date record of Chicago referencing rules. You can take a look at the table of contents, then choose to subscribe or start a free trial.
How to Avoid Plagiarism
"What is Plagiarism?" (plagiarism.org)
This nonprofit website contains numerous resources for identifying and avoiding plagiarism, and reminds you that even common activities like copying images from another website to your own site may constitute plagiarism.
"Plagiarism" (University of Oxford)
This interactive page from the University of Oxford helps you check for plagiarism in your work, making it clear how to avoid citing another person's work without full acknowledgement.
"Avoiding Plagiarism" (MIT Comparative Media Studies)
This quick guide explains what plagiarism is, what its consequences are, and how to avoid it. It starts by defining three wordsâquotation, paraphrase, and summaryâthat all constitute citation.
"Harvard Guide to Using Sources" (Harvard Extension School)
This comprehensive website from Harvard brings together articles, videos, and handouts about referencing, citation, and plagiarism.Â
Grammarly contains tons of helpful grammar and writing resources, including a free tool to automatically scan your essay to check for close affinities to published work.Â
Noplag is another popular online tool that automatically scans your essay to check for signs of plagiarism. Simply copy and paste your essay into the box and click "start checking."
Once you've written your essay, you'll want to edit (improve content), proofread (check for spelling and grammar mistakes), and finalize your work until you're ready to hand it in. This section brings together tips and resources for navigating the editing process.Â
"Writing a First Draft" (Academic Help)
This is an introduction to the drafting process from the site Academic Help, with tips for getting your ideas on paper before editing begins.
"Editing and Proofreading" (Univ. of North Carolina Writing Center)
This page provides general strategies for revising your writing. They've intentionally left seven errors in the handout, to give you practice in spotting them.
"How to Proofread Effectively" (ThoughtCo)
This article from ThoughtCo, along with those linked at the bottom, help describe common mistakes to check for when proofreading.
"7 Simple Edits That Make Your Writing 100% More Powerful" (SmartBlogger)
This blog post emphasizes the importance of powerful, concise language, and reminds you that even your personal writing heroes create clunky first drafts.
"Editing Tips for Effective Writing" (Univ. of Pennsylvania)
On this page from Penn's International Relations department, you'll find tips for effective prose, errors to watch out for, and reminders about formatting.
"Editing the Essay" (Harvard College Writing Center)
This article, the first of two parts, gives you applicable strategies for the editing process. It suggests reading your essay aloud, removing any jargon, and being unafraid to remove even "dazzling" sentences that don't belong.
"Guide to Editing and Proofreading" (Oxford Learning Institute)
This handout from Oxford covers the basics of editing and proofreading, and reminds you that neither task should be rushed.Â
In addition to plagiarism-checkers, Grammarly has a plug-in for your web browser that checks your writing for common mistakes.
After you've prepared, written, and edited your essay, you might want to share it outside the classroom. This section alerts you to print and web opportunities to share your essays with the wider world, from online writing communities and blogs to published journals geared toward young writers.
Sharing Your Essays Online
Go Teen Writers
Go Teen Writers is an online community for writers aged 13 - 19. It was founded by Stephanie Morrill, an author of contemporary young adult novels.Â
Tumblr is a blogging website where you can share your writing and interact with other writers online. It's easy to add photos, links, audio, and video components.
Writersky provides an online platform for publishing and reading other youth writers' work. Its current content is mostly devoted to fiction.
Publishing Your Essays Online
This teen literary journal publishes in print, on the web, and (more frequently), on a blog. It is committed to ensuring that "teens see their authentic experience reflected on its pages."
The Matador Review
This youth writing platform celebrates "alternative," unconventional writing. The link above will take you directly to the site's "submissions" page.
Teen Ink has a website, monthly newsprint magazine, and quarterly poetry magazine promoting the work of young writers.
The largest online reading platform, Wattpad enables you to publish your work and read others' work. Its inline commenting feature allows you to share thoughts as you read along.
Publishing Your Essays in Print
Canvas Teen Literary Journal
This quarterly literary magazine is published for young writers by young writers. They accept many kinds of writing, including essays.
The Claremont Review
This biannual international magazine, first published in 1992, publishes poetry, essays, and short stories from writers aged 13 - 19.
Skipping Stones
This young writers magazine, founded in 1988, celebrates themes relating to ecological and cultural diversity. It publishes poems, photos, articles, and stories.
The Telling Room
This nonprofit writing center based in Maine publishes children's work on their website and in book form. The link above directs you to the site's submissions page.
Essay Contests
Scholastic Arts and Writing Awards
This prestigious international writing contest for students in grades 7 - 12 has been committed to "supporting the future of creativity since 1923."
Society of Professional Journalists High School Essay Contest
An annual essay contest on the theme of journalism and media, the Society of Professional Journalists High School Essay Contest awards scholarships up to $1,000.
National YoungArts Foundation
Here, you'll find information on a government-sponsored writing competition for writers aged 15 - 18. The foundation welcomes submissions of creative nonfiction, novels, scripts, poetry, short story and spoken word.
Signet Classics Student Scholarship Essay Contest
With prompts on a different literary work each year, this competition from Signet Classics awards college scholarships up to $1,000.
"The Ultimate Guide to High School Essay Contests" (CollegeVine)
See this handy guide from CollegeVine for a list of more competitions you can enter with your academic essay, from the National Council of Teachers of English Achievement Awards to the National High School Essay Contest by the U.S. Institute of Peace.
Whether you're struggling to write academic essays or you think you're a pro, there are workshops and online tools that can help you become an even better writer. Even the most seasoned writers encounter writer's block, so be proactive and look through our curated list of resources to combat this common frustration.
Online Essay-writing Classes and Workshops
"Getting Started with Essay Writing" (Coursera)
Coursera offers lots of free, high-quality online classes taught by college professors. Here's one example, taught by instructors from the University of California Irvine.
"Writing and English" (Brightstorm)
Brightstorm's free video lectures are easy to navigate by topic. This unit on the parts of an essay features content on the essay hook, thesis, supporting evidence, and more.
"How to Write an Essay" (EdX)
EdX is another open online university course website with several two- to five-week courses on the essay. This one is geared toward English language learners.
Writer's Digest University
This renowned writers' website offers online workshops and interactive tutorials. The courses offered cover everything from how to get started through how to get published.
Writing.com
Signing up for this online writer's community gives you access to helpful resources as well as an international community of writers.
How to Overcome Writer's Block
"Symptoms and Cures for Writer's Block" (Purdue OWL)
Purdue OWL offers a list of signs you might have writer's block, along with ways to overcome it. Consider trying out some "invention strategies" or ways to curb writing anxiety.
"Overcoming Writer's Block: Three Tips" ( The Guardian )
These tips, geared toward academic writing specifically, are practical and effective. The authors advocate setting realistic goals, creating dedicated writing time, and participating in social writing.
"Writing Tips: Strategies for Overcoming Writer's Block" (Univ. of Illinois)
This page from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's Center for Writing Studies acquaints you with strategies that do and do not work to overcome writer's block.
"Writer's Block" (Univ. of Toronto)
Ask yourself the questions on this page; if the answer is "yes," try out some of the article's strategies. Each question is accompanied by at least two possible solutions.
If you have essays to write but are short on ideas, this section's links to prompts, example student essays, and celebrated essays by professional writers might help. You'll find writing prompts from a variety of sources, student essays to inspire you, and a number of essay writing collections.
Essay Writing Prompts
"50 Argumentative Essay Topics" (ThoughtCo)
Take a look at this list and the others ThoughtCo has curated for different kinds of essays. As the author notes, "a number of these topics are controversial and that's the point."
"401 Prompts for Argumentative Writing" ( New York Times )
This list (and the linked lists to persuasive and narrative writing prompts), besides being impressive in length, is put together by actual high school English teachers.
"SAT Sample Essay Prompts" (College Board)
If you're a student in the U.S., your classroom essay prompts are likely modeled on the prompts in U.S. college entrance exams. Take a look at these official examples from the SAT.
"Popular College Application Essay Topics" (Princeton Review)
This page from the Princeton Review dissects recent Common Application essay topics and discusses strategies for answering them.
Example Student Essays
"501 Writing Prompts" (DePaul Univ.)
This nearly 200-page packet, compiled by the LearningExpress Skill Builder in Focus Writing Team, is stuffed with writing prompts, example essays, and commentary.
"Topics in English" (Kibin)
Kibin is a for-pay essay help website, but its example essays (organized by topic) are available for free. You'll find essays on everything from A Christmas Carol to perseverance.
"Student Writing Models" (Thoughtful Learning)
Thoughtful Learning, a website that offers a variety of teaching materials, provides sample student essays on various topics and organizes them by grade level.
"Five-Paragraph Essay" (ThoughtCo)
In this blog post by a former professor of English and rhetoric, ThoughtCo brings together examples of five-paragraph essays and commentary on the form.
The Best Essay Writing Collections
The Best American Essays of the Century by Joyce Carol Oates (Amazon)
This collection of American essays spanning the twentieth century was compiled by award winning author and Princeton professor Joyce Carol Oates.
The Best American Essays 2017 by Leslie Jamison (Amazon)
Leslie Jamison, the celebrated author of essay collection The Empathy Exams , collects recent, high-profile essays into a single volume.
The Art of the Personal Essay by Phillip Lopate (Amazon)
Documentary writer Phillip Lopate curates this historical overview of the personal essay's development, from the classical era to the present.
The White Album by Joan Didion (Amazon)
This seminal essay collection was authored by one of the most acclaimed personal essayists of all time, American journalist Joan Didion.
Consider the Lobster by David Foster Wallace (Amazon)
Read this famous essay collection by David Foster Wallace, who is known for his experimentation with the essay form. He pushed the boundaries of personal essay, reportage, and political polemic.
"50 Successful Harvard Application Essays" (Staff of the The Harvard Crimson )
If you're looking for examples of exceptional college application essays, this volume from Harvard's daily student newspaper is one of the best collections on the market.
Are you an instructor looking for the best resources for teaching essay writing? This section contains resources for developing in-class activities and student homework assignments. You'll find content from both well-known university writing centers and online writing labs.
Essay Writing Classroom Activities for Students
"In-class Writing Exercises" (Univ. of North Carolina Writing Center)
This page lists exercises related to brainstorming, organizing, drafting, and revising. It also contains suggestions for how to implement the suggested exercises.
"Teaching with Writing" (Univ. of Minnesota Center for Writing)
Instructions and encouragement for using "freewriting," one-minute papers, logbooks, and other write-to-learn activities in the classroom can be found here.
"Writing Worksheets" (Berkeley Student Learning Center)
Berkeley offers this bank of writing worksheets to use in class. They are nested under headings for "Prewriting," "Revision," "Research Papers" and more.
"Using Sources and Avoiding Plagiarism" (DePaul University)
Use these activities and worksheets from DePaul's Teaching Commons when instructing students on proper academic citation practices.
Essay Writing Homework Activities for Students
"Grammar and Punctuation Exercises" (Aims Online Writing Lab)
These five interactive online activities allow students to practice editing and proofreading. They'll hone their skills in correcting comma splices and run-ons, identifying fragments, using correct pronoun agreement, and comma usage.
"Student Interactives" (Read Write Think)
Read Write Think hosts interactive tools, games, and videos for developing writing skills. They can practice organizing and summarizing, writing poetry, and developing lines of inquiry and analysis.
This free website offers writing and grammar activities for all grade levels. The lessons are designed to be used both for large classes and smaller groups.
"Writing Activities and Lessons for Every Grade" (Education World)
Education World's page on writing activities and lessons links you to more free, online resources for learning how to "W.R.I.T.E.": write, revise, inform, think, and edit.
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How To Write A Five Paragraph Essay In One Hour
You have a short deadline. You feel like you can’t write your essay fast enough, you’re asking, Can I write my essay in one hour ?
Writing an essay can be daunting, especially when you only have one hour to complete it. But never fear. With careful planning and a few simple tricks, it is possible to write a five-paragraph essay in one hour. This article will provide you with the necessary tools and information to help you create an effective, well-structured essay in a single hour. We will discuss the basics of essay organization, time management strategies and tips for improved writing quality.
Table of Contents
5 Main Types Of Essays
The writing process can be made easier with a clear understanding of the five main types of essays. Knowing and mastering these five types will help you create persuasive, well-crafted pieces that will impress your instructors and earn you top grades. This article will explore each type of essay in detail and provide insights into when and how to use them effectively.
Type 1: Argumentative
An argumentative essay is a type of writing that presents arguments to support a particular opinion, point of view or perspective. It is commonly used in academic writing and it requires the writer to provide evidence for their opinion or point of view. The main purpose of an argumentative essay is to convince the reader that their opinion is correct.
In order to write an effective argumentative essay, it is important to research both sides of the issue thoroughly and present facts and evidence in a logical manner. When writing an argumentative essay , it is important to remember that your goal should be convincing the reader that your viewpoint is valid and supported by facts. Furthermore, a successful argumentative essay will include counterpoints that are refuted with sound reasoning and solid evidence.
Type 2: Narrative
Narrative writing is a type of writing that tells a story. It usually follows a plot format that includes characters, setting, conflict, and resolution. Narrative writing can be used to present an argument or to tell a personal story. It has been used for centuries in literature and can also be found in many forms today such as movies, plays, and even video games. When writing a narrative essay , it is important to use descriptive language to draw the reader into the story.
The author should create vivid images through their words while focusing on maintaining clarity throughout the piece. Organization is key when creating any narrative piece; each scene should have a purpose within the overall plot arc and lead toward the conclusion of the story. Writing an effective narrative requires time and practice; however, with enough dedication anyone can write an engaging narrative whether it’s over one hour or several days.
Type 3: Expository
Expository writing is a type of essay that requires one to investigate an idea, evaluate evidence, expound on the idea, and state an argument in a clear and concise manner. Writing an expository essay can be quite overwhelming at times, especially when youâre trying to write it within the one-hour time frame. When faced with this challenge, itâs important to have a well-structured plan to guide your writing process and help you meet the deadline.
The first step of writing any expository essay is to create an outline that will organize your thoughts and ideas into manageable chunks. Start by jotting down key points related to your essay topic , including relevant examples from outside sources such as research articles or books.
Type 4: Persuasive
Persuasive writing is an important skill to master for people in many different fields. It involves expressing opinions, making arguments, and convincing others of a particular point of view. Persuasive writing is one type of persuasive writing that focuses on using evidence and logical reasoning to influence readersâ opinions.
When undertaking persuasive writing, writers focus on finding logical answers or solutions to problems or topics at hand. To do this effectively, writers need to research the case and gather facts and evidence that will help them form their argument successfully. Writers also need to consider their audience â who they are trying to persuade â as this can help guide their approach while constructing their argument.
Type 5: Descriptive
Descriptive writing uses descriptive language to bring a scene, character, or event to life. Describing something in detail allows the reader to gain a deeper understanding of the subject and its characteristics. When using this type of writing style, writers should use vivid words and phrases to create an immersive experience for their readers. Through descriptive writing, writers can capture not just what is seen and heard but also describe how it feels or smells in order to make the reader feel as if they are present in the scene.
For students who have an essay assignment due in one hour, Type 5: Descriptive can be used to provide a detailed description of their topic so that they can convey their message clearly and effectively within the short timeline.
The five-paragraph essay is one of the most common forms students use in academic writing. It consists of an introduction paragraph, three main body paragraphs, and a conclusion paragraph. Each section serves its purpose in conveying your ideas effectively to the reader. The introduction will provide background information and state your thesis statement; each body paragraph will explore evidence that supports your argument; then finally the concluding paragraph will summarize your evidence and support for your thesis statement.
By taking these steps beforehand, you can ensure that you have all the necessary building blocks for an effective essay before diving into writing it within a limited time frame such as one hour.
As you now understand essays and types, we can dive into techniques, how to write a five-paragraph essay in one hour.
Step 1: Focus your Essay on a Single Topic
In order to focus your essay on a single topic, it is important to first identify the main points that you want to make. After narrowing down your focus, it is also helpful to create an outline of your essay so that you can stay organized and avoid overlap in your argumentation. Finally, be sure to select specific examples and case studies that support your points and help illustrate why they are important.
- Do your research and come up with a clear thesis statement. Research relevant information and facts about your chosen topic to develop an original and interesting thesis statement.
- Create an outline of your essay. List the main points and evidence youâll be discussing in each section of your essay. This will help you focus on one particular topic and make sure that each part of your essay contributes to its overall message.
- Structure your paragraphs logically. Make sure each paragraph is focused on one idea or point that connects back to the main argument or thesis of your essay. This will help keep the readerâs attention on the single topic of your essay throughout its duration.
- Edit, edit, edit Read through your essay several times until you are certain that it is thoroughly well written and focused on one central theme or argument throughout.
Step 2: Outline Your Essay
Writing an essay within one hour can be daunting, but it is certainly achievable with the right mindset and strategies. To help you write your essay in the time allotted, here are several tips on how to outline your essay.
First and foremost, set yourself up for success by taking some time to research or familiarize yourself with the topic at hand. This will help you create an essential structure for your essay so that you can easily maneuver through it later when writing. Additionally, ensure that you have your supporting evidence ready and organized before beginning to write. This will save time in searching for sources during the writing process.
Once you have done some preliminary research and compiled any resources or materials necessary for writing, create an outline of ideas and topics that need to be discussed throughout your essay.
Step 3: Research
How to prevent yourself from giving up halfway through the essay? Ask yourself how can I write my essay in one hour. it seems difficult and impossible, but it is possible with careful preparation and research. Properly researching the topic of your essay is essential for success, no matter how quickly you need to finish your assignment. You can complete the job efficiently and quickly with a few simple steps.
First, take the time to thoroughly read through your prompt and break it down into manageable parts. It’s essential to understand what exactly is being asked of you so that you save time writing about something irrelevant or off-topic. Once you have a clear idea of what kind of response is expected from the essay, begin by skimming over primary sources such as books or articles related to your topic; this will give you an overview of the main points that need to be addressed in your paper.
Step 4: Write the Introduction
The introduction is an important part of writing an essay in one hour. The essay should be concise and give the reader an overview of your main argument. It should include a brief description of what you will be discussing, any background information necessary for understanding the topic, and a thesis statement that explains your point of view. To ensure this step goes smoothly, it’s essential to plan ahead by brainstorming ideas related to your topic before you begin writing.
Additionally, make sure that you use clear language and avoid unnecessary jargon or overly-technical terms that could confuse readers.. It serves to capture the reader’s attention and provide a brief overview of the topic. It should include a thesis statement at the end, which will be your main argument or opinion. Additionally, it should provide some context for the rest of the essay and explain why you are discussing the given topic. By taking the time to craft a well-written introduction, you can set yourself up for success in completing your essay within one hour’s time.
Step 5: Write Main Body
Writing an essay in one hour can be a daunting task. However, following a few simple steps can make the process much easier and faster. Step 3 of writing an essay within one hour is to write the main body of your essay. This will be where you explain your thesis statement and provide any evidence or quotes that support it.
It’s important to make sure that your paragraphs are well-organized and easy to read, as this will help you get your point across effectively in the limited time frame. Start each paragraph with a topic sentence that introduces the paragraph’s main idea, then use supporting evidence or examples to develop that idea further. Make sure there is a clear flow between each paragraph so they move logically from one point to the next. Additionally, ensure that all your points are connected back to your overall argument to strengthen its credibility with readers.
Step 6: Write the Conclusion
No essay can be written without a conclusion. For those who are pressed for time and need to complete their essay in one hour, the conclusion should take just a short time to write. It is important to remember that the conclusion should reiterate the main point of the argument, as well as underscore the significance of this point.
The first step when writing a conclusion is to review what has already been discussed in the body of the essay. This helps bring all points together and ensure that everything said ties into one another. The concluding paragraph should then provide an overview of these points, highlighting how they are related and connected. Furthermore, it is advised that authors provide some type of call-to-action or thought-provoking insight in order to leave a lasting impression on readers.
Write a Conclusion in 3 Easy Steps :
- Step 1: Restate Thesis
- Step 2: Summarize the Main Points
- Step 3: Conclude with Impact
Step 7: Edit and Proofread
Editing and proofreading are essential steps in the writing process, no matter the deadline. Due to time constraints, the editing and proofreading stages may be sacrificed when you need to write an essay within one hour. However, itâs important to remember that these steps are just as vital as any other step in the writing process.
The best way to ensure your work is polished is by taking a break after you finish writing. Step away from your work completely – give yourself at least 10-15 minutes before you begin editing and proofreading. This allows your brain to reset so that when you return to your paper, you can view it with fresh eyes and easily identify mistakes that need correction or improvement.
Final Thoughts:
In conclusion, writing a five-paragraph essay in one hour can be achieved through careful time management and effective planning. To make the task manageable, break down the essay into its four components: introduction, three body paragraphs, and conclusion. For each element, decide on the main idea or point you want to make and how you will present it. Finally, take your time to proofread the essay for errors before submitting it.
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- Knowledge Base
- How to write an essay outline | Guidelines & examples
How to Write an Essay Outline | Guidelines & Examples
Published on August 14, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.
An essay outline is a way of planning the structure of your essay before you start writing. It involves writing quick summary sentences or phrases for every point you will cover in each paragraph , giving you a picture of how your argument will unfold.
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Table of contents
Organizing your material, presentation of the outline, examples of essay outlines, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about essay outlines.
At the stage where youâre writing an essay outline, your ideas are probably still not fully formed. You should know your topic  and have already done some preliminary research to find relevant sources , but now you need to shape your ideas into a structured argument.
Creating categories
Look over any information, quotes and ideas youâve noted down from your research and consider the central point you want to make in the essayâthis will be the basis of your thesis statement . Once you have an idea of your overall argument, you can begin to organize your material in a way that serves that argument.
Try to arrange your material into categories related to different aspects of your argument. If youâre writing about a literary text, you might group your ideas into themes; in a history essay, it might be several key trends or turning points from the period youâre discussing.
Three main themes or subjects is a common structure for essays. Depending on the length of the essay, you could split the themes into three body paragraphs, or three longer sections with several paragraphs covering each theme.
As you create the outline, look critically at your categories and points: Are any of them irrelevant or redundant? Make sure every topic you cover is clearly related to your thesis statement.
Order of information
When you have your material organized into several categories, consider what order they should appear in.
Your essay will always begin and end with an introduction and conclusion , but the organization of the body is up to you.
Consider these questions to order your material:
- Is there an obvious starting point for your argument?
- Is there one subject that provides an easy transition into another?
- Do some points need to be set up by discussing other points first?
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Within each paragraph, youâll discuss a single idea related to your overall topic or argument, using several points of evidence or analysis to do so.
In your outline, you present these points as a few short numbered sentences or phrases.They can be split into sub-points when more detail is needed.
The template below shows how you might structure an outline for a five-paragraph essay.
- Thesis statement
- First piece of evidence
- Second piece of evidence
- Summary/synthesis
- Importance of topic
- Strong closing statement
You can choose whether to write your outline in full sentences or short phrases. Be consistent in your choice; donât randomly write some points as full sentences and others as short phrases.
Examples of outlines for different types of essays are presented below: an argumentative, expository, and literary analysis essay.
Argumentative essay outline
This outline is for a short argumentative essay evaluating the internetâs impact on education. It uses short phrases to summarize each point.
Its body is split into three paragraphs, each presenting arguments about a different aspect of the internetâs effects on education.
- Importance of the internet
- Concerns about internet use
- Thesis statement: Internet use a net positive
- Data exploring this effect
- Analysis indicating it is overstated
- Studentsâ reading levels over time
- Why this data is questionable
- Video media
- Interactive media
- Speed and simplicity of online research
- Questions about reliability (transitioning into next topic)
- Evidence indicating its ubiquity
- Claims that it discourages engagement with academic writing
- Evidence that Wikipedia warns students not to cite it
- Argument that it introduces students to citation
- Summary of key points
- Value of digital education for students
- Need for optimism to embrace advantages of the internet
Expository essay outline
This is the outline for an expository essay describing how the invention of the printing press affected life and politics in Europe.
The paragraphs are still summarized in short phrases here, but individual points are described with full sentences.
- Claim that the printing press marks the end of the Middle Ages.
- Provide background on the low levels of literacy before the printing press.
- Present the thesis statement: The invention of the printing press increased circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation.
- Discuss the very high levels of illiteracy in medieval Europe.
- Describe how literacy and thus knowledge and education were mainly the domain of religious and political elites.
- Indicate how this discouraged political and religious change.
- Describe the invention of the printing press in 1440 by Johannes Gutenberg.
- Show the implications of the new technology for book production.
- Describe the rapid spread of the technology and the printing of the Gutenberg Bible.
- Link to the Reformation.
- Discuss the trend for translating the Bible into vernacular languages during the years following the printing pressâs invention.
- Describe Lutherâs own translation of the Bible during the Reformation.
- Sketch out the large-scale effects the Reformation would have on religion and politics.
- Summarize the history described.
- Stress the significance of the printing press to the events of this period.
Literary analysis essay outline
The literary analysis essay outlined below discusses the role of theater in Jane Austenâs novel Mansfield Park .
The body of the essay is divided into three different themes, each of which is explored through examples from the book.
- Describe the theatricality of Austenâs works
- Outline the role theater plays in Mansfield Park
- Introduce the research question : How does Austen use theater to express the charactersâ morality in Mansfield Park ?
- Discuss Austenâs depiction of the performance at the end of the first volume
- Discuss how Sir Bertram reacts to the acting scheme
- Introduce Austenâs use of stage directionâlike details during dialogue
- Explore how these are deployed to show the charactersâ self-absorption
- Discuss Austenâs description of Maria and Juliaâs relationship as polite but affectionless
- Compare Mrs. Norrisâs self-conceit as charitable despite her idleness
- Summarize the three themes: The acting scheme, stage directions, and the performance of morals
- Answer the research question
- Indicate areas for further study
If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!
- Ad hominem fallacy
- Post hoc fallacy
- Appeal to authority fallacy
- False cause fallacy
- Sunk cost fallacy
College essays
- Choosing Essay Topic
- Write a College Essay
- Write a Diversity Essay
- College Essay Format & Structure
- Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay
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You will sometimes be asked to hand in an essay outline before you start writing your essay . Your supervisor wants to see that you have a clear idea of your structure so that writing will go smoothly.
Even when you do not have to hand it in, writing an essay outline is an important part of the writing process . Itâs a good idea to write one (as informally as you like) to clarify your structure for yourself whenever you are working on an essay.
If you have to hand in your essay outline , you may be given specific guidelines stating whether you have to use full sentences. If youâre not sure, ask your supervisor.
When writing an essay outline for yourself, the choice is yours. Some students find it helpful to write out their ideas in full sentences, while others prefer to summarize them in short phrases.
You should try to follow your outline as you write your essay . However, if your ideas change or it becomes clear that your structure could be better, itâs okay to depart from your essay outline . Just make sure you know why youâre doing so.
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- Writing Tips
7 Top Tips on Writing the Time
7-minute read
- 25th July 2019
As anyone who has turned up for a midday meeting at midnight will tell you, clarity is vital when writing the time of day. But there are many ways to write the time, and the best approach isnât always obvious. We have a few tips to help, though.
1. Words or Numerals?
You can write the time of day using either words or numerals. If you are using numerals, you would usually include both hours and minutes, although you can omit the minutes in less formal writing .
For instance, all the following would be acceptable:
She gets up at six in the morning every day.
She gets up at 6:00 in the morning every day.
She gets up at 6 oâclock in the morning every day.
As a rule, though, you would only write out the time as words when:
- It is part of a full sentence, particularly in descriptive or literary writing.
- Using a 12-hour clock (never with a 24-hour clock ).
- You’re referring to an approximate or round time (e.g., saying âten thirtyâ is fine, but you would not usually write âtwenty-four minutes after eightâ).
In most other cases, numerals are the clearer option for writing the time, especially in scientific and technical writing, where precision is vital.
2. AM and PM
The abbreviations AM and PM can be used when writing the time as numerals. Each applies to a different time of day:
- AM is short for ante meridiem , meaning âbefore noon.â
- PM is short for post meridiem , meaning âafter noon.â
As such, we use AM and PM to indicate the time of day when we are using a 12-hour clock. We can see how this works more clearly if we write out various times of day in both 12-hour and 24-hour formats:
|
|
|
Midnight | 12:00 AM | 00:00 |
Three in the morning | 03:00 AM | 03:00 |
Half past eight in the morning | 08:30 AM | 08:30 |
Midday | 12:00 PM | 12:00 |
Three in the afternoon | 03:00 PM | 15:00 |
Half past eight in the evening | 08:30 PM | 20:30 |
You can see here that we need AM and PM with the twelve-hour clock for clarity. Without them, we wouldnât be able to tell the difference between, e.g., midday and midnight. Likewise, though, you do not need to include AM or PM with a 24-hour time because it is already clear.
There are also several ways to write AM and PM, including:
- ALL CAPS, small caps , or lower case (e.g., 12 AM, 12 AM , or 12 am)
- With or without periods between the letters (e.g., 8 PM or 8 P.M.)
- With or without a space after the number (e.g., 1 AM or 1AM)
Consistency is key here, so make sure to apply one style throughout your document. You may also want to check your style guide if you have one, as some organizations will have their own rules for how to write AM and PM.
3. When to Use Oâclock
Youâll have noticed we use âoâclock â in one of the examples above. This term means âof the clock,â so we can use it to show that a number refers to a time.
However, you should only use âoâclockâ with exact hours:
It is precisely 5 oâclock . â
Iâm leaving at seven oâclock . â
It arrived at 7:34 oâclock . â
The gig starts at half past seven oâclock . â
Weâll save a discussion of when wine oâclock is for another blog post.
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4. Past, After, Till, and To
When writing the time as words, use âafter,â âpast,â and âtoâ for intervals between hours. You can combine these terms with either numbers or the words âhalfâ and âquarterâ depending on the time in question:
- Use after or past for intervals up to half an hour past the hour.
- Use to for any interval after the half hour up to the hour.
- Use half past to indicate 30 minutes past the hour.
- Use quarter past or quarter after for 15 minutes after the hour.
- Use quarter to for 15 minutes up to the hour.
For example, we would use the above accordingly in the following times:
7:05 â Five after seven
7:15 â Quarter past seven
7:30 â Half past seven
7:45 â Quarter to eight
7:55 â Five to eight
Keep in mind that using “after” for times is only standard in American English. In other English dialects, “past” is far more common.
5. Punctuating the Time
When writing the time as numerals, you can use either a colon or a period between the hour and the minutes. In some cases, such as in the military , you can even write out a 24-hour time without any punctuation.
For instance, the following are all acceptable ways of punctuating a time:
We need to leave by 6:45 pm at the latest. â
We need to leave by 6.45 pm at the latest. â
We need to leave by 1845 at the latest. â
The colon is the most common option here, but it is a matter of preference. Unless youâre in the military, in which case we suggest sticking to protocol.
6. Time Zones
For the contiguous states in the USA, we have four standard time zones:
- Pacific Time (PT) [UTC-08:00]
- Mountain Time (MT) [UTC-07:00]
- Central Time (CT) [UTC-06:00]
- Eastern Time (ET) [UTC-5:00]
We also have regional time zones for Alaska, Hawaii, and 5 US dependencies, plus daylight saving time in some places during the warmer months of the year. And people in other countries use different time zones entirely!
Basically, weâre saying geography can make time complicated.
This is why we sometimes include a time zone when writing the time. The initials UTC above, for instance, stand for Coordinated Universal Time . We can use this to compare times in different places. So, âUTC-8:00â means Pacific Time is 8 hours behind UTC. And since we know Pacific Time is 8 hours behind UTC and Eastern Time is 5 hours behind UTC, we can work out that ET is 3 hours ahead of PT.
In other words, by including a time zone when we write a time, we can help people in other places âtranslateâ it into their own time zone.
This is important if you are writing for an international audience, since not everyone will be in the same time zone. You thus need to include a set of time zone initials so your reader can calculate the equivalent time where they are. For example, if we were writing a time for an international audience, we might say:
The live broadcast will begin at 9:00 pm UTC .
Someone in Bolivia could then look up the difference between UTC and BOT (Bolivia Time) and know the broadcast begins at 5:00 pm where they are.
7. Avoiding Redundancy when Writing the Time
In writing, redundancy means using a word unnecessarily. We mentioned above, for example, that you do not need to use AM or PM with 24-hour times because we already know whether a time is the morning or afternoon/evening when using a 24-hour clock.
Other cases of temporal redundancy you may want to avoid include:
- Using âin the morning,â âin the afternoon,â etc., alongside AM/PM.
- Combining âin the morning,â âin the afternoon,â etc., with a 24-hour time.
- Using âmidday,â ânoon,â or âmidnightâ alongside a time in numbers.
Weâll end this post with a few examples of redundancies so you know what to watch out for. Check out the table below, good luck writing the time, and let us know if you need any help proofreading your work.
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(N.B. âNoonâ is the better correction here, since âtwelveâ by itself could be either midday or midnight.) |
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COMMENTS
1.45pm - 6pm: Write the body of the essay. 6pm - 6.45pm: Dinner break. 6.45pm - 10.30pm: Edit, improve and meet the word count. 10.30pm - 11pm: Print (if needed) and get everything ready for the morning. Remember to schedule a few short 10-minute breaks (one every 45-60 minutes should do the trick).
How to Write a 6-to-12-Page Essay in a Matter of Hours. Schedule your time. Compose your thesis and intro paragraph. Do your research. Write your body paragraphs. Create a conclusion. Take a troubleshooting break. Add your finishing touches.
1. Use the last five minutes to proofread your essay. Look for any spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors. You may want to read your essay backwards to check for any spelling issues, as you will only be focusing on the words themselves, rather than the meaning of the sentences. 2. Create a title for the essay.
To make your essay stand out, write your story in a way that no other student can replicate. As you write, keep these tips in mind: Zoom in on specific moments rather than summarizing a long period of time. Be vulnerable and share your honest feelings and thoughts. Use your authentic voice and an appropriate tone.
Day 5. Do some structural editing. Pay attention to sentence flow, the length of paragraphs, overall organization. If your essay is too long, try to cut down on unnecessary information. Pay close attention to the way that you have structured paragraphs and make sure each one makes sense.
Take detailed notes and categorize them by theme or argument. Ensure you have a mix of primary and secondary sources to support your essay. đ Create an Outline. Break down your 3000-word essay into sections: Introduction (approximately 300 words) 5-6 body paragraphs (each 400-500 words)
Whether you've got to write a timed essay or you've left it to the last minute, follow these seven steps to write a quality essay fast. ... Most timed essays will give you 30 minutes to one hour, though harsher teachers might give you just 20 minutes. Regardless of time, the writing process is still generally the same. ...
About the Author Stephanie Allen read Classics and English at St Hugh's College, Oxford, and is currently researching a PhD in Early Modern Academic Drama at the University of Fribourg. You'd be amazed what you can get done in just a few hours - especially if you're not overly concerned with trifling things like quality or spelling.
Buckle in and get going on these 7 speedy steps to getting that paper written. I hope you've poured yourself a coffee: 1. Hack your teacher's lecture slides. If I had 2 hours to write a 2000-word essay, this is exactly where I'd start - every time. The lecture slides are your cheat sheet.
Create an outline of your ideas, and organize your thoughts around the theme. Write down your words on paper and determine how they are logically connected. List your ideas and relate them to the larger concepts. This way, you can have a general structure for your paper and step forward to write an essay fast.
Make sure to schedule breaks for yourself to refresh your brain and recharge yourself. An example of a plan for a one-day essay writing project might look like this: 8:00 - 9:30 - Consider an essay question and argument for the topic. 9:30 - 9:45 - Take a short break. 10:00 - 12:00 - Conduct research.
It would be best if you created a positive mindset and workspace to do full justice to it. #2. Stay away from distractions. When you begin work on your essay, you receive a notification on your phone, and the next thing you know, you have spent the next few hours doing everything else but working on your college essay.
Here are the eight steps to write an essay: Stage 1: Planning. 1. Pick an appropriate research topic. In certain cases, your teacher or professor may assign you a topic. However, in many cases, students have the freedom to select a topic of their choice.
If you've got to write your college essay fast, don't panic. First, set yourself deadlines: you should spend about 10% of your remaining time on brainstorming, 10% on outlining, 40% writing, 30% revising, and 10% taking breaks in between stages. Second, brainstorm stories and values based on your essay prompt.
Essay writing process. The writing process of preparation, writing, and revisions applies to every essay or paper, but the time and effort spent on each stage depends on the type of essay.. For example, if you've been assigned a five-paragraph expository essay for a high school class, you'll probably spend the most time on the writing stage; for a college-level argumentative essay, on the ...
There are three main stages to writing an essay: preparation, writing and revision. In just 4 minutes, this video will walk you through each stage of an acad...
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Jan 25, 2021. Illustration by Author. This week, I had an essay deadline to meet. I had given a teaching session a while back as part of my PGCert in Medical Education, and now I had to cough up a ...
How to Find Essay Writing Inspiration. If you have essays to write but are short on ideas, this section's links to prompts, example student essays, and celebrated essays by professional writers might help. You'll find writing prompts from a variety of sources, student essays to inspire you, and a number of essay writing collections.
Essay length guidelines. Type of essay. Average word count range. Essay content. High school essay. 300-1000 words. In high school you are often asked to write a 5-paragraph essay, composed of an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. College admission essay. 200-650 words.
Step 5: Write Main Body. Writing an essay in one hour can be a daunting task. However, following a few simple steps can make the process much easier and faster. Step 3 of writing an essay in one hour is to write the main body of your essay. This will be where you explain your thesis statement and provide any evidence or quotes that support it.
Expository essay outline. Claim that the printing press marks the end of the Middle Ages. Provide background on the low levels of literacy before the printing press. Present the thesis statement: The invention of the printing press increased circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation.
4. Past, After, Till, and To. When writing the time as words, use "after," "past," and "to" for intervals between hours. You can combine these terms with either numbers or the words "half" and "quarter" depending on the time in question: Use after or past for intervals up to half an hour past the hour. Use to for any ...