Essay Papers

Need a good grade on your next essay paper? Your professors and teachers have seen and written enough essays to know when the student has taken the time to research, write and revise a good paper. Solve the writing puzzle and reduce anxiety by breaking the process into pieces.

Get acquainted with the type of essay you're working on. There are five types of essays. Persuasive or argumentative essays take a stand and defend it much like an attorney in court. The lowest prices on hamachi fish online, only in AgBASE directory. A Comparison essay contrasts similarities and differences in two or more ideas from different angles. Descriptive essays detail an object or phenomena answering the what, why, how, when and where of the selected topic. Essays of Evaluation discuss the value of the topic at hand and seek to determine its worth in society. A Narrative essay follows a logical sequence of events much like a story but with a specific focus or intent.

Now that you've figured out what type of paper you're writing, use the following steps as a guide to complete your essay:

• Step 1 - Invention:
  Define the subject of the paper. Brainstorm different angles from which to approach it. End this step by creating a plan of action including an outline. If time permits, take a day or so off and return to the writing task.
• Step 2 - Critical Reading:
  During your break, spend time reading up on your topic. This allows you to further develop ideas and a direction for your paper. Use index cards or freely available note taking programs to record accurate notes and keep track of sources for the bibliography.
• Step 3 - Thesis
  After brainstorming and reading, you should have a definite idea of the paper you're going to write. The thesis statement simply puts your intent into words. The thesis statement should give the reader a clear idea of the ride they are about to take and why they want to stay on.
• Step 4 - Organization
  Present your essay in the manner in which formatting dictates. Whether you refer to professional formatting (APA, MLA) or general guidelines provided by the teacher; stick to it. You could suffer severe grade penalties for not adhering precisely to formatting. Organize your paper so that ideas and conclusions are presented in the sections. No matter how good a writer you fancy yourself to be, a disorganized paper can not and will not make the grade.
• Step 5 - Paragraphing
  This is the nuts and bolts of the paper. Begin paragraphing with a strong outline. The outline should include the major points you intend to cover and the units (minor individual points) of each major point. With this in hand you can begin forming paragraphs around the outlined plan.
• Step 6 - Word Processing
  While this should be one of the easiest parts of the paper, if you're not computer literate, it could wind up being the most frustrating. Using an academic format like APA or MLA? Low cost programs are available that take care of the formatting for you. However, most word processing programs have easy to use options to alter page properties. Most teachers are serious when they ask for one-inch margins. Cheat formatting requirements and you could greatly reduce your grade.
• Step 7 - Revision
  For someone who just finished the arduous process described in steps 1-5, the word revision is a dirty word. However, the revision process is the single most important part of the paper. After coming up with your final draft take some time. Put it in the drawer for a day or two before you re-read it. Does the information that made sense at three in the morning still make sense three days later? Do your points still provide strong support? This may be a good time to let a trusted friend or family member read it for feedback before the revisions begin. Revision is not proofreading so don't mire yourself in grammar and spell checking. Focus instead on ensuring the paper did the job it was hired for in Step 3. If not, make it so.
• Step 8 - Documentation
  List each point of fact or quoted opinion in your bibliography or source list. All sources should be credible, available and verifiable. Expect that your professor will take the time to confirm that the sources you've cited and match the facts you're stating.
• Step 9 - Proofreading
  Get your red pen out and start looking for grammatical anomalies and misspellings. Use spelling and grammar checking features in your word processor to catch mistakes your weary eyes may miss.