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How to Write a Good Essay

An Overview

It is my ambition to say in ten sentences what others say in a whole book. - Friedrich Nietzsche

What is An Essay?

An essay is a focused, descriptive and analytical write up on any particular topic. But this is different in
format and presentation from any other kind of write up on the same topic.

An essay is a tight write up which has a certain theme at its core and the write up is marked by its
simplicity, lucidity, flow and orderliness.

It should generally avoid terse and unwieldy expressions, unnecessary exposition and excessive facts,
especially numbers.

An essay is a write up that evolves from childhood to youth and thereafter to maturity.

An essay should generally reflect the perceptions, understanding, and stance/take of the writer, which may
be supported by facts, quotes and findings of similar kinds.

What An Essay Should not be...

It should not be a mere compilation of information or facts.

It should not be a long note.

It should not be a brief note.

It should not be a theoretical exposition.

It should not be a conglomeration of great ideas by great people.

What Constitutes a Good Essay?

A good essay should have three distinct parts

Introduction

Description

Conclusion

A good essay should be close to its subject or theme throughout the write up.

A Good Essay Should Reflect...

Understanding of the writer

Thoroughness of the writer

Analytical capacity of the writer

Research and analytical capability of the writer

Reading habits of the writer

Notes

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Essay Needs a Good Command Over Communication Abilities, viz...

Articulation

Effective expression

Logic, flow and rhythm

Right grammar

Style

Brief for Practicing Essay Writing - Pre Exam Hall Approach

How to write a good Essay can be viewed sequentially, as if going through ten sequential steps in an essay
writing process.
1.

Research: Begin the essay writing process by researching your topic, making yourself an expert. Assuming
you've been given a topic, or have narrowed it sufficiently down, your first task is to research this topic.
You will not be able to write intelligently if you don't have any knowledge about the topic. To discover
worthwhile insights, you'll have to do some patient reading and information gathering. Though IAS
aspirants are hard pressed of time but don't forget it is of 250 marks and highly neglected. It can be done
through integration of your daily newspaper reading and through preparation of GS also. But you need
some different strategy to do so.

2.

Analysis: Now that you have a good knowledge base, start analyzing the arguments of the essays/articles
you're reading. Clearly define the claims, write out the reasons, the evidence, etc. Look for weaknesses
of logic, and also strengths. Learning how to write an essay begins by learning how to analyze essays
written by others.

3.

Brainstorming: Your essay will require insight of your own. Ask yourself a dozen questions and answer
them. Meditate with a pen in your hand. Think and think until you come up with original insights to write
about.

4.

Thesis: Pick your best idea and pen it down in a clear assertion that you can write your entire essay
around. Your thesis is your main point, summed up in a concise sentences that let the reader know where
you're going, and why. It's practically impossible to write a good essay without a clear thesis.

5.

Outline: Sketch out your essay before straight away writing it out. Use one-line sentences to describe
paragraphs, and bullet points to describe what each paragraph will contain. Plan the essay's order. Map
out the structure of your argument, and make sure each paragraph is unified.

6.

Introduction: Now sit down and write the essay. The introduction should grab the reader's attention, set
up the issue, and lead in to your thesis. Your intro is merely a buildup of the issue, a stage of bringing
your reader into the essay's argument. (Note: The title and first paragraph are probably the most important
elements in your essay. This is an essay-writing point that doesn't always sink in within the context of
the classroom. In the first paragraph you either hook the reader's interest or lose it.)

7.

Paragraphs: Each individual paragraph should be focused on a single idea that supports your thesis.

Notes

Begin paragraphs with topic sentences, support assertions with evidence, and expound your ideas in the
clearest, most sensible way you can. Speak to your reader as if he or she were sitting in front of you.
In other words, instead of writing the essay, try to talk through essay.

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8.

Conclusion: Gracefully exit your essay by making a quick wrap-up sentence, and then end on some
memorable thought, perhaps a quotation, or an interesting twist of logic, or some call to action. Is there
something you want the reader to walk away and do? Let him or her know exactly that.

9.

Style: Format your essay according to the correct guidelines for citation. All borrowed ideas and quotations
should be correctly cited in the body of your text, followed up with a Works Cited (references) page
listing the details of your sources.

10. Language: You're not done writing your essay until you've polished your language by correcting the
grammar, making sentences flow, incorporating rhythm, emphasis, adjusting the formality, giving it a levelheaded tone, and making other intuitive edits. Proof read until it reads just how you want it to sound.
Writing an essay can be tedious, but you don't want to bungle the hours of conceptual work you've put
into writing your essay by leaving a few slippy misspellings and poorly worded phrases.

Steps to be Followed During Examination

We must keep in mind that an essay written in the examination hall is developed on the spot within a given
time period, is something different from an essay written leisurely and with mature deliberation for a publication
or for a prize competition.
A Candidate writing an essay for Civil service examinations should keep in mind that he has to satisfy the
examiner regarding to 3 things
1.

He has good ideas on given subject/chosen field.

2.

He can arrange his ideas systematically.

3.

He can express, and analyze his opinion correctly using good language.

Required steps to create a rough sketch before actual writing

1.

Selection of suitable topic

2.

Make an outline of your ideas

3.

Write introduction points

4.

Write main points of the body

5.

Brief sketch about view, history, facts, illustrations, examples, etc.

6.

Idea about critical discussions, pro and opposite views

7.

Drawing a conclusion that clearly expresses your opinion and always end with a futuristic note. Selection
of topic is the key for scoring in essay. Around 15 to 20 minutes can be spent on choosing best topic.
We also needs to be sure about the flow of thought, rich facts and figures, history, analytical expression
and all to be collectively rated high in the selected topic. It impacts your marks. Out of six topics consider
each one independently in-depth in accordance with your knowledge and presentation skills not in birdeye-view manner.

Patience and perseverance must be maintained while selecting a topic and make it sure about excellence to
present cogently.

Notes

Next step is outlining the selected topic by putting ideas in a separate page, in organized form by writing sub
topics and important points to be covered in the essay. For this one can make use of flow chart model or line

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chart or tabulation. Grouping of thoughts must be in a way to categorize the sub headings while writing the
detailed essay. We can use 15 to 20 minutes for this task.
Then start with the introduction which can be a dialogue, quotation or anecdotes, that summarizes complete
idea to the reader about the essay. A dialogue could be simply the pertinent fact that explicitly illustrates the
point you are planning to make. An anecdote is story that illustrate the point. Be sure that your anecdote is
short, precise and relevant to the topic.

Three Problems that Candidates Face While Writing An Essay

1.

Ideas

2.

Coherent arrangement

3.

Expression

Ideas
About the subject is nothing, but the knowledge that needs to be looked in different perspective, whether
social, economic, political, religious, cultural, literary, national, or environmental. Candidate should think on
different questions
-

What is definition/scope/history of the topic?

What can be said on particular subject from various perspectives?

What are positives/negatives?

Answers for different questions/dimensions

Your thought for critical appraisal

Arrangement
Arrangement of an essay means the contents with a definite structure to be framed. The structure must be
exposed indirectly through the flow of writing with interlinking of sub topics and paragraphs explaining the
scope, meaning, description and discussion.
Illustration and quotations known can be presented lively and aptly to increase the richness of the content. It
is like the flavour added to the dishes to attract the reader to be perfectly relevant to the topic/argument. If
the Quotations exceed unnecessarily, it will disturb the quality of presentation.
Interlinking of thoughts, comparison and contrasting view points can be expressed only with the special
reference to the application of thoughts.
Expression
Opinions and arguments with strong self explanatory sentences will reflect the candidates' solid and clear
understanding of the subjects.

Notes

Now you need to give the powerful and logical conclusion which is the consequence of every thing discussed
earlier. Conclusion brings the reader closure or summing up of points and also gives final perspective. It should
not be rhetoric outburst. It must be balanced and free from prejudice. Mind it, give proper space to the
conclusion. Don't sum up in haste.

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Dos and Don'ts for that 'Killer' 3 Hrs

Read the title, understand the meaning and scope.

Thinking and comprehensive planning before starting.

Effective, brief and strong words consist of good thoughts makes your essay best.

Avoid vague generalization, slang's and colloquialism.

Don't try to present whatever you know on the subject.

In controversial topic discuss pros and cons dispassionately and give effective conclusion.

Length of essay is not fixed. But don't be exhaustive.

Never forget to read and revise the essay written before submission to examiner.

Notes