Guide to Writing a College Paper. Become a Better Writer With Our Tips

The Ultimate Guide to Writing a College Paper

You may think I am a dull fish, but actually, I am proud of my writing skills that help me generate at least two excellent college essays per week. Now I am studying at Oxford, and writing perfect essays contributes to my academic success. If you want to find out how to write a college essay that goes beyond your professor’s expectations, read my guide carefully.

In order to write a good college paper, we recommend you to read the following guide. It will help you understand the whole process from the beginning till the end.

Step 1:

• Preparation

  Considering that college essay writing is not an easy task to do, it is recommended to start preparation for it beforehand. The most important thing in writing a paper is to understand what you have to write. Having a clear picture of work you are going to do is the first step to success. For this reason, you will have to find out about specific requirements of your college to writing a specific paper type (essay, term paper, etc.).

  Such approach will help you avoid unnecessary work and concentrate on the most important issues.

• Start Your Work in Advance

  If you want to write a good paper, you will need to spend some time doing it. The further steps will prove that paper writing consists not from writing only but also includes many other activities, which may be time-consuming.

  It is recommended to start working on the essay you are assigned with right after you get the task. Otherwise, you may find yourself in a situation when the deadline is approaching and you have not done anything. In such case, you may either fail your assignment or write a low-quality paper, which will negatively influence your academic reputation.

Step 2:

• Brainstorming

  If you are free to choose your own topic for an essay, you should not think about something very specific at once. It is recommended to brainstorm all possible ideas and topics that are interesting to you and you think you are good in. After that, you may start choosing the most appropriate one.

  Do not try to choose the topic that may be appealing to your professor. Think about a topic that is interesting to you. Otherwise, you may end up writing a paper on a topic you have no idea about, which, most probably, will not end up well. At the same time, do not try to write an essay on some common topic everyone knows about. It will make your paper boring. Reflect on whether there is enough information on a topic you want to choose and whether the topic is exciting enough for you and for the audience to get them interested in it.

Step 3

• Choose One Topic
  After brainstorming is done, you can have a look on what you have and think which of the topics will help you make a strong essay. Think about the approaches you can take to express your ideas to the highest extent.
• Things to Consider while Choosing a Topic
  It is hard to say what topic will help you write a superb essay. Nevertheless, regardless of the topic you choose, you have to make sure that your essay is focused, supported by evidences, and provides detailed description of the key aspects.

Step 4

• Choose Your Writing Style
  Now when you have a topic, you should think about your writing style and approach you are going to take towards your essay. Think about the structure of your paper before you start writing. Examples of essays online can help you get an idea how to make it better.

Step 5

• Draft Writing
  If you want to avoid problems with your assignment, always start with a draft. It is a stage, where you do not have to make much effort. Just write all you have sticking to the suggested outline. You do not even have to write step-by-step. Start from section you find easier and then move forward to more difficult parts.

Step 6

• Write a Final Version
  After draft is done read it through to see what parts need improvement, what can be changed or what can be deleted. After you make final corrections, start writing the final version.

Step 7

• Editing
  Editing is an important step, which will help you avoid small mistakes, misprints, etc. It is like polishing your paper and making it look great. Read your paper a couple of times to make sure you have not missed anything. You may also ask someone to proofread it for you.

Essential Essays Writing Tips

• Choose your essay question. If your assignment does not allow you to choose research paper topics, just skip this paragraph. If you are given a list of topics, do not hurry to pick up the easiest. Choose research paper topics that are interesting for you to investigate and write about even if they seem complex.
• Make a schedule. Start writing your essay beforehand. For example, if you have 5 days before submission of your 6 pages paper, plan to complete 2 pages per day. Allow 1 day for the research and 1 day for editing.
• Find the sources. This step is essential especially if you are not familiar with your topic. The evidence found in sources will serve as the best back up for the ideas presented in the essay. Search for reputable and up-to-date sources only.
• Read and take notes. Study your sources thoroughly and make sure you understand all the information. Then jot down the ideas you may want to use in your paper mentioning the source.
• Create an outline and a draft. Make sure your outline has a thesis statement and at least 3 points that explain your thesis. Compose your first draft by writing catchy introduction with your thesis statement in the end. Next, write the essay body by developing 3 points into 3 separate paragraphs. Write down a conclusion that will summarize your ideas.
• Edit your essay. Take a break after writing the draft so that you can have a fresh look at it the next day. Reread your essay carefully and correct logical fallacies, grammar, and spelling.

Congratulations! You are done with your first perfect essay and can give your fellow students a piece of advice on how to write a college essay that deserves A+.