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Skill Building Tools
Essays are a big part of getting through school. Here are some easy steps to take to help make writing papers more bearable.
  • Pick a topic. If a topic has been assigned, make sure it’s narrow enough to write a good paper—especially if it’s an analysis of that topic. If you get to choose the topic, pick something that interests you. Determine if the topic you picked is right for the paper’s objectives and is interesting enough to write about and have other people read.
  • Write out the objective and make an outline for the entire paper. An outline will help you keep organized as you write your paper—though it may change as you go.
  • Write your thesis statement. Make sure it clearly states the point you’re trying to make. Include the topic and the point of the essay in the thesis statement.
  • Write the body of the essay. First write your main points. Then, support each of those points with supporting points. Next, expand on those points. Be sure to include transitions between points.
  • Write the introductory paragraph. Make sure it’s attention-grabbing, with interesting information, a quick story or something else that would be intriguing to the reader. The last sentence of your introductory paragraph should be your thesis statement.
  • Write your conclusion. Your conclusion should sum up all your points, leaving the reader with a good understanding of your final and overall point.
  • Review your final paper. Reread it to make sure it flows well, makes sense and makes your point. Then go back and check for grammar and spelling errors.
  • Make your final paper look good. Content is most important, but if your paper is hard to read because of poor ink, illegibility or anything else that may hinder it visually, then your reader will have a hard time getting through it. Or worse, he/she may not read it at all.
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Printable version
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