It's two in the morning, the night before the day you need to submit a short essay for a year-end course or test. Unfortunately, you have no idea what a short essay is, let alone write one. Don't worry, wikiHow is here to help! A short essay or short article is a type of paper that takes ideas and information from different sources and merges them into one coherent work. Writing a short essay requires being able to metabolize information and present it in an organized way. While this skill is developed in high school and college, it is also found in the world of business and advertising. Scroll down to Step 1 to start learning how to write one.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Examine the Topic
Step 1. Understand the concept behind a short essay
The purpose of a short essay is to create reasoned connections between different parts of one or more works, in order to present and support one's own thesis on the subject. In other words, when researching a particular topic, you will need to look for links that you can use to provide a solid point of view on the topic. The different types of short essays can be divided as follows:
- Argumentative Essay: This type of essay contains a strong thesis that presents the writer's point of view. Organize relevant information gleaned from logically conducted research in order to support a thesis. White papers, known as official memoirs, adopt this format. This is the type of essay that students will write for an end-of-year exam.
- Critique: Often written as a preliminary essay to an argumentative one, a critique is a discussion conducted on something that has been previously written, accompanied by a critical analysis of the sources covered. His contention is that often much more research needs to be done in that area or that that topic has not been adequately addressed. This is a type of essay that is very common in medical and social studies courses.
- Explanatory / Introductory Essay: This type of essay helps readers understand a topic by categorizing facts and presenting them to broaden the reader's skills. It does not support a particular point of view and if there is a thesis, it is usually very light. Some white papers adopt this format, although they are more likely to contain a point of view, albeit an implicit one.
Step 2. Choose a topic suitable for your short essay
It should be large enough for you to collect multiple sources, but not too large for you to collect sources that are too distant from each other. If you have carte blanche on the subject, some preliminary reading may help you decide what to write about. However, if you are writing for a course, your topic may have been assigned to you or you may need to choose from a list.
Example of a broad topic restricted to a short essay whose topic is reasonable. Instead of writing about Social Media, a huge topic, you could write about your point of view on the effects that texting has had on the Italian language
Step 3. Choose and read your sources carefully
If you are taking a year-end exam, the sources will be provided to you. Usually, you will need to choose at least three sources for your essay and, depending on the time available for research and writing, possibly a few more. Look for material within your sources that aligns with the reason you are writing the essay, i.e. the topic.
Step 4. Develop your thesis
Once you have read the sources available to you or have finished conducting your own research, you will need to find your own opinion on the subject. Your thesis will be the main idea presented in your essay. It should encompass the topic and provide your point of view. It should be provided in the form of a complete sentence. Depending on your essay, your thesis can be either the opening sentence of your essay or the last of the first paragraph.
Example. The messages have had a positive impact on the Italian language, as they have helped the last generations to create their own personal form of communication
Step 5. Read your sources again looking for elements with which to support your thesis
Review your sources and choose key quotes, statistics, ideas and facts to support your thesis. As soon as you find them, write them down. You will need it when writing your essay.
- If you are planning to go against those who have an idea different from yours and criticize their positions, you should also find quotes that are against you and find a way to refute them.
- Example. Regarding the thesis suggested above, some excellent sources would be quotations from linguists discussing the development of new words starting from messages, statistics showing how the Italian language has evolved in each generation and facts showing how students are still able to write correctly (facts that your rival will bring to support his thesis that text messages have had a negative effect on the Italian language).
Part 2 of 4: Making an Essay Outline
Step 1. Outline the structure of your essay
You can sketch a real pattern or plan it in your head, but you will need to decide how best to structure your material to get the best effect. If you are writing this essay for an end-of-year exam, know that whoever evaluates it will want a specific structure. The structure is as follows:
- An introductory paragraph: 1. An introductory sentence that acts as an opening and captures the reader's attention. 2. Identification of the topic you will cover. 3. Your thesis.
- The body of the text: 1. A sentence that gives the reasons why you support your thesis. 2. Your explanation and opinion on the opening sentence. 3. Support from sources that back up your claims. 4. Explanation of the relevance of the chosen sources.
- Concluding paragraph: further reiterate the importance of your topic starting from the sources and motivations you provided in the course of the essay. 2. A thoughtful and reasoned closure to your essay.
Step 2. Use a more creative structure to present your thesis
If you are not writing an argumentative essay for a final exam, you should adopt a more elaborate structure than the one described above. You can use one or more of the approaches described below to develop your essay:
- Examples / illustrations: This could be a detailed report, summary or quote from the material that provides the most support to your thesis. You may want to use more than one example or illustration if your paper requires. However, you should not make your essay a list of examples at the expense of supporting your thesis.
- Topic of the straw man. With this technique, you present a thesis opposite to yours and then show weaknesses and flaws. This technique shows your awareness of the opposite theses to yours and your readiness to respond. You could present the opposite thesis immediately after yours, followed by the evidence that refutes it, and close with an argument in favor of your thesis.
- Concession. Essays with concessions are similar to those who adopt the straw man argument technique, but on the contrary they recognize the validity of the opposite thesis, showing however that their own is a stronger thesis. This structure is useful for presenting a document to those readers who are against your position.
- Comparisons and contrasts. This structure compares points in common and points of contrast between two subjects or sources to show the implications of both. Such a structure requires a careful reading of your sources to find all the points in common and in contrast, major and minor. This type of essay can present its points source by source or by points in common or in contrast.
Step 3. Create an outline for a short introductory or critical essay
While most short essays are entirely focused on stating and supporting a thesis, introductory and critical essays explore ideas found in sources rather than focusing on an author's point of view. There are two ways to structure such an essay:
- Summary: This structure presents a summary of each of your sources, creating a progressively stronger argument for your thesis. This essay provides specific evidence to support your point of view, but usually avoids presenting your own opinion. It is usually mostly used in introductory and critical essays.
- List of reasons. This is a series of sub-paragraphs starting with the main point of your paper as stated in your thesis. Each motivation is supported by proof. As well as the summary, these reasons should be progressively more important and the latter should be the most important.
Part 3 of 4: Write your own essay
Step 1. Write the first draft following your outline
Be prepared to deviate a little from your pattern, however, in case you have new ideas and find new information in the sources to support your thesis. If you're writing your essay for a final exam, you won't have much time to write more than a bad copy, so make sure it's the best.
Your essay should contain an introductory paragraph that includes a thesis, a body of text presenting the evidence in favor of your thesis, and a conclusion that summarizes your point of view
Step 2. Write in the third person
Writing in the third person involves using third person pronouns in order to create complete and clear sentences. Present enough information to lend credibility to your thesis subject. You should use the active form as many times as possible, although the passive form is suitable in circumstances where you would otherwise be forced to use the first and second person.
Step 3. Use transient steps between paragraphs to make the text flow logically
The transition steps are a great way to show where your sources support each other: "Hallstrom's theory of pricing is supported by Pennington's essay" Cliffhanger Economics ", where the following points are reiterated:".
Quotes three or more lines long should be indented from the margin in order to draw attention to them
Part 4 of 4: Finishing the Essay
Step 1. Correct your essay
This is the time to work on your strengths and to improve the transient pasts between paragraphs and between points. You should try to make your essay as clear and concise as possible. Reading your essay aloud may help you as it is easier to notice inconsistencies or convoluted sentences.
Ask someone to check your essay. The saying "Two heads are better than one" turns out to be correct. Ask a friend or colleague to take a look at your essay. What would they add or remove from your essay? And more importantly: does your work make sense and is it properly supported by your sources?
Step 2. Check your essay
You should reread your entire essay and look for grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors. Are there errors in spelling all proper names? Are there any sentences that are too long or fragmented? Correct them when you meet them.
Step 3. Cite your sources
For many of the essays, this means citing your sources in the footnotes and a bibliography of the works cited at the end. Footnotes and in-text citations should be for each material quoted or paraphrased. If you are writing this essay for an end-of-year exam, you will not have to use a particular method for citations but you will only have to specify which source you used once you cite the material.
- Example of a quote in an essay for an end-of-year exam: McPherson states that "texting has changed the Italian language in a positive way - it has provided new generations with a unique way to communicate" (Source E).
- In college essays, it is very likely that you will need to use the MLA format. Whatever the format, be consistent in its use. You may also be prompted to use the APA or Chicago format.
Step 4. Title your essay
Your title should reflect the point of view of your thesis and support your motivation. Choosing the title in the end ensures that it aligns with your essay and not the other way around.
