As you get closer to the essay writing, let’s get familiar with a definition of an essay first. An essay is a short composition based on a particular subject or theme, usually done by students as a part of the workload at school or university. It may be written to:

• Describe (a particular topic or situation)
• Persuade (convince a reader to adopt a certain point of view)
• Inform (to present information that your readers don’t know)
• Explain (to explain a certain process or situation, for example how to bake a cake)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Deciding On Topic
• Carrying Out A Research
• Coming Up With A Thesis
• Outline
• Writing A Rough Draft
• Polishing Up

Now, let’s learn how to write a great essay. Your paper needs fresh ideas and insight. Firstly begin by brainstorming and picking an interesting topic.

Essays follow a structure and a citation format to help you fully develop your topic. In this article, we will learn how to write an essay by following these steps:

• Decide On Topic (If it wasn’t assigned)
• Do Some Research
• Come Up With A Thesis
• Create An Outline
  • Introduction
  • Body
  • Conclusion
• Write A Rough Draft
• Write The Final Draft
• Polish It Up

Deciding On Topic

Before writing an essay, you must make sure to choose a suitable topic; this is important because it will set the tone of the whole paper. Selecting a proper topic can also make the difference between an interesting essay and a dull one. Consider these things before choosing a topic for your paper.

• Make sure to have access to all the materials you may need before writing a paper.
• If allowed, choose a topic that is familiar to you. It will be easy and interesting for you to write about a theme in which you are well versed.
• Define The Purpose: What is the purpose of your essay? Are you trying to inform the audience of something interesting or persuade them to agree with your opinion? Even if your goal is just to tell a story, have a clear understanding of the purpose of the writing. This ensures that the audience will understand you properly and that you waste both time and effort.
• Subject Depth: At what point on the spectrum of depth do you plan on reaching? How broad or narrow do you want to go in your discussion? The best option is to find the golden middle. Make sure that your subject is not too deep so only you can understand what you are talking about. Then, check that it is not too broad/narrow, to make sure that you will be able to find enough information.

Typical mistakes when choosing an essay topic:

1. Choosing a boring topic because it is easy to write about. Writing about a boring topic will lead to a boring paper on the outcome.
2. Choosing a broad topic, for example, “computer games” and not narrowing it down to something more specific like “computer games violence and kids.”
3. A desire to look smart by choosing hard and strange topics.
4. Creating an inappropriate title that doesn’t match the content. Remember, a good essay title can make your paper stand out.

The best place to start researching information for an essay is the Internet. Use the most popular search engines like Google and Yahoo to conduct simple research. An Essay writer will use online databases such as InfoTrac, LexisNexis, Google Scholar, etc. Primary sources such as Academic Journals, Encyclopedias, might be very useful in your research. Do not forget about the libraries; you may find a lot of trustworthy materials for researching.

Tip: Stay away from sources in which information may be edited by multiple users, or check the reliability one more time.

Coming Up With A Thesis

A thesis statement is a short one-sentence statement that appears at the end of the first paragraph and sums up the main point or idea of an essay. It should be specific and based only on what you are going to discuss in your writing, and then it should be supported by some evidence.

Good thesis statement examples:

• Due to the deception that lies in appearances, more often than not, people find themselves influenced by just what they see.
• The constitution provides everyone with a right to life; however, there are some limitations regarding this providence in the law.

After reading these examples, you can understand what the rest of the paper is about, and they probably make you want to read the rest of the story.

Essay Outline

Writing a thesis is only the beginning. Now it’s time to put your ideas in order using an essay outline.
Outlines help you see the logical steps of development in your essay. Use it to list ideas, main arguments, and supporting sources. It’s crucial to make an outline for essay writing, as it will guide your pen and keep you on track.

Introduction

First impressions always count. The essay introduction is your chance to grasp the reader and convince them to read the rest of the paper.
Every introduction must:

• Grab the reader’s attention;
• Provide background information on the topic;
• Reveal the main argument or thesis statement.

The attention grabber is often referred to as a hook. Hooks can be anecdotal or informative, depending on the circumstance and the audience. A strong hook will make the audience want to read more.

Good attention grabber: The point where my life changed was when I lost my elder brother in drastic suicide almost 14 years ago at his home.

Background information gives the reader context and allows them understand the writer’s point of view fully.
The thesis statement is the primary argument or focus of the essay.
We have a separate article dedicated to crafting unforgettable openers – with essay introduction examples. Be sure to check it out!

Essay Body Paragraphs

This is the part of an essay in which you need to explain and develop main ideas of your topic. It comes after an introduction and before the conclusion. Usually, this is the longest part of the paper. Start each paragraph with a topic sentence, then write down a supporting point for that idea and end up with writing an elaboration (it can be a description, explanation or example).

The structure of the body paragraphs should look like this:

• A clear topic sentence;
• Specific evidence or supporting detail;
• Transitions between sentences and paragraphs;
• A concluding sentence that will tie the evidence or details back to the main point and brings the paragraph to the logic end.

Conclusion

This brings us to the final part: the essay conclusion.
Here you summarize the paper briefly, remind of your thesis, and leave the reader with some final thoughts. Here’s what to include in your conclusion:

• Mirror your introduction by speaking about specifics, and ending with a general statement;
• Rephrase your thesis; it will have more meaning after the reader has read your essay;
• Remind the reader why your arguments are important;
• Don’t bring new ideas to the conclusion;
• End with a final impression, call to action, or general statement.

Here is an example of an essay outline:

• Introduction Paragraph:
  • Hook statement;
  • A preview of the subtopics you will discuss in the body;
  • A thesis statement;
• Body Paragraphs:
  • Topic sentence (must state the first subtopic and be opened with a transition);
  • Claim (piece of argument that will be defended);
  • Evidence (Information to support claim);
  • An explanation (Describes how the evidence defends the claim);
  • Concluding sentence;
• Concluding Paragraph:
  • Restatement of the thesis statement;
  • Rephrasing main subtopics;
  • Concluding statement.

Writing A Rough Draft

The purpose of writing a rough draft is simple. No one can write an essay without mistakes from the first try. After you have written a rough draft, read it one more time and follow this advice:

• Check the clarity of your writing and if necessary remove all worthless parts of content.
• Check it for grammar mistakes.
• Check the flow of your writing and if necessary add transition between paragraphs.
• Make sure that your paper is based on the topic that you have chosen previously.

Polishing Up

To ensure that your paper makes logical sense, the first thing you need to do is check that your essay was written according to the topic. Then, check your paper for the grammar and other types of mistakes like punctuation, spelling, etc.Another great way to get rid of mistakes is to run your paper through a spell or grammar checker like Grammarly.

Make sure to include transitions between paragraphs, so your writing flows smoothly instead of just jumping from one idea to another.

As you have finished all the process, read your paper one last time to be completely sure that you don’t need to make any corrections. Check the requirements so you could meet the deadline. Finally, your essay is done and you are ready to submit it and get your A+!

10 Most Common Types of Essays

• 5-Paragraph Essay: Essay written in the classic five-paragraph style. Can be used for persuasive, expository or narrative texts!
• Persuasive Essay: Essay aimed to persuade the audience about a certain topic or idea!
• Cause-and-Effect Essay: Essay in which a situation is presented and followed up with an in-depth analysis of the results!
• Compare-and-Contrast Essay: Essay that requires a critical analysis of the similarities and differences between 2 things.
• Creative Writing Essay: A type of writing in which the author chooses his own topic and style to put together a cool story!
• Narrative Essay: Similar to creative writing in the sense that the writer is creating a story, however, they are following a specific set of formatting instructions in this case.
• Expository Essay: An essay aimed to educated a reader or audience about a certain topic or idea. This does not include persuasions or opinions.
• Process Essay: A type of essay in which the “How” is explained; It usually follows a step-by-step structure!
• Descriptive Essay: An essay that gives a full overview of a certain topic or thing. Includes a full explanation of each of the five senses!
• Analytical Essay: A type of essay that requires a full analysis of a topic or idea. Critical thinking and implementation of personal inferences are required.

THE BEST ESSAY TOPICS & IDEAS

One of the hardest steps to complete when you start writing an essay is figuring out what topic you will be writing about (unless it’s preassigned). Commonly, students are tempted to write about something they have great passion towards or are genuinely interested in. Though there is never a correct answer about choosing the best topic, there are filters to use when brainstorming ideas. After having plenty of writing experience, it becomes apparent that certain topics fit better with specific categories than others; this means that your point of discussion should be chosen only AFTER knowing the type of essay you have to create.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• College Essay Topics
• Essay Topics By Category
  • Cause and Effect Essay Topics
  • Argumentative Essay Topics
  • Narrative Essay Topics
  • Research Essay Topics
  • Informative Essay Topics
  • Expository Essay Topics
  • Definition Essay Topics
  • Descriptive Essay Topics
  • Process Essay Topics
  • Personal Essay Topics
• Persuasive Essay Topics

TABLE OF CONTENTS

College Essay Topics

Writing a good college admission essay is crucial to increasing one’s chances of being accepted to a first-choice university! This type of essay requires a student to express themselves in a way that portrays their character. Alongside that, colleges want to know what makes each applicant unique, so it is important to present some of your best or most intriguing traits. With these objectives in mind, here are five college essay topics that will help guide you towards that acceptance letter!

1. Talk about a trait that makes you unique? Did it come from nature or was sculpted from hours of practice?
2. What one accomplishment are you most proud of? Why specifically that one?
3. Describe something you are deeply passionate about. How was that fire ignited and how did it grow?
4. What challenge or setback brought forth a period of large growth? Describe the experience and the lessons you took from it.
5. Talk about a long-term goal you have set. Why did you set it and how do you plan on fulfilling it?

Essay Topics By Category

As stated earlier, the topic of choice for your essay depends entirely on the style of essay you write. That being said, there are various essay styles that every student should know, and they can be broken down into four main groups.

Persuasive Writing (Group 1) – This essay type asks the writer to pick and defend a point of view on a certain position. Argumentative, research and persuasive essays fit into this category.

Expository Writing (Group 2) – This group is all about presenting facts and informing the reader on some topic or idea. Cause & Effect, Research, Informative and Expository essays fit into this category.

Descriptive Writing (Group 3) – This style asks the author to unleash their inner artist by lively vocabulary and coherent idea flow to explain an idea, describe a concept, etc. Definition and Descriptive essays fit into this category.

Narrative Writing (Group 4) – This less common but still certainly present style requires the author to tell a story or explain a process (something with a chronological order.) Narrative, Process, and Personal essays are seen into this category

Here are some good essay topics for the most common style varieties:

Cause and Effect Essay Topics

1. Do adult-rated video games provoke violence in society?
2. What effect does social media have on an individual’s interpersonal skills?
3. Does isolationism gateway certain people towards drug-addiction?
4. What are the main causes and effects of global warming?
5. Does learning a new language improve overall cognitive ability?
6. Explain the effect of junk food on the immune system.
7. How does advertising promote stereotypical images of men or women in the media?
8. What are the causes and effects of bullying in high school?
9. Why do teens start smoking early and how does it affect their health?
10. Explain the causes and effects of Prohibition in the United States.
11. Explore the causes and effects of Christianity in history: how it was born and how it changed the world.

Good Argumentative Essay Topics

1. Should the death penalty be abolished nationwide?
2. Would the legalization of marijuana help or hinder societies productivity?
3. Has society become too dependent on technology?
4. Is it economically intelligent to lease a vehicle, rather than just buy it?
5. Should production and distribution of tobacco be illegal?
6. Argue or defend: Disney has ruined Star Wars by targeting kids instead of longtime fans.
7. Obsessing over celebrity role models has a negative impact on a teenager’s self-esteem.
8. Rock music promotes violence and glorifies drugs even if the music itself has a positive message.
9. Agree or disagree: in the case of rap music it is vital not to separate the artist from the art.
10. Subscribing to PewDiePie is crucial for YouTube and the internet because it’s about empowering the individual rather than a money-hungry corporation.
11. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley is prophetic and visionary, while Orwell’s 1984 is a dystopian fantasy.

Narrative Essay Topics

1. Talk about an adventure of a lifetime.
2. Describe a scene in which you became a champion.
3. Create and develop a story that illuminates the importance of honesty.
4. Describe a scenario in which the pen acts with more might than the sword.
5. Build a tale that shows the innocence of luck and its effect on people.
6. Describe a room in which you lived. Pick several objects and describe their importance in your life.
7. Create an alternative scenario of World War II where Hitler won.
8. Tell a real story from your childhood which perfectly describes your character.
9. Create an alter ego of yourself and put this character in an extremely challenging situation.
10. Tell the story of when you stumbled into a parallel universe and gained a superpower.
11. Tell a story about bravery.

Research Essay Topics

1. Do college graduates deserve to make more money than non-grads?
2. In what ways can technology hinder society?
3. Should medical care become more affordable?
4. Should college education be paid for by the government, in return for higher taxes?
5. What long lasting effect does depression leave on our bodies?
6. What causes certain people to choose violence over communication?
7. How are monkeys different from other animals and similar to humans?
8. How does a bacteria or virus infect the human body?
9. Explore a typical day of an Amish person. How do they live without technology?
10. Explain how modern technology can be used to build a base on the moon.
11. Show how asteroid mining can improve the global economy and halt global warming.

Informative Essay Topics

1. Should laws for illegal immigrants be more or less strict?
2. What steps can we as a society take to minimize the effects of racism?
3. What is the best way to handle the music censorship situation?
4. Will cryptocurrency become an essential component of the world’s economy?
5. Why do we procrastinate? What steps can we take so as to get out of our own way?
6. Pick a musical instrument and explain how it works.
7. Explain how a wristwatch is made.
8. Explain how communism functions in China.
9. What is the current role of a monarch in the United Kingdom?
10. Inform the reader on ways they could increase their productivity.
11. Explain the historical significance of the trial of Socrates.

Expository Essay Topics

1. What can you do to save money as a student in college?
2. What are the most important things to look for when buying a new car?
3. What criteria should you use to help you decide between Apple and Microsoft?
4. What is sociology? How can we use this subject to better society?
5. What is the placebo effect? What has it told us about medicine today?
6. Discuss the pros and cons of buying a bike vs. a car in the city where you live.
7. From a perspective of psychology: why do parents have to be strict on children?
8. Explain why teenagers are genetically predisposed to rebel at a certain age.
9. The invisible magic of music: explain how music affects the brain.
10. How does a materialistic person make decisions?
11. Provide a factual analysis of why The Beatles were the most influential band in history.

Definition Essay Topics

1. What is love? How do you know if you’re in love?
2. What is bravery? What are some examples of brave acts?
3. In your opinion, what is happiness all about?
4. What makes a person in beautiful?
5. What is your definition of success?
6. How can some expectations have a positive outcome while others have a negative one?
7. What is your definition of justice?
8. Pick a famous quote and define several layers of it’s meaning.
9. Define internet freedom: is it right to censor music and memes?
10. Define communism from the perspective of Karl Marx.
11. Explore how the Soviets have misinterpreted Karl Marx’s definition of communism.

Descriptive Essay Topics

1. Describe a childhood memory that is burned into your mind.
2. Describe the scariest nightmare you have ever had.
3. Describe the culture shock of moving to a different country.
4. Describe the feeling of graduating from college.
5. Describe the scenario in which you had your first kiss.
6. Look at an abstract expressionism painting and describe its layers of meaning.
7. Pick a musical single from 2018 and vividly describe how it sounds.
8. Picture and describe a scenario where the polar ice caps have melted. How will people live?
9. Describe the ideal husband or wife.
10. Take a complicated political situation and describe it in the simplest words.
11. Describe a fictional character who is your role model.

Process Essay Topics

1. Describe the process of baking a cake.
2. Explain the process of mastering a skill.
3. What steps must a player go through so that they can properly curve a soccer ball?
4. Explain the process of learning how to code.
5. Explain the steps necessary to do well on a certain test, presentation, paper, etc.
6. Explain how the voting system in the United States works.
7. Pick an electronic device, like a computer or a TV, and explain how it’s made.
8. How does an art critic evaluate art? What is their process; what is the first thing they notice?
9. Pick a relevant country and explain in the simplest terms how the government passes a bill.
10. Process analysis of recycling: where do your plastic and glass go?
11. How do genuine Italians make their food so tasty?

Personal Essay Topics

1. What makes you unique from most people? How can you use those traits to be the best possible version of yourself?
2. Talk about a time that you overcame a fear? What was the fear and how did you beat it?
3. Explain a situation in which life pulled a switcheroo on your? How did you react?
4. What is your favorite movie? Why is that movie specifically your favorite?
5. Talk about an addiction you struggled to overcome. What made it so hard?
6. Use persuasive techniques to sell yourself to an imaginary company.
7. Show your creativity skills. Create a fake captivating story about yourself, and reveal that it’s false in the end.
8. Explain a strange ability or talent that you may have.
9. Describe your role model if you have one. It could be the future you.
10. Explain that one time you were humiliated and how it’s made you stronger.
11. Talk about how you got out of a sticky situation.

Good Persuasive Essay Topics

Although persuasive and argumentative essays may sound like the same exact thing, they do have one distinct difference. What separates persuasive essays from argumentative ones is the type of reasoning they use to defend their point of view. While argumentative essays tend to rely on logic and statistics to make their point, persuasive writing is all about convincing through emotions and morality.Having said that, both of these writing styles could discuss similar topics. The difference comes from the methodology used to make their point. Anyways, here are five good examples.

1. Is one’s sexual orientation a choice or a predetermined natural belief?
2. Should students in the USA start learning a second language at a younger age?
3. Should gun laws be more strict for young adults (Under the age of 25)?
4. Should the USA cut its military spending?
5. Are punishments for DUI’s fair? Is the sentencing too rough?
6. Persuade a non-believer that aliens exist.
7. The reason why video games are good for brain development in teens.
8. The N-word has changed its meaning and should no longer be considered a racial slur.
9. Minors under the age of fifteen should not have access to social media.
10. Provide a reasonable explanation of why it’s necessary to test medicine on animals.
11. Persuade the government that they should entirely focus on preventing climate change.

HOW TO TITLE AN ESSAY, COMPLETE GUIDE

The Do’s and don’ts to titling your academic paper. What are the most eye-catching ideas that make the target audience WANT to start reading your paper? The goal of this article is to explain how to title an essay, research paper, article, and even a book.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Importance Of a Good Title
• A Guide to Choosing the Right Topic
• Take The Style of Your Paper Into Account
• Keep It Short and Simple
• Use Only Relevant Words
• Bad and Good Samples
• Top Essay Title Ideas

How to Choose a Good Title for an Essay and Why Is It Important?

A title can make or break an essay paper. A boring headline does not catch anyone’s attention. Your headline should engage your teacher or reader and incentivize them to read the rest of the paper. Without reading the entire work, the tutor will not grade it objectively. Having a catchy attention grabber is crucial when writing an essay as it is the primary thing that readers notice.

Naming an essay is different from titling a research paper. This type of academic assignment focuses more on attracting attention and impressing the reader. A research paper is about supporting a particular claim or finding solutions to the existing problem.
Each student should know how to choose a good title for an essay. Brainstorming is what comes first. When brainstorming, keep in mind your goal is to get the “Oh my god, I want to read the whole story” reaction. After reading a title, the reader should understand what the story will tell. The title is a concise summary of the main topic.
Before starting to sort out ideas in your head, learn more about features every title should have. A good headline must be:

• Attention-grabbing
• Credible
• Coherent
• Written in an active voice (in case it contains verbs)
• Concise
• Accurate

How to Come up with a Title for an Essay: Student’s Guide

It doesn’t take a sensei to compose a catchy essay title. There are a few core principles to be taken into account. The following tips will help you stay on track and avoid common pitfalls.

Essay Goes First

Never start with a title! If you write it before the rest of the text, it will be based on it, and it should be vice versa. Writing an essay before choosing a heading will give you a clear understanding of what should make sense to the reader. Re-read the finished paper several times to decide on the title.
The last thing to create is a title – such strategy will give more time to spend on crafting an essay outline, conducting research, or writing the paper itself.

Take The Style of Your Paper Into Account

What are you writing about? What is the style of your paper and is it an academic essay, or a free-form like a narrative essay? If the topic of your essay is “Do people who commit heinous crimes deserve the death penalty?” your title should not be humorous. It must be strict and to the point.
If your topic is “Why do people like watching funny cat videos?”, feel free to craft a funny heading. Determine the tone of your essay and base your title on it, considering the topic.
The tone could be:

• Serious
• Funny
• Friendly
• Strict
• Persuasive
• Informative
• Warm
• Humorous
• Melancholic
• Etc.

Keep It Short and Simple

The main goal of the title is to name a paper. There is no need to tell the whole story in the beginning or provide any useless details. Sum up your paper in a few words! Another way is to sum up the thesis statement as it represents the main idea of your essay. Take your thesis and squeeze it into 3-4 words. Imagine that you are creating a header for your favorite newspaper or a slogan for Coca-Cola.
Use Relevant Words
Do not use fancy words! Take 2-3 main words (keywords), put them together, and stop wasting your time. Avoid jargon and abbreviations.

Involve a Little Bit of SEO

Search engine optimization (SEO) is something that can make any student and young writer benefit. While working on the title, detect the quote related to the central idea of the paper. Type the certain word in the search field of Google and add the word “quote.” A search engine will show numerous web pages with the in-text quotations that could be useful. Select the fragment you like. It is possible to learn how to make a creative title for an essay this way.

Get Help Online

If you are not ready to pay for the online tools, apply a free title generator offered by one of the academic services. Keep in mind such tools are not half as effective as professional writing services like EssayPro.

Final Tips

Discover several more tips from experts!
Never forget about “What,” “Who,” “When,” “How,” “Why,” and “Where” questions (if you start with one of these questions, your title has a chance to be noticed);
Come up with an unexpected image, not related to the selected topic;
Sometimes, starting with the lie increases the chances of a header to catch an eye;
Review our catchy essay title examples.

Bad vs. Good Essay Titles

The best essay titles take a paper and sum it up in a few words. To create one, the writer must consider their stylistic decisions and the essay structure. Here are some examples from a veteran essay writer to show you what differentiates bad and good essay titles.

Bad: How Television Altered Our World.
GOOD: The Electronic Babysitter: A Social History of the Uses of Television Technology.

BAD: The Ara Pacis Augustae.
GOOD: The Modern Historical Significance of the Ara Pacis Augustae to the City of Rome.

BAD: The Most Poisonous Frog.
GOOD: A Deadly Beauty: The Evolution of Skin Coloration and Toxicity of the Poison Dart Frog.

BAD: A Brief History of Subcultures and How They Manifest Themselves in a Constantly Changing Socio-Economic Environment
GOOD: Reconsidering Counterculture in Contemporary Society

BAD: The Little Mermaid 29 Years Later: Selling a Harmful Sexist Message Through a Vivid and Attractive Image
GOOD: The Projection of Gender Stereotypes in The Little Mermaid

Bad titles fail to give the audience a sense of perspective. They are often generalized and thus incomplete. Adding key information and structure to a title will make it informative and convincing.

After exploring how to write a title for an essay, it is time to move on and review some of the examples.

30 Catchy Essay Title Examples

Argumentative Essay Titles Examples

• The importance of family ties
• Prostitution should never be legalized
• The Trojan Horse: A closer look at the event
• It is just a painting: When art matters
• The drinking age should be higher
• No point in sentencing imprisoned juveniles
• Gun ownership made legal to protect our lives
• Cameras in public places: security measure or violation of privacy?
• Why is cosmetic surgery a threat to modern teens?
• Why a physician-assisted suicide (euthanasia) is unethical?

Persuasive Essay Titles Examples

• Atheists as the most adequate religion
• When sorrow feels better than excitement
• Adventures of an introvert: It is better off alone than with other people
• A tale of love and allergies: Reasons to avoid flowers in spring
• Never judge an employee by its tattoos
• Dreamers have a right to stay in the US
• Heinous crimes deserve nothing but a death penalty
• How schools can use video games in the learning process
• It is time for the women to start wearing less-revealing clothing to curb men’s catcalling
• Hiring a candidate who smokes: pros and cons

English Essay Titles Examples

• The day I left my childhood behind
• The power of music: The way heavy metal changed my life
• Why Buffy the vampire slayer is my hero
• The appropriate age to start discussing sex
• Would children be better off alone when being paid for the grades?
• What is the true age of a personal computer?
• Which parenting styles work?
• Various dialects of English language: The bridge between different worlds
• The impact of same-sex couples on the modern world
• Instagram: A breakthrough in social media

HOW TO CREATE A WINNING ESSAY OUTLINE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• About The 5-Paragraph Essay
• Outline Template
• Template Explained
• Example

About This Type Of Essay

The 5 paragraph essay is one of the most common academic writing assignments given to students. Starting from middle school and working all the way up to college level tasks, this particular style is seen in all educational levels. The reason this type of writing is so popular has to do with its main perk: it allows the writer complete freedom when choosing between topics.

As there are many different types of essays that each contain their own sets of rules and writing styles, one will be limited when it comes down to choosing a topic for more specific types. For this reason, the 5 paragraph format is the most versatile among all essay types.

5 Paragraph Essay Outline Template

Most commonly, a student will be asked to write a 5 paragraph essay that defends a side of an argument (persuasive) or develops their own idea from an original question (analytical). Sometimes, they will be asked to tell a story (narrative essay) or write using their imagination (creative writing), but for most academic assignments, one will be asked to write about the former of the two groups.
That being said, the outline is broken down into five main sections (1 per paragraph), and each section will have between 3-5 subpoints. Each subpoint has its own objective, so to build a complete essay outline, one will need to accurately come up with 15-20 guidelines. Down below is an example of an acceptable template:

Introduction

• Hook Statement
• Background Information
• Thesis Statement

Body Paragraph 1

• Topic Sentence
• Claim
• Evidence
• Concluding Statement

Body Paragraph 2

• Topic Sentence 2
• Claim #2
• Evidence
  Concluding Statement

Body Paragraph 3

• Topic Sentence 3
• Claim #3
• Evidence
• Concluding statement

Conclusion

• Restatement of Thesis
• Summarization of Main Points
• Overall Concluding Statement

The Outline For A 5 Paragraph Essay (Template Explained)

To start any five-paragraph essay, the author should always implement an exciting hook to grab the reader’s attention from the get-go. This can be something like an interesting fact, rhetorical question or humorous idea; the main goal is to keep your reader interested! Following this step, you want to provide your reader with any necessary background information regarding your topic.

This is especially true if the majority of your information can not be classified as general knowledge. The main goal of this step is to clear up any possible confusion that your audience may have encountered. Lastly, you want to conclude your introduction by presenting a well-thought-out thesis statement that covers the main idea of your entire essay. As this is the central point of your paper, it is important to ensure that the focus of the body revolves around this statement.

After presenting your introduction, the next step is to create a topic sentence that transitions the essay from the previous point to the ongoing one. Using strong transitions words such as firstly, afterwards and moreover will keep your writing flowing smoothly. That being said, the topic sentence should reveal the supporting idea that will defend your thesis. After finishing this step, you must create a claim. In essence, this illustrates the link between your supporting idea and the thesis statement.

So, if we consider the thesis statement to be the focal point of our entire essay, then likewise, we can consider the claim to be the central piece of its respective body paragraph. After presenting a claim, you must then defend it with evidence.Facts, statistics, logic or anything else that can be used to support the claim should be presented. This will usually be between 1-3 sentences. Lastly, to finish a body paragraph, one must present a concluding statement. This sentence presents the significance of the link between the claim and thesis statement, strengthening the validity of the body paragraph accordingly.

It is important to note that each body paragraph follows the same structure; however, each should have their own unique claim as well as separate evidence to help build a well-rounded essay. Lastly, the order of argument strength does indeed matter.

This means that your best argument should come in the first paragraph, the second best in the second, and the weakest argument in the third (although you shouldn’t have weak arguments… but, you know what I mean). The reason for this has to do with reader attention span, and most likely their mind will start wandering off as they get deeper into the writing, so make sure they get the best at first!

To finish off a good 5 paragraph essay, the author has three final objectives. First of all, they must restate their thesis in a different language using conclusive phrases such as: in conclusion, to wrap things, in the end, etc. Afterwards, the next step is to summarize the claims made from each body paragraph and their significance.

Make sure to do this for all three claims. To finish the entire essay, the author should present an overall concluding statement that offers value from a real-world perspective. In other words, how can the information be taken from the writing and applied to a real-world situation? This leaves the reader with a call to action and motivation for further investigation.

5 Paragraph Essay Outline Example

Topic: Why is history and culture important to society?

Introduction

• Humans tend to repeat mistakes, whether it be personal ones or general faults of our species. Thankfully, we finally understood that war never changes, and this acceptance has brought great prosperity. (Hook)
• Introducing the importance of traditions, understanding our roots, and dialoguing the growth of the human race. (Background info)
• Remembering and embracing our past while simultaneously learning and building from it can help the human race achieve great things at an ever increasing rate!

Body Paragraph 1

• Topic sentence introducing traditions and why they hold value.
• Linking the value of our traditions and how we can build from them.
• Evidence of this done in the past (Sounds → Language) (Sticks + Stones → Rifles)
• Concluding statement about the significance of tradition.

Body Paragraph 2

• Topic sentence introducing the importance of embracing our culture.
• Showing our origins and highlighting the value of understanding ourselves
• Provide examples (Civilizations → Empires → Cities)
• Concluding statement about the value of our origins

Body Paragraph 3

• Topic sentence that exclaims the importance of dialoguing our race.
• Using our past to better our future and learning from our mistakes
• Examples (Less War, Technological Growth, Human Rights)
• Significance of the documentation

Conclusion

• By analyzing our cultural and historical past, we can build a future for a better tomorrow! (Thesis Restatement)
• Summary of traditions claim.
• Summary of the cultural claim.
• Summary of value that comes from dialoguing our race.
• If we don’t consider our past as a valuable pool from where to obtain information, then we are showcasing ourselves as an ignorant race. (Overall Concluding Statement)

LEARN THE STANDARD ESSAY FORMAT: MLA, APA, CHICAGO STYLES

Being able to write an essay is a vital part of any student’s education. However, it’s not just about listing ideas in a linear fashion. A lot of institutions will require a certain format that your paper must follow; prime examples would be one of a basic essay format like MLA, the APA and the Chicago formats.

This article will explain the differences between the MLA format, the APA format, and the Chicago format. The application of these could range from high school to college essays, and they stand as the standard of college essay formatting. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Tips
• How To Choose A Topic
• Outline
• Format & Structure
• How To Write In MLA Format
• Example
• MLA vs. APA
• How To Write In APA Format
• Chicago Style

Tips for Writing an Academic Paper

There isn’t one proper way of writing a paper, but there are solid guidelines to sustain a consistent workflow. Be it a college application essay, a research paper, informative essay, etc. There is a standard essay format that you should follow. For easier access, the following outline will be divided into steps:

Choose A Good Topic

A lot of students struggle with picking a good topic for their essays. The topic you choose should be specific enough so you can explore it in its entirety and hit your word limit if that’s a variable you worry about. With a good topic that should not be a problem. On the other hand, it should not be so broad that some resources would outweigh the information you could squeeze into one paper. Don’t be too specific or you will find that there is a shortage of information, but don’t be too broad or you will feel overwhelmed. Don’t hesitate to ask your instructor for help with your essay writing.

Start research as soon as possible

Before you even begin writing, make sure that you are acquainted with the information that you are working with. Find compelling arguments and counterpoints, trivia, facts, etc. The sky’s the limit when it comes to gathering information.

Pick out specific, compelling resources

When you feel acquainted with the subject, you should be able to have a basic conversation on the matter. Pick out resources that have been bookmarked, saved or are very informative and start extracting information. You will need all you can get to put into the citations at the end of your paper. Stash books, websites, articles and have them ready to cite. See if you can subtract or expand your scope of research.

Outline

Always have a plan. This might be the most important phase of the process. If you have a strong essay outline and you have a particular goal in mind, it’ll be easy to refer to it when you might get stuck somewhere in the middle of the paper. And since you have direct links from the research you’ve done beforehand, the progress is guaranteed to be swift. Have a list of keywords if applicable that will surely boost the informational scope. With keywords specific to the subject matter of each section, it should be much easier to identify its direction and possible informational criteria.

Draft

Before you jot anything down into the body of your essay, make sure that the outline has enough information to back up whatever statement you choose to explore. Do not be afraid of letting creativity into your paper (within reason, of course) and explore the possibilities. Start with a standard 5 paragraph structure, and the content will come with time.

Peer Review

Before you know it, the draft is done, and it’s ready to be sent out for peer review. Ask a classmate, a relative or even a specialist if they are willing to contribute. Get as much feedback as you possibly can and work on it.

Final Draft

Before handing in the final draft, go over it at least one more time, focusing on smaller mistakes like grammar and punctuation. Make sure that what you wrote follows proper essay structure.

What is an Essay Format: Structure

Be it an academic, informative or a specific extended essay – structure is essential. For example, the IB extended essay has very strict requirements that are followed by an assigned academic style of writing (primarily MLA, APA, or Chicago):

• Title Page
• Abstract: comprised of 3 paragraphs, totaling about 300 words, with 100 words in each.
  • Paragraph 1: must include research question, thesis and outline of the essay’s importance.
  • Paragraph 2: Key resources, scope and limits of research, etc.
  • Paragraph 3: Conclusion that you’ve already reached in your essay.
• Table of Contents (with page numbers)
  • Research question
  • Thesis
  • Introduction
  • Arguments
  • Sub-headings
  • Conclusion
  • Appendix
  • Works cited (bibliography)
• Introduction
  • Research question is required
• Body
• Conclusion
• Bibliography (Works Cited)

This outline format for an extended essay is a great example to follow when writing a research essay, and sustaining a proper research essay format – especially if it is based on the MLA guidelines. It is vital to remember that the student must keep track of their resources to apply them to each step outlined above easily.

How to Write an Essay in MLA Format

To write an essay in MLA format, one must follow a basic set of guidelines and instructions. This is a step by step:

• Font: 12pt Times New Roman
• Spacing:
  • Double spaced everywhere
  • No extra spaces, especially between paragraphs
• Heading: Example of the heading on the first page of the essay (upper left corner)
  • Your name (John Smith)
  • Teacher’s / Professor’s name (Margot Robbie)
  • The class (Depends on course/class)
  • Date (20 April 2017)
• Margins: One-inch margin on the top, bottom, left and right.
• Page Numbers: Last name and page number must be put on every page of the essay as a “header”. Otherwise, it would go in place of the text.
• Title: There needs to be a proper essay title format, centered and above the first line of the essay of the same font and size as the essay itself.
• Indentation: Just press tab dude (1/2 inch, just in case)
• Align: Align to the left-hand side, and make sure it is aligned evenly.

It’s important to remember that the essay format of MLA is usually used in humanities, which differs from other types of academic writing that we’ll go into detail later. For now, feast your eyes upon an MLA format essay example:

Essay in MLA Format Example

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MLA vs. APA

Before we move on to the APA essay format, it is important to distinguish the two types of formatting. Let’s go through the similarities first:

• The formatting styles are similar: spacing, citation, indentation.
• All of the information that is used within the essay must be present within the works cited page (in APA, that’s called a reference page)
• Both use the parenthetical citations within the body of the paper, usually to show a certain quote or calculation.
• Citations are listed alphabetically on the works cited / reference page.

What you need to know about the differences is not extensive, thankfully:

• MLA style is mostly used in humanities, while APA style is focused more on social sciences. The list of sources has a different name (works cited – MLA / references – APA)
• Works cited differ on the way they display the name of the original content (MLA -> Yorke, Thom / APA -> Yorke T.)
• When using an in-text citation, and the author’s name is listed within the sentence, place the page number found at the end: “Yorke believes that Creep was Radiohead’s worst song. (4).” APA, on the other hand, requires that a year is to be inserted: “According to Yorke (2013), Creep was a mess.”

Alright, let’s carry over to the APA style specifics.

How to Write an Essay in APA Format

The APA scheme is one of the most common college essay formats, so being familiar with its requirements is crucial. In a basic APA format structure, we can apply a similar list of guidelines as we did in the MLA section:

• Font: 12pt Times New Roman
• Spacing: Double-space that bad boy.
• Margins: One Inch margins on all sides.
• Page Numbers: Insert a header at the top left of every page that includes a shortened title of your essay, below 50 characters including punctuation. Slap a number in there too (top right corner).
• Title Page: Title of the paper, author’s name, institutional affiliation. Additional information may be required, such as course title, instructor name and date.

Note that some teachers and professors maybe have deviations to some of the characteristics that the APA format originally requires, such as those listed above.

Essay in APA Format Example

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Chicago Style

The usage of Chicago style is prevalent in academic writing that focuses on the source of origin. This means that precise citations and footnotes are key to a successful paper.

Chicago Style Essay Format

The same bullet point structure can be applied to the Chicago essay format.

• Title Page
  • Chicago style title page is all about spacing.
  • down the page should be the title, with regular text. If longer than one line, double-spaced.
  • Next, in the very middle, center your full name.
  • Down the page – course number, instructor’s name and the date in separate double-spaced lines.
• Margins: Use one-inch margins apart from the right side.
• Spacing
  • Double spaced everywhere.
  • No extra spaces, especially between paragraphs.
• Font: Times New Roman is the best choice (12pt)
• Page Numbers
  • Last name, page number in the heading of every page on the top right
  • Do not number the title page. The first page of text should start with a 2.
• Footnotes: The Chicago format requires footnotes on paraphrased or quoted passages.
• Bibliography: The bibliography is very similar to that of MLA. Gather the proper information and input it into a specialized citation site.

HOW TO WRITE AN ESSAY INTRODUCTION

“In this story, I want to tell you about the time I almost got burned in the car riding 200 miles per hour trying to get away from cops.” Fortunately, I don’t have such a story to tell, but I bet that I grabbed your attention. You might ask: “how did I do that?” I did this with a catchy opening line that makes you want to read more. A great opening line and catchy introduction are the two things you will definitely want to use in your essay. Read on to find out how to write a “READ ME!” introduction.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Definition
• Structure
• Types
• Tips

Introduction Definition

The introduction of the essay is the part that comes in the beginning. It tells the reader what you are going to be writing in your paper. It should identify the topic of the essay, evoke interest and motivate the audience to read the rest of your paper.

Let’s Talk About Structure

Usually, an introduction consists of 3 parts:

Part 1: The hook (attention grabber). The purpose of this part is to catch the reader’s attention (always one sentence). To reach this goal, you should start with a shocking fact, an anecdote, or an appropriate quote.

Then provide an overview of the essay theme and a small piece of background or basic information about the topic you are going to cover. The best way is to start writing an essay with a broad explanation and lead your readers to something specific. At first, give general information and gradually narrow it down to your specific points.

Part 2: Connections. After you have provided some background information, use your introduction to outline what you are going to talk about. Write your main points and claims in the order in which you will discuss them. Make sure that you keep body paragraph topics concise and to the point.

Do not forget to answer these questions to make sure that you have given your audience a full explanation of the main characters and time frames: Who? What?Where? When? How? Why? Is it limited to a particular time frame or a group of people? etc. Answer these questions in 2 or better 3 sentences in the middle of your intro

Part 3: The thesis statement. There is no doubt that the paper thesis is the most important thing you must include in your introduction because your entire essay revolves around this statement. It should be narrow (1 sentence), focused, and very specific.

What about the length?

There are no strict rules about the length of the introduction. In such cases, a professional essay writer knows to take the length of the paper into account. A relevant length for a five-paragraph essay is one paragraph, but if you are writing a 30-page paper, your introduction will take several pages and multiple paragraphs.

Overall conclusion:

• The hook is written at the beginning of the introduction and is used to grab the reader’s attention.
• Provide background and basic information about the topic.
• Write your main points and claims in the order that you are going to discuss them.
• Give all necessary information about the characters, time frames, and setting.
• DO NOT FORGET to write the thesis. It should present the main idea of your paper, or something you are arguing for or against. It must be written at the end of the introduction.

Different Types

Although introductory paragraphs follow the same set structure, the content placed within the bones will have variation. This variety comes from the type of essay that is being written as well as its overall purpose. When talking about academic writing, there are three main kinds that most students will create. Most essays will take on either a narrative, analytical or persuasive perspective. Each one of those has their one introductory styles. The differences are listed below:

Narrative Introduction

• Narrative essay is a type of writing in which a story is being told by the writer.
• The hook will usually be a sneak peak of a segment of the story. It will indirectly relate back to the thesis.
• Each part of the trailer will be an important moment in the story that had a significant impact on the outcome.
• The thesis in narrative writing is the theme or main lesson learned from the tale.
• In essence, it was the purpose for its creation.

Analytical Introduction

• Analytical Essay Writing is meant to dissect an idea and educate the reader about a certain topic.
• The hook in this scenario will be information that is directly related to the thesis statement. It may be a rhetorical question or an informative statement that gives us clues about the writer’s main point from the get-go.
• The trailer of the introduction will include the three critical pieces of information that help validate the analytical thesis.
• As the goal of this type of writing is to inform and or educate the audience, the thesis will usually be a researched and thought out statement that has yet to hold any weight. It will be phrased in a factual way, although technically it is still theoretical.

Persuasive Introduction

• Persuasive Essay Writing aims to persuade an audience through the use of influential techniques such as ethos, pathos, and logos.
• A hook statement in this scenario can really be anything. Starting from an interesting fact and going all the way to humor, the actual hook has full customizability. Its purpose remains the same.
• As for any argumentative writing, it should have at least three pieces of evidence that support its claim. Each supporting argument usually has one introductory sentence to present it. So for three supporting details, we are looking at a three-sentence trailer.
• Lastly, the thesis statement is the main argument presented by the author. This should be a well-thought out and confidently written sentence that briefly summarizes the point of persuasion for the entire essay.

Tips for Writing a Winning Introduction Paragraph

• Avoid including too much background information.
• Do not make your introduction too long, unless you are writing a 30-page paper.
• Show that you understand the subject
• Be concise: 8-9 percent of the total number of words is recommended (160 words in a 2000 words assignment)

HOW TO WRITE A CONCLUSION FOR AN ESSAY

By this point, you may have done so much work on your essay; you want to wrap it up as fast as possible. You’ve already proven your argument – who cares about a good essay conclusion?

The conclusion of an essay is not merely the last paragraph of the academic paper in which a student restates the arguments. It is an opportunity to make a final impact on the reader. You can give them a sense of logical completeness, or you can leave them hanging. This APP will share valuable hints & tricks to let students of all ages know the ways to impress the readers on the last chord!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Strategies
• How To Conclude Different Types Of Essays
• Bad vs. Good Conclusion
• Writing a Conclusion for Research Paper
• Common Questions
• Good Conclusion Examples
• How to Get a Qualified Writing Help

Instead of Intro

Thinking of how to write a good conclusion, keep in mind it must accomplish the following objectives:

• Revisit the thesis statement without re-stating it;
• Provide a summary and highlights from the body paragraphs;
• Indicate the relevance and significance of the essay’s findings;
• Call for action and provide a possibility for future development of the subject if necessary.

Pro TIPS:

• It is highly unlikely that this conclusion will not fix pollution or world hunger! Find a clear and straightforward message to have the best impact.
• You’ve already gone through the three body paragraphs, and your reader must be overwhelmed with information! Using the conclusion to present new info would be most unwise.
• Avoid clogging up your conclusion with more quotes from external sources you collected – they belong in the essay body paragraphs.
• Write authoritatively. Sentences like “I’m not an expert, but…” will only make you seem less credible.

If you need professional writing help, check out our blog post on how to write an essay.

Discover the Best Approaches to Crafting A Proper Conclusion!

If you don’t know how to start a good conclusion, here are some excellent strategies from our top essay writer.

• Briefly hit the main points of your essay. To do this, take a look at the essay outline. Visualizing the essay structure will help you handpick essential points to include in the conclusion.
• Illustrate the importance of your topic in a real-life situation. Essays are often complicated and exhausting to read. Let off some steam by finishing on a simple and relatable note.

Look for themes that could link back to the first paragraph of your essay. Ending where you started can give the essay a good sense of closure.

• Synthesize instead of summarizing. If the body paragraphs provide heaps of seemingly random information, use the conclusion to tie it all together.
• Do a plot twist. Give your paper a new meaning in conclusion and catch your audience by surprise.
• Challenge the reader. Make them feel empowered instead of exhausted. They have to put down your essay and feel like they can go out and make a difference.
• Look into the future. How will your topic be relevant 20 years from now? What will the planet look like if your issue is ignored? Present a favorable or unfavorable future scenario.

Pose a question and leave them hanging. Want your essay to stick around in their heads? Give them something to think about.

• “So What?” For brainstorming help, you can always reread your essay and ask yourself this question.

How To Conclude Various Types Of Essays

There are some general rules, but every type of academic essay requires a different approach. This is precisely why it is essential to learn how to conclude various types of essays. Take a look at the following tips and note how they implement some of the strategies presented above.

How to end an argumentative essay

Argumentative, or persuasive essays aim to persuade the audience to accept a specific stance or viewpoint. Try challenging the reader to take action or providing a future scenario. Illustrating a real-life scenario might also help your persuasive essay be… persuasive.

How to end a compare and contrast essay

A compare and contrast essay should not merely conclude by saying “topic A and topic B are similar and different in these ways.” Look back to the thesis and ask yourself: why are these topics being compared and what is the purpose of the essay? Offer the audience something to think further on and make sure the argument is compelling.

How to end a descriptive essay

The idea of a descriptive essay is to show your writing talents off by painting a vivid picture with words. This means the conclusion should still use descriptive imagery while covering key points. First of all, reflect on why the essay is being written and how it affects you. Then summarize the critical moments in the essay to prepare the reader for the closing statement. The “ clincher” should be a thought-provoking final sentence leaves the audience with a good impression. Do not lead the reader into the essay and leave them with dwindling memories of it.

How to end an essay about yourself

Personal essays are somewhat like a formal story. You can take your audience into the future, the past, a parallel dimension, or just about anywhere. Here’s an excellent opportunity to play around with plot twists or linking the first paragraph with the last to create a feeling of narrative closure.

How to end an informative essay

Informative, or expository essays contain heaps of factual information.

They can be truly exhausting to read. You can use the “synthesize, don’t summarize” technique to bring your info together. Try posing the “So What?” question to explain why all this info was important.

How to end a narrative essay

It’s crucial to make sure you wrap up the story being told and avoid finishing on an abrupt cliff hanger. Therefore including lessons learned from the story or the essence of the narrative, is vital. Also, try to craft in a thought-provoking final sentence keep the reader feeling like they have lived through your story.Perchance something that will be worth sharing with others.

In case, you have written a conclusion, but you’re not sure if it’s good enough? EssayPro provides all kinds of College essay help! Send your work to one of our top writers to get it reviewed in no time!

See The Difference

The best way one can understand how to write a good conclusion is to learn from our professional examples. Below you can find two samples of two completely different conclusions, the good one, and the bad one. Compare them to understand how it must be written.

We took this conclusion as a template:

College degrees are in decline. The price of receiving an education does not correlate with the quality of the education received. As a result, graduate students face underemployment, and the worth of college degrees appears to be in serious doubt. However, the potential social and economic benefits of educated students balance out the equation.

Good One

Bad One

How to Write a Conclusion for a Research Paper?

A research paper is the 2nd most popular type of academic writing after essay. That is why it will be beneficial to know how to write a conclusion paragraph for a research paper ahead. If you don’t receive such tasks now, you will face them soon.

Restate the topic.

Recall what the topic is about, explain its significance of a research problem, and define the way your solution could be helpful. It should not be longer than a single sentence.

Paraphrase the thesis statement.

Do not copy-paste the thesis statement from the opening paragraph – use synonyms or different word order to rewrite it. make it narrow and topic-oriented.

Make a summary of the main points.

Read the whole body of your paper twice to detect all topic sentences – the main claims/arguments of the project.

Discuss the significance of your ideas.

Have a look at the body paragraphs where you should have explained why the research problem matters and state it in your conclusion again.

Provide forecasts for the future.

It is important to start explaining the implementations of your findings. After that, address some of the future perspectives of your study and observed the issue or make the readers interested in exploring the issue on their own. A good idea to finish your research paper is to end up with a hook sentence like a rhetorical question or call-to-action. Never introduce a new question in conclusion!
Except for some of the common mistakes listed in the previous sections, you should keep in mind other things to avoid – find out how to write a good conclusion for a research paper!

Questions to Be Answered

We have analyzed different types of essays. A research paper needs a powerful conclusion as well. If you wish to learn how to write an end for a research paper, check the following questions:

1. Ensure answering the primary reader’s question, “So what?”
2. Interpret the goal of a research paper. It may refer to more than responding to the research question;
3. List some possible, effective solutions to the discussed question and provide ways to implement the results in real life. Decide whether your research is useful for your community. Prove it;
4. Try to persuade the audience of the importance of ongoing study in the closing paragraph by stressing that the problem is still relevant;
5. No naked summaries at the end! Unlike in an essay, a research paper has an abstract with a summary. Synthesize the data. The good idea is to add several excellent examples from real life to let your audience better get the further implementation of the recommended solutions;
6. No matter what you do, decide whether the closing part is creative. Are your final thoughts original? Get fresh ideas from samples online if you are not sure about how to stay creative.

Good Conclusion Examples

Now that we’ve learned what a conclusion is and how to write one let’s take a look at some essay conclusion examples to strengthen our knowledge.

1. HUCKLEBERRY FINN CONCLUSION ESSAY EXAMPLE

The ending ironically reveals that all was for nothing. (A short explanation of the thematic effect of the book’s end) Tom says that Miss Watson freed Jim in her final will.

2. BENEFITS OF STUDYING IN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS

All in all, international schools hold the key to building a full future that students can achieve. (Thesis statement simplified)

3. ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY CONCLUSION EXAMPLE

Here is a good conclusion example from an essay on Should public workers be allowed to strike?

4. COMPARE AND CONTRAST ESSAY CONCLUSION EXAMPLE

Here to give an extra helping hand is a good conclusion example written about Organic and non-organic foods.

5. PERSONAL ESSAY ESSAY CONCLUSION EXAMPLE

Art School Application. As time went by, my obsession grew into something bigger than art; (‘As time went by’ signals maturation)…

6. PERSUASIVE ESSAY CONCLUSION EXAMPLE

Included here is an excellent example of a persuasive essay conclusion written on the topic Have humans been too dependent on technology?

12 ENGLISH PUNCTUATION AND QUOTATION MARKS

Let’s face it; punctuation saves lives. There’s a massive difference between “Let’s eat, grandpa” and “Let’s eat grandpa.” Punctuation creates sense in writing. Some of it comes as second nature, some of it tends to get misused (like commas). This blog will teach you how to use punctuation to prevent more grandpas from being eaten.

To define punctuation: it is a technical tool used to separate sentences, highlight certain elements and clarify meaning. Mastering punctuation marks will help you master written English, making all of your writing entirely legit.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Full Stop
• Question Mark
• Exclamation Mark
• Comma
• Semicolon
• Colon
• Parentheses
• Hyphen
• En Dash
• Em Dash
• Double quotation marks
• Single quotation marks

Without further ado, here’s a list of punctuation marks and symbols that we will discuss in this article.

• Full stop
• Question mark
• Exclamation mark
• Comma
• Semicolon
• Colon
• Parentheses
• Hyphen
• En dash
• Em dash
• Double quotation marks
• Single quotation marks

Full Stop (Period in American English)

Of all the English punctuation marks, the full stop is second nature. Full stops tell the reader “this is where the sentence ends.” A full stop does not elevate the content of a sentence in any way; it merely signals completion.

Example: Paris is a beautiful city.

Question Mark

If the sentence is a direct question, it will have a question mark at the end. But ONLY if it’s a direct question.

Example: Are you feeling hungry?

If the sentence is a reported question, it does not need a question mark.

Example: She asked if I was feeling hungry.

If the sentence is a request phrased as a question it does not need a question mark.

Example: Would you please take your seats and fasten your seatbelts.

If the sentence is super long (like the ones asked by reporters), it needs a question mark.

Example: Is it true that plastic and metal pollution has been the biggest threat to sea life and has fueled rising sea levels causing the death of hundreds of thousands of marine animals annually?

Question marks can also appear inside sentences. This is often due to a quote or an author’s comment in brackets (see Brackets).

Example: “What am I doing here?” Harry asked.
Example: I enjoyed that movie by Christopher Nolan (or was it Michael Bay?)

Exclamation Mark

The exclamation mark is used to emphasize, dramatize, express feelings of astonishment, excitement, or signal urgency; it is the most emotional of all punctuation marks. Using an exclamation mark in your essay title will definitely make it attention-grabbing.

Example: Quick! Get to the chopper!

It is often used in sarcasm; when the person means the opposite of what they’re saying.

Example: Fixing a flat tire with scotch tape. Very clever, Shawn!

The exclamation mark can also be mixed with the question mark for a heightened sense of surprise. This is usually done in informal settings.

Example: Linda and Davis have a child!?

Since we’re living in a digital world, things tend to get dramatized very easily in SMS, chats, and social media. Putting a few extra exclamation marks at the end of a sentence is a regular practice for extra emphasis. Keep in mind that in professional settings, this could be regarded as a sign of illiteracy.

Example: I told you a million times, I am not a Hippie!!!

Comma

The comma is a complicated punctuation sign because of its many grammatical, mechanical, and stylistic uses. To keep this entry brief, we have dedicated a separate blog post to it. Head there for a detailed description of the comma and all its uses.

In brief, a comma is a tool used to separate elements in a sentence. Using a comma creates a slight pause or a break between two sentence fragments. The importance of separating sentences with commas can be seen in the example below:

No comma: It’s time to eat kids!
With comma: It’s time to eat, kids!

Here are some more common uses of the comma:

Stacking adjectives in a sentence.

Example: She is a sharp, punctual woman.

Making a list of items.

Example: To film this scene we need lights, props, stabilizers, and a tripod.

Separating the name of the city from the country.

Example: He was born in Berlin, Germany.

Directly quoting someone.
To quote Steve Jobs, “Stay hungry, stay foolish.”

Semicolon

Semicolons can be used instead of conjunctions (and, but, if, yet) to separate two independent but related clauses in a long sentence.

Example: I gave Mark my guitar to fix, and he said he’ll have it done by Thursday.

The conjunction and can be eliminated in favor of a semicolon.

Example: I gave Mark my guitar to fix; he said he’ll have it done by Thursday.

Using the semicolon instead of conjunction improves this sentence by making it easier to read.

Similarly, commas can combine two short sentences for the same effect. This can only be done if both sentences are related; if they make the same point.

Example: Daphne has a big presentation tomorrow. She can’t hang out tonight.

These two sentences are similar; they both signify that Daphne is staying home. This is a great place to put a semicolon instead of a full stop.

Example: Daphne has a big presentation tomorrow; she can’t hang out tonight.

Semicolons can also separate items that contain commas in a list.

Example: I studied in Phoenix, Arizona; Atlanta, Georgia; and Los Angeles, California.

Colon

The colon punctuation mark usually introduces a list.

Example: Your daughter must take the following required courses: digital media marketing, investigative journalism, and film studies.

If the writer does NOT introduce a list, use commas instead.

Example: Your daughter must take digital media marketing, investigative journalism, and film studies as these are all required courses.

Writers also use the colon between two independent clauses, when the second clause illustrates the first.

Example: My fellow Imperials: think not what the Empire can do for you—but what you can do for the Empire!

Lastly, colons are an excellent tool for emphasizing the ending of a sentence. Using the em dash is also correct in this case.

Example: Three weeks in a mansion by the seaside, an easy summer job, all the beautiful girls in the world: this will be the best summer ever.

Parentheses

Writers use parentheses to provide clarification or insert an afterthought into a sentence. It can be a word, a phrase, or a couple of sentences, depending on the author’s intentions.

Example: Pop music is all the same to me (not that I have anything against it).

The writing inside the parentheses does not in any way affect the grammar of the sentence. Many writers often make this mistake. The trick is just to read your sentence without the parentheses to see if it makes sense.

Correct: Drake (and his manager) ate pizza at the local pizzeria.
Incorrect: Drake (and his manager) were invited to eat pizza in the local pizzeria.

Hyphen

The primary function of a hyphen is to create compound words. These are terms with more than one word representing a single item or idea.

There are Open Compound Words (living room, coffee mug), Closed Compound Words (notebook, baseball), and Hyphenated Compound Words (long-term, nickel-and-dime, Spider-Man).

A hyphen also separates numbers written in words.

Example: My dog is fifty-nine in dog years.

En dash

The en dash is often confused with the Hyphen and the em dash punctuation signs.

Most frequently it is used to represent a range of numbers, distance, or a relationship. This may sound a bit confusing, so let’s take a look at examples.

A range of numbers represented by the en dash could be dates, time, or years. In the example below, the en dash substitutes the word through.

Example: Your homework is to read chapters 4–6.

In the next example, the en dash is used to show the scores of a football match.

Example: Liverpool beat Manchester City 2–0.

The relationship signified by the en dash can be conflict, connection, or distance.

Conflict: The American Civil War started from the north–south slavery debate.
Connection/ distance: The Berlin–New York flight.

Em dash

The em dash is more commonly used within sentences. It is very versatile, allowing writers to use it instead of commas, colons, and parentheses. The general idea is to make an interruption within the sentence for a specific effect (depending on the context)

Example (Em dash instead of comma): When Mark gave me back my guitar—two weeks after I asked him to—it was all greasy and scratched.

Similarly, em dashes can be used instead of colons and parentheses as demonstrated in the examples below.

Example (Em dash instead of colon): Three weeks in a mansion by the seaside, an easy summer job, all the beautiful girls in the world—this will be the best summer ever.

Example (Em dash instead of parentheses): Pop music is all the same to me—not that I have anything against it.

Double Quotation Marks

Quotation marks have a straightforward purpose. They signify that the following sentence is a quote.

“I can’t believe you’re late to class again,” Miss Dolores said.

Any other use of quotation marks is plain wrong. Using quotation marks for emphasis is a “huge error”, especially when you have italics for that very purpose. It’s Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction, not “Pulp Fiction.”

Single Quotation Marks

Single quotation marks are a simple grammatical sign.

They show possession: Is that Jake’s bike?

They also show contractions (we have those covered in a separate blog): You’re a hilarious guy, you know that?

Single quotation marks are also used when someone is quoting someone else in a sentence: “Miss Dolores told you a million times, ‘Don’t be late to class,’” Mom said.

FREE COLLEGE ESSAY SAMPLES

Sometimes, the best way to learn and understand new information is through seeing and understanding work that is already completed. Having good essay examples gives the reader an in-depth and on-the-court idea of what a well structured and coherent essay looks like. If one were to ask themselves: “How can I see some professional work as an example before I write my essay?”, then they have come to the right source!

Luckily for you, This App has compiled some free essay samples that have earned their students A’s in their college courses. Free information is the best information; so use these tools as a learning guide.

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