Writing an Essay for University: FAQ and Tips

Writing an Essay for University: FAQ and Tips

Table of Contents

What is an Essay?

The word essay is derived from the French (essai) and the Greek (exagium), which means something like a test or experiment. Essentially, the author is expected to discuss a specific topic, which, unlike a research paper, requires more creativity and ingenuity. This usually involves a literary or scientific question that is to be addressed in a short, yet challenging format. Nevertheless, there are some guidelines you should follow.

Guidelines for an Essay

1. What is the purpose of an essay?
An essay represents the author's (in this case, your) stance on a specific subject. You are to convince the reader of your perspective. Subjectivity is encouraged.

2. How should I present my arguments?
Your arguments should be adequately supported with examples, references, relevant datasets, and possibly multiple viewpoints. Evidence enhances your unique take and makes your reasoning more persuasive. Additionally, context is always helpful when it comes to setting up a premise in an essay.

3. Can an essay be biased?
Yes! Unlike research papers, essays are meant to highlight the author's personal opinion. They can (and should) be biased. As an author, you get to decide where you want to lay emphasis.

4. What kind of language style should I use?
Essays are very personal. An emotional style of writing fits the brief well. Feel free to use metaphors, be sarcastic, make an exaggeration of two. These are all acceptable stylistic devices, as long as applied sensibly.

5. How can I make my essay more convincing for university applications?
Admission departments look for a few different things: the ability to write coherently, a point of view, logical reasoning, and correct use of supportive devices such as examples and case studies.

The reader should not only understand your point of view, but also the 'why' behind it.

6. Are there rules for essay structure?
Yes, some structure is required.

Essays typically follow an introduction, body, and conclusion format. Paragraphs should be used for separation, but subheadings are generally avoided.

7. Should I include sources in my essay?
Absolutely! Sources can be included to support your arguments, though they are not always mandatory (please refer to your university website for more clarity).

Including a 'Sources' section at the end of your essay is very good practice. Plagiarism. org has a very helpful article on how you can cite sources correctly, and explores other relevant topics such as how to use quotations, footnotes, what is a bibliography and how you can structure one, and more.

8. How is an essay different from a research paper?
A research paper is objective and evidence-driven, while an essay is subjective and opinion-based. Essays focus on personal argumentation, creative style, and rhetorical impact.

Universities require an essay over a research paper for the admissions process, since it is a more personal endeavour and thus, better suited for a closer evaluation.

9. How much focus should I give to creativity while writing an essay?
Creativity is central to essay writing. Make it stand out by using personal anecdotes, humour, and other stylistic devices.

10. What should I avoid when writing an essay?
Avoid being too objective or overly academic in tone. Also, steer clear of using subheadings, and make sure your stylistic devices (sarcasm, exaggeration) are not overused or irrelevant.

The Structure of an Essay

Introduction

The introduction must clearly state the topic of the essay.

Introduce the topic, and then immediately emphasize why the subject is important to you. This is also where you lay out your PoV, which will be argued in more detail later in the essay. Adding a hook (such as a quote, statistic, or rhetorical question) makes the introduction more engaging.

Main Body

The main body contains arguments, examples, theses, and evidence to support your point of view.

Your argument should be clear and encourage the reader to identify with it and, ideally, adopt your opinion. Use a method that fits the topic AND your style of writing. Adding relevant data and statistics to bolster your argument is encouraged. Transition sentences between paragraphs are essential to maintain flow.

Conclusion

The conclusion ties back to the introduction and serves as a reminder to the reader of what the original perspective was.

Keep the conclusion brief but comprehensive: summarize key points, and a clear representation of your answer. End with a strong final sentence. A call to action, a memorable statement, or a forward-facing thought, this will leave a lasting impression on the reader.

General Information

Do's and Don'ts before submitting your Essay

Do's

✔ State your stance clearly in the introduction.

✔ Support every argument with examples or evidence.

✔ Use transitions between paragraphs for flow.

✔ Include a short conclusion that ties back to the intro.

✔ Add a ‘Sources’ section if you’ve referenced material.

✔ Proofread for grammar, spelling, and clarity.

Don'ts

✘ Don’t write too objectively, keep your voice and opinion strong.

✘ Don’t overuse stylistic devices (sarcasm, exaggeration). Use them strategically.

✘ Don't use subheadings, paragraphs are preferred for structuring.

✘ Don’t leave arguments underdeveloped. Add reasoning, statistics, quotations, and case studies to strengthen.

✘ Don’t forget to check formatting and word count requirements.

 

Essay vs Seminar Paper

Some students find it difficult to distinguish between a term paper and an essay. The following table provides a clear overview of the most significant differences between the two writing forms.

Essay Seminar Paper
subjective presentation of a question or a particular opinion objective depiction of a larger research subject
find your own arguments and present your point of view, which can also be one-sided to objectively present the above-mentioned perspectives using literature, the Internet, interviews and other sources
General avoidance of quotatations/citations Use of many quotations and sources to adequately support and justify the research work
subjective objective

 

Table 1 clearly shows that, unlike essays, term papers rely on explicit sources, which are essential. The goal is to present and support a research topic using literature and other sources. Unlike essays, subjective opinions of the author are not desired; rather, objective presentation is essential. Compared to term papers, essays are therefore more subjective and rely on the author's own opinions and viewpoints to clarify their own personal way of thinking and attitude toward the topic and convey them to the reader. The editor determines which sources to use for this purpose, allowing them to steer the arguments in a particular direction.

Common Mistakes to avoid when writing an Essay for University

 

  1. Being too vague: Avoid generic statements that don’t add substance. Don't be afraid to take a strong stance, even if you're worried it might polarize the reader. Make sure you have the evidence to back up your notion.
  2. Too much jargon: Write simply. Keeping the language easy makes it more accessible to a larger readership.
  3. Ignoring the prompt: University essay questions often come with specific requirements. While drafting the essay, do check that you're following the plot and that every paragraph bears a relation to the central thesis.
  4. Weak conclusions: Don’t just repeat the introduction. The conclusion is what the reader views last, make it good.
  5. Poor time management: Take your time. Draft early, revise later.
  6. Lack of proofreading: Typos and grammar errors weaken otherwise strong essays. Always re-read before submission.

 

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