June 21, 2022 6:01 AM PDT
The perfect essay? It sounds promising, but is it really possible? The author of this article will now contradict the title, which he came up with himself, but by definition it is impossible to write such an essay. Because the word "essai" itself is translated from the French as "experience, trial, attempt, essay, sketch." Thus, the very etymology of the word denies anything brought to perfection. But it is certainly possible to write high-quality and interesting essayhave reviews, which will be highly appreciated by the teacher. So, let's break down what kind of work it is and what skills a student should show when writing it.
Essay is a student work, a type of prose essay, which is written in free form, and, in fact, is a statement of the author on a given topic.
This work tests, rather than the student's knowledge, but his ability to argue his point of view, as well as to formulate thoughts and build them consistently and logically. The essay is one of the most creative assignments given in higher education.
Despite its apparent simplicity, it produces good results:
- The student develops creative thinking
- He/She also develops the skill of expressing his/her point of view succinctly and argumentatively
- Analytical thinking is formed
If we talk about the content side of the essay, it is better to adhere to the following 5 principles when writing:
- The essay expresses, first of all, the author's point of view, which means that it has a subjective nature. Therefore, you should not try to generalize someone else's opinion on a given issue, it is better to express your own and compare it with already existing hypotheses or axioms.
- Despite the fact that the essay is primarily interested in your view, however, you should remember that you are considering a certain topic, which means that in the content of the essay it must be disclosed. To check whether you are going in the right direction, it is better to answer yourself the following questions:
- Is the topic/issue covered?
- How precisely were your thoughts expressed?
- How well and correctly written is the essay?
- Oratory is a skill that has been in demand since antiquity and still has not lost its importance, and it is in this type of work that it can and should be demonstrated. Therefore, your essay should be inspiring, able to convince the reader to accept your way of thinking.
- Individuality and peculiarity. Yes, it sounds trite enough - everywhere these days they demand that very individuality, and also, of course, a kilo of raisins. But when it comes to essays, we mean something else: the form is just as important as the content. For your thoughts to be heard, they must be presented in an interesting way. Therefore, you should pay attention to your literary style and writing skills.
- Don't forget the details. Any work looks more convincing and weighty if it mentions certain facts, interesting arguments, provides examples from reliable literary sources, there are references to significant publications or names. It's a small thing, but it makes a lasting impression when you read it.
Related Resources:
Differences between essays and other creative works
How to write an essay
Rules for writing essays
How to write an interesting essay?
Millicent Gill posted a topic in the forum News and Announcements: