Top 10 Essay Writing Tips Continued

3. Clarity of thoughts and economy of words. Writing concisely and clearly forces you to think more clearly. Since language is a tool to express thought, sloppy use of language may imply sloppy thinking. To make every word count, write active sentences with active verbs. But at the same time communicate with a consistent tone. Look-up words that you are unsure about so that you don’t undermine your paper with one glaringly wrong word. Take a printout of your paper and begin to cross-out words that are not needed. You may be surprised at how many words can be eliminated this way. When you do this, review the language to make sure the language continues to flow. This approach should increase the clarity of your writing but may reduce your page count.

2. Format and Presentation Count. You may be a genius, but don't count on that preventing markdowns for poor spelling, improper margins and other stylistic problems. These are marked down for several reasons, ranging from policy requirements to professors growing tired of sloppy work. If you are unsure of your school's standards for essays you should get a copy of the guidelines and review them. It would be a shame to get a lower grade for having improper margins or footnote styles. Use a word processor and spell check the work. Print it out on paper and then check it again the next day. You may be amazed at how many mistake you might find even after you thought the work was edited. If you know that you are prone to spelling mistakes and typos, then ask a friend or fellow student to review your work for mistakes, especially if you know a good editor.

1. Think Differently (to paraphrase Apple's marketing wizards). Spend time with the topic and the research. Do you have an angle on the subject that differs from the professor and sources you have read? Will the professor give you leeway to come-up with your own take on the assignment or are you to write strictly the facts". Part of this is knowing the professor and knowing if original thinking is encouraged or discouraged. But more importantly you must know yourself. Find the things that interest you and find your voice. If you have a unique take on the material you might want to run your ideas past the professor. Original thinking is not as easy as it might seem. As a student you may think you have a new idea that is actually not at all original. Sometimes comparing two ideas leads to a new way of thinking that outside the box. Being original is risky, and is not always rewarded in the short run. But original thinking may also lead to rewards not only in school but also in your life ahead.

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