5 Things To Know About Choosing An Essay Format

Would it surprise you if I told you that all essays follow the same exact format, basically. All papers move along similar lines so that you can, first, slowly draw your reader in, second, allow the reader time to adjust to your style and voice, and then present them with the information that matters—the bulk of your research, analytic, descriptive, or analytic papers.

Here are five things you must know to format any paper with ease and confidence.

1. Make sure to offer your reader an interesting introduction

All essays – all of them, have an introductory paragraph. In fact, some writers prefer to use two introductory paragraphs, if they have a lot to say about their topic. What you want to do in an introductory paragraph is really catch your reader’s attention in order to whisk their attention right into the subject matter. For example, if you were writing an essay upon how dolphins communicate, you will want an interesting title and an interesting opening paragraph. You might want to say in your title or first sentences, “Did You Hear That Conversation those Dolphins Were Having? – They Did! Or you could begin your introductory paragraph by jumping right in—Dolphins have their own unique language and the speak to each other all the time. Either way, you will firmly have your audience gripped.

2. You must have a thesis statement

All essays, again, all of them, must have a thesis statement. A thesis statement clearly lets you know your purpose for writing this paper and what the paper will “do,” so to speak. It is easier to teach thesis statements by example than by explanation, sometimes. “In this essay, I will explore the many aspects of how dolphins communicate.”

3. You must prove your thesis

All evidences must be backed up by solid evidence. If your thesis says you are going to prove that dolphins understand dolphin language and use it to communicate with one another then you have to prove this through every body paragraph of your essay. If it is a research paper, you will need to back up your thesis with solid evidence from reputable sources.

4. You must have a concluding paragraph

All papers need a concluding paragraph which brings the essay to a close and says something that will make your reader think more about your topic.

5. You want to provide solid research from reputable sources, as well.