can i write i in an essay

Should I Use “I”?

What this handout is about.

This handout is about determining when to use first person pronouns (“I”, “we,” “me,” “us,” “my,” and “our”) and personal experience in academic writing. “First person” and “personal experience” might sound like two ways of saying the same thing, but first person and personal experience can work in very different ways in your writing. You might choose to use “I” but not make any reference to your individual experiences in a particular paper. Or you might include a brief description of an experience that could help illustrate a point you’re making without ever using the word “I.” So whether or not you should use first person and personal experience are really two separate questions, both of which this handout addresses. It also offers some alternatives if you decide that either “I” or personal experience isn’t appropriate for your project. If you’ve decided that you do want to use one of them, this handout offers some ideas about how to do so effectively, because in many cases using one or the other might strengthen your writing.

Expectations about academic writing

Students often arrive at college with strict lists of writing rules in mind. Often these are rather strict lists of absolutes, including rules both stated and unstated:

• Each essay should have exactly five paragraphs.
• Don’t begin a sentence with “and” or “because.”
• Never include personal opinion.
• Never use “I” in essays.

We get these ideas primarily from teachers and other students. Often these ideas are derived from good advice but have been turned into unnecessarily strict rules in our minds. The problem is that overly strict rules about writing can prevent us, as writers, from being flexible enough to learn to adapt to the writing styles of different fields, ranging from the sciences to the humanities, and different kinds of writing projects, ranging from reviews to research.

So when it suits your purpose as a scholar, you will probably need to break some of the old rules, particularly the rules that prohibit first person pronouns and personal experience. Although there are certainly some instructors who think that these rules should be followed (so it is a good idea to ask directly), many instructors in all kinds of fields are finding reason to depart from these rules. Avoiding “I” can lead to awkwardness and vagueness, whereas using it in your writing can improve style and clarity. Using personal experience, when relevant, can add concreteness and even authority to writing that might otherwise be vague and impersonal. Because college writing situations vary widely in terms of stylistic conventions, tone, audience, and purpose, the trick is deciphering the conventions of your writing context and determining how your purpose and audience affect the way you write. The rest of this handout is devoted to strategies for figuring out when to use “I” and personal experience.

Effective uses of “I”:

In many cases, using the first person pronoun can improve your writing, by offering the following benefits:

• Assertiveness: In some cases you might wish to emphasize agency (who is doing what), as for instance if you need to point out how valuable your particular project is to an academic discipline or to claim your unique perspective or argument.
• Clarity: Because trying to avoid the first person can lead to awkward constructions and vagueness, using the first person can improve your writing style.
• Positioning yourself in the essay: In some projects, you need to explain how your research or ideas build on or depart from the work of others, in which case you’ll need to say “I,” “we,” “my,” or “our”; if you wish to claim some kind of authority on the topic, first person may help you do so.

Deciding whether “I” will help your style

Here is an example of how using the first person can make the writing clearer and more assertive:

Original example:

In studying American popular culture of the 1980s, the question of to what degree materialism was a major characteristic of the cultural milieu was explored.

Better example using first person:

In our study of American popular culture of the 1980s, we explored the degree to which materialism characterized the cultural milieu.

The original example sounds less emphatic and direct than the revised version; using “I” allows the writers to avoid the convoluted construction of the original and clarifies who did what.

Here is an example in which alternatives to the first person would be more appropriate:

As I observed the communication styles of first-year Carolina women, I noticed frequent use of non-verbal cues.

Better example:

A study of the communication styles of first-year Carolina women revealed frequent use of non-verbal cues.

In the original example, using the first person grounds the experience heavily in the writer’s subjective, individual perspective, but the writer’s purpose is to describe a phenomenon that is in fact objective or independent of that perspective. Avoiding the first person here creates the desired impression of an observed phenomenon that could be reproduced and also creates a stronger, clearer statement.

Here’s another example in which an alternative to first person works better:

As I was reading this study of medieval village life, I noticed that social class tended to be clearly defined.

This study of medieval village life reveals that social class tended to be clearly defined.

Although you may run across instructors who find the casual style of the original example refreshing, they are probably rare. The revised version sounds more academic and renders the statement more assertive and direct.

Here’s a final example:

I think that Aristotle’s ethical arguments are logical and readily applicable to contemporary cases, or at least it seems that way to me.

Better example

Aristotle’s ethical arguments are logical and readily applicable to contemporary cases.

In this example, there is no real need to announce that that statement about Aristotle is your thought; this is your paper, so readers will assume that the ideas in it are yours.

Determining whether to use “I” according to the conventions of the academic field

Which fields allow “I”?

The rules for this are changing, so it’s always best to ask your instructor if you’re not sure about using first person. But here are some general guidelines.

Sciences: In the past, scientific writers avoided the use of “I” because scientists often view the first person as interfering with the impression of objectivity and impersonality they are seeking to create. But conventions seem to be changing in some cases—for instance, when a scientific writer is describing a project she is working on or positioning that project within the existing research on the topic. Check with your science instructor to find out whether it’s o.k. to use “I” in their class.

Social Sciences: Some social scientists try to avoid “I” for the same reasons that other scientists do. But first person is becoming more commonly accepted, especially when the writer is describing their project or perspective.

Humanities: Ask your instructor whether you should use “I.” The purpose of writing in the humanities is generally to offer your own analysis of language, ideas, or a work of art. Writers in these fields tend to value assertiveness and to emphasize agency (who’s doing what), so the first person is often—but not always—appropriate. Sometimes writers use the first person in a less effective way, preceding an assertion with “I think,” “I feel,” or “I believe” as if such a phrase could replace a real defense of an argument. While your audience is generally interested in your perspective in the humanities fields, readers do expect you to fully argue, support, and illustrate your assertions. Personal belief or opinion is generally not sufficient in itself; you will need evidence of some kind to convince your reader.

Other writing situations: If you’re writing a speech, use of the first and even the second person (“you”) is generally encouraged because these personal pronouns can create a desirable sense of connection between speaker and listener and can contribute to the sense that the speaker is sincere and involved in the issue. If you’re writing a resume, though, avoid the first person; describe your experience, education, and skills without using a personal pronoun (for example, under “Experience” you might write “Volunteered as a peer counselor”).

A note on the second person “you”:

In situations where your intention is to sound conversational and friendly because it suits your purpose, as it does in this handout intended to offer helpful advice, or in a letter or speech, “you” might help to create just the sense of familiarity you’re after. But in most academic writing situations, “you” sounds overly conversational, as for instance in a claim like “when you read the poem ‘The Wasteland,’ you feel a sense of emptiness.” In this case, the “you” sounds overly conversational. The statement would read better as “The poem ‘The Wasteland’ creates a sense of emptiness.” Academic writers almost always use alternatives to the second person pronoun, such as “one,” “the reader,” or “people.”

Personal experience in academic writing

The question of whether personal experience has a place in academic writing depends on context and purpose. In papers that seek to analyze an objective principle or data as in science papers, or in papers for a field that explicitly tries to minimize the effect of the researcher’s presence such as anthropology, personal experience would probably distract from your purpose. But sometimes you might need to explicitly situate your position as researcher in relation to your subject of study. Or if your purpose is to present your individual response to a work of art, to offer examples of how an idea or theory might apply to life, or to use experience as evidence or a demonstration of an abstract principle, personal experience might have a legitimate role to play in your academic writing. Using personal experience effectively usually means keeping it in the service of your argument, as opposed to letting it become an end in itself or take over the paper.

It’s also usually best to keep your real or hypothetical stories brief, but they can strengthen arguments in need of concrete illustrations or even just a little more vitality.

Here are some examples of effective ways to incorporate personal experience in academic writing:

• Anecdotes: In some cases, brief examples of experiences you’ve had or witnessed may serve as useful illustrations of a point you’re arguing or a theory you’re evaluating. For instance, in philosophical arguments, writers often use a real or hypothetical situation to illustrate abstract ideas and principles.
• References to your own experience can explain your interest in an issue or even help to establish your authority on a topic.
• Some specific writing situations, such as application essays, explicitly call for discussion of personal experience.

Here are some suggestions about including personal experience in writing for specific fields:

Philosophy: In philosophical writing, your purpose is generally to reconstruct or evaluate an existing argument, and/or to generate your own. Sometimes, doing this effectively may involve offering a hypothetical example or an illustration. In these cases, you might find that inventing or recounting a scenario that you’ve experienced or witnessed could help demonstrate your point. Personal experience can play a very useful role in your philosophy papers, as long as you always explain to the reader how the experience is related to your argument. (See our handout on writing in philosophy for more information.)

Religion: Religion courses might seem like a place where personal experience would be welcomed. But most religion courses take a cultural, historical, or textual approach, and these generally require objectivity and impersonality. So although you probably have very strong beliefs or powerful experiences in this area that might motivate your interest in the field, they shouldn’t supplant scholarly analysis. But ask your instructor, as it is possible that they are interested in your personal experiences with religion, especially in less formal assignments such as response papers. (See our handout on writing in religious studies for more information.)

Literature, Music, Fine Arts, and Film: Writing projects in these fields can sometimes benefit from the inclusion of personal experience, as long as it isn’t tangential. For instance, your annoyance over your roommate’s habits might not add much to an analysis of “Citizen Kane.” However, if you’re writing about Ridley Scott’s treatment of relationships between women in the movie “Thelma and Louise,” some reference your own observations about these relationships might be relevant if it adds to your analysis of the film. Personal experience can be especially appropriate in a response paper, or in any kind of assignment that asks about your experience of the work as a reader or viewer. Some film and literature scholars are interested in how a film or literary text is received by different audiences, so a discussion of how a particular viewer or reader experiences or identifies with the piece would probably be appropriate. (See our handouts on writing about fiction , art history , and drama for more information.)

Women’s Studies: Women’s Studies classes tend to be taught from a feminist perspective, a perspective which is generally interested in the ways in which individuals experience gender roles. So personal experience can often serve as evidence for your analytical and argumentative papers in this field. This field is also one in which you might be asked to keep a journal, a kind of writing that requires you to apply theoretical concepts to your experiences.

History: If you’re analyzing a historical period or issue, personal experience is less likely to advance your purpose of objectivity. However, some kinds of historical scholarship do involve the exploration of personal histories. So although you might not be referencing your own experience, you might very well be discussing other people’s experiences as illustrations of their historical contexts. (See our handout on writing in history for more information.)

Sciences: Because the primary purpose is to study data and fixed principles in an objective way, personal experience is less likely to have a place in this kind of writing. Often, as in a lab report, your goal is to describe observations in such a way that a reader could duplicate the experiment, so the less extra information, the better. Of course, if you’re working in the social sciences, case studies—accounts of the personal experiences of other people—are a crucial part of your scholarship. (See our handout on  writing in the sciences for more information.)

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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30+ Ways to Avoid Repetition of “I” in First-Person Writing

First-person narrative engages readers, who experience the world from your narrator’s perspective — including intimate thoughts and feelings. However, it’s easy to overplay constructions such as I did this and I thought that and I wanted something else.

Many people claim the I, I, I approach is permissible because I is an invisible word like said .

Don’t believe them.

Prose or poetry with an overabundance of the same words or structures will seem off. Readers might not be able to tell you what’s wrong, but they know they’re unsettled by something .

Consider the Following Two Story Snippets

I answered the irresistible beckoning of the backyard. I watched brightly colored birds there frolicking in the breeze as they fluttered toward the creek. I closed my eyes and felt the warmth of the sun . I smelled the fragrance of the clover underneath my feet, a fragrance so sweet I could almost taste it. I heard fledgling robins twittering in a nearby tree.

I thought to myself , This is the life. I knew I never wanted to leave this place.

I decided to phone the real estate agent and tell her to take the FOR SALE sign off my lawn. She acted as though she had expected my call.

I told her in a firm voice that my mind was made up, and yes, I understood she would still receive her full commission.

I realized I didn’t care about the money.

The backyard beckoned with its irresistible sights and sounds. Frolicking in the breeze, brightly colored birds fluttered toward the creek. The sun warmed my closed eyelids, and my nostrils were flooded by the sweet fragrance of clover underneath my feet, a fragrance so sweet it almost sugared the taste buds. In a nearby tree, fledgling robins twittered.

This is the life. Who in their right mind would ever leave this place?

The real estate agent acted as though she had expected my call when asked to take the FOR SALE sign off the lawn.

My voice was firm. “Yes, my mind is made up. … Understood. … You’ll still receive your full commission.”

Hah! Who cares about the money?

Beware Verbosity

Rewrites could result in bloat, and the wrong words could make you seem pretentious or long-winded.

The second snippet reduces, rather than increases, word count.

The first example would be even shorter with the removal of to myself. Who else would you think to? Your editor? Your cat? Or maybe your dictation software?

Did You Notice the Changes?

Almost every sentence in the first example begins with I.

In the rewrite, note the removal of several filtering phrases:

I watched I … felt I smelled I could … taste I heard I thought I knew I decided I told I understood I realized

Whenever you filter thoughts and senses through your narrator’s eyes, you distance readers from your story — like a selfie of a selfie. Use the direct approach instead.

Passive voice appeared once to vary sentence structure. “I smelled the fragrance of the clover underneath my feet ” became “my nostrils were flooded by the sweet fragrance of clover underneath my feet.”

A so-called rule of writing is not to use passive voice. However, you’ll find times such as this when it’s warranted.

The phrase could also have been written as “my nostrils flooded with the sweet fragrance of clover underneath my feet.”

Reread the examples. Compare again. You’ll notice subtle changes that make the text flow smoother.

A Partial List of Filter Words

Watch for these or their equivalents. They all have the potential to weaken your writing:

A to W assume, be able to, believe, can, decide, experience, feel (or feel like) , hear, know, look, note, notice, realize, remember, see, seem, sound (or sound like), taste, think, touch, watch, wonder

Change the Focus

Just because you’re writing in first person doesn’t mean you, the storyteller, should be the most important character in the piece.

If you concentrate on the activities of other characters, readers will feel as though they are you. They still know you’re the narrator, but you become invisible.

Try These I Alternatives

I agree: We are in agreement

I am convinced that: In my opinion

I am sure that: Correct me if my opinion is wrong

I believe: The experts say (or, in Dothraki , “It is known”)

I decided: It was my intention

I disagree: You are wrong

I dislike that: That’s not for me

I don’t know: That’s an excellent question

I feel: In light of the evidence

I have experience in: My experience includes

I interpret the results: The results indicate

I like: It’s one of my favorites

I was nearly hit by a car: A car nearly hit me

I’ll show you: The report will show you

I’m hungry: My stomach is growling

Beware the Me-My Snare

In an attempt to remove instances of I, you might introduce excessive repetition of me and my .

For instance, “I felt an irresistible urge to buy the shoes” could become “An irresistible urge to buy the shoes came over me .”

“I saw three chickadees sitting on the fence” could end up as “Three chickadees sitting on the fence came into my view.”

As shown by the strikeout, you can often omit my .

Rely on Your Ears

They’re excellent critics.

Read your text out loud or harness your computer’s text-to-speech capabilities and listen to your writing . Repetitions that hide from notice during a silent read often become obvious and irritating when processed by the ears .

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28 thoughts on “ 30+ Ways to Avoid Repetition of “I” in First-Person Writing ”

how can we replace i in this sentence i had a dream to spend a beautiful day at an island

Sleep, peaceful sleep, filled the night, interrupted only by the dream of an idyllic day on a tiny island.

Hello Kathy,

Me again. Since reading your article, I have made a greater conscious effort in avoiding the use of “I” in my first-person stories. However, in doing so, I’m noticing I am starting to use “-ing” words to begin sentences more often, and I understand that’s something to use sparingly in fiction writing.

I may be over-analysing my works (that’s a bad habit of mine), but if using “I” in a sentence, whether it’s beginning a sentence or in the middle of it, creates a clearer structured sentence when compared to using a “-ing” word, would you say it’s okay to use “I”, or to try and figure out another way of structuring the sentence to avoid either?

On a side note, sometimes when I do avoid both, the sentence gets written in passive voice, as that seems to be the only way to structure it, while keeping it clear and precise. For example, a sentence within a story of mine read: “Rather than wasting time on breakfast, I can use it for more important things, such as training.” After re-editing it, it became: “Rather than wasting time on breakfast, it can be used for more important things, such as training.”

I’m really just trying to determine out of “I”, “-ing”, or passive voice, which is the best to use. Apologies if this is unclear. Sometimes that’s my thought process for you. There’s logic in there, but you’ve gotta dig past all the dribble to find it.

Kind regards, Footrot Flats

Phrases such as the following can help eliminate some instances of “I”:

– experience has shown – statistics indicate – events suggest – circumstances often require

Regarding your sentence: “Rather than wasting time on breakfast, it can be used for more important things, such as training.”

Try something like: “[Whatever ‘it’ is] can focus on activities, such as training, which are more important than breakfast.”

Remember: The goal is not to eliminate words but to eliminate their overuse.

Thank you for the response, Kathy!

I’ll keep those phrases in mind and see if they can be used anywhere that fits. Thank you for the suggestion as well.

I understand it’s okay to use “I”, just not too often, which is what I’m trying to do, but also figuring out how often “I” is fine to use. Finding that ‘Goldilocks Zone’ is my next challenge. If it’s used once every few paragraphs, it doesn’t stick out at me, but if I see two (or more) I’s in the same field of view, that’s when I tend to change it.

I may or may not pop up again sometime in the future. If I don’t, your article and advise has helped me immensely, so thank you for the time and effort you have put in. It’s much appreciated.

All the best, and stay safe too! Footrot Flats

When writing stories, I’ve always tried avoiding the usage of I’s (same goes for adverbs). 95% of the time, there’s an alternative way of describing a scene, whether it’s action, thoughts or dialogue, but something, every now and then, there just doesn’t seem to be a way to avoid using I (or an adverb).

Like adverbs, would you say it’s okay to use ‘I’ sparingly?

In some cases, the word ‘I’ gets replaced with an adverb, and then I enter a never-ending cycle.

Your approach is astute, FF.

Words exist for a reason, including adverbs and I . The goal is not to eliminate them but to reduce their frequency and make them “invisible” to readers. That turns them into useful tools.

Good luck with your writing, and please stay safe! (Exclamation points, em dashes, and parentheses are more useful tools — when used sparingly. 🙂 )

Thank you for the reply Kathy.

I agree that making them “invisible” rather than eliminating them completely is the better approach. Everything would provide a greater impact when used sparingly.

All the best, and stay safe too. Footrot Flats

Hello Kathy, the article above really helped me but i am still just a little confused. . . . would it be alright if you could un-I-ify my story. i haven’t written much and i probably wont be using it, but just to get a rough idea on how i could do it.

I was sitting on the train minding my own business and reading a book, when I casually looked out the window. It was pretty dark and rainy, but I could still see the blurry silhouette of the woods turning into a dim lighted village. As I was about to turn away, I started to sweat and felt a pounding in my head. My heart felt as if I had just run a marathon 3 times and I could hear my blood rushing through my ears. My hands shook and my breathing turned uneven. My vision went all blurry. I had to get away. I did not want to be on a train while having a panic attack. I stood up and hit my knee on the table but I ignored the pain. I grabbed my book and backpack and yelled for assistance. An assistant quickly rushed over and asked if I needed anything. I told her to stop the train. “But ma’am, we don’t have a station here, we can’t stop here-” “Just stop the train. NOW! Please!” I cut her off. “Ma’am, are you feeling ok? You should probably sit down.” She offers. “STOP THE TRAIN! NOW!” I shout. She nodded to me and swiveled around and quickly rushed to the front of the train. My mouth started to feel dry and I could feel tears coming starting to form at the corners of my eyes. By this time I was shaking. I turned to the nearest compartment and grabbed the glass of water on the table. I took one big sip and looked up at the young bloke who was sitting there. My mouth felt a bit better knowing it was hydrated and I could say my words without them sounding raspy. “I am so sorry. I really needed that drink.” I grabbed my backpack and took out £2 and put it down on the table. “I’m really sorry about the drink, I know you paid for that so here’s the money. I know it was 3 pound but this is all I can find right now.” I blurted out. I could feel the train slowing down and felt nauseous. I sat down in the young blokes compartment seat and looked down. I could feel the guy’s eyes staring at the top of my head which made me feel uncomfortable.

sorry if thats too much. thank you 🙂

Thanks for stopping by, Astoria.

I’ve retired from editing, but you can join online critique groups free of charge.

Scribophile and Critique Circle are two popular sites.

Good luck with your writing, and stay safe!

Undertaking a short story/flash fiction assignment for Open University. Word count is up to 800 words. The premise is in hand, and I’ve done a plan.

Really want to do it in First POV, though I know third is easy to fall back on. Your advice is brilliant, I am just so nervous of the structure and grammar. I don’t envision that creative writing is for me, as the strain of English Lit etc scares me.

You can do this, Louise. I hope you’ll be able to use some of the advice in this post.

Good luck, and stay safe!

This is so frustrating, As I edit my work I can’t think of anything to replace my ‘I’ overuse!!!

Think less of how you control the action and more about how the action happens, period. The suggestions in this article will help.

Thanks for stopping by, Max!

Great article. Chuck Palahnuik is an expert at submerging the ‘I’, and I’m constantly perplexed about how to avoid the pitfalls you mentioned when following his advice. This has helped a great deal.

Thanks, Tom. May your muse be ever with you — and stay safe.

I get it, I just don’t know how to repair the problem. Online English class?

There’s no magic one-size-fits-all approach. You have to examine each occurrence to determine a suitable remedy. This requires time and effort; but as you edit, you become more proficient at creating solutions.

Thanks for stopping by!

Can you please give me some examples of books written in first person, without the overuse of ‘I’? My 13 year old daughter is in an Academic Excellence class and has had her eyes opened and mind blown buy how removing the ‘I’s, it makes you live the story. She has Aspergers and dyslexia and has always loved writing, it is her get away. We would be truly grateful for some guidance.

Warmest wishes Michelle Australia

Hi, Michelle. Thanks for stopping by.

The books that stand out in my mind are To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, all The Hunger Games books by Suzanne Collins, and Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. They should keep your daughter busy for a while.

Thank you very much Kathy. I am truly grateful.

May you too keep safe.

Warmest wishes Michelle

Thank you so much. I always put I’s in my stories and it bothered me because ‘I’ use it repeatedly. That’s when ‘I’ started to notice it also want to thank you for the alternatives to making my story look as if a professional wrote it. Well I’m no professional but hopefully one day. 4 years later and came across this website. Thank you btw. (PS I was embarrassed now because I used my I’s a lot in this comment lolz so I had to fix it to make it right ) Anyways I’m forever grateful and have a good year in 2020!

Thanks for stopping by, Nora. Yes, those Is can be slippery little creatures. You’ve made the most important step by recognizing the problem.

You have a great 2020 too, and may the muses favor your writing!

Excellent, as per usual. 🙂

Thanks, Jenn!

Another excellent post, Kathy. This is exactly what I was looking for. As an added bonus, I now know what filter words are. Time for another edit on my latest WIP. (Heck – I’ve just noticed two I’s in the above comment. Oh no, there’s another two!)

Thanks, Tom. I laughed out loud as I was reading your reply. Next week I’ll be posting an open letter to book pirates. Arrgh! Three I ‘s.

Let’s see …

As my eyes scrutinized your reply, a humongous LOL burst from my lips. Next week’s blog post will feature an open letter to book pirates.

Doesn’t have the same snap, does it?

Comments are closed.

Using “I” in Academic Writing

Traditionally, some fields have frowned on the use of the first-person singular in an academic essay and others have encouraged that use, and both the frowning and the encouraging persist today—and there are good reasons for both positions (see “Should I”).

I recommend that you not look on the question of using “I” in an academic paper as a matter of a rule to follow, as part of a political agenda (see webb), or even as the need to create a strategy to avoid falling into Scylla-or-Charybdis error. Let the first-person singular be, instead, a tool that you take out when you think it’s needed and that you leave in the toolbox when you think it’s not.

Examples of When “I” May Be Needed

• You are narrating how you made a discovery, and the process of your discovering is important or at the very least entertaining.
• You are describing how you teach something and how your students have responded or respond.
• You disagree with another scholar and want to stress that you are not waving the banner of absolute truth.
• You need “I” for rhetorical effect, to be clear, simple, or direct.

Examples of When “I” Should Be Given a Rest

• It’s off-putting to readers, generally, when “I” appears too often. You may not feel one bit modest, but remember the advice of Benjamin Franklin, still excellent, on the wisdom of preserving the semblance of modesty when your purpose is to convince others.
• You are the author of your paper, so if an opinion is expressed in it, it is usually clear that this opinion is yours. You don’t have to add a phrase like, “I believe” or “it seems to me.”

Works Cited

Franklin, Benjamin. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin . Project Gutenberg , 28 Dec. 2006, www.gutenberg.org/app/uploads/sites/3/20203/20203-h/20203-h.htm#I.

“Should I Use “I”?” The Writing Center at UNC—Chapel Hill , writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/should-i-use-i/.

webb, Christine. “The Use of the First Person in Academic Writing: Objectivity, Language, and Gatekeeping.” ResearchGate , July 1992, doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.1992.tb01974.x.

J.S.Beniwal 05 August 2017 AT 09:08 AM

I have borrowed MLA only yesterday, did my MAEnglish in May 2017.MLA is of immense help for scholars.An overview of the book really enlightened​ me.I should have read it at bachelor's degree level.

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Dr. Raymond Harter 25 September 2017 AT 02:09 PM

I discourage the use of "I" in essays for undergraduates to reinforce a conversational tone and to "self-recognize" the writer as an authority or at least a thorough researcher. Writing a play is different than an essay with a purpose.

Osayimwense Osa 22 March 2023 AT 05:03 PM

When a student or writer is strongly and passionately interested in his or her stance and argument to persuade his or her audience, the use of personal pronoun srenghtens his or her passion for the subject. This passion should be clear in his/her expression. However, I encourage the use of the first-person, I, sparingly -- only when and where absolutely necessary.

Eleanor 25 March 2023 AT 04:03 PM

I once had a student use the word "eye" when writing about how to use pronouns. Her peers did not catch it. I made comments, but I think she never understood what eye was saying!

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Can I Write ‘I’ In My Essay? Personal Pronoun Problems

I remember when I was an 18 year-old first year undergraduate student writing an essay about the metaphors within the Sherlock Holmes fictional universe.

This was my first ever academic essay. I was really excited to see how well I had done.

When I got my essay feedback, I was shocked to see the advice from my lecturer: “Go to study skills classes. You need to learn how to write an academic essay”.

I was embarrassed, but no-one had ever taught me how to write an academic essay.

I was a decent student and English had always been my best subject, but now I was being advised to go to classes to help me to write essays!

There were two main issues with my essay. One was that it was too informal. The other issue was to do with the essay structure.

This article addresses part of the formality issue which many students struggle with: the use of the first person singular ‘I’.

Can I write ‘I’, ‘my’, ‘we’ or ‘you’ in an essay?

The short answer : No . You should avoid using them. They’re impersonal and informal. You can damage the strength of your argument by using them.

The long answer : ‘I’ depends on a few different factors. You should still avoid using ‘my’, ‘we’ or ‘you’, though. The factors which affect the use of ‘I’ are:

• The subject that you’re studying : A fashion design text might use ‘I’ more than a biology or physics text, for example. From the texts that you read on your course, you can usually tell if ‘I’ is appropriate.
• The type of text you’re writing: A reflective essay on your experience or your progression on your course could use ‘I’. This is because you will write about your own experiences. Using ‘I’ would probably be inappropriate in an essay which requires you to evaluate or argue.
• What your tutor wants: Your tutor or lecturer will sometimes tell you if they want a personal account. In this case, you should use ‘I’. Check your assignment brief if you think that your tutor wants you to write a personal account.

If you are in doubt about whether ‘I’ is appropriate, don’t use it.        

What can I use instead of ‘I’?

There are several ways you can avoid using ‘I’. Let’s look at them:’

Learning how to use the passive and impersonal expressions can take a little bit of time because you may need to change words, the word order and word form.

I’m writing my essay now – what can I do to stop being personal?

If you’re looking for a *quick fix* for ‘I’, you can try this simple technique that I call ‘Search and Destroy’ :

• Open your word processor (eg. Microsoft Word) and press ctrl+f (Windows) or command+f (Mac), and type in ‘I’.
• Scroll through each of these ‘I’ instances, and change them using an abstract subject.

You can literally eliminate all informal uses of ‘I’ using this simple technique.

Final Words

Using personal pronouns is generally too informal and personal to be used in academic writing.

• Don’t use ‘you’, ‘we’, ‘our’, ‘my’, ‘we’ in an academic essay.
• Avoid using ‘I’ unless your lecturer tells you to use it.
• Make your writing less personal by using the passive voice, impersonal expressions or abstract subjects.

But these aren’t the only informal issues that students have. Check this post for 4 more ways to correct informal writing.

If you’re working on an essay right now, try my ‘search and destroy’ technique from above.

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3 thoughts on “Can I Write ‘I’ In My Essay? Personal Pronoun Problems”

Pingback: Help! My Writing is Too Informal! | English For Study

Many thanks for your clear and detailed explanation provided with the examples. May I ask you a question? I’d like to know in what types of essays it is strongly prohibited to use personal pronouns if we are talking about CAE writing exam assessment

Hi Eva. I’m glad the article was useful. The advice is specifically for academic writing – like essays or dissertations for university. If you’re a bit informal in your CAE essay, you will be fine.

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• Tips & Guides

How To Avoid Using “We,” “You,” And “I” in an Essay

• Posted on October 27, 2022 October 27, 2022

Maintaining a formal voice while writing academic essays and papers is essential to sound objective. 

One of the main rules of academic or formal writing is to avoid first-person pronouns like “we,” “you,” and “I.” These words pull focus away from the topic and shift it to the speaker – the opposite of your goal.

While it may seem difficult at first, some tricks can help you avoid personal language and keep a professional tone.

Let’s learn how to avoid using “we” in an essay.

What Is a Personal Pronoun?

Pronouns are words used to refer to a noun indirectly. Examples include “he,” “his,” “her,” and “hers.” Any time you refer to a noun – whether a person, object, or animal – without using its name, you use a pronoun.

Personal pronouns are a type of pronoun. A personal pronoun is a pronoun you use whenever you directly refer to the subject of the sentence. 

Take the following short paragraph as an example:

“Mr. Smith told the class yesterday to work on our essays. Mr. Smith also said that Mr. Smith lost Mr. Smith’s laptop in the lunchroom.”

The above sentence contains no pronouns at all. There are three places where you would insert a pronoun, but only two where you would put a personal pronoun. See the revised sentence below:

“Mr. Smith told the class yesterday to work on our essays. He also said that he lost his laptop in the lunchroom.”

“He” is a personal pronoun because we are talking directly about Mr. Smith. “His” is not a personal pronoun (it’s a possessive pronoun) because we are not speaking directly about Mr. Smith. Rather, we are talking about Mr. Smith’s laptop.

If later on you talk about Mr. Smith’s laptop, you may say:

“Mr. Smith found it in his car, not the lunchroom!” 

In this case, “it” is a personal pronoun because in this point of view we are making a reference to the laptop directly and not as something owned by Mr. Smith.

Why Avoid Personal Pronouns in Essay Writing

We’re teaching you how to avoid using “I” in writing, but why is this necessary? Academic writing aims to focus on a clear topic, sound objective, and paint the writer as a source of authority. Word choice can significantly impact your success in achieving these goals.

Writing that uses personal pronouns can unintentionally shift the reader’s focus onto the writer, pulling their focus away from the topic at hand.

Personal pronouns may also make your work seem less objective. 

One of the most challenging parts of essay writing is learning which words to avoid and how to avoid them. Fortunately, following a few simple tricks, you can master the English Language and write like a pro in no time.

Alternatives To Using Personal Pronouns

How to not use “I” in a paper? What are the alternatives? There are many ways to avoid the use of personal pronouns in academic writing. By shifting your word choice and sentence structure, you can keep the overall meaning of your sentences while re-shaping your tone.

Utilize Passive Voice

In conventional writing, students are taught to avoid the passive voice as much as possible, but it can be an excellent way to avoid first-person pronouns in academic writing.

You can use the passive voice to avoid using pronouns. Take this sentence, for example:

“ We used 150 ml of HCl for the experiment.”

Instead of using “we” and the active voice, you can use a passive voice without a pronoun. The sentence above becomes:

“150 ml of HCl were used for the experiment.” 

Using the passive voice removes your team from the experiment and makes your work sound more objective.

Take a Third-Person Perspective

Another answer to “how to avoid using ‘we’ in an essay?” is the use of a third-person perspective. Changing the perspective is a good way to take first-person pronouns out of a sentence. A third-person point of view will not use any first-person pronouns because the information is not given from the speaker’s perspective.

A third-person sentence is spoken entirely about the subject where the speaker is outside of the sentence.

Take a look at the sentence below:

“In this article you will learn about formal writing.”

The perspective in that sentence is second person, and it uses the personal pronoun “you.” You can change this sentence to sound more objective by using third-person pronouns:

“In this article the reader will learn about formal writing.”

The use of a third-person point of view makes the second sentence sound more academic and confident. Second-person pronouns, like those used in the first sentence, sound less formal and objective.

Be Specific With Word Choice

You can avoid first-personal pronouns by choosing your words carefully. Often, you may find that you are inserting unnecessary nouns into your work. 

Take the following sentence as an example:

“ My research shows the students did poorly on the test.”

In this case, the first-person pronoun ‘my’ can be entirely cut out from the sentence. It then becomes:

“Research shows the students did poorly on the test.”

The second sentence is more succinct and sounds more authoritative without changing the sentence structure.

You should also make sure to watch out for the improper use of adverbs and nouns. Being careful with your word choice regarding nouns, adverbs, verbs, and adjectives can help mitigate your use of personal pronouns. 

“They bravely started the French revolution in 1789.” 

While this sentence might be fine in a story about the revolution, an essay or academic piece should only focus on the facts. The world ‘bravely’ is a good indicator that you are inserting unnecessary personal pronouns into your work.

We can revise this sentence into:

“The French revolution started in 1789.” 

Avoid adverbs (adjectives that describe verbs), and you will find that you avoid personal pronouns by default.

Closing Thoughts

In academic writing, It is crucial to sound objective and focus on the topic. Using personal pronouns pulls the focus away from the subject and makes writing sound subjective.

Hopefully, this article has helped you learn how to avoid using “we” in an essay.

When working on any formal writing assignment, avoid personal pronouns and informal language as much as possible.

While getting the hang of academic writing, you will likely make some mistakes, so revising is vital. Always double-check for personal pronouns, plagiarism , spelling mistakes, and correctly cited pieces. 

 You can prevent and correct mistakes using a plagiarism checker at any time, completely for free.

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How to Write an Essay Introduction (with Examples)   

The introduction of an essay plays a critical role in engaging the reader and providing contextual information about the topic. It sets the stage for the rest of the essay, establishes the tone and style, and motivates the reader to continue reading. 

Table of Contents

What is an essay introduction , what to include in an essay introduction, how to create an essay structure , step-by-step process for writing an essay introduction , how to write an introduction paragraph , how to write a hook for your essay , how to include background information , how to write a thesis statement .

• Argumentative Essay Introduction Example: 
• Expository Essay Introduction Example 

Literary Analysis Essay Introduction Example

Check and revise – checklist for essay introduction , key takeaways , frequently asked questions .

An introduction is the opening section of an essay, paper, or other written work. It introduces the topic and provides background information, context, and an overview of what the reader can expect from the rest of the work. 1 The key is to be concise and to the point, providing enough information to engage the reader without delving into excessive detail. 

The essay introduction is crucial as it sets the tone for the entire piece and provides the reader with a roadmap of what to expect. Here are key elements to include in your essay introduction: 

• Hook : Start with an attention-grabbing statement or question to engage the reader. This could be a surprising fact, a relevant quote, or a compelling anecdote. 
• Background information : Provide context and background information to help the reader understand the topic. This can include historical information, definitions of key terms, or an overview of the current state of affairs related to your topic. 
• Thesis statement : Clearly state your main argument or position on the topic. Your thesis should be concise and specific, providing a clear direction for your essay. 

Before we get into how to write an essay introduction, we need to know how it is structured. The structure of an essay is crucial for organizing your thoughts and presenting them clearly and logically. It is divided as follows: 2  

• Introduction:  The introduction should grab the reader’s attention with a hook, provide context, and include a thesis statement that presents the main argument or purpose of the essay.  
• Body:  The body should consist of focused paragraphs that support your thesis statement using evidence and analysis. Each paragraph should concentrate on a single central idea or argument and provide evidence, examples, or analysis to back it up.  
• Conclusion:  The conclusion should summarize the main points and restate the thesis differently. End with a final statement that leaves a lasting impression on the reader. Avoid new information or arguments. 

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to write an essay introduction: 

• Start with a Hook : Begin your introduction paragraph with an attention-grabbing statement, question, quote, or anecdote related to your topic. The hook should pique the reader’s interest and encourage them to continue reading. 
• Provide Background Information : This helps the reader understand the relevance and importance of the topic. 
• State Your Thesis Statement : The last sentence is the main argument or point of your essay. It should be clear, concise, and directly address the topic of your essay. 
• Preview the Main Points : This gives the reader an idea of what to expect and how you will support your thesis. 
• Keep it Concise and Clear : Avoid going into too much detail or including information not directly relevant to your topic. 
• Revise : Revise your introduction after you’ve written the rest of your essay to ensure it aligns with your final argument. 

Here’s an example of an essay introduction paragraph about the importance of education: 

Education is often viewed as a fundamental human right and a key social and economic development driver. As Nelson Mandela once famously said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” It is the key to unlocking a wide range of opportunities and benefits for individuals, societies, and nations. In today’s constantly evolving world, education has become even more critical. It has expanded beyond traditional classroom learning to include digital and remote learning, making education more accessible and convenient. This essay will delve into the importance of education in empowering individuals to achieve their dreams, improving societies by promoting social justice and equality, and driving economic growth by developing a skilled workforce and promoting innovation. 

This introduction paragraph example includes a hook (the quote by Nelson Mandela), provides some background information on education, and states the thesis statement (the importance of education). 

This is one of the key steps in how to write an essay introduction. Crafting a compelling hook is vital because it sets the tone for your entire essay and determines whether your readers will stay interested. A good hook draws the reader in and sets the stage for the rest of your essay.  

• Avoid Dry Fact : Instead of simply stating a bland fact, try to make it engaging and relevant to your topic. For example, if you’re writing about the benefits of exercise, you could start with a startling statistic like, “Did you know that regular exercise can increase your lifespan by up to seven years?” 
• Avoid Using a Dictionary Definition : While definitions can be informative, they’re not always the most captivating way to start an essay. Instead, try to use a quote, anecdote, or provocative question to pique the reader’s interest. For instance, if you’re writing about freedom, you could begin with a quote from a famous freedom fighter or philosopher. 
• Do Not Just State a Fact That the Reader Already Knows : This ties back to the first point—your hook should surprise or intrigue the reader. For Here’s an introduction paragraph example, if you’re writing about climate change, you could start with a thought-provoking statement like, “Despite overwhelming evidence, many people still refuse to believe in the reality of climate change.” 

Including background information in the introduction section of your essay is important to provide context and establish the relevance of your topic. When writing the background information, you can follow these steps: 

• Start with a General Statement:  Begin with a general statement about the topic and gradually narrow it down to your specific focus. For example, when discussing the impact of social media, you can begin by making a broad statement about social media and its widespread use in today’s society, as follows: “Social media has become an integral part of modern life, with billions of users worldwide.” 
• Define Key Terms : Define any key terms or concepts that may be unfamiliar to your readers but are essential for understanding your argument. 
• Provide Relevant Statistics:  Use statistics or facts to highlight the significance of the issue you’re discussing. For instance, “According to a report by Statista, the number of social media users is expected to reach 4.41 billion by 2025.” 
• Discuss the Evolution:  Mention previous research or studies that have been conducted on the topic, especially those that are relevant to your argument. Mention key milestones or developments that have shaped its current impact. You can also outline some of the major effects of social media. For example, you can briefly describe how social media has evolved, including positives such as increased connectivity and issues like cyberbullying and privacy concerns. 
• Transition to Your Thesis:  Use the background information to lead into your thesis statement, which should clearly state the main argument or purpose of your essay. For example, “Given its pervasive influence, it is crucial to examine the impact of social media on mental health.” 

A thesis statement is a concise summary of the main point or claim of an essay, research paper, or other type of academic writing. It appears near the end of the introduction. Here’s how to write a thesis statement: 

• Identify the topic:  Start by identifying the topic of your essay. For example, if your essay is about the importance of exercise for overall health, your topic is “exercise.” 
• State your position:  Next, state your position or claim about the topic. This is the main argument or point you want to make. For example, if you believe that regular exercise is crucial for maintaining good health, your position could be: “Regular exercise is essential for maintaining good health.” 
• Support your position:  Provide a brief overview of the reasons or evidence that support your position. These will be the main points of your essay. For example, if you’re writing an essay about the importance of exercise, you could mention the physical health benefits, mental health benefits, and the role of exercise in disease prevention. 
• Make it specific:  Ensure your thesis statement clearly states what you will discuss in your essay. For example, instead of saying, “Exercise is good for you,” you could say, “Regular exercise, including cardiovascular and strength training, can improve overall health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.” 

Examples of essay introduction 

Here are examples of essay introductions for different types of essays: 

Argumentative Essay Introduction Example:  

Topic: Should the voting age be lowered to 16? 

“The question of whether the voting age should be lowered to 16 has sparked nationwide debate. While some argue that 16-year-olds lack the requisite maturity and knowledge to make informed decisions, others argue that doing so would imbue young people with agency and give them a voice in shaping their future.” 

Expository Essay Introduction Example  

Topic: The benefits of regular exercise 

“In today’s fast-paced world, the importance of regular exercise cannot be overstated. From improving physical health to boosting mental well-being, the benefits of exercise are numerous and far-reaching. This essay will examine the various advantages of regular exercise and provide tips on incorporating it into your daily routine.” 

Text: “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee 

“Harper Lee’s novel, ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ is a timeless classic that explores themes of racism, injustice, and morality in the American South. Through the eyes of young Scout Finch, the reader is taken on a journey that challenges societal norms and forces characters to confront their prejudices. This essay will analyze the novel’s use of symbolism, character development, and narrative structure to uncover its deeper meaning and relevance to contemporary society.” 

• Engaging and Relevant First Sentence : The opening sentence captures the reader’s attention and relates directly to the topic. 
• Background Information : Enough background information is introduced to provide context for the thesis statement. 
• Definition of Important Terms : Key terms or concepts that might be unfamiliar to the audience or are central to the argument are defined. 
• Clear Thesis Statement : The thesis statement presents the main point or argument of the essay. 
• Relevance to Main Body : Everything in the introduction directly relates to and sets up the discussion in the main body of the essay. 

Writing a strong introduction is crucial for setting the tone and context of your essay. Here are the key takeaways for how to write essay introduction: 3  

• Hook the Reader : Start with an engaging hook to grab the reader’s attention. This could be a compelling question, a surprising fact, a relevant quote, or an anecdote. 
• Provide Background : Give a brief overview of the topic, setting the context and stage for the discussion. 
• Thesis Statement : State your thesis, which is the main argument or point of your essay. It should be concise, clear, and specific. 
• Preview the Structure : Outline the main points or arguments to help the reader understand the organization of your essay. 
• Keep it Concise : Avoid including unnecessary details or information not directly related to your thesis. 
• Revise and Edit : Revise your introduction to ensure clarity, coherence, and relevance. Check for grammar and spelling errors. 
• Seek Feedback : Get feedback from peers or instructors to improve your introduction further. 

The purpose of an essay introduction is to give an overview of the topic, context, and main ideas of the essay. It is meant to engage the reader, establish the tone for the rest of the essay, and introduce the thesis statement or central argument.  

An essay introduction typically ranges from 5-10% of the total word count. For example, in a 1,000-word essay, the introduction would be roughly 50-100 words. However, the length can vary depending on the complexity of the topic and the overall length of the essay.

An essay introduction is critical in engaging the reader and providing contextual information about the topic. To ensure its effectiveness, consider incorporating these key elements: a compelling hook, background information, a clear thesis statement, an outline of the essay’s scope, a smooth transition to the body, and optional signposting sentences.  

The process of writing an essay introduction is not necessarily straightforward, but there are several strategies that can be employed to achieve this end. When experiencing difficulty initiating the process, consider the following techniques: begin with an anecdote, a quotation, an image, a question, or a startling fact to pique the reader’s interest. It may also be helpful to consider the five W’s of journalism: who, what, when, where, why, and how.   For instance, an anecdotal opening could be structured as follows: “As I ascended the stage, momentarily blinded by the intense lights, I could sense the weight of a hundred eyes upon me, anticipating my next move. The topic of discussion was climate change, a subject I was passionate about, and it was my first public speaking event. Little did I know , that pivotal moment would not only alter my perspective but also chart my life’s course.” 

Crafting a compelling thesis statement for your introduction paragraph is crucial to grab your reader’s attention. To achieve this, avoid using overused phrases such as “In this paper, I will write about” or “I will focus on” as they lack originality. Instead, strive to engage your reader by substantiating your stance or proposition with a “so what” clause. While writing your thesis statement, aim to be precise, succinct, and clear in conveying your main argument.  

To create an effective essay introduction, ensure it is clear, engaging, relevant, and contains a concise thesis statement. It should transition smoothly into the essay and be long enough to cover necessary points but not become overwhelming. Seek feedback from peers or instructors to assess its effectiveness. 

References  

• Cui, L. (2022). Unit 6 Essay Introduction.  Building Academic Writing Skills . 
• West, H., Malcolm, G., Keywood, S., & Hill, J. (2019). Writing a successful essay.  Journal of Geography in Higher Education ,  43 (4), 609-617. 
• Beavers, M. E., Thoune, D. L., & McBeth, M. (2023). Bibliographic Essay: Reading, Researching, Teaching, and Writing with Hooks: A Queer Literacy Sponsorship. College English, 85(3), 230-242. 

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Related Reads:

• What is an Argumentative Essay? How to Write It (With Examples)
• How to Paraphrase Research Papers Effectively
• How to Cite Social Media Sources in Academic Writing? 

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Table of Contents

Collaboration, information literacy, writing process, using first person in an academic essay: when is it okay.

• CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 by Jenna Pack Sheffield

Related Concepts: Academic Writing – How to Write for the Academic Community ; First-Person Point of View ; Rhetorical Analysis; Rhetorical Stance ; The First Person ; Voice

In order to determine whether or not you can speak or write from the first-person point of view, you need to engage in rhetorical analysis. You need to question whether your audience values and accepts the first person as a legitimate rhetorical stance. Source:Many times, high school students are told not to use first person (“I,” “we,” “my,” “us,” and so forth) in their essays. As a college student, you should realize that this is a rule that can and should be broken—at the right time, of course.

By now, you’ve probably written a personal essay, memoir, or narrative that used first person. After all, how could you write a personal essay about yourself, for instance, without using the dreaded “I” word?

However, academic essays differ from personal essays; they are typically researched and use a formal tone . Because of these differences, when students write an academic essay, they quickly shy away from first person because of what they have been told in high school or because they believe that first person feels too informal for an intellectual, researched text. While first person can definitely be overused in academic essays (which is likely why your teachers tell you not to use it), there are moments in a paper when it is not only appropriate, but also more effective and/or persuasive to use first person. The following are a few instances in which it is appropriate to use first person in an academic essay:

• Including a personal anecdote: You have more than likely been told that you need a strong “hook” to draw your readers in during an introduction. Sometimes, the best hook is a personal anecdote, or a short amusing story about yourself. In this situation, it would seem unnatural not to use first-person pronouns such as “I” and “myself.” Your readers will appreciate the personal touch and will want to keep reading! (For more information about incorporating personal anecdotes into your writing, see “ Employing Narrative in an Essay .”)
• Establishing your credibility ( ethos ): Ethos is a term stemming back to Ancient Greece that essentially means “character” in the sense of trustworthiness or credibility. A writer can establish her ethos by convincing the reader that she is trustworthy source. Oftentimes, the best way to do that is to get personal—tell the reader a little bit about yourself. (For more information about ethos, see “ Ethos .”)For instance, let’s say you are writing an essay arguing that dance is a sport. Using the occasional personal pronoun to let your audience know that you, in fact, are a classically trained dancer—and have the muscles and scars to prove it—goes a long way in establishing your credibility and proving your argument. And this use of first person will not distract or annoy your readers because it is purposeful.
• Clarifying passive constructions : Often, when writers try to avoid using first person in essays, they end up creating confusing, passive sentences . For instance, let’s say I am writing an essay about different word processing technologies, and I want to make the point that I am using Microsoft Word to write this essay. If I tried to avoid first-person pronouns, my sentence might read: “Right now, this essay is being written in Microsoft Word.” While this sentence is not wrong, it is what we call passive—the subject of the sentence is being acted upon because there is no one performing the action. To most people, this sentence sounds better: “Right now, I am writing this essay in Microsoft Word.” Do you see the difference? In this case, using first person makes your writing clearer.
• Stating your position in relation to others: Sometimes, especially in an argumentative essay, it is necessary to state your opinion on the topic . Readers want to know where you stand, and it is sometimes helpful to assert yourself by putting your own opinions into the essay. You can imagine the passive sentences (see above) that might occur if you try to state your argument without using the word “I.” The key here is to use first person sparingly. Use personal pronouns enough to get your point across clearly without inundating your readers with this language.

Now, the above list is certainly not exhaustive. The best thing to do is to use your good judgment, and you can always check with your instructor if you are unsure of his or her perspective on the issue. Ultimately, if you feel that using first person has a purpose or will have a strategic effect on your audience, then it is probably fine to use first-person pronouns. Just be sure not to overuse this language, at the risk of sounding narcissistic, self-centered, or unaware of others’ opinions on a topic.

Recommended Readings:

• A Synthesis of Professor Perspectives on Using First and Third Person in Academic Writing
• Finding the Bunny: How to Make a Personal Connection to Your Writing
• First-Person Point of View

Brevity – Say More with Less

Clarity (in Speech and Writing)

Coherence – How to Achieve Coherence in Writing

Flow – How to Create Flow in Writing

Inclusivity – Inclusive Language

The Elements of Style – The DNA of Powerful Writing

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Featured Articles

Academic Writing – How to Write for the Academic Community

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How to Write a College Application Essay

Find the right college for you..

Your essay reveals something important about you that your grades and test scores can't─your personality. It can give admissions officers a sense of who you are and showcase your writing ability. Here are some things that admissions officers look for in a personal essay for college.

1. Open Strong.

Knowing how to start a college essay can create a strong opening paragraph that immediately captures the reader’s interest. You want to make the admissions officer reading your essay curious about what you say next.

2. Show You Can Write.

Colleges want to see that you have a command of the basics of good writing, which is a key component of success in college.

3. Answer the Prompt.

Admissions officers also want to see that the student can give a direct answer while sticking to a comprehensive narrative. When writing college essays, consider the point you want to make and develop a fleshed-out response that fits the prompt. Avoid force-fitting prewritten pieces. Approach every personal essay prompt as if it's your first.

4. Stick to Your Style.

Writing college essays isn't about using flowery or verbose prose. Avoid leaning too heavily on the thesaurus to sound impressive. Choose a natural writing style that’s appropriate for the subject matter.

Also, avoid stressing about trying to write what you think colleges want to see. Learning how to draft a good essay for college is about showcasing who you are. Stay true to your voice. Keep in mind that authenticity is more important than anything else.

5. Proofread.

Correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling are essential. Proofread several times after you've finished. Then ask a teacher, parent, or college English major to give it a quick read as well.

6. Keep Track of Length.

Finally, admissions officers value succinctness. Remember to pay attention to the recommended essay length or word count.

Bonus Tips and College Essay Writing Help

For more on how to write a college essay, check out these Tips for Writing Your College Admissions Essay .

What is the college application essay?

A personal essay for college applications is an opportunity for admission admissions panels to get more insight into who you are and what you have to offer. It's often the most personal component of the application, going beyond grades and standardized test scores. Essays usually have open-ended prompts, allowing you to flex your writing skills and make a personal statement.

Does my college application essay really matter?

Learning how to write a successful essay for college is crucial. This essay's exact weight on your chances of acceptance varies from one school to the next. But it's an element of your application that all admissions teams consider. Your essay could be the thing that gets you off a waiting list or gives you a competitive edge over other applicants.

What are colleges looking for in my application essay?

Knowing what to include in a college essay is half the battle. Admissions teams look for many things, but the most influential are authenticity, writing ability, character details, and positive traits. The purpose of the essay is to shed light on your background and gain perspective on your real-world experiences.

When should I start writing my college essay?

Because you'll want to tailor each application to each school, expect to write multiple personal essays. Advisers typically recommend starting these pieces during the summer before your senior year of high school. This will give you ample time to concentrate on writing a college essay before you're hit with schoolwork.

What can I do to write an effective college essay if I'm not a strong writer?

Good writing skills matter, but the best college essay is about the quality of your response. Authentic stories in a natural voice have impact. The story you want to tell about yourself will work better for you if it’s told in language that’s not overly sophisticated. Work with a writing coach for help with the academic aspects. Make responding with substance a priority.

How can I write my college essay if I have no monumental experiences?

You don't need life-changing moments to impress an admissions panel. Think about your personal experiences. Describe moments that left a lasting impact. The important thing is to have a fleshed-out narrative that provides insight into your life and way of thinking. Some of the best essays revolve around meaningful moments rather than flashy ones.

How should I start brainstorming topics for my college essay?

Most colleges provide open-ended prompts. Using the topic as inspiration, think about critical milestones or essential lessons you learned during your academic career. Tell stories about real-life experiences that have shaped the person you are. Write them down to brainstorm ideas. Choose stories that highlight your best traits.

What is a good list of essay topics to start with? What essay topics should I avoid?

Good topics when writing college essays include personal achievements, meaningful lessons, life-changing challenges, and situations that fostered personal growth. It's best to avoid anything too intimate or controversial. You want to open up, but it's not a good idea to go overboard or alienate members of the admissions panel.

What format should I use for my college essay?

Read the prompt and essay instructions thoroughly to learn how to start off a college essay. Some colleges provide guidance about formatting. If not, the best course of action is to stick with a college standard like the MLA format.

How long should my essay be?

The average length of a personal essay for college is 400─600 words. Always read the prompt. Follow the instructions provided in the application.

Who should I ask to review my college essay?

Turn to your school counselor for review. They understand what college admissions panels are looking for, and they can provide valuable insight into your piece's quality. You can also reach out to English teachers and other educators for proofreading.

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Essay Writing Tips: 10 Steps to Writing a Great Essay (And Have Fun Doing It!)

by Joe Bunting | 117 comments

Do you dread essay writing? Are you looking for some essay tips that will help you write an amazing essay—and have fun doing it?

Lots of students, young and old, dread essay writing. It's a daunting assignment, one that takes research, time, and concentration.

It's also an assignment that you can break up into simple steps that make writing an essay manageable and, yes, even enjoyable.

These ten essay tips completely changed my writing process—and I hope that they can do the same for you.

Essay Writing Can Be Fun

Honestly, throughout most of high school and college, I was a mediocre essay writer.

Every once in a while, I would write a really good essay, but mostly I skated by with B's and A-minuses.

I know personally how boring writing an essay can be, and also, how hard it can be to write a good one.

However, toward the end of my time as a student, I made a breakthrough. I figured out how to not only write a great essay, I learned how to have fun while doing it . 

And since then, I've become a professional writer and have written more than a dozen books. I'm not saying that these essay writing tips are going to magically turn you into a writer, but at least they can help you enjoy the process more.

I'm excited to share these ten essay writing tips with you today! But first, we need to talk about why writing an essay is so hard.

Why Writing an Essay Is So Hard

When it comes to essay writing, a lot of students find a reason to put it off. And when they tackle it, they find it difficult to string sentences together that sound like a decent stance on the assigned subject.

Here are a few reasons why essay writing is hard:

• You'd rather be scrolling through Facebook
• You're trying to write something your teacher or professor will like
• You're trying to get an A instead of writing something that's actually good
• You want to do the least amount of work possible

The biggest reason writing an essay is so hard is because we mostly focus on those external  rewards like getting a passing grade, winning our teacher's approval, or just avoiding accusations of plagiarism.

The problem is that when you focus on external approval it not only makes writing much less fun, it also makes it significantly harder.

Because when you focus on external approval, you shut down your subconscious, and the subconscious is the source of your creativity.

The subconscious is the source of your creativity.

What this means practically is that when you're trying to write that perfect, A-plus-worthy sentence, you're turning off most of your best resources and writing skills.

So stop. Stop trying to write a good essay (or even a “good-enough” essay). Instead, write an interesting  essay, write an essay you think is fascinating. And when you're finished, go back and edit it until it's “good” according to your teacher's standards.

Yes, you need to follow the guidelines in your assignment. If your teacher tells you to write a five-paragraph essay, then write a five-paragraph essay! If your teacher asks for a specific type of essay, like an analysis, argument, or research essay, then make sure you write that type of essay!

However, within those guidelines, find room to express something that is uniquely you .

I can't guarantee you'll get a higher grade (although, you almost certainly will), but I can absolutely promise you'll have a lot more fun writing.

The Step-by-Step Process to Writing a Great Essay: Your 10 Essay Writing Tips

Ready to get writing? You can read my ten best tips for having fun while writing an essay that earns you the top grade, or check out this presentation designed by our friends at Canva Presentations .

1. Remember your essay is just a story.

Every story is about conflict and change, and the truth is that essays are about conflict and change, too! The difference is that in an essay, the conflict is between different ideas , and the change is in the way we should perceive those ideas.

That means that the best essays are about surprise: “You probably think it's one way, but in reality, you should think of it this other way.” See tip #3 for more on this.

How do you know what story you're telling? The prompt should tell you.

Any list of essay prompts includes various topics and tasks associated with them. Within those topics are characters (historical, fictional, or topical) faced with difficult choices. Your job is to work with those choices, usually by analyzing them, arguing about them, researching them, or describing them in detail.

2. Before you start writing, ask yourself, “How can I have the most fun writing this?”

It's normal to feel unmotivated when writing an academic essay. I'm a writer, and honestly, I feel unmotivated to write all the time. But I have a super-ninja, judo-mind trick I like to use to help motivate myself.

Here's the secret trick: One of the interesting things about your subconscious is that it will answer any question you ask yourself. So whenever you feel unmotivated to write your essay, ask yourself the following question:

“How much fun can I have writing this?”

Your subconscious will immediately start thinking of strategies to make the writing process more fun.

The best time to have your fun is the first draft. Since you're just brainstorming within the topic, and exploring the possible ways of approaching it, the first draft is the perfect place to get creative and even a little scandalous. Here are some wild suggestions to make your next essay a load of fun:

• Research the most surprising or outrageous fact about the topic and use it as your hook.
• Use a thesaurus to research the topic's key words. Get crazy with your vocabulary as you write, working in each key word synonym as much as possible.
• Play devil's advocate and take the opposing or immoral side of the issue. See where the discussion takes you as you write.

3. As you research, ask yourself, “What surprises me about this subject?”

The temptation, when you're writing an essay, is to write what you think your teacher or professor wants to read.

Don't do this .

Instead, ask yourself, “What do I find interesting about this subject? What surprises me?”

If you can't think of anything that surprises you, anything you find interesting, then you're not searching well enough, because history, science, and literature are all brimming   over with surprises. When you look at how great ideas actually happen, the story is always, “We used  to think the world was this way. We found out we were completely wrong, and that the world is actually quite different from what we thought.”

These pieces of surprising information often make for the best topic sentences as well. Use them to outline your essay and build your body paragraphs off of each unique fact or idea. These will function as excellent hooks for your reader as you transition from one topic to the next.

(By the way, what sources should you use for research? Check out tip #10 below.)

4. Overwhelmed? Write five original sentences.

The standard three-point essay is really made up of just five original sentences surrounded by supporting paragraphs that back up those five sentences. If you're feeling overwhelmed, just write five sentences covering your most basic main points.

Here's what they might look like for this article:

• Introductory Paragraph:  While most students consider writing an essay a boring task, with the right mindset, it can actually be an enjoyable experience.
• Body #1: Most students think writing an essay is tedious because they focus on external rewards.
• Body #2: Students should instead focus on internal fulfillment when writing an essay.
• Body #3: Not only will focusing on internal fulfillment allow students to have more fun, it will also result in better essays.
• Conclusion: Writing an essay doesn't have to be simply a way to earn a good grade. Instead, it can be a means of finding fulfillment.

After you write your five sentences, it's easy to fill in the paragraphs for each one.

Now, you give it a shot!

5. Be “source heavy.”

In college, I discovered a trick that helped me go from a B-average student to an A-student, but before I explain how it works, let me warn you. This technique is powerful , but it might not work for all teachers or professors. Use with caution.

As I was writing a paper for a literature class, I realized that the articles and books I was reading said what I was trying to say much better than I ever could. So what did I do? I quoted them liberally throughout my paper. When I wasn't quoting, I re-phrased what they said in my own words, giving proper credit, of course. I found that not only did this formula create a well-written essay, it took about half the time to write.

It's good to keep in mind that using anyone else's words, even when morphed into your own phrasing, requires citation. While the definition of plagiarism is shifting with the rise of online collaboration and cooperative learning environments, always  err on the side of excessive citation to be safe.

When I used this technique, my professors sometimes mentioned that my papers were very “source” heavy. However, at the same time, they always gave me A's.

To keep yourself safe, I recommend using a 60/40 approach with your body paragraphs: Make sure 60% of the words are your own analysis and argumentation, while 40% can be quoted (or text you paraphrase) from your sources.

Like the five sentence trick, this technique makes the writing process simpler. Instead of putting the main focus on writing well, it instead forces you to research  well, which some students find easier.

6. Write the body first, the introduction second, and the conclusion last.

Introductions are often the hardest part to write because you're trying to summarize your entire essay before you've even written it yet. Instead, try writing your introduction last, giving yourself the body of the paper to figure out the main point of your essay.

This is especially important with an essay topic you are not personally interested in. I definitely recommend this in classes you either don't excel in or care much for. Take plenty of time to draft and revise your body paragraphs before  attempting to craft a meaningful introductory paragraph.

Otherwise your opening may sound awkward, wooden, and bland.

7. Most essays answer the question, “What?” Good essays answer the “Why?” The best essays answer the “How?”

If you get stuck trying to make your argument, or you're struggling to reach the required word count, try focusing on the question, “How?”

For example:

• How did J.D. Salinger convey the theme of inauthenticity in  The Catcher In the Rye ?
• How did Napoleon restore stability in France after the French Revolution?
• How does the research prove girls really do rule and boys really do drool?

If you focus on how, you'll always have enough to write about.

8. Don't be afraid to jump around.

Essay writing can be a dance. You don't have to stay in one place and write from beginning to end.

For the same reasons listed in point #6, give yourself the freedom to write as if you're circling around your topic rather than making a single, straightforward argument. Then, when you edit and proofread, you can make sure everything lines up correctly.

In fact, now is the perfect time to mention that proofreading your essay isn't just about spelling and commas.

It's about making sure your analysis or argument flows smoothly from one idea to another. (Okay, technically this comprises editing, but most students writing a high school or college essay don't take the time to complete every step of the writing process. Let's be honest.)

So as you clean up your mechanics and sentence structure, make sure your ideas flow smoothly, logically, and naturally from one to the next as you finish proofreading.

9. Here are some words and phrases you don't want to use.

• You  (You'll notice I use a lot of you's, which is great for a blog post. However, in an academic essay, it's better to omit the second-person.)
• To Be verbs (is, are, was, were, am)

Don't have time to edit? Here's a lightning-quick editing technique .

A note about “I”: Some teachers say you shouldn't use “I” statements in your writing, but the truth is that professional, academic papers often use phrases like “I believe” and “in my opinion,” especially in their introductions.

10. It's okay to use Wikipedia, if…

Wikipedia is one of the top five websites in the world for a reason: it can be a great tool for research. However, most teachers and professors don't consider Wikipedia a valid source for use in essays.

Don't totally discount it, though! Here are two ways you can use Wikipedia in your essay writing:

• Background research. If you don't know enough about your topic, Wikipedia can be a great resource to quickly learn everything you need to know to get started.
• Find sources . Check the reference section of Wikipedia's articles on your topic. While you may not be able to cite Wikipedia itself, you can often find those original sources and cite them . You can locate the links to primary and secondary sources at the bottom of any Wikipedia page under the headings “Further Reading” and “References.”

You Can Enjoy Essay Writing

The thing I regret most about high school and college is that I treated it like something I had  to do rather than something I wanted  to do.

The truth is, education is an opportunity many people in the world don't have access to.

It's a gift, not just something that makes your life more difficult. I don't want you to make the mistake of just “getting by” through school, waiting desperately for summer breaks and, eventually, graduation.

How would your life be better if you actively enjoyed writing an essay? What would school look like if you wanted to suck it dry of all the gifts it has to give you?

All I'm saying is, don't miss out!

Looking for More Essay Writing Tips?

Looking for more essay tips to strengthen your essay writing? Try some of these resources:

• 7 Tips on Writing an Effective Essay
• Tips for Writing Your Thesis Statement

How about you? Do you have any tips for writing an essay?  Let us know in the  comments .

Need more grammar help?  My favorite tool that helps find grammar problems and even generates reports to help improve my writing is ProWritingAid . Works with Word, Scrivener, Google Docs, and web browsers. Also, be sure to use my coupon code to get 20 percent off: WritePractice20

Coupon Code:WritePractice20 »

Ready to try out these ten essay tips to make your essay assignment fun? Spend fifteen minutes using tip #4 and write five original sentences that could be turned into an essay.

When you're finished, share your five sentences in the comments section. And don't forget to give feedback to your fellow writers!

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Joe Bunting

Joe Bunting is an author and the leader of The Write Practice community. He is also the author of the new book Crowdsourcing Paris , a real life adventure story set in France. It was a #1 New Release on Amazon. Follow him on Instagram (@jhbunting).

Want best-seller coaching? Book Joe here.

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11 Rules for Essay Paragraph Structure (with Examples)

How do you structure a paragraph in an essay?

If you’re like the majority of my students, you might be getting your basic essay paragraph structure wrong and getting lower grades than you could!

In this article, I outline the 11 key steps to writing a perfect paragraph. But, this isn’t your normal ‘how to write an essay’ article. Rather, I’ll try to give you some insight into exactly what teachers look out for when they’re grading essays and figuring out what grade to give them.

You can navigate each issue below, or scroll down to read them all:

1. Paragraphs must be at least four sentences long 2. But, at most seven sentences long 3. Your paragraph must be Left-Aligned 4. You need a topic sentence 5 . Next, you need an explanation sentence 6. You need to include an example 7. You need to include citations 8. All paragraphs need to be relevant to the marking criteria 9. Only include one key idea per paragraph 10. Keep sentences short 11. Keep quotes short

Paragraph structure is one of the most important elements of getting essay writing right .

As I cover in my Ultimate Guide to Writing an Essay Plan , paragraphs are the heart and soul of your essay.

However, I find most of my students have either:

• forgotten how to write paragraphs properly,
• gotten lazy, or
• never learned it in the first place!

Paragraphs in essay writing are different from paragraphs in other written genres .

In fact, the paragraphs that you are reading now would not help your grades in an essay.

That’s because I’m writing in journalistic style, where paragraph conventions are vastly different.

For those of you coming from journalism or creative writing, you might find you need to re-learn paragraph writing if you want to write well-structured essay paragraphs to get top grades.

Below are eleven reasons your paragraphs are losing marks, and what to do about it!

Essay Paragraph Structure Rules

1. your paragraphs must be at least 4 sentences long.

In journalism and blog writing, a one-sentence paragraph is great. It’s short, to-the-point, and helps guide your reader. For essay paragraph structure, one-sentence paragraphs suck.

A one-sentence essay paragraph sends an instant signal to your teacher that you don’t have much to say on an issue.

A short paragraph signifies that you know something – but not much about it. A one-sentence paragraph lacks detail, depth and insight.

Many students come to me and ask, “what does ‘add depth’ mean?” It’s one of the most common pieces of feedback you’ll see written on the margins of your essay.

Personally, I think ‘add depth’ is bad feedback because it’s a short and vague comment. But, here’s what it means: You’ve not explained your point enough!

If you’re writing one-, two- or three-sentence essay paragraphs, you’re costing yourself marks.

Always aim for at least four sentences per paragraph in your essays.

This doesn’t mean that you should add ‘fluff’ or ‘padding’ sentences.

Make sure you don’t:

a) repeat what you said in different words, or b) write something just because you need another sentence in there.

But, you need to do some research and find something insightful to add to that two-sentence paragraph if you want to ace your essay.

Check out Points 5 and 6 for some advice on what to add to that short paragraph to add ‘depth’ to your paragraph and start moving to the top of the class.

• How to Make an Essay Longer
• How to Make an Essay Shorter

2. Your Paragraphs must not be more than 7 Sentences Long

Okay, so I just told you to aim for at least four sentences per paragraph. So, what’s the longest your paragraph should be?

Seven sentences. That’s a maximum.

So, here’s the rule:

Between four and seven sentences is the sweet spot that you need to aim for in every single paragraph.

Here’s why your paragraphs shouldn’t be longer than seven sentences:

1. It shows you can organize your thoughts. You need to show your teacher that you’ve broken up your key ideas into manageable segments of text (see point 10)

2. It makes your work easier to read.   You need your writing to be easily readable to make it easy for your teacher to give you good grades. Make your essay easy to read and you’ll get higher marks every time.

One of the most important ways you can make your work easier to read is by writing paragraphs that are less than six sentences long.

3. It prevents teacher frustration. Teachers are just like you. When they see a big block of text their eyes glaze over. They get frustrated, lost, their mind wanders … and you lose marks.

To prevent teacher frustration, you need to ensure there’s plenty of white space in your essay. It’s about showing them that the piece is clearly structured into one key idea per ‘chunk’ of text.

Often, you might find that your writing contains tautologies and other turns of phrase that can be shortened for clarity.

3. Your Paragraph must be Left-Aligned

Turn off ‘Justified’ text and: Never. Turn. It. On. Again.

Justified text is where the words are stretched out to make the paragraph look like a square. It turns the writing into a block. Don’t do it. You will lose marks, I promise you! Win the psychological game with your teacher: left-align your text.

A good essay paragraph is never ‘justified’.

I’m going to repeat this, because it’s important: to prevent your essay from looking like a big block of muddy, hard-to-read text align your text to the left margin only.

You want white space on your page – and lots of it. White space helps your reader scan through your work. It also prevents it from looking like big blocks of text.

You want your reader reading vertically as much as possible: scanning, browsing, and quickly looking through for evidence you’ve engaged with the big ideas.

The justified text doesn’t help you do that. Justified text makes your writing look like a big, lumpy block of text that your reader doesn’t want to read.

What’s wrong with Center-Aligned Text?

While I’m at it, never, ever, center-align your text either. Center-aligned text is impossible to skim-read. Your teacher wants to be able to quickly scan down the left margin to get the headline information in your paragraph.

Not many people center-align text, but it’s worth repeating: never, ever center-align your essays.

Don’t annoy your reader. Left align your text.

4. Your paragraphs must have a Topic Sentence

The first sentence of an essay paragraph is called the topic sentence. This is one of the most important sentences in the correct essay paragraph structure style.

The topic sentence should convey exactly what key idea you’re going to cover in your paragraph.

Too often, students don’t let their reader know what the key idea of the paragraph is until several sentences in.

You must show what the paragraph is about in the first sentence.

You never, ever want to keep your reader in suspense. Essays are not like creative writing. Tell them straight away what the paragraph is about. In fact, if you can, do it in the first half of the first sentence .

I’ll remind you again: make it easy to grade your work. Your teacher is reading through your work trying to determine what grade to give you. They’re probably going to mark 20 assignments in one sitting. They have no interest in storytelling or creativity. They just want to know how much you know! State what the paragraph is about immediately and move on.

Suggested: Best Words to Start a Paragraph

Ideal Essay Paragraph Structure Example: Writing a Topic Sentence If your paragraph is about how climate change is endangering polar bears, say it immediately : “Climate change is endangering polar bears.” should be your first sentence in your paragraph. Take a look at first sentence of each of the four paragraphs above this one. You can see from the first sentence of each paragraph that the paragraphs discuss:

When editing your work, read each paragraph and try to distil what the one key idea is in your paragraph. Ensure that this key idea is mentioned in the first sentence .

(Note: if there’s more than one key idea in the paragraph, you may have a problem. See Point 9 below .)

The topic sentence is the most important sentence for getting your essay paragraph structure right. So, get your topic sentences right and you’re on the right track to a good essay paragraph.

5. You need an Explanation Sentence

All topic sentences need a follow-up explanation. The very first point on this page was that too often students write paragraphs that are too short. To add what is called ‘depth’ to a paragraph, you can come up with two types of follow-up sentences: explanations and examples.

Let’s take explanation sentences first.

Explanation sentences give additional detail. They often provide one of the following services:

Let’s go back to our example of a paragraph on Climate change endangering polar bears. If your topic sentence is “Climate change is endangering polar bears.”, then your follow-up explanation sentence is likely to explain how, why, where, or when. You could say:

Ideal Essay Paragraph Structure Example: Writing Explanation Sentences 1. How: “The warming atmosphere is melting the polar ice caps.” 2. Why: “The polar bears’ habitats are shrinking every single year.” 3. Where: “This is happening in the Antarctic ice caps near Greenland.” 4. When: “Scientists first noticed the ice caps were shrinking in 1978.”

You don’t have to provide all four of these options each time.

But, if you’re struggling to think of what to add to your paragraph to add depth, consider one of these four options for a good quality explanation sentence.

>>>RELATED ARTICLE: SHOULD YOU USE RHETORICAL QUESTIONS IN ESSAYS ?

6. Your need to Include an Example

Examples matter! They add detail. They also help to show that you genuinely understand the issue. They show that you don’t just understand a concept in the abstract; you also understand how things work in real life.

Example sentences have the added benefit of personalising an issue. For example, after saying “Polar bears’ habitats are shrinking”, you could note specific habitats, facts and figures, or even a specific story about a bear who was impacted.

Ideal Essay Paragraph Structure Example: Writing an ‘Example’ Sentence “For example, 770,000 square miles of Arctic Sea Ice has melted in the past four decades, leading Polar Bear populations to dwindle ( National Geographic, 2018 )

In fact, one of the most effective politicians of our times – Barrack Obama – was an expert at this technique. He would often provide examples of people who got sick because they didn’t have healthcare to sell Obamacare.

What effect did this have? It showed the real-world impact of his ideas. It humanised him, and got him elected president – twice!

Be like Obama. Provide examples. Often.

7. All Paragraphs need Citations

Provide a reference to an academic source in every single body paragraph in the essay. The only two paragraphs where you don’t need a reference is the introduction and conclusion .

Let me repeat: Paragraphs need at least one reference to a quality scholarly source .

Let me go even further:

Students who get the best marks provide two references to two different academic sources in every paragraph.

Two references in a paragraph show you’ve read widely, cross-checked your sources, and given the paragraph real thought.

It’s really important that these references link to academic sources, not random websites, blogs or YouTube videos. Check out our Seven Best types of Sources to Cite in Essays post to get advice on what sources to cite. Number 6 w ill surprise you!

Ideal Essay Paragraph Structure Example: In-Text Referencing in Paragraphs Usually, in-text referencing takes the format: (Author, YEAR), but check your school’s referencing formatting requirements carefully. The ‘Author’ section is the author’s last name only. Not their initials. Not their first name. Just their last name . My name is Chris Drew. First name Chris, last name Drew. If you were going to reference an academic article I wrote in 2019, you would reference it like this: (Drew, 2019).

Where do you place those two references?

Place the first reference at the end of the first half of the paragraph. Place the second reference at the end of the second half of the paragraph.

This spreads the references out and makes it look like all the points throughout the paragraph are backed up by your sources. The goal is to make it look like you’ve reference regularly when your teacher scans through your work.

Remember, teachers can look out for signposts that indicate you’ve followed academic conventions and mentioned the right key ideas.

Spreading your referencing through the paragraph helps to make it look like you’ve followed the academic convention of referencing sources regularly.

Here are some examples of how to reference twice in a paragraph:

• If your paragraph was six sentences long, you would place your first reference at the end of the third sentence and your second reference at the end of the sixth sentence.
• If your paragraph was five sentences long, I would recommend placing one at the end of the second sentence and one at the end of the fifth sentence.

You’ve just read one of the key secrets to winning top marks.

8. Every Paragraph must be relevant to the Marking Criteria

Every paragraph must win you marks. When you’re editing your work, check through the piece to see if every paragraph is relevant to the marking criteria.

For the British: In the British university system (I’m including Australia and New Zealand here – I’ve taught at universities in all three countries), you’ll usually have a ‘marking criteria’. It’s usually a list of between two and six key learning outcomes your teacher needs to use to come up with your score. Sometimes it’s called a:

• Marking criteria
• Marking rubric
• (Key) learning outcome
• Indicative content

Check your assignment guidance to see if this is present. If so, use this list of learning outcomes to guide what you write. If your paragraphs are irrelevant to these key points, delete the paragraph .

Paragraphs that don’t link to the marking criteria are pointless. They won’t win you marks.

For the Americans: If you don’t have a marking criteria / rubric / outcomes list, you’ll need to stick closely to the essay question or topic. This goes out to those of you in the North American system. North America (including USA and Canada here) is often less structured and the professor might just give you a topic to base your essay on.

If all you’ve got is the essay question / topic, go through each paragraph and make sure each paragraph is relevant to the topic.

For example, if your essay question / topic is on “The Effects of Climate Change on Polar Bears”,

• Don’t talk about anything that doesn’t have some connection to climate change and polar bears;
• Don’t talk about the environmental impact of oil spills in the Gulf of Carpentaria;
• Don’t talk about black bear habitats in British Columbia.
• Do talk about the effects of climate change on polar bears (and relevant related topics) in every single paragraph .

You may think ‘stay relevant’ is obvious advice, but at least 20% of all essays I mark go off on tangents and waste words.

Stay on topic in Every. Single. Paragraph. If you want to learn more about how to stay on topic, check out our essay planning guide .

9. Only have one Key Idea per Paragraph

One key idea for each paragraph. One key idea for each paragraph. One key idea for each paragraph.

Don’t forget!

Too often, a student starts a paragraph talking about one thing and ends it talking about something totally different. Don’t be that student.

To ensure you’re focussing on one key idea in your paragraph, make sure you know what that key idea is. It should be mentioned in your topic sentence (see Point 3 ). Every other sentence in the paragraph adds depth to that one key idea.

If you’ve got sentences in your paragraph that are not relevant to the key idea in the paragraph, they don’t fit. They belong in another paragraph.

Go through all your paragraphs when editing your work and check to see if you’ve veered away from your paragraph’s key idea. If so, you might have two or even three key ideas in the one paragraph.

You’re going to have to get those additional key ideas, rip them out, and give them paragraphs of their own.

If you have more than one key idea in a paragraph you will lose marks. I promise you that.

The paragraphs will be too hard to read, your reader will get bogged down reading rather than scanning, and you’ll have lost grades.

10. Keep Sentences Short

If a sentence is too long it gets confusing. When the sentence is confusing, your reader will stop reading your work. They will stop reading the paragraph and move to the next one. They’ll have given up on your paragraph.

Short, snappy sentences are best.

Shorter sentences are easier to read and they make more sense. Too often, students think they have to use big, long, academic words to get the best marks. Wrong. Aim for clarity in every sentence in the paragraph. Your teacher will thank you for it.

The students who get the best marks write clear, short sentences.

When editing your draft, go through your essay and see if you can shorten your longest five sentences.

(To learn more about how to write the best quality sentences, see our page on Seven ways to Write Amazing Sentences .)

11. Keep Quotes Short

Eighty percent of university teachers hate quotes. That’s not an official figure. It’s my guestimate based on my many interactions in faculty lounges. Twenty percent don’t mind them, but chances are your teacher is one of the eight out of ten who hate quotes.

Teachers tend to be turned off by quotes because it makes it look like you don’t know how to say something on your own words.

Now that I’ve warned you, here’s how to use quotes properly:

Ideal Essay Paragraph Structure Example: How To Use Quotes in University-Level Essay Paragraphs 1. Your quote should be less than one sentence long. 2. Your quote should be less than one sentence long. 3. You should never start a sentence with a quote. 4. You should never end a paragraph with a quote. 5 . You should never use more than five quotes per essay. 6. Your quote should never be longer than one line in a paragraph.

The minute your teacher sees that your quote takes up a large chunk of your paragraph, you’ll have lost marks.

Your teacher will circle the quote, write a snarky comment in the margin, and not even bother to give you points for the key idea in the paragraph.

Avoid quotes, but if you really want to use them, follow those five rules above.

I’ve also provided additional pages outlining Seven tips on how to use Quotes if you want to delve deeper into how, when and where to use quotes in essays. Be warned: quoting in essays is harder than you thought.

Follow the advice above and you’ll be well on your way to getting top marks at university.

Writing essay paragraphs that are well structured takes time and practice. Don’t be too hard on yourself and keep on trying!

Below is a summary of our 11 key mistakes for structuring essay paragraphs and tips on how to avoid them.

I’ve also provided an easy-to-share infographic below that you can share on your favorite social networking site. Please share it if this article has helped you out!

11 Biggest Essay Paragraph Structure Mistakes you’re probably Making

1.  Your paragraphs are too short 2.  Your paragraphs are too long 3.  Your paragraph alignment is ‘Justified’ 4.  Your paragraphs are missing a topic sentence 5 .  Your paragraphs are missing an explanation sentence 6.  Your paragraphs are missing an example 7.  Your paragraphs are missing references 8.  Your paragraphs are not relevant to the marking criteria 9.  You’re trying to fit too many ideas into the one paragraph 10.  Your sentences are too long 11.  Your quotes are too long

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 5 Top Tips for Succeeding at University
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 50 Durable Goods Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 100 Consumer Goods Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 30 Globalization Pros and Cons

4 thoughts on “11 Rules for Essay Paragraph Structure (with Examples)”

Hello there. I noticed that throughout this article on Essay Writing, you keep on saying that the teacher won’t have time to go through the entire essay. Don’t you think this is a bit discouraging that with all the hard work and time put into your writing, to know that the teacher will not read through the entire paper?

Hi Clarence,

Thanks so much for your comment! I love to hear from readers on their thoughts.

Yes, I agree that it’s incredibly disheartening.

But, I also think students would appreciate hearing the truth.

Behind closed doors many / most university teachers are very open about the fact they ‘only have time to skim-read papers’. They regularly bring this up during heated faculty meetings about contract negotiations! I.e. in one university I worked at, we were allocated 45 minutes per 10,000 words – that’s just over 4 minutes per 1,000 word essay, and that’d include writing the feedback, too!

If students know the truth, they can better write their essays in a way that will get across the key points even from a ‘skim-read’.

I hope to write candidly on this website – i.e. some of this info will never be written on university blogs because universities want to hide these unfortunate truths from students.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Regards, Chris

This is wonderful and helpful, all I say is thank you very much. Because I learned a lot from this site, own by chris thank you Sir.

Thank you. This helped a lot.

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10 Better Ways To Write “In This Essay, I Will…”

“In this essay, I will” is a common way for people to talk about what they will write in their essays. However, it’s often overused, which is why it might be wise to look into a few available alternatives. This article will share the best ones with you.

What Can I Write Instead Of “In This Essay, I Will…”?

There are plenty of other ways to write this phrase. We’ll take you through the following to show you how they’re effective:

• You will learn about
• You will find out about
• I find… really interesting…
• This essay demonstrates
• This essay will discuss
• In this essay, you will learn
• I will show both sides of the argument
• This essay will analyze
• I strongly agree/disagree, and this essay will explore why
• This paper will explore

The preferred versions do not reference the “essay” at all. Instead, the best options are “you will learn about” and “you will find out about.” These work well because they save time and words in the essay, and they don’t seem like wasted space for the reader.

You Will Learn About

“You will learn about” works well because it shows the reader straight away what they will learn. We do not have to use the phrase “In this essay” or anything similar because they’re already aware that they are reading an essay.

The biggest problem with writing “in this essay” is that it’s a waste of time and words. Anyone reading your essay is typically evaluating it, so they do not need to be reminded what they are reading.

Instead, you should try to impress them with the contents of your essay and the points you want to highlight. The quicker you can explain the basic points you will touch on, the more engaged your examiner will be throughout the written piece.

Here are a few examples that will help you make the most of it:

• You will learn about my beliefs here, and I will make sure to elaborate on why I think it’s important to change the current rule system.
• You will learn about how it helps to practice these things before you undertake them.
• You will learn about what makes elephants such captivating creatures, and I’ll be sure to convince you by the end.

You Will Find Out About

“You will find out about” works in much the same way. We still do not mention the “essay.” It helps us show what we will be demonstrating. It only needs to be a sentence or two, but it’s a great way to explore our main idea without any other unnecessary bits.

Check out some of these examples to see how it works:

• You will find out about what makes them tick and how you can decide whether they’re right for you and your lifestyle.
• You will find out about many things from this piece, and I’ll make sure that your mind will be blown by the end of it.
• You will find out about the inhabitants of this fine city, as I will demonstrate going forward.

I Find… Really Interesting…

“I find… really interesting…” is a two-part phrase. We typically include the subject of the essay after “find” and then go on to explain why we find that subject “really interesting.” It’s a great way to avoid using “essay” in the introduction for no reason.

We can use this phrase with great success in many cases. It helps us to evaluate the overall tone and message behind our essay before we’ve even begun. Many readers and examiners look forward to reading essays set up in this way.

You can see how it works in the following examples:

• I find the people’s beliefs really interesting because they do not back down from them even when challenged.
• I find the current state of things really interesting because they’re nowhere near as glamorous as they would have been five decades ago.
• I find the things we talk about really interesting, and I will explain to you what it takes to become the best teacher you can be.

This Essay Demonstrates

“This essay demonstrates” is a good phrase to start an essay if you want to include the phrase. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with starting essays with a phrase like this; it mostly depends on personal choice and writing style.

Some examiners do not like reading things starting with “in this essay” or “this essay does this.” In those cases, you might be better suited to try to remove it. It’s also good practice to get you used to start your essays in more exciting ways.

However, if you like the style of including “this essay” and similar phrases, there are no reasons why you shouldn’t be able to do that!

• This essay demonstrates my vital opinion on the matter and what we can do about it.
• This essay demonstrates everything you need to know about how to fix the issue.
• This essay demonstrates why it is crucial that we start making strides to fix the current global situation.

This Essay Will Discuss

“This essay will discuss” is another way to share the overall point of your essay. The sooner we can convey the overall meaning, the more interested the reader will be. It helps them to know what they are reading about before they begin.

Here are a few examples to show you how it works:

• This essay will discuss all of the most important things you need to consider.
• This essay will discuss what it takes to make it in today’s climate.
• This essay will discuss the importance of making sure you care for your family no matter what.

In This Essay, You Will Learn

“In this essay, you will learn” helps to show a bit more confidence in your writing skills. If you say “you will learn,” it sounds like an order, which is a great way to show that you are confident enough to explain things correctly. It’s the mark of a strong and capable writer.

Check out some examples of how it might work:

• In this essay, you will learn a lot about what needs to be done to correct the path you’re going down.
• In this essay, you will learn all the psychological benefits of doing physical exercise daily.
• In this essay, you will learn how to manage your stress much better.

I Will Show Both Sides Of The Argument

“I will show both sides of the argument” helps you to evaluate the question of the essay. This works because it does not outright state you are writing an “essay” (saving time). It also shows that you want to cover both sides to remain unbiased as best you can.

Here are some examples of how it works:

• I will show both sides of the argument before the end of this paper.
• I will make sure to show both sides of the argument and try to convince you to agree with my view.
• I will show both sides of the argument and come to an ultimate decision by the end.

This Essay Will Analyze

“This essay will analyze” is another great way to start an essay with the words “essay” and “will.” It helps to sound confident when using phrases like this, and it goes over the things that the essay is likely to cover.

Some examples will help you to understand it better:

• This essay will analyze the effects on children of being surrounded by troublesome youths.
• This essay will analyze the findings from my previous experiment.
• This essay will analyze common social interactions and why they exist.

I Strongly Agree/Disagree, And This Essay Will Explore Why

This phrase works well to either agree or disagree with the question. Most essays ask a question that you are supposed to ponder. Starting an essay with your direct opinion is a good way to engage the reader early on.

The sooner you can keep the reader engaged, the better off you’ll be. It’ll make your writing sound much more professional and should score you higher marks in the long run.

Check out these examples for more help:

• I strongly agree with this question, and this essay will explore my reasons why.
• I strongly disagree with the quote above, and this essay will explore why.
• I strongly agree with this, and this essay will explore why I think that this is the best move for everyone.

This Paper Will Explore

“This paper will explore” is the last alternative we want to cover. It’s possible to replace “essay” in all cases with “paper,” and many readers prefer to see this because it does not sound as wasteful or as obvious.

The idea behind both “this essay” and “this paper” is the same. However, it’s up to you which one you think looks best on the page.

Here are some examples:

• This paper will explore the benefits of outreach for smaller companies .
• This paper will explore how to keep member retention much higher than in previous calendar years.
• This paper will explore the effects of mental illnesses.

Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here .

• “Strongly Recommend” vs. “Highly Recommend” (Difference Explained)
• 10 Other Ways to Say “I Am” in an Essay
• 11 Other Idioms for “Two Sides of the Same Coin”
• 11 Other Ways To Say “I Think” And “I Believe” In An Essay

Teaching Connections

Advancing discussions about teaching, who’s afraid of academic writing a reflective essay on dispelling anxiety and fear in an academic writing course.

WONG Jock Onn Centre for English Language Communication (CELC)

Jock Onn considers how educators can apply an ethics of care in their teaching, as he takes us through survey findings on students’ perspectives towards academic writing, particularly the emotions they associate with this activity and the challenges they face.

Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash

I had previously spent many semesters in my teaching practice developing methods that I thought would help students excel in academic writing. It did not matter to me at the time that student feedback told me that my coursework was demanding; I took it to mean that I was on the right track (Wong, 2023a). It was only in recent years that I realised the need to show more care in my teaching (Wong, 2023b). Last year, amazingly, for the first time, the word ‘care’ appeared in my student feedback. A student wrote, “Dr Wong displays care for his students…” Realising the importance of care, I decided to find out why students need care and conducted a simple Google survey (entitled “Attitudes Towards Academic Writing”) last semester with my three classes. I asked them to make known the emotions they associate with academic writing, write qualitative comments on their answers, and tell me what challenges they face. I received 41 responses, and the survey yielded some tentative but interesting findings.

The survey asked, “Which of the following emotions do you associate with academic writing?” As shown in Table 1, over 50% of the students associated academic writing with fear and anxiety. Slightly over a quarter associated it with a rather positive feeling (26.8%) and only a very small percentage (4.9%) associated it with something very positive. The fact that over half of the respondents associated academic writing with fear (53.7%) and anxiety (63.4%) was a surprise to me. Fortunately, less than 10% hated academic writing.

Students also gave qualitative comments on why they experienced fear and anxiety in academic writing. Some indicated that they had insufficient linguistic knowledge, including the vocabulary and skills to write academically. A few even claimed that they did not know what academic writing entails. Other respondents indicated a lack of confidence. For example, a student wrote that knowing that their work is being graded caused anxiety. Several students attributed their anxiety to uncertainty and a lack of confidence in academic writing. In some cases, fear or anxiety was a result of bad experiences in junior college (JC). A student recounted their JC experience, when they had to produce an essay in three hours, causing their brain and hand to hurt.

The survey further asked respondents to tick the problems they face in academic writing from a list. Table 2 shows that the top three problems students face in academic writing have to do with not knowing what constitutes academic writing, not having enough ideas, and sentence cohesion . More than half of the students said that they did not know how to write academically (58.5%) and did not have enough ideas for writing (51.2%). Also, over 30% of respondents had problems with the introduction (‘don’t know how to start’) (36.6%), and grammar (34.1%).

Table 2 Problems that students face (in decreasing order of importance)

Anxiety is said to be “one of the critical individual affective factors in the process of learning a second language or a foreign language” (He et al., 2021, p. 1). Presumably, the same could be said of the process of learning academic writing. Anxiety, as studies suggest, is linked to “avoidance of the feared situation and loss of motivation to perform”, which could adversely affect retention (England et al., 2017, p. 2/17). Student anxiety and fear can ultimately affect language performance (Soriano & Co, 2022, p. 450). Thus, dispelling anxiety and fear among students is a pedagogic imperative.   

To dispel anxiety and fear, one would benefit from understanding what they mean. I believe most of us do. However, two co-authors offer an interesting perspective. According to Kastrup and Mallow (2016), fear “deals with things of which there is good reason to be afraid”, whereas anxiety means “being scared of something that is not intrinsically fearful” (pp. 3-1). Although Kastrup and Mallow (2016) speak in the context of science, their definitions seem to make general sense. As educators, we recognise that while some student concerns are practical in nature (e.g., they do not know the rules), others seem to be psychological. The solution to practical concerns could be addressed in a more straightforward fashion by using sound teaching methods; however, psychological barriers may require a different approach.

My proposed way of addressing the psychological challenge is to replace the bad experiences with pleasant ones. As Cook (2021) puts it, teachers “must provide instructor presence by providing a positive education experience for students” and give them “a sense of belonging” (p. 136). The teacher can achieve this by creating a positive learning experience through an ethic of care (Noddings, 2012). The teacher can display “empathic concern” (Patel, 2023) by acknowledging student perspectives in class, using inclusive languages, encouraging open communication, and accommodating student needs (p. 64). The teacher can create “a safe learning environment” by establishing “rules of engagement” and encouraging students to “explain their answers” in class without labelling the answers as “wrong” or “incorrect” (Teo, 2023, p. 79). After all, “harsh criticisms” can impede learning (Soriano & Co, 2022, p. 452), whereas positive feedback can alleviate anxiety (He et al., 2021). A student recently gave feedback that I often asked them whether they understood what I had taught, and this suggests that checking for understanding regularly is reassuring. To this end, the teacher could use ungraded quizzes, which do not cause student anxiety (England et al., 2017). There are many other things a teacher could do in this vein to help address such psychological learning barriers (Harvard Medical School, 2017; Abigail, 2019).

To maximise student learning, the teacher plays a big role, a role much bigger than I had previously thought—the teacher has a responsibility to dispel fear and anxiety among students. I agree with Kastrup and Mallow (2016) that it is the teachers “who most affect the anxiety (or lack thereof) of the students” (pp. 3-12). I would now say that what makes an excellent teacher is not just the use of time-tested teaching methods but also a capacity to care (Wong, 2023b). Thus, for me, the obvious way forward is to ‘integrate care in higher education’ by ‘teaching with heart’ (Holles, 2023, p. 18).

Abigail, H. (2019, March 5). Tips to beat back writing anxiety . Retrieved from IUPUI University Writing Center Blog: https://liberalarts.iupui.edu/programs/uwc/tips-to-beat-back-writing-anxiety/

Cook, M. (2021). Students’ perceptions of interactions from instructor presence, cognitive presence, and social presence in online lessons. International Journal of TESOL Studies (Special Issue “ELT in the Time of the Coronavirus 2020”, Part 3), 3 (1), 134-161. https://doi.org/10.46451/ijts.2021.03.03

England, B. J., Brigati, J. R., & Schussler, E. E. (2017, August 3). Student anxiety in introductory biology classrooms: Perceptions about active learning and persistence in the major. PLoS One, 12 (8), e0182506. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0182506

Harvard Medical School. (2017, October 13). Write your anxieties away . Retrieved from Harvard Health Blog: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/write-your-anxieties-away-2017101312551

He, X., Zhou, D., & Zhang, X. (2021, July-September). An empirical study on Chinese University students’ English Language classroom anxiety with the idiodynamic approach. Sage Open, 11 (3), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440211037676

Holles, C. (2023). Faculty-student interaction and well-being: The call for care. International Journal of TESOL Studies, 5 (3), 7-20. https://doi.org/10.58304/ijts.20230302

Kastrup, H., & Mallow, J. V. (2016). Student Attitudes, Student Anxieties, and How to Address Them: A Handbook for Science Teachers. Morgan & Claypool Publishers. https://dx.doi.org/10.1088/978-1-6817-4265-6

Noddings, N. (2012). The caring relation in teaching. Oxford Review of Education, 38 (6), 771-81. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2012.745047

Patel, S. N. (2023). Empathetic and dialogic interactions: Modelling intellectual Empathy and communicating care. International Journal of TESOL Studies, 3 , 51-70. https://doi.org/10.58304/ijts.20230305

Soriano, R. M., & Co, A. G. (2022, March). Voices from within: Students’ lived experiences on English language anxiety. International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education, 11 (1), 449-58. http://dx.doi.org/10.11591/ijere.v11i1.21898

Teo, C. (2023). Beyond academic grades: Reflections on my care for university students’ holistic development in Singapore. International Journal of TESOL Studies, 5 (3), 71-83. https://doi.org/10.58304/ijts.20230306

Wong, J. (2023a, March 29). When angels fall: The plight of an ambitious educator. Teaching Connections: Advancing Discussions about Teaching . Retrieved from https://blog.nus.edu.sg/teachingconnections/2023/03/29/when-angels-fall-the-plight-of-an-ambitious-educator/

Wong, J. (2023b). What completes an excellent teacher? Care in higher education English language teaching. International Journal of TESOL Studies2, 5 (3), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.58304/ijts.20230301

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How to Write an Open Letter: A Guide to Our Opinion Contest

Six steps to help you understand the format and write a powerful open letter of your own — with help from Times texts along the way.

By Katherine Schulten

When introducing a new contest, we Learning Network editors try hard to put ourselves in the shoes of teachers and students. As former educators ourselves, we know that the more we can spell out exactly what we’re looking for, the easier it will be for everyone.

But because this new 2024 challenge replaces what had become an institution on our site — the Student Editorial Contest that ran for a decade and garnered nearly 100,000 submissions — we tried to be especially careful.

Below, a set of steps that we hope can help teenagers see that they, too, can write powerful open letters that can change hearts and minds. After all, we often heard from the teenage winners of our Editorial Contest that their work had gone on to have real-world results, such as changing school policies and earning their authors large public platforms.

As we planned this guide, we received invaluable advice from a team of teachers and librarians at Brooklyn Technical High School who have collaborated this year to help their students write open letters. Thank you to the librarians Joanna Drusin, Joy Ferguson and Katrina Kaplan, and the English teachers Annalise Armenta, JoAnna Bueckert-Chan, Ella DeCosta, Elliott Johnston and Adam Virzi for sharing ideas, experiences and materials.

Whether you’re submitting to our challenge or not, enjoy this guide, and please ask any questions you might have, either by posting a comment here or on the contest announcement , or by writing to [email protected].

Teachers: Please preview the open letters you assign from our list below to make sure they are appropriate for your students.

How to write an open letter:

Step 1: understand the format., step 2: read selected examples., step 3: decide whom you’d like to write to and what you want to say., step 4: write your first draft as a letter, not an essay., step 5: make sure the tone is appropriate to your audience and purpose., step 6: remember that an open letter is a type of opinion essay, so you’ll still need to make a strong argument., step 7: edit your letter and submit..

Letters are personal. That’s what makes them special. Think about how you feel when you receive one, whether from an old friend, your grandma or someone you’re romantically involved with. You expect to read something written just for you.

Opinion essays, on the other hand, are for everyone. They try to convince all kinds of people, very few of whom the author has probably ever met, that some kind of change is needed.

Open letters bring the two formats together. Crafted to read as a personal entreaty to an individual or group, they can have an intimate, even casual, tone and voice. And because they seem to be addressed to someone else, you can feel as if you are listening in on private thoughts.

Of course, their real purpose is to be read by the public. Like any opinion piece, they seek to persuade by making a strong case via facts, examples and appeals to logic and emotions.

The official definition of an open letter is “a published letter of protest or appeal usually addressed to an individual but intended for the general public.” As we wrote in our contest announcement, you’re likely familiar with the many “Dear Taylor Swift” open letters you can find online. Though they’re addressed to Ms. Swift, they’re really a way for the writer to share opinions and feelings on feminism, ticket sales, the music industry or other topics.

As we take you through the steps below, please remember this: An open letter simultaneously addresses an explicit , or stated, audience — the person whose name follows “Dear” — as well as an implicit or general audience — those of us out in the world who are reading the piece.

Let’s see how it works by starting with a 2016 piece by Michael Luo headlined “ An Open Letter to the Woman Who Told My Family to Go Back to China ” (student version; here is the original ). Here is how it begins:

Dear Madam: Maybe I should have let it go. Turned the other cheek. We had just gotten out of church, and I was with my family and some friends on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. We were going to lunch, trying to see if there was room in the Korean restaurant down the street. You were in a rush. It was raining. Our stroller and a gaggle of Asians were in your way. But I was, honestly, stunned when you yelled at us from down the block, “Go back to China!

What do you notice in just the first two paragraphs? In what ways does it read as a letter rather than an essay?

As you continue through the piece, note all the places in which it follows the conventions of a letter. For instance, the writer addresses a real person:

You had on a nice rain coat. Your iPhone was a 6 Plus. You could have been a fellow parent in one of my daughters’ schools. You seemed, well, normal.

When you finish, consider why Mr. Luo may have chosen to craft this as an open letter, not an essay. How might it read differently if it were an essay?

Now read it a second time. This time — perhaps using a different symbol or color — note all the places in which it reads like a traditional opinion piece. Where and how is it clearly addressing a general audience?

For example, he writes, “Ask any Asian-American, and they’ll readily summon memories of schoolyard taunts, or disturbing encounters on the street or at the grocery store.” Then he embeds responses from social media that echo this claim. How does that help you understand that this is a societal issue that should concern us all?

Finally, ask yourself, how is this open letter — or any open letter — a hybrid, both a letter to an individual, and a plea to a general audience?

Open letters that have been published in The New York Times:

An Open Letter to Governor Lee on the Slaughter of Our Children (2023)

Letters Helped Brittney Griner Survive. Here’s One for Her Future. (2022)

Open Letter to President Biden From a Dispirited Black Voter (2022)

A Letter to My Conservative Friends (2021)

A Letter to My Liberal Friends (2021)

An Open Letter to John Lewis (2020)

Dear Harry and Meghan, Some Friendly Canadian Advice (2020)

A Letter to My Father, Gabriel García Márquez (2020)

An Open Letter to President Trump (2020)

An Open Letter to Mark Zuckerberg (2019)

Dear Walmart C.E.O.: You Have the Power to Curb Gun Violence. Do It. (2019)

T.I. Writes Open Letter to Barack Obama: ‘Your Legacy Will Live On’ (2017)

An Open Letter to the Woman Who Told My Family to Go Back to China (2016)

Dear White America (2015)

Dear Graduate (2009)

An Open Letter to the Founder of Starbucks (2008)

An Open Letter to Coach Mangini: Use the P-Word (2006)

An Open Letter to My Two Mothers (1989)

Open Letter to Madison Square Garden (1982)

Open letters from outside The Times:

Letter From Birmingham Jail (1963)

Pause Giant A.I. Experiments: An Open Letter (2023)

An Open Letter to Taylor Swift (2023)

An Open Letter to Autistic High Schoolers (2022)

An Open Letter From a Teenager to High School Teachers Everywhere (2016)

A Letter From Young Asian Americans To Their Families About Black Lives Matter (2016)

Letters to the Next President: Letters from America’s Youth During the 2016 Presidential Election (2016)

Dear Mr. Manning … (2014)

An Open Letter to America From a Public School Teacher (2014)

Time magazine: 6 Open Letters That Changed the World

First, just scan the headlines of the pieces above:

What do you notice about the variety of subjects to whom these open letters are addressed? How many are written to groups and how many to individuals? Which are written to someone famous and which to ordinary people?

Judging the headlines, do you think an open letter can be written to any group or individual? Why or why not?

Do the headlines of any of these pieces give you ideas for your letter? How so?

Now choose one or more to read in full.

Who is the explicit, or stated, audience? Who is the implicit, or unstated, audience? How do you know?

Who is the writer of the letter? What authority does the writer seem to have on this topic? Why should we listen?

What is the purpose of this letter, in your opinion? What does the writer want to have happen?

What lines stand out for you? Why?

What makes this a letter? That is, how does it read differently than if it were a persuasive essay? What lines or words show that?

Even though it is written as a letter, in what ways is it like other opinion essays you have read or written? Where in the piece do you see that?

Why do you think the author chose to write an open letter instead of a traditional essay? Was that effective, in your opinion?

Some of you will come to this contest already motivated to write to a particular person or group.

Others will be inspired by an issue or cause, and will need to choose the right person or group to address about making change.

Either approach can work, and our Student Opinion forum “ To Whom Would You Write an Open Letter? ” can show you how.

Read through the forum and answer the questions that are relevant to you, then post your answers in the comments section and join the public conversation, or discuss them with your classmates.

As you’ll see in the steps to come, the idea is to come up with a focus for a letter you’re genuinely motivated to write. And, as you may have discovered if you did the exercises above, almost any topic and audience can work as long as you have something meaningful to say.

Need more help? Here is a list of 310 prompts we have published that ask you to take a stand. They may help you find a topic, and each links back to a free Times piece you can use for your research.

If you’ve followed our steps so far, you’ve begun to tease out the differences between an open letter and other kinds of opinion writing, but you might still be confused.

In fact, you might be wondering why you can’t just take a persuasive essay you’ve already written for school, slap a “Dear [recipient]” on top of it and a “Sincerely, [your name]” on the bottom and call it an open letter.

To help explain, we’re going to ask you to do an experiment. Try this:

Once you have a focus for your letter — both the person you’d like to address and the issue you’ll explore — find a place to write comfortably.

Now, set a timer for seven minutes, and put “Dear [recipient]” at the top of a fresh page.

Next, write. For seven minutes, pour your heart out. Keep the person or group you’re addressing in mind, and say anything and everything you’d like to say, exactly the way you want to say it. If you get stuck, remind yourself that this is just an experiment and that no one but you will read the results. Be as honest as possible.

Now stop and look over what you wrote. What parts of your letter jump out? Underline or circle those lines or sections. If you’d like, try reading some of your favorite lines aloud to others in your class who have done the same exercise — assuming, of course, that those lines are appropriate for a classroom!

Next, discuss.

How was writing this letter different from writing a persuasive essay? What was easier? What was harder?

Now that you’ve reviewed your piece, how would you say your voice and tone sound different than they would if you had written this as an essay instead of a letter? In what lines does that come through especially well?

We asked you to try this to help demonstrate just how different it can be to write a letter, even an “open letter,” than to write a formal essay. If you’re like most students, you’ve been composing school essays for years, and you’ve absorbed a lot of rules around them. Not so with letters, and we hope you’ll use that relative freedom to your advantage.

Of course, you have to keep in mind that this was just a draft, and you have several steps to go before this piece is suitable for a public audience. But we hope some of your real voice and personality made it onto the page, and that you can keep that authenticity in your final draft.

Choose any of the winning opinion essays from our Student Editorial Contest.

How would that editorial have to change in order to become an effective open letter?

If it were an open letter instead of an editorial, to whom might it be written? Come up with at least three different recipients.

How would choosing different explicit, or stated, audiences for this letter change the writer’s tone and argument? For example, how would this essay on fast fashion sound and read if it were written as an open letter to H&M or Zara? How might it sound and read if it were written to the author’s fellow students as they considered what to wear to the school dance? Why?

In 2019, John Lewis, the civil rights leader and member of Congress, announced that he had advanced cancer. Soon thereafter, the Times Opinion columnist Margaret Renkl wrote an open letter to Mr. Lewis, whom she called “a moral compass for our nation.” Here is how it began:

Dear Mr. Lewis, I write with a heavy heart. Stage 4 pancreatic cancer is a brutal diagnosis, so it’s no surprise that last Sunday night the internet erupted with anguish as news of your illness became public. Treatment may give you a “fighting chance” to continue working “for the Beloved Community,” as you wrote in a statement, but it’s painful to think of what you will be called on to bear in the coming months. You have already borne so much for us.

Without reading further, how would you describe the tone of this letter? What words get that across?

Why do you think Ms. Renkl chose to frame her thoughts as a letter to John Lewis rather than an essay about him? In other words, what was her purpose, and how did making it an open letter achieve that? How does her tone follow her purpose?

Mr. Lewis died at age 80 in July 2020, a few months after his announcement. Study the full piece to see how Ms. Renkl detailed for her audience of general Times readers what was notable about his life, all while seeming to address Mr. Lewis instead of us. For example, how does she quote him, yet work those quotes in seamlessly, even though they are part of a letter, not a traditional essay?

Ms. Renkl’s tone is serious, as befits her subject. By contrast, take a look at this open letter, written in 2006 by a Times sports columnist to the New York Jets’ head coach. Headlined “ An Open Letter To Coach Mangini: Use the P-Word ,” it begins:

Dear Coach, It’s time to stop being coy about refusing to use the “p-word,” as in playoffs. It’s time for you, the Jets’ rookie coach, to use the word itself — “playoffs” — in every team meeting, in every news conference, in every television and radio spot. Because the Jets, at 5-5 and with each of their final six games against a team with a losing record, are still very much in the playoff picture in the American Football Conference despite yesterday’s 10-0 loss to the Bears. Don’t perish the thought of the playoffs. Preach the playoffs. After upsetting the Patriots a week ago, your Jets were soaring at 5-4, tied with two other teams for sixth place (and the last wild card) in the A.F.C. playoffs, but the only “p-word” you used all week was progress. Feel free to say the word “playoffs” out loud. If you think your players aren’t quite sure what it means, spell it out for them: p-l-a-y-o-f-f-s. After they watch game tapes, make them write it 100 times in their playbooks.

How would you describe the tone of this letter? What lines show that especially well? What do you think was the writer’s purpose for writing the piece? Do you think his tone helped?

But what if the motivation for writing an open letter is anger?

Maybe the draft of the letter you began in Step 3 was motivated by your rage at an injustice, and maybe, since we asked you to write as honestly as possible, you expressed that rage in colorful language.

How do you channel that strong emotion into a letter that is civil, suitable for a newspaper like The Times and respectful of both its stated recipient and a general audience — but is still strongly worded enough to make your point?

Perhaps more important, how do you make your case in a tone that your audience will be moved by? For example, though an angry rant about your parents’ curfew policy might have felt good to write, would that rant be the most effective way to get your mom and dad to change their minds? Or might you need to moderate your tone to reach them?

To explore this more, let’s read two political letters to U.S. presidents. As you do, keep in mind that, because they were published in The Times, it is quite possible that the letters were actually read by those leaders, or by staff members who could have conveyed their messages.

Here is the beginning of “ An Open Letter to President Trump .” It was written by the Times Opinion columnist Thomas L. Friedman in March 2020, just as the Covid-19 pandemic began.

Dear President Trump, I have not been one of your supporters, but when it comes to combating the coronavirus, saving lives and getting as many Americans back to work as quickly as possible, I am praying for your success, because so much is riding on the decisions that you, and only you, can make. So what I am about to say is truly in the spirit of being constructive: You need a plan.

Just from this first paragraph, how do you think Mr. Friedman felt about how Mr. Trump was handling the pandemic? How can you tell? What was his purpose for writing? How urgent was this purpose? How would you describe the tone? How well does that tone work to get his message across?

Now read the rest of the piece, noting lines in which Mr. Friedman’s frustration comes through. For example: “In all honesty, though, sir, you immediately and crudely jumped into that discussion.” How does this line convey real emotion, but do so in a civil way? Do you think an angrier, less respectful tone would have been more effective? Why or why not?

Now read another political open letter, “ Open Letter to President Biden From a Dispirited Black Voter ,” by the Times Opinion columnist Charles M. Blow in 2022.

Here are some lines from the middle of the piece. What do you notice about the tone?

As far as I can tell, Tuesday’s brief comments were the first public statements you have made about passing voting rights legislation since January, and that’s from my search of the White House’s own collection of your comments published on the White House site. Is that what “never stop fighting” looks like to you? Where did you learn to fight, in a pillow factory?

Here is the end of the letter:

The truly frustrating thing is that in a two-party system, Black people are stuck. You, Mr. President, are the best and only option when the Republicans have declared war on truth, Black history and Black voters and sworn allegiance to Donald Trump. But Black people are weary of this political dance, of being drawn near and then pushed away, of having individuals elevated but the collective damaged, of having sweet nothings whispered in our ears only to be denied in public. Mr. President, do better. Signed, A Dispirited Black Voter

Read the full piece. How does Mr. Blow express his anger and frustration? Do his feelings come across differently than Mr. Friedman’s did? What lines show it? Is the writer still civil and respectful? Is it OK that he made a comment like “Where did you learn to fight, in a pillow factory?” to a president? Is his letter effective in your view?

Ask yourself …

What is my purpose for writing a letter? What do I hope will happen as a result?

Who is my explicit, or stated, audience? Who is my implicit, or unstated, audience? (Note: If you are writing for our contest, your implicit audience will be New York Times readers.) What is my relationship to those audiences?

What is my tone? Is it appropriate for my subject, purpose and audience — both explicit and implicit? Why or why not?

How can I appeal to my explicit audience in a way that will move people to action or reflection? Does that kind of appeal also work for my implicit audience?

How have I expressed my emotions and opinions? Am I clear and forceful? Am I civil and respectful? What lines stand out to show that?

As you now understand, the writer of an open letter has to keep two audiences in mind — both the explicit, or stated, recipient, and the implicit, or unstated, reading public.

In the previous step, you developed the parts of your essay that will more closely resemble a personal letter. In this section, you’ll develop the aspects that share qualities with other essays you might have read in the Times Opinion section or in past Student Editorial Contests .

Here are some important things to consider.

Authority: Who are you, and why should we care about what you have to say?

Those questions might sound harsh, but they are key to finding a meaningful subject and writing a compelling letter.

What could your letter about climate change, college admissions or gun violence, for example, say that the work of others couldn’t? What special background, experience or knowledge do you bring that makes you an authority on the subject? (If you have studied rhetorical strategies, you might be familiar with the concepts of ethos, pathos and logos, and will recognize that here we are describing ethos. More on that later.)

These are questions that we often asked the participants of our Student Editorial Contest, so you only have to scan the work of the teen winners to see how personal authority plays a role.

For example:

Lucas Cohen-d’Arbeloff wrote about what the Florida bill labeled “Don’t Say Gay” by its detractors means for same-sex parents and their children , like him.

Ketong Li explored what it means to participate in “voluntourism ” after a trip to Myanmar left her feeling guilty.

Asaka Park wrote about being disabled and how social media is a lifeline for teens like her.

Aria Capelli extolled the joys of multigenerational living thanks to her time in a pandemic bubble with her grandparents.

But how does this work in open letters? Read just the salutation and first line of this next piece. Who is writing to whom? How do you know?

Mark, In 2010, I wrote “The Social Network” and I know you wish I hadn’t.

If you guessed that this is an open letter to Mark Zuckerberg from Aaron Sorkin , you’d be right. The piece, from 2019, is about what Mr. Sorkin sees as Facebook’s dangerous policies around political speech. In the letter, he weaves in his experience making “The Social Network,” a film about Facebook’s origins — and battling Sony and Facebook for permissions to say what he wanted to say — to show his authority on this topic.

The comedian Monica Heisey takes a different approach in “ Dear Harry and Meghan, Some Friendly Canadian Advice .” Written in 2020, when the couple was considering moving to Toronto or Vancouver, the letter includes a humorous description of her expertise on the topic:

As my own family’s problematically ginger second-born and someone who fled Canada for England, I’ve recently completed something of a reverse-Harry and am therefore in a perfect position to dispense some classic, North American-style unsolicited advice.

But do you have to be famous or powerful to write an open letter? Of course not. In a 1982 “ Open Letter to Madison Square Garden ,” a 22-year-old fan is incensed that the Madison Square Garden Corporation was considering moving the New York Rangers to New Jersey. As you read this opening, ask yourself, what is his authority on this topic? Is it enough?

Gentlemen: I am driven to write this letter, after 15 years of patronage, by the “potential” transfer of the New York Rangers to the Meadowlands. Protesting will obviously serve no useful purpose, so in lieu of an “outraged condemnation,” I thought I might share with you some of my thoughts about our relationship. I am 22 years old, and a resident of Brooklyn. My family recently submitted payment for our 24th consecutive season subscription to the Rangers. We saw them in the old Garden; we saw them in the new. What stands out most about my 15 seasons of Ranger games are the good times. The Ratelle-Gilbert-Hadfield goal-a-game line. Walter Tkaczuk and Billy Fairbairn killing penalties. Bobby Rousseau on the point during the power play. Harry Howell steady as a rock on the blue line. Jim Neilson and Rod Seiling on defense. Beating the Islanders. Eddie Giacomin making save after save after save.

Now ask yourself:

What special knowledge, experience or background with my issue do I have that will give me credibility? Do I have an insider perspective of some kind?

How can I express or explain that?

Call to action: Make the purpose for writing your letter clear.

Go back to the rough draft you wrote at the beginning of Step 3. Did you make your purpose clear? What did you say and how did you say it?

In our rules, we state that you must have some kind of call to action, whether the change you seek is something tangible, like asking Congress to enact a law or demanding a company stop a harmful practice, or something more abstract, like inviting your audience to reflect on an issue that they may have never considered.

Let’s look at how some Times writers have done it. Sometimes, the call to action is clear, as in Margaret Renkl’s “ An Open Letter to Governor Lee on the Slaughter of Our Children ,” from 2023. Read the letter, and identify what she wants Bill Lee, the governor of Tennessee, to do, both in the immediate aftermath of the shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville and in the longer term.

Now look at how the young Rangers fan ends his letter to Madison Square Garden. What is he asking? Is it a serious request that he expects to be honored, or is it just another way of making his point?

I would like to thank you for bringing me so many memories, and berate you for denying me more. Finally, I would like to ask, respectfully of course, that when the Rangers — the NEW YORK Rangers — play in New Jersey, they not be identified as New Yorkers. After all, they will not be. Perhaps, if you are reluctant to alienate your once-devotees by calling them the New Jersey Rangers, you could call them the Tri-State Rangers. Maybe then you’ll even make some money in Connecticut.

Finally, what if your letter’s purpose is to honor someone and explain their role in your life? What is your call to action then? Take a look at the rapper T.I.’s open letter to former President Barack Obama , written in 2017 in his final month in office. Here is the ending of the piece. Who is he trying to move to action? Is it Mr. Obama — or can the call to action be to us, the implicit, unstated, audience? Is that just as effective?

For every one of US who has been touched by you and tasked with a choice between finding a way or walking away, I say we can and must do more. We cannot afford to live in a prolonged state of grief, but must remember that we have no choice but to dust ourselves off, wipe off our wounds and move beyond this barren state of shock. We will forever be grateful to you and your family, the graceful intelligent compassionate first lady, Mrs. Obama, as well as your beautiful daughters Sasha and Malia for their collective sacrifices for US. WE will continue to stand with you and alongside those who make a personal investment in US. We will continue to remain committed to causes that are bigger than ourselves. We will continue to remind ourselves that, Yes, We still can!

Is my call to action something tangible that the recipient of my letter has the power to change?

Or, is it more abstract, like asking my audience to understand or reflect on something important?

Who am I really addressing in my call to action? As you saw in the examples above, sometimes it is a direct request of a person with power, but other times it is more of a plea to the general reader. Sometimes, it can be both. No matter to whom the call to action is directed, however, it should be meaningful and compelling to both your stated and unstated audience.

Context: What background information do we need to understand your issue?

Let’s say you’re writing a letter to a good friend you haven’t talked to in awhile. You’ve been at summer camp for a few weeks, and you’re excited to explain to your friend that, even though she knows you’ve always been afraid of the water, now you’re so comfortable you can swim across a lake. But since the two of you took a disastrous swim class together back in third grade, you can also refer to your inside jokes on the topic to help her appreciate how far you’ve come.

Now think about how this might work in an open letter. Some employ that same kind of insider knowledge. For instance, many of the open letters to Taylor Swift on the internet riff off the titles of her songs, allude to moments from her past or scatter the kinds of “ Easter eggs ” — or secret messages — that Ms. Swift is known for herself. If the writer’s stated audience is Ms. Swift, and his or her unstated audience is fans of hers, that works well; the readers understand the references.

But what if your audience isn’t that specialized, and you can’t predict what they will know? That is the case with most Times pieces, which are written for a general reader. They assume some background knowledge, but tend to detail anything crucial the reader needs to know. In fact, the way the writer explains those details can be a big part of making their case.

The opening lines of Kurt Streeter’s open letter to Brittney Griner in a 2022 Sports of The Times column are a good example. How do they show that the writer is addressing an audience well beyond Griner, the basketball star?

Welcome home, Brittney. At long last, welcome home. Like so many others, I wondered if this day would ever come. Now you are home and safe after nearly 10 months of brutal uncertainty and fear. Home and safe after isolating imprisonment in a Russia that has cast aside international norms. Home and safe after getting trapped in a web of geopolitics that grew thicker each day as the war in Ukraine dragged on. What you endured over the last 10 months is nearly unfathomable. As a Black, openly gay woman, you were in particular danger as a prisoner in a country with dangerous, retrograde views on race and sexuality.

What background information do these opening lines supply for those who may not remember all the details of Ms. Griner’s imprisonment? How does Mr. Streeter’s description of this history and context encourage the reader’s sympathy and respect for Ms. Griner?

Continue reading. How does Mr. Streeter weave in details, facts and quotes to build context and background, and to further his case? Mark all the places where he does that effectively.

To focus on just one example, note how elegantly he includes a quote from an important and relevant person, and how he makes sure, we, his Times audience, know who this person is. Yet he doesn’t do it by citing his source, as you would in an academic essay. Instead, he weaves it in as one would if they were writing a personal letter — as if he’s just letting Ms. Griner know what someone had to say about her:

When I spoke to Vince Kozar, the Mercury’s president, this week, he mentioned the letters you exchanged over the last several months. “At all times, she was asking about other people,” said Kozar, your boss and friend. “Her concern was about other people. First and foremost, she asked how her teammates were doing, asking us to ensure we were taking care of her wife.”

Choose any of the essays from the list at the top of this article that you have already read. This time, focus on how they impart background information. What does the writer let you, the general reader, know that the stated recipient would probably already know? How do they do this well, with strategies you might use in your own writing?

Then ask yourself:

What does my general audience need to know and understand to appreciate my letter and be persuaded by it?

What facts, quotes and details might it help to include? How can I work those in seamlessly, so they are not jarring to the reader?

How can I impart background and context that helps me build my argument? What should I include and what should I leave out?

Evidence: Why is this topic important? What facts can compel us to care?

In the example above, we showed how background information can help build readers’ understanding. But where does this information come from?

If you’re participating in our contest, you’ll need to cite evidence from at least two sources, including one from The Times and one from outside The Times. Of course, make sure those sources are trustworthy .

In the letter to Ms. Griner, you saw one example of how facts can be woven in to bolster a persuasive piece. Here is another: “ An open letter to the founder of Starbucks ,” written by a Times Business columnist in 2008.

It’s been almost a year since you wrote that now-famous memo to your executive staff: the one in which you bemoaned what you called “the watering down of the Starbucks experience.” The one where you defended each individual decision that had led to that diminished experience — like the switch to automated espresso machines — yet still urged your staff to find a way to recapture the “romance and theater.” Starbucks stores, you wrote, “no longer have the soul of the past and reflect a chain of stores vs. the warm feeling of a neighborhood store.” As a hard-core Starbucks customer, I couldn’t have agreed more. What has happened since then?

What facts and details does he use to answer is own question? Why is that appropriate for readers of the business section?

Remember “ An Open Letter to the Woman Who Told My Family to Go Back to China ,” Michael Luo’s piece? Not every open letter bombards you with facts and statistics, yet the writer is still able to make his or her case by showing the larger importance of the issue. Here is one way Mr. Luo does it, by both explaining the context and using a contemporary example that shows it:

Maybe you don’t know this, but the insults you hurled at my family get to the heart of the Asian-American experience. It’s this persistent sense of otherness that a lot of us struggle with every day. That no matter what we do, how successful we are, what friends we make, we don’t belong. We’re foreign. We’re not American. It’s one of the reasons that Fox News segment the other day on Chinatown by Jesse Watters , with the karate and nunchucks and broken English, generated so much outrage.

Rhetorical Strategies: How will you make us care?

If you have done argumentative writing in school, chances are you’ve heard of ethos, pathos and logos. If you haven’t, the video above, “ What Aristotle and Joshua Bell Can Teach Us About Persuasion ,” explains them beautifully. If you need more work with these concepts, our related lesson plan suggests that students choose viral content from their social networks and identify ethos, pathos and logos at work. The good news, however? Without naming them, you have already noticed all three concepts in the letters we’ve looked at so far.

But to review, here are how the concepts are defined:

Ethos (ethical appeal): Appeal to the credibility and authority of a speaker. Using ethos, a writer can convey trustworthiness through tone and style as well as by establishing her credentials in a field. An author’s reputation can also influence pathos. Pathos (emotional appeal): Appeal to an audience’s heart and emotions. An author or speaker using pathos seeks to persuade someone emotionally using personal connections, stories or testimonials, and maybe spirituality. Pathos can aim to evoke hopes and fears and often employs figurative language. Logos (rational appeal): Appeal to the audience’s logical reasoning ability. Examples of logos include facts, statistics and anecdotes.

Now try this:

Go back and choose one of the open letters from the list at the top of this post. Then ask yourself:

What lines do I find most affecting? Why? Do any of them work because they make an appeal to ethos, pathos or logos? How?

What do I notice about the balance of ethos, pathos and logos in this letter?

Does the author emphasize one technique more than the others? Does that choice seem appropriate for the topic and audience? Is it effective?

Now look back at your own draft, whether it is the one you began way back in Step 3, or whether you’re further along. Answer the questions above about your own work. Or, if it is ready to be seen by others, switch with a classmate and analyze each other’s for these appeals.

When we invent a contest, like this one, we can’t wait to see how teachers and students will respond. We know there is a lot of information here, and we hope it doesn’t feel overwhelming. It might help to return to that very first rough draft again and notice how far you have come.

Once you have a polished piece that you are happy with, we hope you’ll enter it into our Open Letter Contest , which runs from March 13 to May 1. Be sure to read all the rules and guidelines before submitting your entry.

Another way to go? Borrow an idea from the team at Brooklyn Tech who helped advise us. They plan to celebrate their students’ work by publishing the strongest pieces in their school newspaper, The Survey . (Remember, however, that if you are also submitting to our contest, you must wait until after all your students have submitted to publish their work elsewhere.)

Katherine Schulten has been a Learning Network editor since 2006. Before that, she spent 19 years in New York City public schools as an English teacher, school-newspaper adviser and literacy coach. More about Katherine Schulten

EssayGPT Review: An In-Depth Look into the AI Essay Writing Copilot

Overview of EssayGPT

EssayGPT is an AI-powered essay writing copilot that revolutionizes the way students and researchers approach academic writing. With its clever essay AI, a range of powerful features, and a user-friendly interface, EssayGPT streamlines the essay content workflow, helping you to do easier and faster research, saving valuable time and effort. 

In this review, we will delve into the various aspects of EssayGPT, its capabilities, and how its smart essay AI enhances the content writing and editing experience.

The Three Modes of EssayGPT

EssayGPT operates in three distinct modes, the Generator mode, the Writer mode, and the ScholarChat mode. Each of them serves a unique purpose and contributes to a seamless essay researching and writing experience.

Generator (AI essay generator)

EssayGPT’s Generator mode allows users to generate up to 800 words of essay content with just a simple topic sentence. As you can see from the screenshot, I can adjust the essay type and add SEO keywords according to my needs. I can also ask EssayGPT to humanize the generated results so that no AI detectors can flag my content as AI-generated.

If you want to further customize the outline as well as the titles of your essay, you can try the other “Generate Titles” button. This more advanced setting mode allows you to adjust every detailed aspect of your essays so that you will get a fully tailored output that precisely aligns with your requirements and standards.

Writer (Workspace for writing and editing essays)

EssayGPT’s Writer mode provides a comprehensive online text editor for writing and editing essays. You can start from scratch at EssayGPT’s editor, or simply upload your text document and start from there. Once your content is online, you can now utilize EssayGPT’s specially developed essay AI to effortlessly write, rewrite, summarize, or expand your essays with ease.

ScholarChat (AI research assistant chatbot)

ScholarChat is EssayGPT’s AI chatbot designed to serve as a virtual research assistant that significantly enhances the research process for users. Just let the chatbot know what you are looking for, it can quickly obtain relevant academic sources across a broad range of topics, ideal for students and researchers needing efficient and thorough research support.

EssayGPT’s Features

EssayGPT offers a range of advanced features designed to elevate your essay writing process. Here are some of its capabilities that I believe to be especially useful when writing essays of all types.

The Smart “//” Toolbar : By entering the “//” on the editor interface, you can access the smart toolbar, send your lines of command, and let EssayGPT’s intelligent essay AI rewrite, summarize, or expand your existing essays effortlessly.

Streamlined Research Process : EssayGPT is connected to a vast network of scholastic databases and academic publications, enabling quick and accurate research. Use detailed and up-to-date information to enhance the quality and credibility of your essay.

Customizable Citation System : The auto-citation system from EssayGPT makes it easy to add accurate references in academic standards, such as APA, MLA, Chicago, and more. The system can also take customized information to generate professionally formatted citations as well. 

Auto Content Completion : Overcoming writer’s block is made simpler with EssayGPT’s AI auto-complete feature. The smart essay AI can analyze the context, style as well as tone of your existing writing and generate tailored suggestions to complete your essay seamlessly.

Built-in Grammar & Plagiarism Checker : EssayGPT ensures your essay is free from grammatical, syntax, and punctuation errors in order to maintain coherence, clarity, and readability. It also scans your essay content to guarantee its uniqueness and originality. Detecting any signs of plagiarism allows you to make necessary revisions, and avoid academic misconduct.

Why Use EssayGPT Instead of ChatGPT?

While ChatGPT still remains a powerful conversational chatbot, EssayGPT is specifically designed to cater to the unique needs of essay writing. Here are some notable advantages that you will not necessarily have if you are using ChatGPT:

Specialized Essay Writing Features

Unlike the general conversation style with ChatGPT, EssayGPT offers a comprehensive set of features tailored explicitly for essay and academic writing, including the dedicated essay AI, auto context-reading content completion, grammar and plagiarism checker, formatted citation assistance, and more.

Enhanced Research Capabilities

EssayGPT’s direct and instant access to academic databases and trustable publications offers a significant advantage compared to the simple conversation-based and outdated database from ChatGPT. It allows users to find and directly cite scholarly articles, helping students and academic professionals to produce more informed and authoritative essays.

Essay-Specific Assistance

EssayGPT’s AI auto-complete feature, and outline writing system, along with the comprehensive grammar and plagiarism checker specifically address common challenges faced during essay writing, ensuring high-quality, efficient, and credible output.

In conclusion, Essay GPT is a remarkable AI essay writing copilot that streamlines the essay writing process for students, researchers, and other academic professionals. Its remarkable three modes, research-focused tools and features, advanced content writing capabilities, and smartly trained essay AI make it a valuable tool for enhancing productivity and efficiency.

By the time of writing this review article, EssayGPT had just launched their specially developed EssayGPT GPTs , aimed to provide their powerful research features and writing assistance for those who have access to ChatGPT Plus, and those who are looking for an even simpler, direct chatting experience when writing essays.

Questions You Might Want to Ask

Can essaygpt generate citations in different styles.

EssayGPT offers citation formatting assistance, allowing you to cite your references accurately in various styles such as APA, MLA, Chicago, and more. You can also use the citation system to generate citations with your own referencing information.

How does EssayGPT ensure the uniqueness of my essay?

Other than the guaranteed original content creation from their expertly-trained essay AI, EssayGPT includes an accurate plagiarism checker that scans the essay content to detect any signs of plagiarism. It highlights the plagiarized text, enabling you to make necessary revisions and further maintain the originality of your work.

Can EssayGPT really handle complex research topics?

Yes, EssayGPT is directly linked to a vast network of scholastic databases and academic publications. This enables comprehensive research and fact-checking, even for complex and specialized research topics.

Can EssayGPT be used for other writing tasks besides essays?

While EssayGPT is primarily designed for essay writing, its research-oriented features and content writing capabilities can certainly be beneficial for other academic writing tasks such as informative reports, technical articles, and research papers as well.

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5 top essay writing services in 2024: legit websites for quality and speed.

If you’re a college student constantly juggling assignments, exams and extracurricular activities, finding reliable assistance for writing essays can be a game-changer. Professional essay writing services step in to fill this need.

If you’re swamped with schoolwork, hiring an expert essay writer is just a few clicks away.  PaperHelp stands out as the best essay writing service. It’s not just their reasonable prices that make a difference. They also boast highly competent essay writers, a great track record and an excellent loyalty program that lets you save on future orders.

However, there are other websites worth checking out as well. These sites may not be as well known as PaperHelp, but they offer unique features that set them apart.

2024’s Best Paper Writing Services Reviewed at a Glance

• Best for quality writing at a great value: PaperHelp
• Best for STEM essays and research papers: BBQPapers
• Best for timely delivery: EssayNoDelay
• Best reputation among students: SpeedyPaper
• Quick turnaround time: GradeMiners

These five essay writing websites rank as the best in terms of quality of writing, writer expertise, customer service and overall value for money. Here are their pros and cons to understand why they stand out in the crowded field of online essay writing services.

PaperHelp : Best for quality writing at an affordable price

PaperHelp is a professional essay writing service that has been assisting college students with their academic writing needs for over a decade. It caters to a wide range of writing requirements, including essays, research papers, personal statements, and dissertations.

Starting Price:  $10 per page

• Best essay writers: Many of their writers are well-versed in various academic fields, often producing quality content.
• Customization: PaperHelp offers tailored essay services, adhering to specific guidelines and academic standards.
• On-time delivery: Most of my orders were delivered on time, meeting the set deadlines.
• Discounts and offers: PaperHelp often has discounts for new users and seasonal offers, which can be cost-effective.
• Responsive customer service: Their customer support is available 24/7, providing helpful and prompt responses to queries.
• Privacy: PaperHelp assures the confidentiality of your personal and order details.
• Can get pricey: Urgent orders or higher academic level papers can be quite expensive.
• Rushed orders may affect quality: Extremely tight deadlines can sometimes lead to a compromise in the quality of the work.
• Limited time for revisions: The revision window is limited, which can be an issue if you notice problems later.

Unique features

• Complete anonymity: PaperHelp doesn’t ask you to provide any personal information, so the service is absolutely anonymous.
• SMS updates: You can opt for SMS updates about your order status.

PaperHelp stands out for its user-friendly experience, quality of writing and reliable customer service. While it does have some drawbacks, such as pricing of rush orders and occasional inconsistency in writing quality, its strengths make it a worthwhile option for students seeking academic writing assistance.

BBQPapers : Best essay writing service for exceptional essay writing

BBQPapers is an essay writing service renowned for its promise of high-quality, premium writing, especially for higher-level academic needs. “BBQ” stands for “better be quick,” and the service prides itself on delivering thorough, well-researched papers within tight deadlines. It’s considered one of the best writing services catering to a wide range of academic writing requirements.

Starting price:  $14.60 per page

• Exceptional writing quality: The standout feature of BBQPapers is its high quality of writing. The papers are well-researched, logically organized and stylistically appropriate.
• Reliable deadline compliance: All my orders were delivered within the set deadlines, with enough time for review.
• Loyalty program: The more you order, the bigger lifetime discount you get.
• Effective support team: Their customer service is commendable, offering prompt and helpful responses.
• Free revisions: BBQPapers provides free revisions if your requirements are not met.
• Account creation required: To get a price quote for your paper, you must create an account, which can be a bit cumbersome for first-time users.
• Premium pricing: BBQPapers is on the higher end of the pricing spectrum, which might not be feasible for all students.
• Free plagiarism report: BBQPapers guarantees originality in their work, which is critical for academic writing. You get a free plagiarism report upon completion of your order.
• Additional quality assurance: Each paper goes through a strict quality check before being delivered to you.

BBQPapers excels at delivering high-quality, well-researched academic writing, supported by professional essay writers. This service places a strong emphasis on customer satisfaction and academic integrity. However, its premium pricing makes it more suitable for those who prioritize quality over cost and are tackling complex academic tasks.

EssayNoDelay : Best for quick delivery

EssayNoDelay is the best paper writing service to choose if you’re concerned about meeting your deadlines. The writers at EssayNoDelay cater to a wide range of writing needs, including essays, research papers and other academic projects. They consistently deliver papers of various difficulty levels on time, every time.

Starting Price:  $11 per page

• User-friendly interface: The essay writing website is straightforward and easy to navigate, making the process of placing an order quite simple.
• Responsive customer service: Their customer support team is accessible and responsive, providing timely assistance.
• Competent writing: The papers I received were well-written, demonstrating a good understanding of the subject matter.
• Customization to requirements: EssayNoDelay’s writers were attentive to the specific requirements of my assignments.
• Affordable prices: EssayNoDelay offers competitive pricing, making it a good option for students on a tighter budget.
• Prompt delivery: Many orders are delivered on time, adhering to the set deadlines.
• Limited revision scope: Revisions are subject to certain terms and conditions, which can sometimes limit their usefulness.
• Additional charges for extras: Certain services, like advanced writer options or plagiarism reports, come at an additional cost.
• Basic design: While functional, the website lacks an engaging design and might not appear as professional as some competitors.

Unique feature

• Direct communication with writers: This feature allows for better customization and clarification of requirements.

Overall, EssayNoDelay strikes a decent balance between cost and quality. Its main strengths are its user-friendly service, affordability, and strict adherence to deadlines, making it an appealing option for students with basic papers that don’t require extensive research. However, the variability in writing quality and additional costs for certain features are factors to consider.

SpeedyPaper : Best for excellent reputation

SpeedyPaper is a professional college paper writing service renowned for its promise of quick turnaround times without compromising quality. They cater to a wide range of academic needs, from essays and research papers to thesis and dissertation assistance.

• Intuitive website design: The SpeedyPaper website is user-friendly, with a clear layout that makes it easy to find information and place orders.
• 24/7 customer support: Their customer service is highly responsive, offering round-the-clock assistance which is particularly useful for urgent queries.
• Consistent quality: The papers are well-written, demonstrating a consistent level of quality across different subjects.
• Adherence to guidelines: They follow the specific requirements and formatting guidelines users provide.
• Prompt delivery: True to their name, SpeedyPaper excels in delivering work on time, even for tight deadlines.
• Higher prices for short deadlines: Prices significantly increase for very tight deadlines, which is typical but can be a constraint for some students.
• Limited writer availability: Due to their selective hiring, there might be times when a suitable expert isn’t readily available, especially for less common subjects.

Unique Feature

• Progressive Delivery: You can have your paper delivered in parts, to ensure that the paper is written exactly how you want it.

SpeedyPaper provides a balance among speed, quality, and price. It is a reliable choice for students who are pressed for time but still want to ensure they receive a well-written academic paper. The service’s commitment to meeting deadlines and providing responsive customer support adds to its appeal as a go-to option for urgent academic assignments.

GradeMiners : Best for urgent papers and fast service

GradeMiners is another professional paper writing service that specializes in a wide range of academic papers. Its standout feature is the promise of ultra-fast delivery, potentially as quick as one hour, catering to college students who are up against tight deadlines.

Starting Price:  $16 per page

• Rapid turnaround: The most significant advantage is their ability to deliver work within extremely short deadlines. The ability to get papers within an hour justifies their premium pricing in urgent cases.
• Responsive support team: The customer support team is efficient, providing prompt responses to inquiries and order updates.
• Decent writing quality: For most standard assignments, the quality of writing is acceptable and adheres to basic academic standards.
• Efficient website layout: The GradeMiners website is straightforward and easy to navigate, making the order process quick and hassle-free.
• Limited time for revisions: Given the fast-paced nature of their service, the window for requesting revisions can be quite narrow.
• Quality compromises: With such rapid turnaround times, there’s often a trade-off in terms of depth of research, detail, and customization.
• One-hour turnaround time: The standout feature is undoubtedly the ability to receive completed work in as little as one hour.
• Broad range of services: Despite the focus on speed, they offer a wide array of academic writing services.

GradeMiners stands out for its ability to deliver acceptable quality academic work at incredibly fast speeds. This academic writing company is best for students facing very tight deadlines. However, the high cost for rapid service and potential compromises in detailed research and personalized writing are factors to consider before using this essay service.

Things to look for in a reputable paper writing service

There are certain features that trustworthy paper writing websites possess, which set them apart from less reliable options. Here are the most important points to look for.

Credibility and reliability

Start by researching the service’s reputation. Look for reviews on independent platforms, and check if the service has been featured in any credible educational blogs or forums. Compile a list of services and then cross-reference their reviews across multiple sources.

A trusted essay writing service should offer guarantees like plagiarism-free work, confidentiality, and money-back options. Be sure to check the fine print to understand their policies on revisions and refunds.

Quality of writers

The caliber of professional writers is crucial. Services that openly display their writers’ qualifications, areas of expertise, and ratings provide a transparent view of who will handle your essay. Try to pick a service that shows writer profiles and their previous work samples.

Ensure the professional paper writers are native speakers or possess an advanced level of language proficiency. Miscommunication due to language barriers can impact the quality of your essay.

Originality guarantees

A top-tier custom essay writing service should guarantee original content. Ask for a plagiarism report to ensure the work is unique. It’s important to use these services ethically; use them for guidance and as a learning tool, rather than submitting the purchased essays as your own work.

Pricing and value for money

Avoid services with hidden fees. A clear, upfront pricing structure based on word count or page number is preferable. Look for flexible pricing options that can accommodate different budgets as well. Many services offer first-time customer discounts or loyalty programs. These can provide good value, especially for long-term projects.

If you’re tempted to use a cheap essay writing service that charges less than $9 per page, remember that the quality of work may be questionable. In the United States, where minimum wages and living costs are high, it’s unrealistic to expect skilled professionals to produce quality work for such low compensation. This often leads to the employment of unqualified writers and plagiarized papers.

Responsive customer service and support

Responsive customer service is vital. Take note of how quickly and effectively they respond to queries and resolve issues. Given the varying time zones and deadlines, round-the-clock support is a significant advantage.

Range of services

Essay writing companies that offer a wide range of writing services, from essays to dissertations, is preferable. It indicates a diverse team of experienced writers capable of handling different academic requirements. Look for additional features like editing, proofreading, and formatting. These can significantly enhance the quality of your essay.

User experience

A user-friendly website with a clear interface is a sign of a professional service. It’s best to choose a site on which placing an order is straightforward and tracking progress is easy. Ensure the service has robust privacy policies and secure payment methods to protect your personal and financial information.

Timeliness and deadlines

Timeliness is crucial. Opt for services that have a track record of meeting deadlines. I always check reviews to see if there are any complaints about late submissions. Some services offer expedited delivery for urgent orders. This can be a lifesaver for last-minute requirements.

Legit essay writing services compared

PaperHelp: Comparing PaperHelp with other services on this list, although it can be generally more reliable in terms of quality, it can also be pricier, especially for urgent tasks. EssayNoDelay offers a more competitive pricing system but lacks consistency in writer expertise.

BBQPapers: When compared to other services like PaperHelp or EssayNoDelay, BBQPapers stands out for its writing quality and expert writers. However, this comes at a higher cost. For those on a tight budget, BBQPapers is more suitable for complex, higher-level academic work than for everyday essay writing needs.

EssayNoDelay: In comparison to services like BBQPapers or PaperHelp, EssayNoDelay stands out for its affordability and straightforward service. However, it may lack the consistent high-quality writing and expert-level research found in more premium services.

SpeedyPaper: Compared to other services like PaperHelp or BBQPapers, SpeedyPaper stands out for its balance of quality, price, and especially speed. It is particularly beneficial for those who need quality work in a short time. This service has garnered thousands of positive reviews, but sometimes finding an online paper writer for some peculiar subjects might take a long time.

GradeMiners: When compared to other services, GradeMiners is unrivaled in terms of speed. However, this comes at a higher cost and potential compromises in depth and customization of writing.

Essay writing service reviews and ratings

PaperHelp: 4.9/5 based on 5,124 reviews

“PaperHelp provided exceptional service for my postgraduate-level research paper. Their expertise in environmental science was evident in the paper I received. The writer not only covered the topic in-depth but also included recent studies and data, which enhanced the credibility of the work. One area for improvement would be faster response times on revisions.”

BBQPapers: 4.9/5 based on 387 reviews

“I ordered a 10-page literature analysis, and the level of detail in the essay was astounding. The writer clearly understood the nuances of the text and presented a compelling argument. The essay was well-structured, and each point was articulated clearly, making it easy to follow. What impressed me most was their adherence to my deadline. I received the essay with a day to spare, allowing me ample time to review it.”

EssayNoDelay: 4.6 based on 472 reviews

“When I needed an essay in a pinch, EssayNoDelay delivered. Their quick essay writing service is perfect for tight deadlines. I ordered a 5-page sociology essay, and they managed to provide a well-written and researched paper in under 48 hours. The quality was surprisingly good for such a quick turnaround. The essay was coherent, concise, and adhered to the academic standards required for my course.”

SpeedyPaper: 4.5 based on 624 reviews

“My experience with SpeedyPaper was outstanding. The document was well-formatted, adhering to the academic standards of my university. Their customer support was always available for consultation, providing helpful insights whenever I needed them. The pricing was reasonable, considering the level of expertise and the amount of work involved.”

GradeMiners: 4.5 based on 459 reviews

“GradeMiners saved my grade! The turnaround time was impressive, and they adhered to the 5-day deadline. The pricing was competitive, offering good value for the quality of service. Customer support was responsive and helpful throughout the process.”

FAQs about essay writing services

Q: Will the essay be of high quality, well researched and well written?

The quality of an essay provided by a college paper writing service can vary depending on the particular service you choose. However, many reputable and professional services take pride in delivering high-quality, well-researched and well-written essays.

Q: Can an essay writing service guarantee that my paper will be original and free from plagiarism?

A reliable paper writing service should be able to guarantee that the essay you receive is original and free from plagiarism. It’s essential to choose a service that has strict policies against plagiarism and employs measures such as using plagiarism detection software to ensure the integrity of their work.

Q: What qualifications and expertise do essay writers have, especially in a certain subject area?

Essay writers hired by these services typically have academic qualifications and expertise in various subject areas. Reputable services often have a rigorous hiring process that includes assessing the writer’s qualifications, experience and skills in specific subject areas.

Q: Are essay writing websites able to deliver high-quality work within tight deadlines?

Yes, they understand the importance of meeting deadlines and strive to deliver high-quality work within tight timeframes. However, it is crucial to provide clear instructions and reasonable deadlines when placing your order to ensure efficient delivery.

Q: What measures do these websites have in place to ensure my privacy and the confidentiality of our transaction?

To ensure privacy and confidentiality, reputable companies have robust security measures in place. This may include employing secure payment methods, encrypting personal information, and maintaining strict confidentiality policies that prevent sharing customer details or essays with third parties.

Q: Is the customer support team readily available and responsive to queries or issues?

Reputable companies generally have readily accessible customer support channels such as live chat or email through which they promptly respond to queries or address any issues customers may encounter during the process.

Q: What is their policy on revisions and refunds if I am not satisfied with the essay?

Essay writing services typically have revision policies in place that allow customers to request revisions if they are not satisfied with the essay they receive. Some services even offer unlimited revisions within a specified timeframe. Refund policies vary, but reputable services often provide refunds if the delivered essay does not meet the customer’s requirements.

Q: How accurately do essay writers follow the specific instructions and guidelines provided for the essay?

Professional essay writers strive to accurately follow the specific instructions and guidelines provided for each essay. However, it is important to provide clear and detailed instructions when placing your order to ensure that your expectations are met.

Q: Where can I find testimonials or reviews from your previous clients to assess top essay writing service services’ reliability and quality?

Genuine essay writing service reviews can typically be found on independent review platforms. Reading these testimonials can help you assess a service’s reputation and determine whether it meets your requirements.

Choose the right essay writing service for you

PaperHelp is the best essay writing website for a variety of academic assignments. This site allows you to hire a professional essay writer at a reasonable price, and thousands of positive reviews attest to its reliability. It’s best suited for students who need affordable, basic academic writing assistance and are willing to engage in the process to ensure their specific requirements are met.

Be sure to do your own research when choosing an essay service and be aware of the potential risks involved. It’s essential to verify the credibility and reputation of the service, read reviews from other customers, and ensure that they provide original, plagiarism-free content.

Additionally, check the qualifications of the writers, the company’s policy on confidentiality, and their commitment to meeting deadlines. Making an informed decision can save you from future complications and ensure a positive experience.

The news and editorial staffs of the New York Daily News had no role in this post’s preparation.

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• How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

Published on January 11, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on August 15, 2023 by Eoghan Ryan.

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . It usually comes near the end of your introduction .

Your thesis will look a bit different depending on the type of essay you’re writing. But the thesis statement should always clearly state the main idea you want to get across. Everything else in your essay should relate back to this idea.

You can write your thesis statement by following four simple steps:

• Start with a question
• Write your initial answer
• Develop your answer
• Refine your thesis statement

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Table of contents

What is a thesis statement, placement of the thesis statement, step 1: start with a question, step 2: write your initial answer, step 3: develop your answer, step 4: refine your thesis statement, types of thesis statements, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about thesis statements.

A thesis statement summarizes the central points of your essay. It is a signpost telling the reader what the essay will argue and why.

The best thesis statements are:

• Concise: A good thesis statement is short and sweet—don’t use more words than necessary. State your point clearly and directly in one or two sentences.
• Contentious: Your thesis shouldn’t be a simple statement of fact that everyone already knows. A good thesis statement is a claim that requires further evidence or analysis to back it up.
• Coherent: Everything mentioned in your thesis statement must be supported and explained in the rest of your paper.

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The thesis statement generally appears at the end of your essay introduction or research paper introduction .

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts and among young people more generally is hotly debated. For many who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education: the internet facilitates easier access to information, exposure to different perspectives, and a flexible learning environment for both students and teachers.

You should come up with an initial thesis, sometimes called a working thesis , early in the writing process . As soon as you’ve decided on your essay topic , you need to work out what you want to say about it—a clear thesis will give your essay direction and structure.

You might already have a question in your assignment, but if not, try to come up with your own. What would you like to find out or decide about your topic?

For example, you might ask:

After some initial research, you can formulate a tentative answer to this question. At this stage it can be simple, and it should guide the research process and writing process .

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Now you need to consider why this is your answer and how you will convince your reader to agree with you. As you read more about your topic and begin writing, your answer should get more detailed.

In your essay about the internet and education, the thesis states your position and sketches out the key arguments you’ll use to support it.

The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education because it facilitates easier access to information.

In your essay about braille, the thesis statement summarizes the key historical development that you’ll explain.

The invention of braille in the 19th century transformed the lives of blind people, allowing them to participate more actively in public life.

A strong thesis statement should tell the reader:

• Why you hold this position
• What they’ll learn from your essay
• The key points of your argument or narrative

The final thesis statement doesn’t just state your position, but summarizes your overall argument or the entire topic you’re going to explain. To strengthen a weak thesis statement, it can help to consider the broader context of your topic.

These examples are more specific and show that you’ll explore your topic in depth.

Your thesis statement should match the goals of your essay, which vary depending on the type of essay you’re writing:

• In an argumentative essay , your thesis statement should take a strong position. Your aim in the essay is to convince your reader of this thesis based on evidence and logical reasoning.
• In an expository essay , you’ll aim to explain the facts of a topic or process. Your thesis statement doesn’t have to include a strong opinion in this case, but it should clearly state the central point you want to make, and mention the key elements you’ll explain.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

• It gives your writing direction and focus.
• It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

Follow these four steps to come up with a thesis statement :

• Ask a question about your topic .
• Write your initial answer.
• Develop your answer by including reasons.
• Refine your answer, adding more detail and nuance.

The thesis statement should be placed at the end of your essay introduction .

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McCombes, S. (2023, August 15). How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved March 26, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/thesis-statement/

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Pregnant Nigerian entrepreneur arrested for writing scathing review of tomato puree: ‘I was messed up’

What a saucy comment.

A pregnant Nigerian mom was arrested and tossed in jail for making an online post criticizing a local brand of tomato puree, reports said.

Chioma Okoli, 39, is facing up to a year behind bars for allegedly breaching Lagos’ cybercrime law, after she said a can of tomato sauce by Nigerian brand Erisco Foods was too sweet in her social media comment.

The mom of three remarked on Facebook last September to her 18,000 followers. She said she picked up the Erisco’s Nagiko Tomato Mix because her store was out of the brand she typically bought.

“I went to but Tin tomatoes yesterday that I will use to make stew, but didn’t see my favourites, so I decided to buy this one. When I opened it, I decided to taste it omo! Sugar is just too much! Haa biko let me know if you hav used this tin tomato before because this is an ikegwuru situation!” Okoli wrote.

The post, which included an image of the product, generated friction between Okoli and other social media users and gained over 3,000 comments.

“Stop spoiling my brother product, if you don’t like it, use another one than bring it to social media or call the customer service Erisco Foods Limited,” one person wrote.

In response, Okoli replied: “Help me advise your brother to stop ki–ing people with his product; yesterday was my first time using it, and it’s pure sugar. Tueh!”

A week after making the post, on Sept. 24, Okoli was arrested, according to CNN.

Okoli, who is pregnant with her fourth child, told CNN she was arrested at church by a plainclothes cop.

“I was put in the cell around 6 p.m. There were no seats, so I stood all through till the next day. My legs were inside the water (that came from the jail cell’s leaking roof). Sometimes, I squatted to reduce the pressure on my legs. I was thinking about my children who were at home. I was talking to myself. I would think, I would pray, I was messed up,” she said.

She was released the following day on bail on the condition that she apologize — which her attorney says she only agreed to under duress. She has not issued an apology.

The Nigeria Police Force accused Okoli of using her Facebook “with the intention of instigating people against Erisco Foods,” according to legal filings viewed by CNN.

Police later noted in a March 7 statement that their investigation has “unearthed compelling evidence indicating Mrs. Chioma’s alleged role in the violation of extant laws, particularly those related to the proper use of the cyberspace.”

If she is found guilty, Okoli could face up to three years in jail or a fine of 7 million naira ($5,000), or both.

Okoli was also charged with conspiring with two other individuals “with the intention of instigating people against Erisco Foods Limited.” If convicted of this charge she could face a seven-year prison sentence.

She is also being sued by Erisco for over $3 million. The company claims it is defending its reputation after her comments “resulted in several suppliers deciding to disassociate” with the brand.

Okoli says she plans to file a counter-suit against the police and food company.