This is not a blog post about the proper structure of an essay. It is also not a post about how to write a thesis statement. (Want that? Here you go.) Show
Instead, I am giving you three tips for how to start an essay when you just feel stuck and don’t know where to begin. Here’s the disclaimer: These tips are for the times when you have been assigned an essay topic, you already know your thesis statement, and you know your teacher’s expectations (length, style, etc.). Additionally, I’m assuming you also know what type of essay you’re expected to write: narrative, expository, etc. (Here’s more info on the different types of essays.) Writing and revising essays are a whole lot easier with my FREE essay editing checklist. It’s all yours! The 3 tips below are meant to give you ideas on how to start an essay when you are staring at a blank computer screen and literally have no idea what sentence to begin with. Sound like you? Read on. If you’re looking for a total essay-writing tutorial, then here’s How to Write an Essay in a Week (or less!). How to start an essay: 3 hacks for getting started1. Start in the middle.There’s no law that says you have to write your introduction paragraph first. In fact, I have – many times – written my introduction last. If you think that the hardest part of your essay is the opening paragraph, then start somewhere else instead, like a middle body paragraph. In other words: choose the path of least resistance. 2. Start with the quote.Build your essay around a quote instead of trying to find a quote to fit your essay. So many of my clients and students get stuck finding quotes (evidence) to support what they’ve written in their essays, and sometimes it can take forever to search through a book to find the perfect quote to match what they’ve already written. Instead, I suggest you start with a quote: find a quote in the book / article that supports your thesis statement (your argument), and then build an entire paragraph around that quote. It’s so much easier to work backward — I do this all the time in my own research papers! 3. Write a list.Write a list of everything that comes to mind about your topic, without filtering your thoughts. List out points you want to make, quotes you want to use, facts you could incorporate, ideas you think might be valid … write it all down in a list (not in paragraph form). When you’re done with your list, go through it and group similar items together. These groupings will essentially become your paragraphs. If one grouping is way smaller than the other (for example, it only has two items in it and the others have 4 items), then you know you need to add more to that paragraph. Step 1: Write a list of everything you want to put in your essay. Don’t worry about organizing your ideas until step 2.Step 2: Rewrite your list, grouping similar topics together. This is my revised list. Each topic (in bold) will be its own paragraph.Bonus tip for starting essays One of the best tips for how to start an essay is simpler than you could imagine: Just start. Yup, you might think that’s annoying advice, but I’m dead serious. Even when you don’t feel like it (especially when you don’t feel like it!), just open up a Google Doc, give it a name, and write sommmmething. Sometimes this simple act is enough to get the ball rolling. Subscribe to ReportCard Newsletter! Get your FREE download of 25 School Habits and Hacks when you sign up for our monthly newsletter featuring awesome school tricks and tips One of the hardest steps to complete when you start writing an essay is figuring out what topic to write about (unless it’s preassigned). Commonly, students are tempted to write about something they have a great passion towards or are genuinely interested in. Though there is never a correct answer about choosing the best topic, there are filters to use when brainstorming ideas. After having plenty of writing experience, it becomes apparent that certain topics and types of sentences fit better with specific categories than others; this means that your point of discussion should be chosen only after knowing the type of essay you have to create. Tips for Choosing the Best TopicsIn writing there is nothing more important than the essay topic you choose. The essay topic idea is the backbone of your paper, and if it is weak, it will be extremely difficult for you to succeed. The best topic ideas are the ones that you are most passionate about. If you do not care about your subject, the essay is going to be torture for you to create. However, if it is something you truly enjoy, writing it will be a breeze. Another point to consider while choosing your essay topic idea is your audience. If your audience has little to no knowledge on a certain topic, consider omitting very technical and specialized topics. And finally, choose something interesting and exciting. Put yourself in your reader’s shoes: what would you like to learn about? COVID-19 TopicsThe COVID-19 pandemic came into our world very unexpectedly and it is hard to assume what months of self-isolation and shelter-at-home orders will do to our lives and daily routines. This is definitely an experience none of us will ever forget, and an essay on such a hot topic will appeal to most readers. Our college paper writing service has some interesting essay topic ideas below:
Order an Essay Now & Get TheseFeatures For Free:Turnitin Report Formatting Title Page Citation Outline Place an OrderEssay Topics by CategoryEssay TopicsAs stated above, your essay topic depends entirely on the style of essay you write. There are various essay styles that every student should know, and they can be broken down into four main groups: Persuasive Writing (Group 1) - This essay type asks the writer to pick and defend a point of view on a certain position. Argumentative, Research, and Persuasive essays fit into this category. Expository Writing (Group 2) - This group is all about presenting facts and informing the reader about some topic or idea. Cause & Effect, Research, Informative, and Expository essays fit into this category. Descriptive Writing (Group 3) - This style asks the author to unleash their inner artist with lively vocabulary and coherent ideas to explain an idea, describe a concept, etc. Definition and Descriptive essays fit into this category. Narrative Writing (Group 4) - This less common, but still certainly present style requires the author to tell a story or explain a process (something in chronological order). Narrative, Process, and Personal essays are placed into this category. Here are some good essay topics for the most common style varieties: Cause and Effect Essay TopicsCause and effect essays explain how one thing influences another. The cause and effect method of covering a topic is very common and is used to write essays at both school and college levels. This form of essay organization allows students to explain how subjects are connected. Another name for this type of essay is “reason and result”. Check out cause and effect essay topics from dissertation writing help:
Good Argumentative Essay TopicsArgumentative essays usually present arguments both for or against a certain issue. Depending on the author's goals and personal opinions, arguments can be balanced on both sides of the problem, or they can mostly support one of the sides. Some great essay topics from our essay writer are written below:
Narrative Essay TopicsWhile doing the custom essay writing of a narrative essay, imagine yourself as a real writer. You get to talk about your experiences and tell an interesting, sad, or funny story that is memorable to you. In a narrative essay, details play a great role as one of the goals is to paint a picture for the reader with your own words. It is better to pick a story that you remember very well and capable of noting the smallest details. Some great ideas for your essay topic are:
Research Essay TopicsA research essay presents an issue based on the works of scholars and scientists. After explaining what others have to say about a problem, you usually get to express your own opinion on the matter. You can also agree or disagree with the scholars’ opinions. Here are some interesting research essay topics:
Informative Essay TopicsInformative essays are similar to research essays, however, they simply present facts and educate readers on a matter. Here you do not get to say what you think, rather you simply discuss your topic and inform your reader about it. Here are some good essay topics:
Expository Essay TopicsAn expository essay's goal is to conduct an analysis of a certain issue based on facts and research. Here you have to explain how exactly things are happening and describe the process or the cause and effect relationship. The biggest difference between expository essays from other types is that the point you are trying to argue is a process of analysis, and is not simply based on your research.
Definition Essay TopicsThe goal of a definition essay is to define a term. For the most part, these essays are about terms that are not concrete. These terms do not have strict definitions, and they can differ depending on culture or personality. Here are some definition essay topics:
Descriptive Essay TopicsDescriptive essays are similar to narrative essays, though descriptive essays pay even more attention to detail yet have less action. Descriptive essays need to convey a feeling, atmosphere, or place. All of the topics for a descriptive essay are your experiences and things you have a vivid memory of.
Process Essay TopicsProcess essays need to explain to your reader(s) how something is done. It is necessary to describe the subject first, and then explain, step by step, how the process happens. The steps can be very precise and gradual. On the contrary, it also can simply be an explanation of a group of actions that do not necessarily follow each other.
Personal Essay TopicsPersonal essays are autobiographical stories that have a friendly, intimate touch to them. The tone of such an essay is usually conversational and reflects the character of the writer. It should also examine certain emotions you have experienced as a result of particular events that have happened to you.
Good Persuasive Essay TopicsAlthough persuasive and argumentative essays may sound like the same exact thing, they do have one distinct difference: what separates persuasive essays from argumentative ones is the type of reasoning they use to defend their point of view. While argumentative essays tend to rely on logic and statistics to make their point, persuasive writing is all about convincing through emotions and morality. Both of these writing styles could discuss similar topics. The difference comes from the methodology used to make their point.
Compare and Contrast Essay TopicsCompare and contrast essays showcase your ability to find similarities and differences between two or more subjects or points of view. This type of essay is relatively easy and fun to write because you get to express your own thoughts instead of writing bare facts. You can draw parallels and analyze the relationships between objects while explaining to the reader your unique perspective.
Controversial Argumentative Essay TopicsSome topics are more controversial than others. The chances are that you will not necessarily succeed in persuading your reader to take your side – that is why these topics are controversial. Although, it is your job to construct your argument in a way that gives you a chance to change your reader’s mind.
Funny Argumentative Essay TopicsWant to jazz things up a little? How about a funny argumentative essay topic? Humor is a great tool to encourage your reader(s) to be interested in your subject. It serves as a good hook to get your reader interested and make sure he/she keeps reading.
If you need a hand - we are ready to give you an essay help. Struggling to Come Up With a Good Essay Topic?Sometimes, even after understanding what essay types go with which topics, it can be difficult to settle on one. Here at EssayPro — we believe that patience is a virtue. Talk to the team of online essay writers today to get help with selecting a suitable essay topic—alongside assistance with formatting and outlining. Our experts will help you narrow down your ideas and make sure that you pick one you are most comfortable with. Don’t let the topic stop you from writing a great essay — send us your request today! Get Started Table of Contents Tips for Choosing the Best Topics COVID-19 Topics Essay Topics by Category
Professional Writing Help Latest Customer Reviews Customer ID: #405547 Research Paper Had to ask for a revision and I got a revision back in a timely manner as well with no issues. Great work. Writer: Paul Wp. 08/20/2021 Hire WriterLatest Customer Reviews Customer ID: #405434 Research Paper She followed all the instructions, and she even finished 5 days before the due date. She is amazing! Writer: Emma N. 08/01/2021 Hire WriterLatest Customer Reviews Customer ID: #405434 Essay (Any Type) Awesome nursing subject help in such a short amount of time. Expert did the job correctly. I will for sure use her again... What is a good beginning sentence for an essay?Think of your first sentence as a hook that draws your reader in. As you have researched your topic, you have probably discovered many interesting anecdotes, quotes, or trivial facts; these make great hooks to use for an engaging introduction.
What is a good introduction for an essay?What an introduction should include: A little basic background about the key subject area (just enough to put your essay into context, no more or you'll bore the reader). Explanation of how you are defining any key terms.
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