The Basic Fundamentals Are all You Need To Write A Great Essay

What are the basic fundamentals?

Is that not every student’s dream?

Writing a gripping essay with all the keynotes and highpoints coloured with depth, precision and gravity is everyone’s dream.

Let us take a look at the fundamentals. There are some key basic steps that you need to transcend before you become a great essay writer.

I have listed the basic fundamentals for both reflective and argumentative/ expository essays.

Ok, let’s get started!

1. Interpretation

Yes. You need to examine the question and interpret the key words. If you are not looking at the key words properly, the entire essay will hang.

Define the key words and make sure that your definition is clear.

Interpret argumentative and expository questions carefully as they are always connected to current issues. For argumentative questions, decide the angle that you wish to pursue. Is there a rebuttal side? What is it? Which side are you more inclined to take?

Decide all this before going on to the next step.

2. Gather your focal points

For a reflective question, make sure that you have a basic idea about where it is going. Is it a moral type of essay? Make sure that you have the points which lead up to the moral lesson at the end. You should have about 4 stages before you conclude with the lesson learnt.

If it is an argumentative essay, you should have at least 3 points where you agree with the question and 2 points where you rebut. Make sure that these are really good points that connect to the question and reveal how current trends and issues relate to your points.

Make it your job to reflect your knowledge of what is going on in the world and please make sure that they relate to the question. Always check to make sure that you are Not out of point.

3. Work out the ending

I know, this sounds weird but the ending should be visualized first. That is the way of the professionals, you know? Not kidding.

What sort of ending are you aiming at? A didactic one with a lesson learnt with regrets in tow?

Or an ending where your learning journey reaches its proper destination?

Or should it be a forecast of what you think will follow? This will be good for an expository and argumentative question relating to world issues.

The ending should dictate to you the beginning and middle of the essay. Just work it backwards.

4. Get your plot outline

This part should follow the ending you had projected. This is mainly for reflective and narrative genres. Making sure that your draw up a plot is a most fundamental step towards scoring a distinction. Otherwise, your essay will be out of point or worse, reflect a total lack of consideration for the question.

You could draw up a mind map for the plot outline or just list them out in point form.

I prefer listing as it is in a straightforward sequential order.

A proper plot outline should start with a reflection of the keywords and a wise statement. Then it should move on to background description, build-up and pre-climax.

Always bear in mind that the most scintillating part is the climax, so aim for ‘out of the box’ ideas. The climax should be totally unexpected. That is your responsibility. Then move it gradually down to your personal response and taper off with the conclusion.

Keep practising this sort of outline till it becomes second nature to you.

Never, never attempt to bypass this step.

5. Prepare the climax or the most important point

Once you have done a rough sketch of the outline, prepare for a truly unpredictable climax.

The entire essay hinges on this. Was this something that could be foreseen from the start?

If so, it was a badly written climax. You owe it to yourself to think of an unexpected twist of events and make it something that no one thought would happen.

Do not make it too exaggerated or strange. Just keep to the question but make the actions speak for themselves.

6. What is your ultimate angle?

This is really important. Without an angle, there is no story. You need to write something at the end which states that this is the reason why you wrote this essay.

I mean, why did this matter to you so much? What is the point that you are making? Why write this sort of story at all? Why do you want others to read it?

If you manage to answer these, then you have got the angle.

And that would be a really great way to end your essay.

Ok. I have taught you the basic fundamentals for writing a great essay. Now, all you have to do is apply them. Get your pen and start scratching some ideas on paper. Get going while you are inspired😊 And you will be on your way to a really great essay!