How to Write A (Good) Formal Essay

Step 1: Read the question.

• Actually, read it twice.  The second time, underline what exactly you are supposed to answer.  Some questions have more than one point they want you to address, even though there is only one question mark on the page. Ex.  Compare and contrast several species of birds.  Which is the most attractive bird?
  • This prompt actually requires you to complete THREE tasks—identify similarities, identify differences, and draw a conclusion based on this information.

Step 2: Read the sources provided for the assignment.  If necessary, do extra research.

Step 3: Figure out your opinion.

• It doesn’t matter if you think writing about different kinds of birds to be the dumbest way to spend an hour or not.  Pick a point of view on the topic; don’t waste time mentally complaining about how lame the writing assignment is.

Step 4: Outline your essay.

• This can be done in FOUR sentences:  your thesis statement and the topic sentences to your 3 body paragraphs.
• What is a “thesis statement?”  A thesis statement is a sentence at the end of your introductory paragraph that tells the reader what you (the writer) are going to be arguing in this paper and your 3 main supporting details.
  • Example:  Although the Red Hummingbird, toucan, and cardinal have many differences and similarities, the cardinal is the prettiest bird on the planet.

• Non-fiction writing is different from creative writing.  In non-fiction writing, the point is to communicate information and/or present an argument.  To do this effectively, the reader needs to know what your thesis is so the reader can understand why the information you are giving them is important.

• How do you write your topic sentences then?

Topic Sentence 1:  The Red Hummingbird is a beautiful bird with many interesting characteristics.

Topic Sentence 2:  Toucans are one most gorgeous, yet unique birds in rainforests.

Topic Sentence 3:  However, cardinals are the most stunning birds on the planet for several reasons.

• By outlining these four sentences, you already know everything you are going to talk about—and so does the person grading your essay!!

Step 5:  Get writing!!

• Yes, grammar counts.
• Yes, punctuation counts.
• Yes, spelling counts.
• Yes, the reader’s ability to understand your point of view counts.
• And they will count in real life, too.  People are going to judge you based on your ability to communicate your thoughts clearly your whole life.  Deal with it.
• Don’t stop writing.  Whoever told you that the length of your essay doesn’t matter lied to you.  Even if you can summarize your feelings on red birds in a paragraph, in written assessments, you are being graded on your ability to accurately provide several examples and details.

Step 6:  Proofread

• Take the last two minutes of your testing time to skim back over your paper.  Does everything make sense?  Did you accidentally write “left” instead of “off” or “reached” instead of “read?”  These things can make a big difference when a reader is trying to understand your point.

Remember—you need an introductory paragraph, 3 body paragraphs, and a conclusion!

Bad (Writing) Habits are Hard to Break…

Or: Ms. Harris doesn’t care if all your other teachers think this is acceptable; they should not appear in your formal writing—EVER.

1. Formal writing is always done in the third person.  I, me, my, you, yours, we, ours, or us – ban them from all of your writing.  “I” considered informal because your argument should be objective and based on information.  The use of “you” is considered rude; it is as if you are telling the reader what they think or feel.  Similarly, your reader may not identify with whomever you are grouping them, ex. “our nation.”
2. Cross out or erase every instance of: “in my opinion,” “I think,” “I believe,” or “I feel.”  Your name is at the top of the paper, so chances are the words on the page are your opinions and thoughts.  (If not, it’s plagiarism.)  And while I value your beliefs and feelings on a personal level, they are not enough to prove you are correct.  Those are what facts are for.  Leaving out these phrases does not change the meaning of your sentence.
3. Don’t use contractions. 
4. Use quotes sparingly.  Direct quotations are only necessary in two instances: when a phrase is integral to the discussion of a topic or when the author has stated something so perfectly, you could not improve the statement.  Otherwise, paraphrasing is preferable as it shows that you understand the material. (Of course, you’d cite your source either way.)
5. Avoid the use of questions in formal writing.  The point of formal writing is to explain your argument to the reader; moreover, if your reader does not have the same answer to the question as you do, then there is a giant hole in your argument that is completely undefended.  Ex. Isn’t it ridiculous that the slaves never successfully revolted in the South?
6. Avoid the use of slang or clichés.  Slang is too informal and may confuse your reader if they are unfamiliar with the terminology.  Clichés are boring, unoriginal and lazy.  Ex.  Barack Obama’s historic election was off the hiz-ook, yo.  Or: Believe it or not, Obama’s election was a rags-to-riches story of a one-in-a-million chance, if you know what I mean.
7. Simplify your sentences.  If your sentence exceeds two lines (handwritten or typed), the idea you are explaining is too complex for one sentence. Always write in the past tense and use your thesaurus mainly when you are stumped for a word or don’t want to sound repetitious.  Unclear writing will ruin even the most powerful and best supported argument.