General Essay Guidelines:
Feeling completely lost? Don't know where to start? Check out the resources below, make an appointment with a tutor or speak to someone at the front desk for help.
Understanding Common Writing Assignments
All essays need:
- A topic
- Introduction paragraph
- Body paragraphs (usually a minimum of 3)
- Conclusion
Some other common features of essays are:
- Thesis statement
- Topic sentences (the first sentence in a body paragraph)
- Transitions
- TEA format (Topic, Evidence, Analysis)
- Works Cited page
There are different styles of essays. A few essays you might write are:
- Personal essay
- Analytical essay
- Persuasive/Argumentative essay
- Research essay
- Narrative essay
- Compare/contrast essay
- Reflective essay
- Critical essay
- Descriptive essay
However, these are just a few examples.
This resource breaks down an essay by paragraph:
Most academic papers are formal essays.
In a formal essay, you want to:
- Avoid personal pronouns (I, my, me, mine, etc.)
- Avoid colloquial language (slang, common jargon)
- Avoid contractions (do not as opposed to don't)
Here are some guides on what language to use in an essay:
Creating an effective thesis statement
Remember that your thesis is NOT the topic of your essay.
Thesis statements are usually found in the Introduction.
Your thesis should state a point you will try to prove, defend, or persuade in your essay.
The Queen's University Student Academic Success Services suggests using the what/how/why approach as a guideline if you don't know where to start. To learn more, click this link.
There are two types of thesis statements: informative and persuasive.
Informative seeks to explain or teach something
Persuasive is trying to sway readers on an idea or argument.
More resources on thesis statements:
Creating an outline can be a good way to get started on a paper.
Break your essay down into chunks (typically by paragraph) and establish what you need to do and what you want to say in each one.
For example, the first paragraph will be your introduction. The content may vary depending on the subject, but an introduction should present the main idea and a little context on the subject.
Creating a list of points you should hit in each paragraph will give you a focus and structure to follow for the writing process.
Some resources on making outlines:
How to write a research paper
The first step to starting a research paper is choosing a topic.
The next step is research. Beware of Wikipedia!
For research help, ask one of your librarians!
An essential part of a research paper is the Works Cited.
There are two main types of research essays: argumentative and persuasive.
Argumentative defends one side of an issue or idea.
Persuasive essays are trying to convince readers of a particular point or perspective.
Click the links below for more information on research papers:
Additional resources on writing papers:
How to write a lab report
Writing emails to professors;
Email etiquette varies from professor to professor, but it is best to assume a formal, respectful tone when writing academic emails.
You might open the email with words or phrases such as "Good Afternoon,"