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The Basic Format of an Academic Essay

Academic essay

An academic essay is one of the most vital writing tasks a student attempts in his or her life. They get to write essays more often than not. A student who feels hesitant to write an essay will never be able to write a good essay because they have assumed that they cannot do it. Students who want to write good quality academic essays should know the exact format and purpose of an academic essay. In addition to the format, it is a great idea to practice these essays on your own so that you do not have issues in writing one.

The components of a good essay

Every essay traditionally follows the same structure. There might be changes in the writing style, tone, and content depending upon the purpose and type of the essay. However, all academic essays must have the following components.

A meaningful topic

The first and most important thing is the topic of your essay. It is the first thing the reader will see in your essay so it needs to be very well composed and precise. In addition, you must choose a topic that relates to your essay well. This is important because you will rest of your essay upon your topic.

Catchy introduction

The introduction of your essay is the first paragraph of your academic essay. This is where you present your topic to the readers and show them what you are going to discuss in the rest of your essay. Some people include the thesis statement in the closing sentences of the introduction paragraph but, this in not compulsory. You may or may not add the thesis statement in your introduction.

Body paragraphs

Followed by the introduction, your academic essay has body paragraphs. Ideally, an essay has three body paragraphs, but their number may increase as per requirement. Each paragraph is unique and should have one kind of data. To avoid repetition and fluff in your essay you must make sure that there is smooth transition between paragraphs. To be able to do that you must make sure that each paragraph is unique in content and has its own individual meaning.

A precise conclusion

The last paragraph of your essay should be the conclusion. This is where you summarize your essay and extract all that you have discussed in your body paragraphs.

In the end, always remember to proof read your essay