what to write your essay on

450+ Awesome Topics and Ideas for Top-Notch Essay

The most crucial step in preparing an essay is selecting a topic, yet most students regretfully ignore this part. In many cases, the quality of the essay depends on the topic you select. Therefore, choosing the appropriate topic simplifies composing something you'll be satisfied with.

Here are some suggestions from our college paper writing service for selecting good essay topics to ease your task.

• Find something that piques your curiosity - Your writing will reflect your zeal. Choose a perspective that could make the subject intriguing to you if you have no other alternative.
• Reduce the scope of your subject to something manageable - Whatever you choose to write on, consider if you have enough room to adequately cover the subject and support your argument. Your initial concept will almost always be overly expansive. Continue to refine it until it is reasonable.
• Begin your research - If you have a general concept of things to write essays about but don't know how to start, look through some books for inspiration. Check up on the subject online or in the news. Browse online for photographs related to the subject to see what you can discover. You could come upon the viewpoint you're seeking.
• Revive an idea - Consider whether there is a subject you have already written about that you might utilize for this essay. You might even be able to reuse studies or portions of previous writing. You might be able to just focus on a related subject or a different angle on the same concept.
• Brainstorm essays topics list - Make a list of your ideas or the items you are interested in. If your subject constitutes a great president, write down some terms that come to mind when you think of a president or list the names of politicians you respect and your reasons for doing so. Go through a dictionary and note any fascinating terms or concepts that catch your attention.

Ideas for Essay by Category

Based on your study area, you may likely face various writings in school. However, the most typical essay topics are these four. You'll probably need to produce at least a few of these pieces, particularly if you finish your undergraduate coursework.

Persuasive Writing

As the name suggests, a persuasive essay's main objective is to persuade the reader. Challenging, compelling, and rational writing should be used to convince readers. Contrary to expository essays, which may also advocate a viewpoint or particular cause, persuasive essay topics include opinion-based writing that focuses less on specific facts.

Expository Writing

In expository essays, facts are presented. They mandate that students conduct research, look into a subject, and provide a position based only on factual data instead of an opinion. Expository essay topics are written with solid reasoning and employ factual, scientific articles.

Descriptive Writing

The main goal of descriptive writing is to create a mental image of the subject. While writing descriptive essay topics, be prepared to discuss your primary subject and utilize several adjectives. You can describe an individual, a site, an event, or even a feeling. Here you won't be asked to write in the first person like you would in a narrative essay.

Narrative Writing

The purpose of narrative essay topics is often to convey a tale built on the author's personal experiences. Usually, a narrative essay uses a story to illustrate an idea. They adhere to a common essay structure (introduction, body, and conclusion) and have a motif. Characters and action are also present.

Next, we'll discuss comprehensive essay topic ideas that will serve as a source of inspiration for your upcoming assignment.

Topics for Technology Essay

In today's environment, technology is the driving force. Both cultural changes and technological improvements have significantly influenced the growth of human civilization. Thus, picking good essay topics about technology will provide you with plenty of material to draw on. Let's explore some effective essay topics recommended by our custom essay writing service.

• Technology's Effect on Communication
• Technological Development: Creation of the TV
• Making Use of E-Commerce: A Technology-Based Industry
• Little Diversity in the Technological Sector
• Medical Field to Use Blockchain Technology
• Advanced Technologies and Airport Security: Challenges
• Qualifications and Responsibilities of Information Technology Employees
• Autonomous weapons: a morally acceptable technology?
• Technological Usage in Schools: Influential Considerations
• The Incentives of Technology
• Marketing Instructors' Use of Media Platforms as Teaching Methods
• Organizational Units for Communication Technology
• The Role of Technology in Life Satisfaction
• PESTEL Analysis for Robot Technologies
• Information Technology Methods Used by the Starbucks Corporation
• Database Protection in Information Technology Fields
• Technologies of Communication in Public Health Programs
• Instrumentation and Technology in Surgery
• Technology's Effect on Global Warming
• How Technology Affects Architecture
• Homicide Issues: Using Technology to Track and Reduce Crime
• Medical Technological Patterns: Threats and Advantages
• Developing Technologies in Robotic Surgery and Nanoscience
• Technology's Influence on Criminal Legal System
• What Role Did Big Data Analytics Have in the Technological Fusion?

Cause and Effect Essay Ideas

To write on cause and effect essay topics, you should primarily identify a situation in which an action has effects or consequences. The next step is for you to describe what happened. If you're having trouble coming up with interesting essay topics, have a look through this list.

• Describe the causes and consequences of floods in Antarctica
• What are the main factors that contribute to natural disasters?
• Examine the causes and effects of Australian wildfires
• Which factors contribute to learning difficulties?
• Describe how temperament affects a child's cognitive development
• What harm does consuming junk food cause?
• Examine how social media websites have affected relationships.
• Insufficient sleep is caused by using mobile devices at night
• How does a person's social life change due to dating apps?
• Talk about the root causes of teenage schizophrenia
• What impacts does physical activity have on health?
• The effects of blue light on the circadian rhythm and eyesight
• Effects of health insurance on medical results
• Effects of domestic abuse on children
• Causes and effects of a failing market concerning bitcoin
• Does AI have an impact on the health sector?
• What effects might acne have on a teen's life?
• The various forms, symptoms, and consequences of Dementia
• What are the reasons for the persistence of racism and discrimination?
• Examine how a physical education curriculum affects college students
• How does birth order influence personality traits?
• Describe the results of working remotely
• What impact do nonprofit organizations have on neighborhood communities?
• What impact does gender disparity have on our society?
• How does smoking affect those who don't smoke?
• Hormonal changes bring about mental issues.
• Describe how evaporation contributes to the greenhouse effect.
• Consider the origins and consequences of environmental debris.
• What caused the First World War, and what were its long-term consequences?
• What are the origins and effects of work overload?

Problem Solution Essay Topics

One of their strongest features is that the problem-solution essay topic has a very obvious format. You must state the issue, discuss its significance, outline your proposed fix, and justify why it is the best option. Our essay writer will help you in your writing endeavors by compiling a list of things to write about.

• How can stroke be avoided?
• Does hiring remote employees reduce expenses?
• How wildlife reserves save species from going extinct
• Can vehicle sharing help to reduce CO2 emissions?
• One of the major issues in today's culture is body shaming. How can this problem be resolved?
• Children grow angry when they witness violent acts. What can we do to shield kids from seeing violence?
• Many students receive poor marks for reasons other than being lazy. What can we do to aid difficult students?
• Most pupils in schools and universities commit to cheating. What are some strategies to prevent this conduct?
• Increasing the minimum wage might lead to job losses. What other options are there?
• How can families support the development of children's positive body images?
• How can a depressed patient be helped?
• Is it possible to change careers in middle age? What is attainable?
• How can innovation be achieved without raising prices?
• How can one keep a normal BMI?
• What are a few strategies for lowering unemployment?
• How can inmates be transformed into useful members of society?
• How can divorces be avoided?
• What steps may be made to avert a shortage of resources?
• What actions are necessary to secure sustainable energy sources?
• How can the recovery process from oil spills in the ocean be sped up?
• How might recycling address ecological problems? How do you establish a routine for doing this?
• How should you approach your classmates with respect?
• Are you being treated unjustly by your teacher? What should one do in this circumstance?
• Why is being bullied a negative quality? How can it be stopped?
• How can a school setting be made less isolating?
• How can divorced parents support their children in achieving academic achievement, forming a healthy lifestyle, and leading fulfilling lives?
• How might the assistance system be altered to assist people in escaping generational poverty?
• How should we handle unlawful immigration?
• How can human trafficking be stopped?
• What is the greatest way to lessen the terrorist issue?

Informative Essay Topics

You may demonstrate your knowledge by writing informative essays. They all focus on educating the reader without attempting to convince or express an opinion. Let's look at some good essay topics catering to all age groups and preferences.

• The value of students' online volunteering
• How to support friends who struggle with learning difficulties
• The value of literacy in our daily life
• The finest techniques for overcoming presentation anxiety at college
• the top methods for locating a college internship
• The advantages of releasing your college scientific study
• How to overcome procrastination while in college
• The importance of love and affection in dogs
• The most typical fallacies concerning video gaming
• The various cultural interpretations of friendship
• Why do individuals see the light when they are in a coma?
• Simple safety precautions when using a telescope
• Constructing a compelling resume for LinkedIn
• Making a nursing reflection notebook
• Online property protection: what you should know
• the various religious explanations for dreams
• Social media's significance in the fight against anorexia
• what separates Republicans from Democrats
• Reporting the issue of substance addiction
• How to prepare a wonderful supper for your partner
• Foreign Languages in High School: Their Value
• Sleep Deprivation in High School Students: Causes and Consequences
• Contrasting student-athletes and non-athlete students
• Three Motivational Factors Success, Allegiance, and Power
• The Influence Of Nature On Architectural Forms
• How Do Cats React to the Sun?
• Procedure for enrolling in community services
• Sailing a boat: safety precautions and self-protection
• How to get legal assistance if you are being harassed
• What are the problems faced by the World Health Organization?

Wish You Could Write a Paper of Top Quality?

Give our skilled staff of writers access to your most challenging writing projects, and they will produce high-quality work in a flash.

Research Essay Topics

You may not be aware of the sheer volume of responsibilities you will likely have throughout college. When it comes to delivering research papers on time, it could leave you feeling overloaded and drained. Thankfully, our dissertation writing help provided you with excellent research essay topics.

• Can theme parks serve a purpose other than entertainment, such as education?
• Why are certain countries happy and wealthier than others?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of plastic surgery?
• Do immigrants positively or negatively influence a country's economic growth?
• Why are regulations so severe regarding single parents' ability to adopt?
• Video games and the virtual world: are they fueling increased crime and abusive behavior?
• What steps can be taken to stop cyberbullying?
• Is overeating a concern for the people of America?
• There should be a ban on unsafe sports
• Animal testing should not be permitted in research
• There should be occasional reductions in the number of working hours
• It should be illegal to clone both people and animals
• Women who choose not to participate in the feminist movement run into issues
• The risk posed by social media is lower than advertised
• While portraying murderers and criminals, do actors run the danger of mental health problems?
• What creates visual deviations like a particular frequency?
• Why is facial skin more prone to pimples and sensitivity to contact than the skin on any other body area?
• What actions may be taken in developing nations to avert ecological disasters?
• Which nations have the most effective legal systems?
• What defenses do students have against having to repay student loans?

Education Essay Topics

Certain themes always seem to come up while writing an essay on education. Some people find the constant discussion about education and schools to be a bit much, and when you're engaged in a topic, it may be challenging to come up with the ideal essay topic. Yet, to assist you in your quest for knowledge, we have compiled a list of ideas because of the importance of educational essay writing.

Good College Essay Topics

• Why is education so crucial to society?
• What are the advantages of the American educational system as it is today?
• How can students practice employing soft skills in a classroom setting?
• Is memorizing still encouraged in today's schools?
• What actions can the educational system take to encourage diversity in the classroom?
• Are school rules gender-neutral?
• How can colleges encourage students to eat well?
• How can children prepare for their futures through college and career paths?
• Students' mental well-being in college
• Given that most students will graduate with student loans, is attending college worthwhile?
• How can safety on college campuses be improved?
• What benefits and drawbacks come with studying abroad?
• What types of academic misconduct are not deemed plagiarism, and why do some students resort to illegal downloading?
• How significant is it to be a leader both as a student and a teacher?
• Explain how academic freedom is regarded and whether there is a basis for it.

Essay On School

• Should physical education be included in the core curriculum for secondary schools?
• All pupils should be required to receive the appropriate vaccinations at school, with very few exceptions.
• Public versus private education
• Which course should be the one that all high school students must take and complete to graduate?
• Describe the experience of starting a new school while moving to a new location.

Student Life Essay

• Why do we view our college years as the best of our lives?
• Speaking freely on college campuses
• Repayment of student loans
• Compensation for collegiate athletes
• Why did you decide on this university?
• What job goals do you have after graduating from college?
• To prepare for college, recent high school grads should wait a year
• Share some hilarious college recollections
• What is the most difficult aspect of college life?
• What are the differences between school life and college life?

Personal Essay Topics

Personal essay topics explore your lifestyle, ideas, and encounters. Readers will gain insight into your most private life events and thoughts from this kind of paper. The secret to success is to try to merge viewpoints and storytelling. The ideas listed below might serve as inspiration for you.

Essay About Yourself

• How did you first meet someone significant in your life?
• art pieces you admire
• Your greatest letdown
• Do you have a technology addiction?
• The worst thing that has ever occurred to you
• Have you ever come upon an animal in the wild?
• Describe your first experience being alone at home
• Describe unpleasant holidays or travels
• How do you define success?
• Your preferred outdoor activities

My Hobby Essay

• Are hobbies useful for a potential career?
• How Choosing the Right Hobby for You Will Transform Your Life
• Considering Photography as a Hobby
• Taking Up Art Collecting As A Hobby
• Traveling is A Popular Pastime
• Stamp Collecting as a Hobby
• The Future of Video Gaming as a Lifetime Hobby
• Making Your Passion A Successful eBay Business
• My passion is giving back to care facilities
• Candlemaking Is A Delightful Hobby Or Craft

Childhood Memories

• What recollections do you have of your parents as children? Mention a few defining moments
• Consider a situation in which you acted improperly. Explain the occurrence and the emotions it brought about
• Consider a situation from your upbringing that caused you to feel terrified or nervous. Explain both the actual occurrence and the emotions it brought about
• Name a game or activity you once engaged in with your sister
• What happy childhood recollections do you have? Describe a specific incident and the emotions it brought about
• Recall winning a contest at school
• What was the most enjoyable school project?
• Describe a performance you participated in as a child
• How would you describe your kindergarten teacher?
• How did your childhood summer vacations make you feel?

My Best Friend Essay

• The intimate connection of friendship
• The positive qualities of my best friend
• Explain a definition of best friends as a connection of companionship
• Distinctions between my best friend and myself
• The importance of communication between my best friend and me
• What did losing my best buddy teach me?
• False friendships and social networking sites
• Connections between women and gender stereotypes
• Why making friends is difficult for foreign students
• The universal significance of friendship

Ideas for an Opinion Essay

You may think of topics for an opinion essay as types of sentences that sum up the entire piece. The same holds for any piece of writing that expresses a viewpoint. Excellent discussion topics should relate to the core subjects and the student's strongest competencies. A good opinion essay poses an issue, formulates a question, and then makes a statement. Below are some inspirational opinion topic examples for essay writing.

• Why is it not always moral to be a GreenPeace activist?
• How does video gaming affect on-campus violence?
• Is it necessary for teachers to discipline students?
• Proven strategies to lower youth depression
• Should parents have access to social media monitoring tools?
• Is it necessary to cut back on English literature in college?
• How do earlier eras influence the culture of today?
• What distinguishes being overweight from being obese?
• How has globalization destroyed the traditional fashion trend?
• How does social media encourage polarization in the US?
• Why is it important to maintain English grammar?
• Is the American value of the family in danger?
• Is it necessary for the US to change its military strategy?
• Should medical school curricula include a study of culture?
• What warning signs indicate a generational divide?
• Why is chicken produced in bulk healthy?
• Why is it that we humans are to blame for global warming?
• Should sensitive medical information be made available to the public?
• What qualities best suit future generations?
• How does rage cause dysfunctional parenting?

Ideas for Nature Essay

Nature essay topics may examine how human activity affects the environment or how nature affects people. There are several directions that nature essays might go in. Ones that describe how beautiful nature is might motivate readers. On the other hand, an essay on pollution can be thought-provoking and encourage one to act. You may also use an informative essay on environmental pollution to explain how people harm the environment. Let's explore the next areas of nature essay ideas for more details.

Environment Essay

• Contemporary global environmental issues
• Environmental effects of global warming
• Green taxes in environmental management
• Effects of medical waste discharge on the ecosystem
• Bottled water's impact on the environment
• Environmental effects of green buildings
• The effects of population growth on the environment
• Are foods made via genetic engineering safe for the environment?
• Effect of technology on the environment
• Green energy's effects on the environment and sustainability

Essay on Deforestation

• The deforestation history
• An ecosystem's response to logging and deforestation
• Tropical rainforest destruction
• Consequences of deforestation and possible solutions
• Consequences of over-harvesting and deforestation
• Deforestation in the amazon: patterns and determinants
• Deforestation and Biodiversity in the Brazilian Amazon
• What actions should the Brazilian government take to lessen deforestation in the Amazon?
• The Initiative Tackling the Deforestation Problem
• An examination of human responsibility for deforestation in rainforests

Pollution Essay

• Climate change and air pollution
• The issue of atmospheric pollution in the contemporary age and its effects
• The impacts of noise pollution
• Traditions and historical ideas as cultural pollutants
• The technique for offsetting pollutants
• How polluted is the Arab World?
• What technology is available to reduce vehicle pollution?
• Pollution from automobiles in the US
• Chloramine in drinking water: a sign that pollution is becoming worse
• Commercial pollution's financial impacts on China

Water Pollution Essay

• Causes, consequences, and potential solutions for water pollution
• Problems associated with water pollution
• Description of the ocean pollution issue
• The effects of human activity on marine pollution
• The UAE's approach to managing water pollution
• An economic perspective on water pollution
• Causes and solutions for water pollution in the US
• Plans for preventing water pollution caused by storm
• Health hazards related to water pollution
• Problems with Coca-Cola and water pollution

My Favorite Season

• What makes summer my favorite season?
• The sun during fall
• Winter as my favorite season: Christmas spirit
• Why I love Spring the most: revival of nature
• Summer as my favorite season: summer festivals
• Why I enjoy the Fall the most: Halloween and the Thanksgiving holidays
• Snow in Winter: my happy season
• Swimming in the ocean vs. skiing on the slopes: which one do I enjoy the most
• Positive and negative impacts of cold weather on mood: why do I still love it
• List your three favorite things about each season

A Raining Day Essay

• People commonly claim that nighttime downpours help with sleep. Why do you suppose that is? Has this happened to you before?
• Consider ways to gather rainwater if your house doesn't have running water, and ensure the water is safe for consumption.
• Recall when you were safe, comfortable, and happy inside while it rained outside. Provide as much information as you can about it.
• Even though individuals frequently dislike rainy days, having regular rainfall might be crucial. When do you consider rain to be most beneficial?
• How would you construct a shelter if you were lost while wandering in the woods and it began to rain?

Psychology Topics for Essay

As psychology has several subfields, you must be aware of which ones to focus on while writing a strong essay. If you need ideas, have a look at the following psychological topics for essay:

• How to combat bullying through psychological development
• Psychological explanations on why the aging process slows down
• How parenting style affects a child's development
• Variables that have an impact on a person's ability to learn languages
• The root causes of bigotry and prejudice
• Criminals that need counseling can benefit from CBT
• The repercussions of sleeplessness in a medical setting
• What causes the multiple personality phenomenon in certain people
• The world's selfish mentality nowadays
• The causes of the surge in childhood anorexia
• The key elements that influence social cognition within a family
• How family group behavior influences human nature
• The media's part in encouraging violence
• Does psychological debriefing hurt trauma survivors?
• Should psychologists refrain from participating in coercive questioning?
• The function of hypotheses in psychological research
• Positive case studies of compliance and obey psychology
• Psychiatric bipolar disorders
• Implementing organizational psychology
• Organizational Psychology: tools and methods
• Studies in experimental and correlated psychology
• The prospects for psychology
• Ethical concerns and psychology's code of conduct
• Psychiatric disorders and their types
• Behavioral psychology: anxiety disorders
• Researching the role of sleep on human development
• Theories in personality psychology
• A look into serial killers' psychology
• Use of social psychology in education
• Applying psychology in real life

Gender Equality Essay

There are many different concerns in the field of gender studies. Nonetheless, you must select an original gender equality essay topic from among them, such as the salary gap, the bias against women in the classroom, women empowerment essay topics, etc. Here are a few pointers that may help you choose an excellent topic.

• How gender roles are shifting in families
• Literary representations of race and gender prejudices The patriarchal phenomenon
• Look at how women behave in Middle Eastern nations in terms of gender
• Talk about how gender roles have changed and evolved through the years
• Is it possible to have equality among all workers?
• Possibility of achieving gender equality
• What can society do to combat toxic masculinity?
• A lack of rights for women
• List the major female movements
• How might American culture combat gender disparity?
• What major obstacles prevent us from achieving gender equality at work?
• Why is it so important to address the challenges of gender inequality?
• Data on the gender-based median salary gap for workers of various ages
• Why is it difficult for males to follow the orders of women?
• Which gender norms are most prevalent on television?
• Is the labor split in the modern family equitable?
• Is state-enforced gender equality legislation effective?
• Women's equality in western society: Progress and Future
• Are peace and gender equality related?
• The Importance of Gender Equality for Economic Growth

Proposal Essay Topics

Proposals can be prepared for a scholarly audience like your teacher or students or a broader audience like a government entity or corporation. Everyone studying in high school or college will find our list of proposal essay topics helpful; if you find one you like, feel free to take it and begin researching.

• How can we get the next generation to quit smoking?
• Promoting academics' quest for a cancer cure
• Us government should implement a new policy
• It is important to be candid about politics' criminal history
• Fostering community cooperation to enhance the lives of war veterans
• The first issue the new president should prioritize in his policies
• Increasing technological development to improve work results
• Putting together teams to combat cyberbullying
• Keeping technological use and overuse in check
• Everyone should know the new internet safety regulations
• How to prevent players from feeling down after a match
• Changing cruel practices: hunting is not a sport
• Choosing the best pay for college and professional sportsmen
• Making speeches successful regardless of the audience
• How to reduce child entitlement problems
• Why a formal approach to negotiations is ineffective and better alternatives
• How to prevent a company from bankruptcy
• why female attendance at business negotiations is always recommended
• Putting an end to the notion that fiction affects morals
• How can you convince your people that immigration is not that costly?

Process Analysis Essay Topics

Outstanding process analysis essay topics are necessary for crafting a decent paper. Process essay topics allow you to format your piece effectively and offer your ideas to the target audience in a way they can grasp. Let's go through the list for inspiration:

• Provide instructions on how to conduct a safe chemical experiment
• Detailed tips on how to create a strong résumé
• Provide a helpful guide for giving speeches
• What procedure is used to treat wastewater?
• What steps are involved in determining milk's pH?
• Describe how to manage due dates
• How to design an atmosphere that is conducive to learning
• Good note-taking techniques
• How to set a budget while you're in college
• Describe how to prepare tomato soup
• The process of making frozen veggies
• How to write computer programs
• How to write a manual for fixing gadgets
• How to use the program to edit photos
• How does the Google Search Engine function?
• How to heal bones using natural polymers
• How are the space shuttles constructed?
• How is quantum computing implemented?
• How to be a movie director
• How to achieve success without exerting much effort

Essay Ideas on Stereotypes

Because stereotypes are such a pervasive societal problem, educators often encourage students to reflect on them. The only way to create stereotype topics for essays is to identify the societal and daily thought patterns, trace their links, and record them in writing. After learning how to create a stereotype essay, you can look for the ideal topic examples for essay. So, let's explore them together:

• How modern toys in the US reinforce gender stereotypes
• Assessing Stereotypes with the Use of Anthropology
• Media-based stereotypes
• Stereotypes of White Women in the Media
• Hollywood's Embedding of Asian Stereotypes
• Stereotype-Conducive Behavior
• Are women in the trap music industry empowered, or do they fall victim to stereotypes?
• Stereotypes, awareness, and sympathy
• Typical African female stereotype
• The Transformation Of The Stereotype Of The Schemer
• The stereotype that women are bad drivers
• Application of a stereotypical cue to assessing the level of mathematics
• The development of the Indian stereotype as a result of Americanization
• Age Variations in Cognitive Performance and Sweeping generalization Threat
• The Benefits and Drawbacks of Stereotypical image Fitting
• Western detective novels: viewpoint and stereotype
• Women's Function In Society's Stereotype Of Women
• Does the Fear of Stereotype Impact Women's Ability?
• Rap Music's Effects On The Vicious Black American Stereotype
• What Gender Stereotypes Do Ads Promote?

Ideas on Essay about COVID-19

The Coronavirus has overrun the planet, which has kept us indoors. Life, as we know it, has transformed. As a result, leaving us with far more questions than solutions. As the epidemic has affected practically every aspect of our lives, it is crucial to comprehend it by composing interesting essay topics on this matter:

• Did the pandemic cause a rise in the number of mental health issues?
• What does it imply to call the coronavirus pandemic? What have other illnesses historically been referred to as pandemics?
• What impact has Covid-19 had on the global economy?
• An examination of the hypotheses and misconceptions concerning the Coronavirus. What is the virus's place of birth?
• How have various nations handled the pandemic?
• Why did the virus affect Europe so severely?
• Examine how the Coronavirus has affected the relationship between the US and China.
• How has the media aided in spreading awareness about the virus?
• How has the spread of false information about the Coronavirus created worry and panic throughout the globe?
• Athletics and the Coronavirus. How has the virus negatively affected sports?
• How many sporting events have been postponed because of the pandemic?
• What impact has the Coronavirus had on religious practices?
• Why has the church taken so many hits because of the Coronavirus?
• Has the virus caused a rise in religious conversion or a decline in religious practice?
• An examination of the responses to the pandemic from many well-known religious figures
• In what ways has the Coronavirus altered human life?
• How have nuclear families been impacted by working from home?
• Are the pandemic's beneficial impacts on the environment long-lasting?
• How has the Coronavirus contributed to a decline in air pollution?
• What impact has the Coronavirus had on schooling globally?

Topics for Essay Based on Proverbs

Proverbs are a powerful tool for writing that may increase the impact of your points and assist your readers in believing you when you employ them. Let's examine some sayings that will make powerful topics for essays:

• 'Birds of a feather flock together.' - You might apply this as the topic of your essay to talk about how individuals prefer to hang out with those who are similar to them.
• 'You can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs' - This essay topic might describe a moment when you attempted something new, and people frequently became furious. You should stop thinking about those folks and concentrate on the outcome.
• 'Actions speak louder than words’ - This might serve as the essay's title to suggest that action is required because simply saying something is insufficient.
• 'The early bird catches the worm' - You might utilize this as the subject of an essay to discuss how getting up early and starting your job can help you achieve in life.
• 'There's no such thing as a free lunch' - You might employ this as the subject of your essay to talk about how items that are given out for free usually come with a price tag.

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

Identifying and evaluating the distinctions and patterns between two subjects that fall under the same category is the focus of a compare and contrast essay. If you've been assigned to write such a paper, you should seek engaging comparative essay topics. So, take a look at some related essay questions examples created by our essay help platform:

• Research paper vs. essay: which is harder to write?
• What strengthens your career more, a master's degree or a Phd.?
• What distinguishes high school from college?
• Which is superior between cricket and football?
• Which is preferable, using a vehicle or the subway?
• Which is more efficient, sending emails or making calls?
• What structural differences exist between fabrics made of cotton and acrylic?
• How did the cultural turn affect the humanities compared to the linguistic change?
• What distinguishes the United States Constitution from the Articles of Confederation?
• What distinctions may be made between high-throughput and large-scale DNA sequencing methods?
• What similarities exist between black tea and coffee?
• In contrast to astronomy, what do cosmologists investigate?
• How does nature differ in the Spring and fall?
• What distinguishes manga from comics?
• What are the differences between attending a public school and homeschooling?
• Which subject is more fascinating, physics or chemistry?
• What activities are available at night vs. during the day?
• What is preferable: a large birthday celebration with friends or a family gathering?
• What are the similarities between football and basketball?
• How does residing in an apartment compare to owning a home?
• What differs between left- and right-handed people?
• What distinguishes sand deserts from those covered with ice?
• Why are hot air balloons different from airships?
• What sets dolphins apart from whales?
• What's the difference between using a shared computer and having your own?

Want to Excel in Your Academic Life?

We only collaborate with the best writers, who provide students with original, personalized writing

Related Articles

46 Great Essay Writing Topics for Students

Before you sit down to write, you need a topic, and these essay writing topics can help you get started.

Writing an essay is an important skill for high school and college students. Essays show a writer’s ability to think through a topic, explore their point of view and persuade or inform others of that. Yet finding essay writing topics can feel vague. 

This list will help students find the right topic for a descriptive essay or argumentative essay. It outlines a number of hot topics that students can delve into in order to express their opinions and showcase their writing skills. You can use these to practice your essay writing skills or as prompts for you or students.

Best Essay Writing Topics for Middle School Students

Controversial essay writing topics for older students, persuasive essay topics for older students, compare and contrast essays for older students, narrative essay topics for older students, informative essay topics for older students, a final word on the best essay writing topics, faqs about the best essay writing topics, essay writing resources.

If you are picking an essay for a 7th or 8th-grade student, the topic needs to be something that students in that age range are interested in. This will help them want to do the research and explore their ideas. This age range will often write expository essays or narrative essays, rather than persuasive ones.

Here are some essay topics to consider:

1. Is Climate Change Real?

Climate change is a hot topic with middle schoolers, and this essay topic idea lets them explore it. This essay topic can work well for a persuasive, informative, or cause-and-effect essay.

2. The Benefits (Or Drawbacks) of Homework 

Few middle school students enjoy homework, but this can be a great way to get them to dig into why the education system relies on homework. Students can give their opinion about the need for homework or why homework should be eliminated.

3. A Funny Childhood Memory

Middle school students who are not ready to write on argumentative essay topics can practice their English essay writing skills by writing about a funny thing that happened as a child. This topic should focus on entertaining, engaging storytelling. 

4. Video Game Addiction

Many young students spend a lot of time playing video games, and this can translate into an essay topic. Exploring the mental health effects of too much video gameplay is a good option. Ask them to write about games they live or spend too much time playing.

5. A Dog, Cat Or The Family Pet

Sometimes younger students find it difficult to write an entire essay about a challenging topic. If that’s the case it’s much easier to write an essay about something they’re familiar with or spend time with every day. Often that’s the family dog cat or pet. They can write about what this animal means to them.

6. My Summer Vacation

This is a staple choice of teachers everywhere, particularly after the summer break. All younger students can write essays easily enough about how they spent a few weeks of school what it is and where they went. Perhaps it was time with a family member or a best friend? There is a good reason that many elementary and middle school teachers assign this as a writing assignment at the start of school.

7. A Personal Victory or Success

A student could start writing this essay by writing about when they felt like all was lost. Then, they could describe how picked themselves up off the dirt and achieved a victory.

8. What Will Life Be Like In 2050?

Will we find solutions to the problems we face today, like poverty and homelessness? Will technology enrich our lives further or be the cause of new issues?

Many young students often think about the future, and this topic allows them to let their imagination run loose.

This way they can express their ideas on how the world will look like in a few decades. It also gives you insight into the child’s personality. Do they see the positives in everything, or are they a bit more realistic?

9. A Trip To The Museum

As children, we loved going to the museum. Even today, it’s interesting to look at historical art, sculptures, and old vehicles. 

This essay topic works exceptionally well right after a school holiday. Maybe the young student just witnessed some of the best historical pieces. Writing about this topic allows them to reconnect with the emotion they felt.

In this essay, ask students what they liked most about visiting the museum, important lessons they learned, and how they felt in the moment.

10. Describe Meeting A Famous Person

We all have favorite celebrities that we’d love to meet. This could be an actor, musician, or athlete.

In this essay topic, ask students to describe what it’s like to meet a famous person. How would they feel, what questions would the student ask them, and what activities would they do together.

By asking your student to write the essay as descriptively as possible, they’ll experience the positive emotions associated with meeting their idol.

As they enter high school and college, students should start transitioning from informative essays to persuasive ones. Controversial essay topics are a good way to do this. They help students develop their critical thinking skills and learn how to reason an argument. The below topics the bill well:

10. Why the Sale and Production of Tobacco Should Get Banned

Few people would argue about the health benefits of tobacco, yet it remains a top-selling product. This essay would explore the benefits of banning the sale of the product altogether.

11. Should Every Country Have the Death Sentence?

The death sentence is definitely a controversial ethical and social issue. This essay topic would explore whether or not it is a good way to punish for serious crimes and the benefit or drawback of adding it to every country across the globe.

12. Is Homeschooling Better or Worse than Public School?

Homeschooling is growing in popularity, and this school essay topic would explore the benefits or drawbacks of this particular school choice. It may pull from personal experience if the student homeschooled. 

13. Is The US Election Process Fair?

Elections are an essential part of our lives. It gives us the power to determine who’ll govern our country. However, is the election process fair?

In the essay, your student will get an opportunity to voice their ideas, describe what changes they’d like to see, and how those changes will positively impact the nation.

This essay topic requires more research, and students walk away with knowledge that can help them in the long term.

14. How Can We Reduce Climate Change?

Climate change is a serious topic that impacts everyone’s life. Sea levels are rising, which makes it difficult for animals like polar bears to survive.

When writing about this essay topic, students will have to research the effect of climate change, what causes it, and how to reduce its impact.

This requires logical thinking and creativity. It’ll encourage students to come up with a plan of action. Maybe they’ll limit the number of carbon emissions released by companies, promote solar power, or decrease the price of energy-efficient appliances.

Persuasive essays work to convince a reader of the writer’s point of view. These topics lend themselves well to a great essay that focuses on persuasion.

15. Why Soda Should Not Be on Fast Food Kids Meals

Fast food kids meals target young consumers, and soda is often included. Making junk food a way of life contributes to childhood obesity, and this topic could explore alternatives to soda for these kid-centered meals.

16. Illegal Immigrants Should Not Be Jailed

When people enter a country illegally, putting them in jail does not solve the problem. Instead, alternative punishments or even help with attaining legal immigrant status can reduce the strain on an overloaded system while also helping these individuals become part of society. 

17. Breastfeeding in Public Should Be Considered Normal

Babies need breast milk to survive, yet many places in society frown on women feeding their babies in public. This essay topic would explore why this is an outdated and unhealthy idea.

18. Why Gun Control Is Needed

The best topics for persuasive essays are ones that are a little controversial. Gun control fits the bill well, and it can be a good topic for an essay. Other topics include alcohol, drugs and, in some cases, religion. That said, it depends on the nature of your students and school.

19. A Turning Point In Your Life

All the students can typically point to an occasion or life event when their worldview or concept that themselves changed ask them to write about a defining life experience.

20. Should Religion Be Taught In Schools?

This essay topic is for older students and adults learners who can take a thoughtful but critical stance on the role of religion in school’s today. Should it be taught or removed from schools and why?

21. Recycling Should Be Compulsory

The average American produces 1,704 pounds of garbage per year. Most of this is thrown in landfills, which can be equally as damaging to the environment as littering. Oceans are also filled with plastic that negatively affects the lives of marine life.

However, if we can recycle all that waste, we won’t damage the environment. This essay topic encourages older students to research recycling and the pros and cons of making it mandatory. 

22. Colleges Are Becoming Business Driven

Getting a tertiary education is essential. It allows you to learn a marketable skill that other people pay you for. 

However, private colleges are becoming more common, leading people to think that these institutions are more focused on making money.

When writing about this topic, students need to research the cost of college tuition, how this high price negatively impacts your adult lives, and how the government can fix it.

This type of essay compares two like or unlike things, drawing ways they are the same or different. It’s useful as it provides structure for aspiring essayists that they can use to outline a longer work. Some ideas include:

23. Homework vs. Class Assignments

Which has more value, homework or assignments completed in class? This essay topic would explore the contrast between these two types of school assignments. For fun, give it to students to complete in class… and then ask them to revise it at home.

24. Social Media Vs. In-Person Interaction

Social media can keep people connected, but the increased push for social media connection can detract from in-person communication. This essay would explore the contrast between the two types of communication.

25. Physical Education Vs. Nutritional Education

Both exercise and diet play a role in health. This essay topic would explore the impact of both through the education system.

26. Life Before And After The Internet

Older students and adult learners can remember a time before we spend so much time. Is life any better now that we spend so much time connected to the Internet? This essay explores what it means to be always connected.

27. Right Side Vs Left Side of the Brian Thinkers

The right side of the brain thinkers are typically more creative and artistic. The left side of the brain thinkers are analytical and mathematical. What’s more useful in today’s society? What can each type learn from their counterpart?

28. Tea Vs Coffee

Caffeine is a staple for many students and workers. It gives you a boost of energy in the morning, which allows you to get more done. It also helps if you have a test coming up and need to study hard.

However, larger amounts of caffeine are known to cause heart palpitations, anxiety, and increased stress.

In this essay, students look at the benefits and drawbacks of tea and coffee. It empowers them with knowledge on when to limit their consumption.

29. Fashion Today Vs 20 Years Ago

Fashion is constantly changing. What looked cool 20 years ago might look weird today. Older students will also notice how their fashion choices changed from middle school to high school and from high school to college.

In this essay, students talk about what causes this change and how long it takes for the public to accept a specific style.

Sometimes an everyday life experience can make great essay material, and writing about your own life means less risk of plagiarism. Here are some ideas:

30. First Day of School Memories

The first day of school in a new school can be the fodder for a number of personal stories about school life and the social aspects of it. Writers can capture those emotions in this type of essay. It’s also a good type of essay to write as it can serve as a gateway into other types of writing like a memoir.

31. A Memorable Act of Kindness

If someone did something for you once that really stood out, transform that into an essay topic. You will enjoy remembering the action while creating your essay.

32. Your Best or Worst Holiday

What you did or didn’t do on your summer vacation as a child can be a great starting point for a narrative essay. Older students can use this essay prompt to write about past experiences and reflect on them beyond simply reportage.

33. An Experience with Peer Pressure

Peer pressure can be positive or negative, but everyone has experienced it. This essay would explore a time when peer pressure made you do something, or not do something, and what the effect of that decision was.

34. A surprising Event or Change of Fortune.

Was this change in your life for the best or the worst, and how did you respond? Describe in detail.

35. Your First Teacher

When you first met your mentor, teacher or guide. How did you respond to them, and what did they have to show you? Similarly, a student could also write an essay about a teacher they shunned or turned away from.

36. Your Idea Of The Perfect Day

When waking up in the morning, we all strive to have the perfect day. Ask students how their perfect day will look like, what activities they’d do, and with who.

By being as descriptive as possible, students picture the perfect day in their minds. This improves students’ storytelling skills and helps them structure events in chronological order.

37. Imagine A Week Without The Internet Or Technology

This fun experiment gives students insight into how reliant they are on technology and how their life will look without it.

By imagining this week in their heads, it’ll give them an idea of what other activities they’ll engage in. This could be working out, socializing, or learning a new skill.

38. A Day You Overcame Rejection

Rejection is something everyone must face at some point. Few things are scarier than rejection. But when you overcome it, you get a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction.

For example, this could be asking that cute guy or girl out on a date or applying for a job at your dream company.

Sometimes the goal of an essay is not to persuade but to inform. Informative or expository essay topics need to have a lot of information behind them, so students have something to write about.. These topics lend themselves well to that:

39. How is Global Warming Changing the Environment

Global warming has many effects, and this essay topic would explore those thoroughly. The goal is simply to inform, not persuade or create change.

40. The Causes of World War II

Exploring the causes behind a global war, like World War II, can create a long essay. You can spin this essay topic easily enough by picking other historical events.

41. What Is Racism, and How Are People Sometimes Unaware of It?

Racism is a hot topic today, and this essay would explore how it can often hide in someone’s way of thinking. 

42. Does Free Will Exist?

A popular essay topic in many philosophy and art classes, this is an open-ended subject. A student can use it to explore their personal philosophy and develop their critical thinking skills.

Check out this list for other philosophy questions .

43. What Reading Means to Me

Becoming a better writer means spending a lot of time reading great books. One of the best ways to encourage reading is asking readers and students to reflect on why they love reading what they learned from previous books. It’s good subject matter for an essay too.

44. The Role Of Journalists and the Media

Many people are skeptical and or don’t trust news produced by journalists. But are they right? Surely there is a bar between trustworthy and untrustworthy sources? In this essay, explore how to tell good journalism apart from bad journalism.

45. Animal Testing Should Be Banned

When testing products to see if it’s safe for humans, scientists will run tests on animals. However, this testing isn’t only cruel but ineffective. Animals don’t get certain diseases that humans do. This includes HIV, Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, and certain types of cancers.

In this essay, students must conduct research and present a case for why animal testing is unethical.

46. Why Do Teenagers Commit Suicide?

Suicide is the second leading cause of death for those between the ages of 10 to 24. This is a complex topic since there could be several different factors at play. Some of these include bullying, abuse, and traumatic stress.

When writing this essay, students will be encouraged to dig deeper into the main reasons why teenagers commit suicide and how we can help them as a community. This spreads awareness and gets people to take positive action.

Whether you are a high school student writing an essay for homework or you are sitting down to write a college essay as you apply for school, procrastination often occurs because you do not know what to write about. Having a list of topics  handy will help. 

To choose a topic, first, decide what type of essay you need to write. Then, browse this list of writing topics to find one that is interesting to you, or use the list to think of a different, similar topic. Soon you will have an essay that is engaging and informative that can showcase your writing abilities well. 

If you need more inspiration, check out our guide to the 101+ best writing prompts .

What are some topics for a persuasive essay?

Persuasive essays require a controversial topic in order to give the writer the freedom to write in a persuasive manner. Some good topics for these essays include: Soda in fast food meals Breastfeeding in public Using jail to deter illegal immigrants Banning cell phones for young children

What are some good topics for an essay?

Some good topics for an essay include: Gun control Social media Personal experiences Health Social issues A life event

What is a Personal Essay?

Best Essay Checkers

PaperRater Vs Grammarly

Transition Words For Essays

Essay Writing Tips

Join over 15,000 writers today

Get a FREE book of writing prompts and learn how to make more money from your writing.

Success! Now check your email to claim your prompts.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

Nicole Harms has been writing professionally since 2006. She specializes in education content and real estate writing but enjoys a wide gamut of topics. Her goal is to connect with the reader in an engaging, but informative way. Her work has been featured on USA Today, and she ghostwrites for many high-profile companies. As a former teacher, she is passionate about both research and grammar, giving her clients the quality they demand in today's online marketing world.

View all posts

• Jump to menu
• Student Home
• Accept your offer
• How to enrol
• Student ID card
• Set up your IT
• Orientation Week
• Fees & payment
• Academic calendar
• Special consideration
• Transcripts
• The Nucleus: Student Hub
• Referencing
• Essay writing
• Learning abroad & exchange
• Professional development & UNSW Advantage
• Employability
• Financial assistance
• International students
• Equitable learning
• Postgraduate research
• Health Service
• Events & activities
• Emergencies
• Volunteering
• Clubs and societies
• Accommodation
• Health services
• Sport and gym
• Arc student organisation
• Security on campus
• Maps of campus
• Microsoft Office 365
• Careers portal
• Change your password

Write Your Essay

Write a first draft.

Your first draft will help you work out:

• the structure and framework of your essay
• how you will answer the question
• which evidence and examples you will use
• how your argument will be logically structured.

Your first draft will not be your final essay; think of it as raw material you will refine through editing and redrafting . Once you have a draft, you can work on writing well.

Structure your essay in the most effective way to communicate your ideas and answer the question.

All essays should include the following structure.

Essay paragraphs

A paragraph is a related group of sentences that develops one main idea. Each paragraph in the body of the essay should contain:

• a  topic sentence that states the main or controlling idea
• supporting sentences to explain and develop the point you’re making
• evidence from your reading or an example from the subject area that supports your point
• analysis of the implication/significance/impact of the evidence finished off with a critical conclusion you have drawn from the evidence
• a concluding sentence that restates your point, analyses the evidence, or acts as a transition to the next paragraph.

Tips for effective writing

• Start writing early —the earlier the better. Starting cuts down on anxiety, beats procrastination, and gives you time to develop your ideas.
• Keep the essay question in mind. Don’t lose track of the question or task. Keep a copy in front of you as you draft, edit and work out your argument.
• Don’t try to write an essay from beginning to end,  especially not in a single sitting. Begin with what you are ready to write—a plan, a few sentences or bullet points. Start with the body and work paragraph by paragraph.
• Write the introduction and conclusion after the body. Once you know what your essay is about, then write the introduction and conclusion.
• Use 'signpost' words in your writing. Transition signals can help the reader follow the order and flow of your ideas.
• Integrate your evidence carefully. Introduce quotations and paraphrases with introductory phrases.
• Revise your first draft extensively. Make sure the entire essay flows and that the paragraphs are in a logical order.
• Put the essay aside for a few days. This allows you to consider your essay and edit it with a fresh eye.

See next: Referencing your essay

If you need help understanding the question, please check with your tutor. We may also be able to help:

One-to-one support

Book an expert for one-on-one advice on improving any element of your academic work.

Book appointment

Workshops and courses

Get practical and engaging instruction on a range of academic skills topics.

Find out more

Essay and assignment writing guide

• Getting started
• Research the topic
• Organise your ideas
• Write your essay
• Reference your essay
• Edit your essay
• Hand in your essay
• Essay and assignment planning
• Answering assignment questions
• Editing checklist
• Writing a critical review
• Annotated bibliography
• Reflective writing
• ^ More support

Study Hacks Workshops | All the hacks you need! 13 Feb – 13 Apr 2023

Essay Writing Guide

Essay Topics

Last updated on: Feb 8, 2023

Essay Topics: 100+ Best Essay Topics for your Guidance

By: Nova A.

14 min read

Reviewed By: Rylee W.

Published on: Jan 29, 2019

Let’s face it, essay writing can be tedious and boring. Spending hours to write a good essay is difficult, and brainstorming essay topic ideas can be even more confusing.

This is what makes writing essays difficult and time-consuming. Luckily, you can learn  essay writing  with practice and by following some good examples. But before that, you should know how to choose a good and engaging topic for your essay.

To help you get started, we have categorized a list of a number of different types of essay topic lists.

On this Page

Argumentative Essay Topics

An argumentative essay investigates a topic in great detail, forms an argument over it, and defends it using supporting data.

Below are some good argumentative essay topic ideas to help you draft winning essays.

• School students should be allowed to curate their high school curriculum.
• The role of physical education in the school system.
• Should the death sentence be implemented globally?
• It should be illegal to use certain types of animals for experiments and other research purposes.
• Should the government do more to improve accessibility for people with physical disabilities?
• Do people learn the art of becoming a politician, or are they born with it?
• Social media platform owners should monitor and block comments containing hateful language.
• Does technology play a role in making people feel more isolated?
• Will there ever be a time when there will be no further technological advancements?
• It should be illegal to produce and sell tobacco.
• Girls should be motivated to take part in sports.
• Rape victims should abort their unborn children.
• Fathers should get equal paternity leave.
• Do teenagers get into trouble because they are bored?
• Individuals who have failed at parenting should be punished.
• Vaping is less harmful than smoking cigarettes.
• Covid-19 vaccination has more cons than pros.
• Social media is the real cause of teenage depression.
• Is the American education system perfect for society?
• Recycling should be made compulsory.

Choosing a strong topic is key to writing a great essay. Have a look at our blog to select good  argumentative essay topics  to impress the audience.

Persuasive Essay Topics

A persuasive essay is similar to an argumentative paper. However, in it, the writer wants to convince the readers of their point of view. Simple essay topics would make better essays as they help the students stay focused.

Below is a list of some good persuasive essay topics for you:

• Energy drinks should be banned in schools and colleges.
• Gambling should be banned in the United States.
• Should abortions be banned worldwide?
• Hunting is an immoral act.
• Is it okay to use animals in a circus?
• Harmful dogs should be euthanized.
• Cell phones should not be allowed in schools.
• Teachers should pass a professional exam, just like students.
• Schools should reduce the workload on students.
• Sex education should be mandatory in high schools.
• Vlogging isn’t an actual profession.
• Is LinkedIn helpful for finding a job?
• Social media has played a big role in increasing business opportunities.
• Is Java becoming obsolete?
• Should employers go through the candidate’s social media profiles?
• Animal testing should be banned.
• Violent video games should be banned.
• Parents with mental disabilities should not be allowed to adopt children.
• Alcohol consumption should be legalized in Muslim countries.
• Every person should get Covid-19 vaccination.

For your help, we have gathered a wide range of  persuasive essay topics . Give it a read.

Descriptive Essay Topics

A descriptive essay describes a specific thing by using sensory data. It is done to engage the reader’s five senses (taste, touch, smell, hearing, sight).

The following is a list of descriptive essay topic ideas for the students.

• The person who is responsible for making a difference in my life.
• Describe a smartphone and its benefits to someone from the ‘60s.
• The most interesting piece of art I have ever seen.
• Describe the experience of falling in love.
• What does a place that only exists in your imagination look like?
• Describe meeting a famous person.
• Describe yourself and your personality to a stranger.
• What will life be like in 2050?
• An experience that changed my life forever.
• Your idea of the perfect day.
• My first trip abroad.
• The most significant event in American History.
• A popular book series that disappointed you.
• A look into my daily life.
• A day in the life of an ER doctor.
• A trip to the museum.
• The most interesting movie I watched during my summer vacation.
• My favorite childhood memory.
• An incident that changed my life.
• An incident that restored my faith in humanity.

Here are some more  descriptive essay topics  to help you find a good idea for your essay.

Narrative Essay Topics

In a narrative essay, your goal is to share a personal experience by telling a story. This creative form of writing depends on how strong and exciting the theme is. The article topics for students given here are carefully curated and would help the students do good in their essays.

Some examples and topics of narrative topic ideas are presented below.

• The experience that taught me how looks could be deceiving.
• A week without internet and technology.
• The impact your first love had on your life.
• How much did your teachers contribute to making you the person you are today?
• An experience that made you realize your parents were or weren’t always right.
• A moment when someone you didn’t like surprised you with kindness.
• The influence technology has had on your hobbies and life.
• An achievement outside of academic life?
• Which school lesson had the biggest influence on your life?
• A day when you fought procrastination.
• The time you faced rejection.
• The time when you stood against your parents.
• An experience that left you helpless.
• The time you prayed to be an only child.
• An act of kindness you can never forget.
• Death of a loved one.
• Your biggest pet peeve.
• Your definition of a perfect weekend.
• The things you regret most in life.
• Your first experience of an air trip.

Choosing interesting  narrative essay topics  is essential to make the content compelling for the readers.

Research Essay Topics

While writing a research essay, the most crucial step is choosing a topic for your essay. Select a topic that is broad enough to compose an entire research essay on it.

Below are some of the best topics for your research essay.

• Effects of violent cartoons on children.
• Should universities provide accommodations to disabled students?
• Events and experiences I agree are causing the increase in terrorism.
• How do technology and gadgets affect the studies of children?
• Do children who attend preschool do better in school?
• Universities are becoming business-driven.
• Does college debt affect the future lives of students?
• Why has the divorce rate changed in the past decade?
• Schools should allow the use of smartphones in school.
• Effective ways to decrease depression among our youth.
• Analyze the relationship between the United States of America and North Korea.
• Why did the UK decide to leave the EU?
• Is it true that students learn better in a same-sex school?
• How does giving kids different gadgets affect their studies?
• Compare the immigration policies of two different countries.
• Events that lead to World War I.
• Pros and cons of studying abroad.
• How has Covid-19 influenced the education system of the world?
• Individual acts that lead to Global Warming.
• Effectiveness of the policies made to control Covid-19.

Looking for more? We have an extensive range of  research essay topics  to make the audience fall in love with your work.

Expository Essay Topics

While writing an expository essay, you have to explain and clarify your topic clearly to the readers.

Below is a list of expository essay topics:

• Why do teenagers commit suicide?
• What is the impact of music on our youth?
• What are the consequences of skipping school?
• Why do teenagers use drugs?
• How can pets make you happy and improve your life?
• Consequences of having alcoholic drinks within a school campus.
• How does drug use affect relationships?
• Is global warming a cause of skin cancer?
• Is sodium bad for your health?
• What is the line between being overweight and being obese?
• Why do you want to pursue your desired career?
• Explain how advancements in science improve the quality of life for humans.
• What are some unconventional ways of relieving stress?
• If you could swap your lives with someone, who would it be and why?
• What are some major stress factors in a teenager’s life?
• Why is getting a degree important for job life?
• Pros and cons of getting financial aid.
• How emotional support animals help in treating mental conditions.
• How does prostitution influence society?
• The environmental causes of smoking.

5StarEssays.com has gathered an additional and extensive list of  expository essay topics .

Tough Essay Due? Hire Tough Writers!

Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

In a compare and contrast essay, you evaluate and analyze the similarities and differences between the two subjects. Your reader must be able to form an opinion after weighing the pros and cons you have set forth.

Below are some topics for you to choose for your compare and contrast paper:

• Extroverts and introverts.
• Generation Y Vs. Generation Z.
• Traditional Helicopters Vs. Lifesize Drones.
• Unemployed students Vs. students with a part-time job.
• SAT and TOEFL.
• Persuasive and argumentative essays - How are they similar?
• How were the causes of World War I different from the causes of World War II?
• Education vs. professional career: what is more difficult?
• Real-life or spending your time daydreaming.
• Consequences of earthquake and tsunami: what’s worse?
• Being popular in high school or alone?
• Part-time work or studying for a higher degree?
• Getting married at an old age or a young age?
• Fashion today Vs. twenty years ago.
• Donald Trump Vs. Hillary Clinton.
• Democracy Vs. Dictatorship
• Vietnam War Vs. War on Terror.
• Benefits of drinking tea Vs. coffee.
• Greek and Roman methodologies - Similarities and differences.
• Traditional Vs. distant learning.

Get more interesting  compare and contrast essay topics  at 5StarEssays.com to impress your instructors.

Cause and Effect Essay Topics

The cause and effect essay explains why something happens and what happens as a result of those happenings. A cause and effect essay is a type of expository essay.

Here are a few topics for your cause and effect essay:

• What are the causes of eating disorders?
• Effects of climate change and global warming.
• The effects of the Feminism movement.
• What are the causes of increasing depression among teenagers?
• What are the causes of suicidal thoughts?
• Is keeping a pet effective in calming your mind?
• How does divorce affects children?
• Why are men afraid of commitment?
• Effects of social media on youth.
• Has social media affected relationships among families?
• Discuss the effects of homeschooling on children.
• Causes of heart diseases.
• Causes of sibling rivalry.
• Cramming doesn't help improve test scores.
• Cause and effect of depression in the workplace.
• How do abusive parents influence the mental stability of a child?
• Causes and effects of bullying.
• Causes of obesity in teenagers.
• Effects of taking a balanced diet on health?
• Causes and effects of insomnia.

To get more ideas, visit our  cause and effect essay topics  that are remarkable and well-suited for a great essay.

Controversial Argumentative Essay Topics

Argumentative essay topics are quite popular assignments in universities. If you are a student searching for a captivating argumentative essay topic, here is a list of ideas you can consider.

• Third world war should be prevented by the Russian and US governments.
• Political policies and practices affecting students.
• Is gun control effective in reducing crime?
• Same-sex marriage and constitutional law.
• Is society over-regulated?
• Are leaders born or made?
• No one should be above the law.
• Monarchy: pros and cons.
• Rules on Political Activities by Federal Employees.
• The most corrupt countries in the world.
• Mercy killing should be legalized in all countries of the world.
• Death penalties should be abolished.
• Third-world countries should be provided with education plans by the developed countries.
• Muslims should not be labeled as terrorists.
• Illegal immigrants should be given equal rights.
• Abortions should be legalized.
• Live-in relationships should be encouraged.
• Professional athletes should be allowed to consume steroids.
• Should physical punishments be given to children?
• Smoking in public should be an offensive crime.

Funny Argumentative Essay Topics

Are you looking for some funny argumentative essay topics for your essay? If so, choose a topic from the following list.

• Why do people like watching funny videos?
• What your cat is really thinking.
• Why spam emails should be your favorite type of email.
• Why wearing braces is fun.
• School dropouts are the best in our society.
• Why I don't like country music.
• Types of dates.
• A better way to get things done.
• What organic food really is.
• Things guys do that girls hate.
• How to annoy your friend.
• Why do women pretend that they enjoy sports?
• Things preventing you from completing your homework in time.
• Funny things we see in wedding ceremonies.
• Why are spam emails more interesting?
• Why does Starbucks coffee taste better?
• Why are backbenchers smarter than other students?
• Clowns are scarier than funny.
• Should we be maintaining social distancing even after Covid-19?
• Why is watching movies better than reading books?

Informative Essay Topics for Students

Essay writing requires depth. However, you don’t have to choose a complex topic in middle school, high school, or college.

Here is a list of interesting essay topics for middle school, high school, and college students.

Essay Topics for College Students

• Virtual classes cannot replace the traditional class system.
• Advantages and disadvantages of online classes.
• Is there a need to reform the college education system?
• Assault weapons should not be legal.
• People with a history of mental illness should not be allowed to purchase firearms.
• The taxation system needs to be changed around the globe.
• Kids should not be the target audience in advertising.
• The number of calories should be mentioned with every meal.
• Feminists have effectively improved the workforce for women.
• Is the death penalty effective?
• How to identify fake news?
• How to maintain a healthy life?
• How to treat PTSD naturally?
• Should people be judged on their appearance?
• How is technology influencing the work performance of people?
• Private Vs. public schools
• How to choose majors in high school?
• Impact of legalizing drugs on society.
• Significance of learning social values.
• How to prevent bullying on campus?

Essay Topics for High School

• The choice to join the armed forces should be an individual decision.
• Listening to music can increase work efficiency.
• Being honest has more cons than pros.
• People who have been in an accident value life more than others.
• Embarrassing moments help boost your confidence.
• Kindness is the most valuable personal trait.
• Spontaneity can improve your life.
• Can hobbies help improve the richness of one’s life?
• Dressing properly in the office improves work efficiency
• Being organized can help in school as well as the office.
• Impact of homosexuality on society.
• What is feminism?
• How to overcome fears and phobias?
• Significance of having leadership skills in job life?
• Causes and treatments for bipolar disorder.
• Side effects of consuming antidepressants.
• How important is mental health in succeeding professionally?
• How do teaching methods influence learning abilities?
• Should specially-abled people be allowed to work in offices?
• Discrimination and racism in the US.

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job!

Essay Topics for Middle School

• Every child should have chores at home.
• There should not be any summer classes.
• Should students continue studying during summer vacation?
• Parents should pay attention to the amount of time their children spend watching television.
• Favorite family summer vacation.
• Sports should be mandatory in every school.
• Processed foods should not be part of private and public school lunch.
• Do students still use newspapers for research?
• Every individual should spend a year doing community service.
• The weekend should be 3 days long.

Hopefully, you would have selected a topic for your essay. If you are looking for more ideas, try this free  essay topic generator . You will find plenty of ideas for your essay.

Still need help choosing an essay topic? 5StarEssays is a professional  essay writing service  that helps you get a high quality essay. We have a team of essay writers who are professionals and can do your essay .

As a Digital Content Strategist, Nova Allison has eight years of experience in writing both technical and scientific content. With a focus on developing online content plans that engage audiences, Nova strives to write pieces that are not only informative but captivating as well.

Was This Blog Helpful?

Keep reading.

• How to Write an Essay - A Complete Guide with Examples

• Interesting Thesis Statement Examples for Your Essay

• Writing a 500 Word Essay - Easy Guide

• What is a Topic Sentence – Easy Guide with Examples

• A Complete Essay Outline - Guidelines and Format

• 100 Best Transition Words for Essays

• Essay Format: Detailed Writing Tips & Examples

• How to Write a Conclusion - Examples & Tips

• How to Title An Essay in 5 Minutes

• How to Write a Perfect 1000 Word Essay

• How To Make An Essay Longer - Easy Guide For Beginners

• Learn How to Start an Essay Effectively with Easy Guidelines

• Types of Sentences With Examples

• Hook Examples: How to Start Your Essay Effectively

• Essay Writing Tips - 10+ Essential Tips and Techniques

• Thesis Statement - A Detailed Writing Guide & Examples

• Art Topics - Brilliant Ideas to Begin With

• Writing Conventions and Tips for College Students

People Also Read

• impromptu speech topics
• history research paper topics
• classification essay outline
• process analysis essay topics
• autobiography format

Burdened With Assignments?

Advertisement

© 2023 - All rights reserved

2000+ SATISFIED STUDENTS

95% Satisfaction RATE

30 Days Money-back GUARANTEE

95% Success RATE

Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Contact Us

© 2022 5StarEssays.com. All rights reserved.

LOGIN TO YOUR ACCOUNT

SIGN UP TO YOUR ACCOUNT

• Your phone no.
• Password Password must be minimum 8 characters.
• Confirm Password
•    I have read Privacy Policy and agree to the Terms and Conditions .

FORGOT PASSWORD

• SEND PASSWORD

• Clerc Center | PK-12 & Outreach
• KDES | PK-8th Grade School (D.C. Metro Area)
• MSSD | 9th-12th Grade School (Nationwide)
• Gallaudet University Regional Centers
• Parent Advocacy App
• K-12 ASL Content Standards
• National Resources
• Youth Programs
• Academic Bowl
• Battle Of The Books
• National Literary Competition
• Discover College and Careers (DC²)
• Youth Debate Bowl
• Immerse Into ASL
• Got Skills?
• Deaf Youth Pride
• Alumni Relations
• Alumni Association
• Homecoming Weekend
• Class Giving
• Get Tickets / BisonPass
• Sport Calendars
• Cross Country
• Swimming & Diving
• Track & Field
• Human Resources
• Plan a Visit
• Request Info

• Areas of Study
• Accessibility
• American Sign Language
• Art and Media Design
• Communication Studies
• Data Science
• Deaf Studies
• Educational Neuroscience
• Hearing, Speech, and Language Sciences
• Infants, Toddlers and Families Graduate Programs
• Information Technology
• International Development
• Interpretation and Translation
• Linguistics
• Mathematics
• Philosophy and Religion
• Physical Education & Recreation
• Public Affairs
• Public Health
• Sexuality and Gender Studies
• Social Work
• Theatre and Dance
• World Languages and Cultures
• B.A. in American Sign Language
• B.A. in Art and Media Design
• B.A. in Biology
• B.A. in Chemistry
• B.A. in Communication Studies
• B.A. in Deaf Studies
• B.A. in Deaf Studies for Online Degree Completion Program
• B.A. in Education with a Specialization in Early Childhood Education
• B.A. in Education with a Specialization in Elementary Education
• B.A. in English
• B.A. in Government
• B.A. in Government with a Specialization in Law
• B.A. in History
• B.A. in International Studies
• B.A. in Interpretation
• B.A. in Mathematics
• B.A. in Philosophy
• B.A. in Psychology
• B.A. in Psychology for Online Degree Completion Program
• B.A. in Social Work (BSW)
• B.A. in Sociology
• B.A. in Sociology with a concentration in Criminology
• B.A. in Spanish
• B.A. in Theatre Arts: Production/Performance
• B.A. or B.S. in Education with a Specialization in Secondary Education: Science, English, Mathematics or Social Studies
• B.S in Risk Management and Insurance
• B.S. in Accounting
• B.S. in Biology
• B.S. in Business Administration
• B.S. in Chemistry
• B.S. in Information Technology
• B.S. in Mathematics
• B.S. in Physical Education and Recreation
• B.S. In Public Health
• Honors Program
• Interdisciplinary Studies: Infants, Toddlers and their Families Masters of Arts Program
• M.A. in Counseling: Clinical Mental Health Counseling
• M.A. in Counseling: School Counseling
• M.A. in Deaf Education
• M.A. in Deaf Education Studies
• M.A. in Deaf Studies: Cultural Studies
• M.A. in Deaf Studies: Language and Human Rights
• M.A. in Early Childhood Education and Deaf Education
• M.A. in Elementary Education and Deaf Education
• M.A. in International Development
• M.A. in Interpretation: Combined Interpreting Practice and Research
• M.A. in Interpretation: Interpreting Research
• M.A. in Linguistics
• M.A. in Secondary Education and Deaf Education
• M.A. in Sign Language Education
• M.S. in Accessible Human-Centered Computing
• M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology
• Master of Public Administration
• Master of Social Work (MSW)
• Au.D. in Audiology
• Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology
• Ph.D. in Critical Studies in the Education of Deaf Learners
• Ph.D. in Hearing, Speech, and Language Sciences
• Ph.D. in Linguistics
• Ph.D. in Translation and Interpreting Studies
• PhD Program in Educational Neuroscience (PEN)
• Individual Courses and Training
• ed2go Non-Bilingual Programs
• National Caregiver Certification Course
• On-Campus Courses
• Online Courses
• Workshops and Webinars
• Certificates
• American Sign Language and English Bilingual Early Childhood Deaf Education: Birth to 5 (online, post-bachelor’s)
• Certificate in Sexuality and Gender Studies
• Deaf and Hard of Hearing Infants, Toddlers and their Families: Collaboration and Leadership Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate
• Educating Deaf Students with Disabilities (online, post-bachelor’s)
• Entrepreneurship Certification Program
• Peer Mentor Training (low-residency/hybrid, post-bachelor’s)
• Online Degree Programs
• Deaf Studies Minor for ODCP Psychology Majors
• ODCP Minor in Deaf Studies
• ODCP Minor in Psychology
• ODCP Minor in Writing
• Psychology Minor for ODCP Deaf Studies Majors
• Writing Minor for Online Degree Completion Program

Quick Links

• PK-12 & Outreach
• NSO Schedule

 / 

English Center

Pre-writing, Writing and Re...

Essay Topic Suggestions to Help You Get Started

202.448-7036

10 Topic Suggestions for Descriptive Essays

10 Topic Suggestions for Narrative Essays

  Return to Top  

10 Topic Suggestions for Process Analysis Essays

10 Topic Suggestions for Exemplification Essays

10 Topic Suggestions for Comparison and Contrast Essays

Return to Top  

10 Topic Suggestions for Analogy Essays

10 Topic Suggestions for Classification Essays

10 Topic Suggestions for Cause and Effect Essays

   Return to Top  ] 

10 Topic Suggestions for Definition Essays

10 Topic Suggestions for Argument and Persuasion Essays

• About (2012). Retrieved April 27, 2012, from http://grammar.about.com/od/tz/g/topicterm.htm
• Free Writing (2012). Retrieved April 27, 2012, from http://www.writingvalley.com/category/essay-topics/

202-448-7036

At a Glance

• Quick Facts
• University Leadership
• History & Traditions
• Accreditation
• Consumer Information
• Our 10-Year Vision: The Gallaudet Promise
• Annual Report of Achievements (ARA)
• The Signing Ecosystem
• Not Your Average University

Our Community

• Library & Archives
• Technology Support
• Interpreting Requests
• Ombuds Support
• Health and Wellness Programs
• Profile & Web Edits

Visit Gallaudet

• Explore Our Campus
• Virtual Tour
• Maps & Directions
• Shuttle Bus Schedule
• Kellogg Conference Hotel
• Welcome Center
• National Deaf Life Museum
• Apple Guide Maps

Engage Today

• Work at Gallaudet / Clerc Center
• Social Media Channels
• University Wide Events
• Sponsorship Requests
• Data Requests
• Media Inquiries
• Gallaudet Today Magazine
• Giving at Gallaudet
• Financial Aid
• Registrar’s Office
• Residence Life & Housing
• Safety & Security
• Undergraduate Admissions
• Graduate Admissions
• University Communications
• Clerc Center

Gallaudet University, chartered in 1864, is a private university for deaf and hard of hearing students.

Copyright © 2023 Gallaudet University. All rights reserved.

• Cookie Consent Notice
• Privacy Policy
• File a Report

800 Florida Avenue NE, Washington, D.C. 20002

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base

The Beginner's Guide to Writing an Essay | Steps & Examples

An academic essay is a focused piece of writing that develops an idea or argument using evidence, analysis, and interpretation.

There are many types of essays you might write as a student. The content and length of an essay depends on your level, subject of study, and course requirements. However, most essays at university level are argumentative — they aim to persuade the reader of a particular position or perspective on a topic.

The essay writing process consists of three main stages:

• Preparation: Decide on your topic, do your research, and create an essay outline.
• Writing : Set out your argument in the introduction, develop it with evidence in the main body, and wrap it up with a conclusion.
• Revision:  Check the content, organization, grammar, spelling, and formatting of your essay.

Table of contents

Essay writing process, preparation for writing an essay, writing the introduction, writing the main body, writing the conclusion, essay checklist, lecture slides, frequently asked questions about writing an essay.

The writing process of preparation, writing, and revisions applies to every essay or paper, but the time and effort spent on each stage depends on the type of essay .

For example, if you’ve been assigned a five-paragraph expository essay for a high school class, you’ll probably spend the most time on the writing stage; for a college-level argumentative essay , on the other hand, you’ll need to spend more time researching your topic and developing an original argument before you start writing.

Before you start writing, you should make sure you have a clear idea of what you want to say and how you’re going to say it. There are a few key steps you can follow to make sure you’re prepared:

• Understand your assignment: What is the goal of this essay? What is the length and deadline of the assignment? Is there anything you need to clarify with your teacher or professor?
• Define a topic: If you’re allowed to choose your own topic , try to pick something that you already know a bit about and that will hold your interest.
• Do your research: Read  primary and secondary sources and take notes to help you work out your position and angle on the topic. You’ll use these as evidence for your points.
• Come up with a thesis:  The thesis is the central point or argument that you want to make. A clear thesis is essential for a focused essay—you should keep referring back to it as you write.
• Create an outline: Map out the rough structure of your essay in an outline . This makes it easier to start writing and keeps you on track as you go.

Once you’ve got a clear idea of what you want to discuss, in what order, and what evidence you’ll use, you’re ready to start writing.

Here's why students love Scribbr's proofreading services

Discover proofreading & editing

The introduction sets the tone for your essay. It should grab the reader’s interest and inform them of what to expect. The introduction generally comprises 10–20% of the text.

1. Hook your reader

The first sentence of the introduction should pique your reader’s interest and curiosity. This sentence is sometimes called the hook. It might be an intriguing question, a surprising fact, or a bold statement emphasizing the relevance of the topic.

Let’s say we’re writing an essay about the development of Braille (the raised-dot reading and writing system used by visually impaired people). Our hook can make a strong statement about the topic:

The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability.

2. Provide background on your topic

Next, it’s important to give context that will help your reader understand your argument. This might involve providing background information, giving an overview of important academic work or debates on the topic, and explaining difficult terms. Don’t provide too much detail in the introduction—you can elaborate in the body of your essay.

3. Present the thesis statement

Next, you should formulate your thesis statement— the central argument you’re going to make. The thesis statement provides focus and signals your position on the topic. It is usually one or two sentences long. The thesis statement for our essay on Braille could look like this:

As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness.

4. Map the structure

In longer essays, you can end the introduction by briefly describing what will be covered in each part of the essay. This guides the reader through your structure and gives a preview of how your argument will develop.

The invention of Braille marked a major turning point in the history of disability. The writing system of raised dots used by blind and visually impaired people was developed by Louis Braille in nineteenth-century France. In a society that did not value disabled people in general, blindness was particularly stigmatized, and lack of access to reading and writing was a significant barrier to social participation. The idea of tactile reading was not entirely new, but existing methods based on sighted systems were difficult to learn and use. As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness. This essay begins by discussing the situation of blind people in nineteenth-century Europe. It then describes the invention of Braille and the gradual process of its acceptance within blind education. Subsequently, it explores the wide-ranging effects of this invention on blind people’s social and cultural lives.

Write your essay introduction

The body of your essay is where you make arguments supporting your thesis, provide evidence, and develop your ideas. Its purpose is to present, interpret, and analyze the information and sources you have gathered to support your argument.

Length of the body text

The length of the body depends on the type of essay. On average, the body comprises 60–80% of your essay. For a high school essay, this could be just three paragraphs, but for a graduate school essay of 6,000 words, the body could take up 8–10 pages.

Paragraph structure

To give your essay a clear structure , it is important to organize it into paragraphs . Each paragraph should be centered around one main point or idea.

That idea is introduced in a  topic sentence . The topic sentence should generally lead on from the previous paragraph and introduce the point to be made in this paragraph. Transition words can be used to create clear connections between sentences.

After the topic sentence, present evidence such as data, examples, or quotes from relevant sources. Be sure to interpret and explain the evidence, and show how it helps develop your overall argument.

Lack of access to reading and writing put blind people at a serious disadvantage in nineteenth-century society. Text was one of the primary methods through which people engaged with culture, communicated with others, and accessed information; without a well-developed reading system that did not rely on sight, blind people were excluded from social participation (Weygand, 2009). While disabled people in general suffered from discrimination, blindness was widely viewed as the worst disability, and it was commonly believed that blind people were incapable of pursuing a profession or improving themselves through culture (Weygand, 2009). This demonstrates the importance of reading and writing to social status at the time: without access to text, it was considered impossible to fully participate in society. Blind people were excluded from the sighted world, but also entirely dependent on sighted people for information and education.

See the full essay example

The conclusion is the final paragraph of an essay. It should generally take up no more than 10–15% of the text . A strong essay conclusion :

• Returns to your thesis
• Ties together your main points
• Shows why your argument matters

A great conclusion should finish with a memorable or impactful sentence that leaves the reader with a strong final impression.

What not to include in a conclusion

To make your essay’s conclusion as strong as possible, there are a few things you should avoid. The most common mistakes are:

• Including new arguments or evidence
• Undermining your arguments (e.g. “This is just one approach of many”)
• Using concluding phrases like “To sum up…” or “In conclusion…”

Braille paved the way for dramatic cultural changes in the way blind people were treated and the opportunities available to them. Louis Braille’s innovation was to reimagine existing reading systems from a blind perspective, and the success of this invention required sighted teachers to adapt to their students’ reality instead of the other way around. In this sense, Braille helped drive broader social changes in the status of blindness. New accessibility tools provide practical advantages to those who need them, but they can also change the perspectives and attitudes of those who do not.

Write your essay conclusion

Checklist: Essay

My essay follows the requirements of the assignment (topic and length ).

My introduction sparks the reader’s interest and provides any necessary background information on the topic.

My introduction contains a thesis statement that states the focus and position of the essay.

I use paragraphs to structure the essay.

I use topic sentences to introduce each paragraph.

Each paragraph has a single focus and a clear connection to the thesis statement.

I make clear transitions between paragraphs and ideas.

My conclusion doesn’t just repeat my points, but draws connections between arguments.

I don’t introduce new arguments or evidence in the conclusion.

I have given an in-text citation for every quote or piece of information I got from another source.

I have included a reference page at the end of my essay, listing full details of all my sources.

My citations and references are correctly formatted according to the required citation style .

My essay has an interesting and informative title.

I have followed all formatting guidelines (e.g. font, page numbers, line spacing).

Your essay meets all the most important requirements. Our editors can give it a final check to help you submit with confidence.

Open Google Slides Download PowerPoint

An essay is a focused piece of writing that explains, argues, describes, or narrates.

In high school, you may have to write many different types of essays to develop your writing skills.

Academic essays at college level are usually argumentative : you develop a clear thesis about your topic and make a case for your position using evidence, analysis and interpretation.

The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.

The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.

Your essay introduction should include three main things, in this order:

• An opening hook to catch the reader’s attention.
• Relevant background information that the reader needs to know.
• A thesis statement that presents your main point or argument.

The length of each part depends on the length and complexity of your essay .

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

• It gives your writing direction and focus.
• It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

A topic sentence is a sentence that expresses the main point of a paragraph . Everything else in the paragraph should relate to the topic sentence.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

Is this article helpful?

Other students also liked.

• How long is an essay? Guidelines for different types of essay
• How to write an essay introduction | 4 steps & examples
• How to conclude an essay | Interactive example

More interesting articles

• Checklist for academic essays | Is your essay ready to submit?
• Comparing and contrasting in an essay | Tips & examples
• Example of a great essay | Explanations, tips & tricks
• Generate topic ideas for an essay or paper | Tips & techniques
• How to revise an essay in 3 simple steps
• How to structure an essay: Templates and tips
• How to write a descriptive essay | Example & tips
• How to write a literary analysis essay | A step-by-step guide
• How to write a narrative essay | Example & tips
• How to write a rhetorical analysis | Key concepts & examples
• How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples
• How to write an argumentative essay | Examples & tips
• How to write an essay outline | Guidelines & examples
• How to write an expository essay
• How to write the body of an essay | Drafting & redrafting
• Kinds of argumentative academic essays and their purposes
• Organizational tips for academic essays
• The four main types of essay | Quick guide with examples
• Transition sentences | Tips & examples for clear writing

What is your plagiarism score?

• Words with Friends Cheat
• Wordle Solver
• Word Unscrambler
• Scrabble Dictionary
• Anagram Solver
• Wordscapes Answers

Make Our Dictionary Yours

Sign up for our weekly newsletters and get:

• Grammar and writing tips
• Fun language articles
• #WordOfTheDay and quizzes

By signing in, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy .

We'll see you in your inbox soon.

How to Write an Essay

• DESCRIPTION Steps to How to Write an Essay
• SOURCE Neliakott / iStock / Getty Images Plus
• PERMISSION Used under Getty Images license

Essays are common in middle school, high school and college. You may even need to write essays in the business world (although they are usually called reports at that point). An essay is defined as a short piece of writing that expresses information as well as the writer's opinion. Learn how to write an essay using 8 simple steps.

8 Steps to Writing an Essay

For some, writing an essay is as simple as sitting down at their computer and beginning to type. But a lot more planning goes into writing an essay successfully. If you have never written an essay before, you struggle with writing and want to improve your skills, or you're tasked with writing an essay fast , it is a good idea to follow a number of important steps in the essay writing process.

For example, to write an essay, you should generally:

• decide what kind of essay to write
• brainstorm your topic
• research the topic
• choose a writing style
• develop a thesis
• outline your essay
• write your essay
• edit your writing to check spelling and grammar

While this sounds like a lot of steps to write a simple essay, if you follow them you will be able to write more successful, clear and cohesive essays.

1. Choose the Type of Essay

The first step to writing an essay is to define what type of essay you are writing. There are four main categories into which essays can be grouped:

• Narrative essay - Tell a story or impart information about your subject in a straightforward, orderly manner, like in a story.
• Persuasive essay - Convince the reader about some point of view.
• Expository essay - Explain to the reader how to perform a given process. You could, for example, write an expository essay with step-by-step instructions on how to make a peanut butter sandwich.
• Descriptive essay - Focus on the details of what is going on. For example, if you want to write a descriptive essay about your trip to the park, you would give great detail about what you experienced: how the grass felt beneath your feet, what the park benches looked like, and anything else the reader would need to feel as if he were there.

Knowing what kind of essay you are trying to write can help you decide on a topic and structure your essay in the best way possible. Here are a few other types of essays:

• Argumentative essay - Take a position on a controversial issue and present evidence in favor of your position. If you’ve been assigned an argumentative essay, check out these top 10 argumentative essay topics .
• Compare and contrast essay - Identify similarities and differences between two subjects that are, typically, under the same umbrella.
• Problem solution essay - Describe a problem, convince the reader to care about the problem, propose a solution, and be prepared to dismantle objections.
• Informative essay - Educate the reader on a particular topic with facts.

2. Brainstorm Your Topic

You cannot write an essay unless you have an idea of what to write about. Brainstorming is the process in which you come up with the essay topic. You need to simply sit and think of ideas during this phase.

• Write down everything that comes to mind as you can always narrow those topics down later.
• Use clustering or mind mapping to brainstorm and come up with an essay idea. This involves writing your topic or idea in the center of the paper and creating bubbles (clouds or clusters) of related ideas around it.
• Brainstorming can be a great way to develop a topic more deeply and to recognize connections between various facets of your topic.
• Once you have a list of possible topics, it's time to choose the best one that will answer the question posed for your essay. You want to choose a topic that is neither too broad nor too narrow.

If you are given an assignment to write a one-page essay, it would be far too much to write about "the history of the U.S.," since that could fill entire volumes of books. Instead, you could write about a specific event within the history of the United States: perhaps signing the Declaration of Independence or when Columbus discovered the Americas.

Choose the best topic idea from among your list and begin moving forward on writing your essay. But, before you move forward, take heed of these topics to avoid .

3. Research the Topic

Once you have done your brainstorming and chosen your topic, you may need to do some research to write a good essay. Go to the library or search online for information about your topic. Interview people who might be experts in the subject.

Keep your research organized so it will be easy for you to refer back to. This also makes it easier to cite your sources when writing your final essay.

4. Choose a Writing Style

The writing style that you choose for your essay is dictated by your teacher or the topic of your paper. In general, there are three writing styles you might come across in high school and college.

• MLA (Modern Language Association) is designed for humanities and language arts essays. It uses the author-page number citation style. This is the most common writing style used by high school and college students.
• APA (American Psychological Association) uses the author-date citation style and was created for social science and psychology research papers and essays. It is the second most common writing style out there.
• Chicago Manual of Style , also known as Turabian, has two writing styles: author-date and notes-bibliography. Mostly used by college students and professionals, the author-date style works for scientific papers, while notes-biblio makes arts and humanities papers a breeze.

Each different writing style has its own unique format for in-text and reference list citations.

5. Develop a Thesis

Your thesis statement is the main point of your essay. It is essentially one sentence that says what the essay is about. For example, your thesis statement might be "Dogs are descended from wolves." You can then use this as the basic premise to write your entire essay, remembering that all of the different points throughout need to lead back to this one main thesis. You should usually state your thesis in your introductory paragraph.

Additionally, the thesis statement should be broad enough that you have enough to say about it, but not so broad that you can't be thorough. To help you structure a perfectly clear thesis, check out these thesis statement examples .

6. Outline Your Essay

The next step is to outline what you are going to write about. This means you want to essentially draw the skeleton of your paper. Writing an outline can help to ensure your paper is logical, well organized and flows properly. If you’ve been tasked with an argumentative essay, here’s the best formula for an argumentative essay outline .

• Start by writing the thesis statement at the top, then write a topic sentence for each paragraph below that. This means you should know exactly what each of your paragraphs is going to be about before you write them.
• Don't jumble too many ideas in each paragraph or the reader may become confused.
• Ensure you have transitions between paragraphs so the reader understands how the paper flows from one idea to the next.
• Fill in supporting facts from your research under each paragraph. Make sure each paragraph ties back to your thesis and creates a cohesive, understandable essay.

Does your teacher follow the APA guidelines for writing papers? If so, these APA outline format examples should help you pull it all together. As you progress into the meat of the essay (following our tips below), these APA format examples should prove beneficial! Or, if MLA is your teacher’s preferred style, check out these MLA format examples .

7. Write the Essay

Once you have an outline, it’s time to start writing. Write based on the outline itself, fleshing out your basic skeleton to create a whole, cohesive and clear essay.

You’ll want to edit and re-read your essay, checking to make sure it sounds exactly the way you want it to. Here are some things to remember:

• Revise for clarity, consistency and structure.
• Support your thesis adequately with the information in your paragraphs. Each paragraph should have its own topic sentence. This is the most important sentence in the paragraph that tells readers what the rest of the paragraph will be about.
• Make sure everything flows together. As you move through the essay, transition words will be paramount. Transition words are the glue that connects every paragraph together and prevents the essay from sounding disjointed. You can even use a list of transition words to help get you started.
• Reread your introduction and conclusion . Will the reader walk away knowing exactly what your paper was about?

In your introduction, it’s important to include a hook. This is the line or line that will lure a reader in and encourage them to want to learn more. For more on this, check out how to write a hook . And, to help you formulate a killer conclusion, scan through these conclusion examples .

8. Check Spelling and Grammar

Now the essay is written, but you're not quite done. Reread what you've written, looking out for mistakes and typos.

• Revise for technical errors.
• Check for grammar , punctuation and spelling errors. You cannot always count on spell check to recognize every spelling error. Sometimes, you can spell a word incorrectly but your misspelling will also be a word, such as spelling "from" as "form."
• Another common area of concern is quotation marks. It’s important to cite your sources with accuracy and clarity. Follow these guidelines on how to use quotes in essays and speeches .
• You might also want to consider the difference between quoting, paraphrasing and summarizing . Quoting is reserved for lines of text that are identical to an original piece of writing. Paraphrasing is reserved for large sections of someone else’s writing that you want to convey in your own words. Summarizing puts the main points from someone else’s text into your own words.

Planning Pays Off

A lot goes into writing a successful essay. Fortunately, these tips for writing essays can help you along the way and get you on the path to a well-written essay. Out of all these “how-tos,” the worst thing you could do is plagiarize someone else’s writing (intentionally or unintentionally). Take a look at these tips and techniques for preventing plagiarism . Other than that, we wish you great success as you work your way to a perfect A!

Don't have an Account?

Register Now!

• International Student
• Essay Writing Center

General Essay Writing Tips

Despite the fact that, as Shakespeare said, "the pen is mightier than the sword," the pen itself is not enough to make an effective writer. In fact, though we may all like to think of ourselves as the next Shakespeare, inspiration alone is not the key to effective essay writing. You see, the conventions of English essays are more formulaic than you might think – and, in many ways, it can be as simple as counting to five.

Steps to Writing an Essay

Follow these 7 steps for the best results:

• Read and understand the prompt: Know exactly what is being asked of you. It’s a good idea to dissect the prompt into parts.
• Plan: Brainstorming and organizing your ideas will make your life much easier when you go to write your essay. It’s a good idea to make a web of your ideas and supporting details.
• Use and cite sources: Do your research. Use quotes and paraphrase from your sources, but NEVER plagiarize.
• Write a Draft: Ernest Hemingway once said, “The first draft of anything is always crap.” While the truth behind this statement is debatable, drafts are always a good place to get any of your “crappy” ideas out of the way and are often required by professors and instructors.
• Make a strong thesis: The thesis (main argument) of the essay is the most important thing you’ll write. Make it a strong point.
• Respond to the prompt: Once you have worked out any kinks in your draft, you can start writing the final draft of your essay.
• Proofread: Read your response carefully to make sure that there are no mistakes and that you didn’t miss anything.

Of course, every essay assignment is different and it’s important to be mindful of that. If one of these steps isn’t applicable to the essay you are writing, skip it and move to the next one.

The Five Paragraph Essay

Though more advanced academic papers are a category all their own, the basic high school or college essay has the following standardized, five paragraph structure:

Paragraph 1: Introduction Paragraph 2: Body 1 Paragraph 3: Body 2 Paragraph 4: Body 3 Paragraph 5: Conclusion

Though it may seem formulaic – and, well, it is - the idea behind this structure is to make it easier for the reader to navigate the ideas put forth in an essay. You see, if your essay has the same structure as every other one, any reader should be able to quickly and easily find the information most relevant to them.

The Introduction

The principle purpose of the introduction is to present your position (this is also known as the "thesis" or "argument") on the issue at hand but effective introductory paragraphs are so much more than that. Before you even get to this thesis statement, for example, the essay should begin with a "hook" that grabs the reader’s attention and makes them want to read on. Examples of effective hooks include relevant quotations ("no man is an island") or surprising statistics ("three out of four doctors report that…").

Only then, with the reader’s attention "hooked," should you move on to the thesis. The thesis should be a clear, one-sentence explanation of your position that leaves no doubt in the reader’s mind about which side you are on from the beginning of your essay.

Following the thesis, you should provide a mini-outline which previews the examples you will use to support your thesis in the rest of the essay. Not only does this tell the reader what to expect in the paragraphs to come but it also gives them a clearer understanding of what the essay is about.

Finally, designing the last sentence in this way has the added benefit of seamlessly moving the reader to the first paragraph of the body of the paper. In this way we can see that the basic introduction does not need to be much more than three or four sentences in length. If yours is much longer you might want to consider editing it down a bit!

Here, by way of example, is an introductory paragraph to an essay in response to the following question:

"Do we learn more from finding out that we have made mistakes or from our successful actions?"

"No man is an island" and, as such, he is constantly shaped and influenced by his experiences. People learn by doing and, accordingly, learn considerably more from their mistakes than their success. For proof of this, consider examples from both science and everyday experience.

The Body Paragraphs

The middle paragraphs of the essay are collectively known as the body paragraphs and, as alluded to above, the main purpose of a body paragraph is to spell out in detail the examples that support your thesis.

For the first body paragraph you should use your strongest argument or most significant example unless some other more obvious beginning point (as in the case of chronological explanations) is required. The first sentence of this paragraph should be the topic sentence of the paragraph that directly relates to the examples listed in the mini-outline of introductory paragraph.

A one sentence body paragraph that simply cites the example of "George Washington" or "LeBron James" is not enough, however. No, following this an effective essay will follow up on this topic sentence by explaining to the reader, in detail, who or what an example is and, more importantly, why that example is relevant.

Even the most famous examples need context. For example, George Washington’s life was extremely complex – by using him as an example, do you intend to refer to his honesty, bravery, or maybe even his wooden teeth? The reader needs to know this and it is your job as the writer to paint the appropriate picture for them. To do this, it is a good idea to provide the reader with five or six relevant facts about the life (in general) or event (in particular) you believe most clearly illustrates your point.

Having done that, you then need to explain exactly why this example proves your thesis . The importance of this step cannot be understated (although it clearly can be underlined); this is, after all, the whole reason you are providing the example in the first place. Seal the deal by directly stating why this example is relevant.

Here is an example of a body paragraph to continue the essay begun above:

Take, by way of example, Thomas Edison. The famed American inventor rose to prominence in the late 19th century because of his successes, yes, but even he felt that these successes were the result of his many failures. He did not succeed in his work on one of his most famous inventions, the lightbulb, on his first try nor even on his hundred and first try. In fact, it took him more than 1,000 attempts to make the first incandescent bulb but, along the way, he learned quite a deal. As he himself said, "I did not fail a thousand times but instead succeeded in finding a thousand ways it would not work." Thus Edison demonstrated both in thought and action how instructive mistakes can be.

A Word on Transitions

You may have noticed that, though the above paragraph aligns pretty closely with the provided outline, there is one large exception: the first few words. These words are example of a transitional phrase – others include "furthermore," "moreover," but also "by contrast" and "on the other hand" – and are the hallmark of good writing.

Transitional phrases are useful for showing the reader where one section ends and another begins. It may be helpful to see them as the written equivalent of the kinds of spoken cues used in formal speeches that signal the end of one set of ideas and the beginning of another. In essence, they lead the reader from one section of the paragraph of another.

To further illustrate this, consider the second body paragraph of our example essay:

In a similar way, we are all like Edison in our own way. Whenever we learn a new skill - be it riding a bike, driving a car, or cooking a cake - we learn from our mistakes. Few, if any, are ready to go from training wheels to a marathon in a single day but these early experiences (these so-called mistakes) can help us improve our performance over time. You cannot make a cake without breaking a few eggs and, likewise, we learn by doing and doing inevitably means making mistakes.

Hopefully this example not only provides another example of an effective body paragraph but also illustrates how transitional phrases can be used to distinguish between them.

The Conclusion

Although the conclusion paragraph comes at the end of your essay it should not be seen as an afterthought. As the final paragraph is represents your last chance to make your case and, as such, should follow an extremely rigid format.

One way to think of the conclusion is, paradoxically, as a second introduction because it does in fact contain many of the same features. While it does not need to be too long – four well-crafted sentence should be enough – it can make or break and essay.

Effective conclusions open with a concluding transition ("in conclusion," "in the end," etc.) and an allusion to the "hook" used in the introductory paragraph. After that you should immediately provide a restatement of your thesis statement.

This should be the fourth or fifth time you have repeated your thesis so while you should use a variety of word choice in the body paragraphs it is a acceptable idea to use some (but not all) of the original language you used in the introduction. This echoing effect not only reinforces your argument but also ties it nicely to the second key element of the conclusion: a brief (two or three words is enough) review of the three main points from the body of the paper.

Having done all of that, the final element – and final sentence in your essay – should be a "global statement" or "call to action" that gives the reader signals that the discussion has come to an end.

In the end, then, one thing is clear: mistakes do far more to help us learn and improve than successes. As examples from both science and everyday experience can attest, if we treat each mistake not as a misstep but as a learning experience the possibilities for self-improvement are limitless.

Taken together, then, the overall structure of a five paragraph essay should look something like this:

Introduction paragraph.

• An attention-grabbing "hook"
• A thesis statement
• A preview of the three subtopics you will discuss in the body paragraphs.

First Body Paragraph

• Topic sentence which states the first subtopic and opens with a transition
• Supporting details or examples
• An explanation of how this example proves your thesis

Second Body Paragraph

• Topic sentence which states the second subtopic and opens with a transition

Third Body Paragraph

• Topic sentence which states the third subtopic and opens with a transition

Concluding Paragraph

• Concluding Transition, Reverse "hook," and restatement of thesis.
• Rephrasing main topic and subtopics.
• Global statement or call to action.

More tips to make your essay shine

Planning pays.

Although it may seem like a waste of time – especially during exams where time is tight – it is almost always better to brainstorm a bit before beginning your essay. This should enable you to find the best supporting ideas – rather than simply the first ones that come to mind – and position them in your essay accordingly.

Your best supporting idea – the one that most strongly makes your case and, simultaneously, about which you have the most knowledge – should go first. Even the best-written essays can fail because of ineffectively placed arguments.

Aim for Variety

Sentences and vocabulary of varying complexity are one of the hallmarks of effective writing. When you are writing, try to avoid using the same words and phrases over and over again. You don’t have to be a walking thesaurus but a little variance can make the same idea sparkle.

If you are asked about "money," you could try "wealth" or "riches." At the same time, avoid beginning sentences the dull pattern of "subject + verb + direct object." Although examples of this are harder to give, consider our writing throughout this article as one big example of sentence structure variety.

Practice! Practice! Practice!

In the end, though, remember that good writing does not happen by accident. Although we have endeavored to explain everything that goes into effective essay writing in as clear and concise a way as possible, it is much easier in theory than it is in practice.

As a result, we recommend that you practice writing sample essays on various topics. Even if they are not masterpieces at first, a bit of regular practice will soon change that – and make you better prepared when it comes to the real thing.

General Do's and Don'ts

Do: use transitions to start new thoughts and paragraphs., don’t: start a new thought without a transition or overuse transitions., do: use paragraph structure to organize thoughts and claims., don’t: write one big paragraph without any sort of organization., do: use quotes and paraphrase to back up your claims., don’t: plagiarize., do: use active voice, meaning verbs and action words., don’t: use passive voice or i/my. try to avoid words like “have” or “be”, and never use i or my unless the essay is being written in the narrative form., do: use vivid and descriptive words to bring your essay to life., don’t: misuse words that you don’t know the meaning of., related content:, get the international student newsletter.

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Most Popular
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Reading Lists
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

How to Write a Personal Essay for Your College Application

What does it take to land in the “accept” (instead of “reject”) pile?

How can you write an essay that helps advance you in the eyes of the admissions officers and makes a real impression? Here are some tips to get you started.

• Start early.  Do not leave it until the last minute. Give yourself time when you don’t have other homework or extracurriculars hanging over your head to work on the essay.
• Keep the focus narrow.  Your essay does not have to cover a massive, earth-shattering event. Some people in their teens haven’t experienced a major life event. Some people have. Either way, it’s okay.
• Be yourself.  Whether writing about a painful experience or a more simple experience, use the narrative to be vulnerable and honest about who you are. Use words you would normally use. Trust your voice and the fact that your story is interesting enough in that no one else has lived it.
• Be creative.  “Show, don’t tell,” and that applies here — to an extent. The best essays typically do both. You can help your reader see and feel what you are describing by using some figurative language throughout your piece.
• Make a point. As you finish your final body paragraphs ask yourself “So what?” This will help you hone in on how to end your essay in a way that elevates it into a story about an insight or discovery you made about yourself, rather than just being about an experience you had.

Where your work meets your life. See more from Ascend here .

We’ve all heard about the dreaded “college essay,” the bane of every high school senior’s existence. This daunting element of the college application is something that can create angst for even the most accomplished students.

What exactly goes into writing a great college essay, and more importantly, what does it take to write one that stands out from thousands of others, landing itself in the “Accept” vs. “Reject” pile?

Breaking Down the College Essay

Let’s start by breaking it down into manageable parts and examining the required elements.

What’s the point of the college essay?

Almost every standard college application requires first-year applicants to submit a personal essay. If you are one of these applicants, you may be wondering, what’s the point?

With so many colleges deciding to go test-optional, (many do not require standardized tests and instead focus solely on your transcripts, essay, and recommendations), the essay is the one place in your application where you can illuminate your character in words and ideas, rather than in numbers and percentages. It is your chance to show schools who you are, what makes you tick, and why you stand out from the crowd.

Admissions counselors will read your essay and try to determine whether or not they want you at their school. While reading, they will be asking themselves, “What will this person bring to our community? Will they make our school a more valuable place?”

What are the prompts?

There are seven personal essay prompts in the Common Application. You may choose to write about obstacles you’ve encountered, your accomplishments and realizations, moments when you experienced extreme gratitude, or select your own topic.

No one prompt is considered “better” than another, but they can vary slightly from year to year, so be sure to read through all of them for your application cycle. At the end of the day, if there is something you feel really passionate about, you can likely adapt it to fit a prompt.

How long should your essay be?

The essay should be 650 words, which might sound like a lot at first, but you will be surprised by how quickly you reach that limit once you get going. Most of the students I work with end up making cuts to shorten their essays before submitting. The word limit is non-negotiable. You will not be able to submit an essay that’s even one word over the limit.

Writing the College Essay

Start early..

Your parents, teachers, and guidance counselors know what they are talking about when they tell you to get started on the essay during the summer before your senior year. Don’t leave it until the last minute. Once senior year starts, life is a whirlwind. Give yourself time when you don’t have other homework or extracurriculars hanging over your head to work on the essay. Aim to start in July or August before senior year.

Starting can be as easy as creating a document where you generate an ongoing list of potential topics. You will want to draft your essay in a separate document anyway. You can copy and paste it over into the Common Application once you have a final, edited version.

Additionally, starting doesn’t always mean sitting down in front of a computer and typing. Talk about topic ideas out loud with anyone who will listen. Discuss ideas for topics with your family members over dinner or on car rides with friends. Think about ideas when you are out for a run or bike ride. Almost all colleges and universities have samples of “College Essays That Worked” in the admissions section of their websites. Reading through these may inspire you.

Keep the focus narrow.

Do not think too big. Your essay does not have to cover a massive, earth-shattering event. Some people in their teens haven’t experienced a major life event. Some people have. Either way, it’s okay.

That leads to another suggestion: Don’t write about Covid-19. Your essay might touch on something that’s an offshoot of your time spent in quarantine or a loss connected to Covid, but it should not be about the pandemic specifically. There’s no question Covid-19 had, and still has, a major impact on all of us, but that topic has been written about by many students from every angle possible. Colleges want to read something different.

The Common Application has added an optional question that gives all applicants a place to address the impact that Covid has had on them personally and educationally. If you feel you have a story you must tell connected to the pandemic, this is the place to share it.

So, what should you write about?

When brainstorming topics, think about challenges you have faced and how you’ve handled them. You can also ask people who know you best how they would describe you in a few words and why. Their responses can be great jumping off points for writing your essay.

Some students choose to write about seemingly small, ordinary topics that illuminate their character beautifully, and are both poignant and thought-provoking. One student I worked with wrote about growing up hiking with her parents from the time when she was a baby in a backpack carrier, to a grumpy middle schooler, to an appreciative, nature-loving young adult who found outdoor experiences were an essential part of who she was at her core.

Other students choose to describe major life events, or especially challenging experiences that have impacted them deeply. An essay that comes to mind is one written by a student who battled loneliness and isolation due to anxiety and depression, and ultimately found invaluable reprieve in the arts, a passion that they hoped to continue to pursue at the college level.

Whether writing about a painful experience or a more simple experience, be sure the essay rises above a strict recounting of a story. Instead, use the narrative to reveal your true self. It’s okay to be vulnerable and honest; in fact, it’s critical you do so. Admissions counselors will not judge you negatively for depicting moments of weakness or fear, or for having different politics than they might. More likely, they will be impressed by your level of self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and introspection.

Be authentic.

Admissions counselors want value-adders. What adds value to a college campus? Students who display energy, resilience, leadership, passion, inclusivity, unique outlooks, and people who can inspire others. Your essay should tell a story that highlights traits like these. No one else has lived your life or experienced what you have in the way that you have; tell your unique story. Use a voice that’s real to you.

This is not the time to experiment with overly formal academic nor romantic, flowery language. Use words you would normally use and show the reader what makes you, you. There is no need to over-inflate things. Trust your voice and the fact that your story is interesting enough in that no one else has lived it.

Be creative.

The college essay is not like a typical English paper. It’s a true blend of the creative and the literary. In creative writing classes you often hear the advice, “Show, don’t tell,” and that applies here — to an extent. The best essays typically do both. You can help your reader see and feel what you are describing by using some figurative language throughout your piece. Describe sights, smells, tastes, tactile sensations, and sounds as you write.

That said, just because you are being creative does not mean your essay should lack structure. This is not the time to experiment with a completely outlandish form. You don’t want to make your readers work to understand what you are trying to say. You want them to be entirely absorbed in the story you are telling. The easiest way to do this is by making your essay easy to read.

Think of the typical five paragraph structure for English papers. Your essay should have an introductory paragraph with a thesis/hook, supporting body paragraphs, and a conclusion that ties everything together. Your story might lend itself to six or seven paragraphs instead of five, depending on where the natural narrative breaks lie, and that’s fine. Just make sure it has a clear beginning, middle, and end.

Be flawless.

Your essay should not have any spelling, formatting, or grammatical errors. Mistakes do not put your best foot forward to admissions counselors, and they are distracting.

Be sure to read, re-read, and share your submission with others to prevent the possibility of mistakes. Use tools like spell and grammar check, and ask at least two other people to read your essay and offer feedback. You can ask a trusted family member to take a look, or even reach out to a friend with exceptionally good writing skills. We often get so close to our own words that we miss obvious errors. Even the best writers in the world rely on editors to help catch mistakes.

Another option is to ask your English teacher or guidance counselor to review your essay. In some schools, students will work on the college essay in English class during the fall of their senior year. This gives them a chance to receive both teacher and peer feedback, which can be incredibly valuable.

Finally, read your essay aloud before hitting submit. It may feel silly, but you will be amazed at the errors you will catch this way.

Make a point.

By the time you reach your conclusion, be sure your essay makes some sort of point. This is what will separate it from the competition. Ask yourself what you want your reader to walk away thinking and knowing about you, and allude to that in your final sentences. A strong conclusion that helps tie the entire essay together, and also points to the bigger picture, is key.

To achieve this, as you finish your final body paragraphs ask yourself “So what?” This will help you hone in on how to end your essay in a way that elevates it into a story about an insight or discovery you made about yourself, rather than just being about an experience you had. Above all, remember that the conclusion should not be an afterthought, nor should it simply summarize the previous few paragraphs.

In many ways, the conclusion is the most important part of your essay as it’s the last thing people will read. Be sure to give it the time, effort, and energy it deserves. You want your readers to pause and reflect at the end of your essay. You want them to feel something, versus just moving on to the next essay on their list.

Finally, remember….

While some students are able to afford pricey college counselors to help guide them through the application process, at the end of the day, there is no magic formula that someone can pay thousands of dollars for when it comes to writing the college essay. Everyone has a unique story to tell and that is priceless. As long as you give yourself the time to brainstorm, and write and then rewrite, as well as ask for feedback from others along the way, you can end up with a solid final product.

One lesson you will learn at college is that the world is full of a wide array of brilliant, interesting, diverse individuals who all have unique life experiences. You are one of those people. Enjoy the process of telling your story, and then relish the opportunity you will have to create more stories as you move onto the next chapter of your life.

• AA Amy Allen is a writer, educator, and lifelong learner. Her freelance writing business,  All of the Write Words , focuses on providing high school students with one-on-one feedback to guide them through the college application process and with crafting a thoughtful personal essay. A dedicated poet, Amy’s work has also been published in several journals including  Pine Row Press ,  Months to Years,  and  Atlanta Review .

Partner Center