Do’s and Don'ts for Essay Writing

Table of Contents
1. Planning and Structure
2. Introduction: how to begin
3. Development: paragraphing, clarity and coherence
4. Language and Style
5. Common Errors to Avoid
6. Use of Quotations
7. Introduction and Conclusion: planning and execution
8. Presentation, Revision and Time Management
9. Practical Advice and Checklist before Submission
10. Examples and Exercises
11. Final Remarks
View more

Consider the title thoughtfully. Determine whether it asks you to generalise, to take a clear position, or to interrogate an issue. Do not attempt to write on a title that requires firm agreement or disagreement unless you genuinely accept that stance. For example, the title "India is not fit to be a democracy" requires you to argue in support of the statement, whereas the title "Is India fit to be a democracy?" allows you to choose and defend your own viewpoint. Decide your perspective early and develop a coherent pattern for the essay around that perspective.

Planning and Structure

A well-structured essay is organised before writing. Use a short brainstorming session to collect ideas and then arrange them into a logical order: introduction, development of themes/arguments, and conclusion. Note down key points and arrange them in the sequence you will use. Planning saves time during the writing stage and prevents digressions.

• Decide your central thesis and the perspective you will maintain throughout the essay.
• Jot down supporting points, examples, and case studies during brainstorming; place them beside the relevant section of the outline.
• Arrange points so each paragraph develops one main idea and links to the next through smooth transitions.
• Use a brief plan (a few lines or a small bulleted list) within the essay-preferably on the second or third page-to indicate the salient points you will cover. Make sure this mini-index appears as part of the flow rather than as a disconnected list.
• When appropriate, integrate examples and case studies to substantiate arguments; these lend credibility and concreteness.

Introduction: how to begin

• Prefer a short, direct introduction that states the issue and your perspective. Avoid overly lengthy preambles unrelated to the topic.
• Starting with a small relevant anecdote, current news item, or a targeted quotation may generate interest. Ensure any quotation is directly relevant and is immediately linked to your argument; an irrelevant or loosely connected quotation becomes a liability.
• Avoid beginning with rigid or formal definitions of terms unless a precise definition is essential to understanding the topic; many modern essay titles ask for personal interpretation and argument rather than dictionary definitions.
• Make the introduction concise and set out the structure you will follow in one or two sentences when helpful.

Development: paragraphing, clarity and coherence

Each paragraph should centre on one idea. Begin with a topic sentence, expand with explanation or evidence, and close with a sentence that links to the next paragraph. Maintain logical progression and avoid repeating material without adding value.

• Use simple, clear sentences; avoid long rambling constructions which confuse the reader.
• Link paragraphs with transitional phrases so the essay reads as a single, coherent argument rather than a collection of disconnected points.
• Support claims with specific examples, relevant case studies, facts, or statistics where appropriate; tie these back to the central thesis.
• Avoid overuse of quotations; they should be used sparingly and only when they add depth or a distinctive perspective that you cannot paraphrase effectively.

Language and Style

Effective language helps convey ideas; excessive ornamentation does not. Your choice of words should be precise and appropriate to the context.

• Use simple, effective vocabulary. Do not use difficult, archaic, or obsolete words merely to impress. Examples of such archaic usages to avoid include albeit, ere, methinks and trow when they are not necessary.
• Avoid slang and journalistic coinages that lack formal currency in academic writing.
• Know the subtle differences between synonyms; similar words are not always interchangeable. Choose the most accurate word for the idea you intend to convey.
• Do not overuse time-worn idioms and clichés. Examples of hackneyed expressions to avoid are "keeping the wolf from the door", "from the frying pan" (correct idiom: "from the frying pan into the fire"), and "there is no time to stand and stare" when used without fresh insight.
• Underlining or lightly emphasising key assumptions, analysis and conclusion can help the examiner follow your argument, but do this sparingly and only where it clarifies structure.

Common Errors to Avoid

Certain recurring faults lower the quality of essays even when the core ideas are sound. Be vigilant about correctness and relevance.

• Ungrammatical sentences have no place in a formal essay; avoid phrases or constructions whose correctness you are unsure of.
• Avoid unnecessary repetition. The following passage shows needless restatement and should be treated as an example of what to avoid:

The butcher was very thin. This thinness was commented on by many of his customers. His customers commented on it because it seemed so inappropriate in a butcher. What would be more appropriate in a butcher, they felt, was a sort of jovial chubbiness.

• Avoid padding or empty verbosity that seems to argue but actually conveys little. The paragraph below illustrates inflated, repetitive writing often mistaken for argumentation; use it as a negative model:

This paper aims to outline how the Industrial Revolution impacted numerous lives. The significant technological upheaval recognised as the Industrial Revolution transformed the functioning of almost all societal levels during that period. Absent this extraordinary Revolution, none of the transformative changes that have shaped our contemporary lives would have occurred. Presumably, no one who lived through that period remained unaffected. What we encounter here is a profound eruption in technology, science, and manufacturing techniques of all kinds that caused extensive reversals in the life, habits, and beliefs of nearly every individual on this planet. Indeed, our society, in all its facets, was destined to be permanently altered. No life, regardless of its status, emerged unscathed from the Industrial Revolution. In the entire preceding history of the world, nothing had caused such an unforeseen and revolutionary impact. Consider some examples. How many cities, villages, and families experienced the familiar old way of life slipping away as new ways took over? No subject has received more research or detailed scholarly commentary than this; perhaps, we possess more knowledge about this period than any other before or since. To conclude, this wealth of evidence indicates the profound extent to which the Industrial Revolution significantly affected the challenging yet rewarding lives of many of our American ancestors.

• Rewrite such material by stating the claim succinctly, then supporting it with one or two concrete examples or data points rather than repeating the same idea in multiple sentences.
• Keep extreme or idiosyncratic opinions out of an examination essay; the piece should reflect balanced, well-argued views rather than provocative extremes unless the title explicitly demands a polemic and you can justify it.

Use of Quotations

• Quotations should be few and precisely relevant. A memorised quotation used inappropriately signals lack of original thought.
• If you use a quotation, integrate it smoothly and explain its relevance to the point you are making.

Introduction and Conclusion: planning and execution

• Plan both the introduction and the conclusion during your brainstorming. If you have clear opening and closing lines in mind, it is easier to keep the body focused between them.
• Your conclusion should do more than restate earlier points. Summarise the argument, reaffirm the central perspective, and, where appropriate, point toward implications, policy suggestions or an imaginative outlook that follows logically from your argument.
• Write the introduction and conclusion in full length during the planning stage where possible; refine them as time permits at the end of the examination.

Presentation, Revision and Time Management

• Allocate time for brief revision. Correct obvious grammatical errors and improve unclear sentences if time allows.
• Keep sentences simple to reduce the likelihood of grammatical errors and interpretation problems.
• If time permits, underline or lightly emphasise key assumptions, analysis and conclusion to improve readability for the examiner.
• Focus on content and logical flow rather than ornate language. Poorly linked or over-decorated prose is penalised more than simple, lucid writing that makes a strong argument.

Practical Advice and Checklist before Submission

• Have a clear thesis and ensure every paragraph contributes to it.
• Use relevant examples, case studies and contemporary references to illustrate points.
• Keep quotations rare and strictly relevant.
• Avoid archaic words, slang, journalese and clichéd idioms.
• Check for grammatical correctness and clarity; rewrite long rambling sentences into shorter, clearer ones.
• Indicate salient points with a short, integrated bulleted list if it helps the reader to follow the structure; place this list as part of the essay flow and not as a disjointed index.
• Conclude with a rounded, reflective paragraph that ties together the introduction and the essay body.

Examples and Exercises

Practice by rewriting weak passages into concise, evidence-based ones. Convert the verbose paragraph about the Industrial Revolution into a compact argument with concrete examples, dates, or statistics where available. Turn the repetitive butcher example into a single clear sentence such as: "Customers remarked on the butcher's thinness because they expected a butcher to appear more robust."

Final Remarks

Essay writing is demanding, but approach it as a method for organising and demonstrating your understanding of important issues. Concentrate on clarity of thought, structured planning, correct usage and relevant examples. If you view essay preparation as a way to teach yourself about significant topics, one of the insights you develop while practising could prove decisive. Follow these do's and don'ts consistently and refine your technique with regular practice.