3 Fundamental Pillars of Essay Writing For College Students
Rick Riordan would imagine Hercules marooned in an uninhabited island near the Rock of Gibraltar, the columns (of a temple) get lost in the vegetation in front of the shoreline. The (original) demigod is supposed to warn mortals and (younger) demigods alike about the ancient monsters roaming the Mediterranean Sea, but Percy Jackson fans sense a hidden agenda somewhere. If college students can't recall it (or don't have a clue at all), then they might be curious about Philip Reeve's spin on the town-eat-town mentality of London. It would accelerate the apocalypse by the Sixty Minute War, which might be slower than they imagine. These examples illustrate the mastery of these authors on the subject matter, namely mythology and urbanization. They managed to break the rules, yet they are aware of it. Students can do the same thing, but it's a long process.
Novelists pursue authorship with a passion, but only a few are lucky enough to succeed in this fickle business. Not all who loves to write can make a living on it solely. If they are struggling to make it big, then college students face twice the difficulty when they have assignments to finish ahead of the deadlines. Lest the student is a wordsmith, born with a gift of linguistic intelligence, he might be daunted at essay writing.
To improve their essay writing skills, there are crucial elements that they should pay attention while they compose the draft (of their assignment). If they don't have an idea about it, then they should have a hint when they look at the booklets that describe their modules and the books and authors that they must study during the term. And it would start with the notable works in Modern Literature.
Standing Out from the Pack?
Message. As Virginia Woolf aptly puts it, "a good essay must have this permanent quality about it; it must draw its curtain round us, but it must be a curtain that shuts us in not out." The cornerstone of effective essay writing is the message. Hence, college students must make it a point that they have something to say. The paper's content is what differentiates a good paper from the others made with half-baked effort. If students can demonstrate originality of thought and put lots of substance into it, then their professors will give the essay a high mark. It's a challenging task, but a can-do attitude should give them a sense of resolve. And their coursemates might give them the much-needed support.
Style. Apart from the substance, professors also factor in their students' writing style when evaluating their assignments. Hence, students must make it a point that in essay writing, they use the appropriate tone and diction. Moreover, they need to ensure that they write clearly and concisely. Roundabout arguments undermine the great ideas of the students, so they must always be direct to the point. The word count might worry them, but there are many things to discuss (and argue) about. They may risk of exceeding the word count if they are very serious about paper writing.
Design. The famous maxim might be arguing against judging the book by its cover, but college students must face the fact that their paper needs to have a visual appeal. This is not a license for students to pepper their essays with artwork or illustrations irrelevant to their topic. Visual appeal means that in paper writing, students need to consider the importance of white space. Make the paper look easy on the eyes - not cluttered and text heavy. They must use subheadings and bullets to emphasize important points. And they must make sure that the paper is in double-spaced format, so their professors can write their comments. They shouldn't take their remarks seriously, as it's a constructive approach to an exercise. It should help them improve in their writing skills in great stride, but there are certain aspects of writing that require life experience. It won't be a wise thing to blow out your allowance on sightseeing (after reading too many novelists describing a setting in attention-getting details). There must be one unforgettable life experience.
Don't Forget the Following
College students may not have the time to shelve their draft and come back to it (for proofreading), which is fine. They can keep a shortlist and look at it after they're done with the draft. Pick one or two main themes, and discuss it thoroughly. They must have one character that would make an impression on them. They shouldn't try too hard to rephrase they read in online sites (or CliffNotes). It's a subjective thing, so they must make their own observation. They rather be careful about it, as their professor can end up knowing them more. And it might not be a pleasant picture. These include morbid thoughts, which Woolf would struggle throughout her life.
Students must not take reading for granted. It's a great investment, even if it means passing up invitations to parties. It should expand their vocabulary, which can help them write with ease and confidence.
