Introduction
Writing effective essays is an important skill for anyone pursuing post-secondary education. At Humber College, students will be expected to demonstrate strong writing abilities across many disciplines and assignments. From entrance applications to courses within chosen programs of study, essays are frequently used to evaluate comprehension, critical thinking, and communication skills. With practice and patience, anyone can improve at essay writing. This article provides an overview of the essay writing process, common types of essays assigned at Humber, important elements to include, style guidelines, and tips for success.
The Essay Writing Process
The essay writing process involves several key stages including research, planning, drafting, revising, proofreading and final submission. Thorough preparation is important to produce polished work that effectively gets your ideas across. When beginning the process, take time to fully understand the essay prompt or question. Clear comprehension of requirements like word count, sources needed, topics covered will help focus research and ensure all aspects are addressed. After analyzing the prompt, conduct preliminary research on the topic from credible academic sources to gather relevant information and perspectives. Develop an outline or mind map of main points and supporting details to stay organized. Only begin drafting once research and planning are complete. Drafting allows for getting ideas down on paper but is a work in progress. Multiple revisions are generally needed to refine and strengthen content, flow, analysis and mechanics. Proofreading the final draft ensures no errors remain prior to submission. Leaving time between drafts for revision and again before the due date helps catch mistakes. Starting assignments early is smart to avoid last minute stress and allow adopting feedback if the opportunity arises.
Types of Essays
There are many common types of essays assigned across Humber programs that students need to feel comfortable writing. Being familiar with expectations of different styles helps focus efforts during the writing process. Here are some frequently assigned types with brief descriptions:
Expository – Presents balanced analysis of a topic through explaining, interpreting or evaluating information from research. Aims to inform the reader.
Argumentative – Takes a position on a debatable issue and convinces the reader through reasoned arguments and evidence.
Persuasive – Similar to argumentative but focuses more on attempting to sway opinions than prove an objective truth.
Compare/Contrast – Systematically analyzes similarities and differences between two or more concepts, theories, events, etc.
Cause/Effect – Investigates and explains how and why certain things result from others. Looks at chains of events/situations.
Narrative – Tells a story or sequence of events in chronological order. Can be explanatory or persuasive.
Reflective – Expression of thoughts, observations and insights based on personal experiences or life events and how they impacted development.
Research- Papers written following extensive research require clear claims supported through academic sources, proper citations, and coherent discussion linking evidence to thesis.
Elements to Include
Essays should contain clear, well-developed paragraphs with effective organization to present a cohesive demonstration of understanding. Here are essential elements to address:
Introduction – Provides context and thesis statement expressing your overall point/position.
Body Paragraphs – Each explores an aspect of the thesis with a topic sentence followed by elaboration and quotes/examples. Should flow logically.
Conclusion – Briefly revisits main ideas without introducing new concepts and leaves reader with final thoughts.
Transitions – Ideas are connected smoothly between sentences and paragraphs with transitional phrases.
Focused Topic Sentences – Each paragraph has a clear topic sentence that relates back to the thesis and paper’s focus.
In-text citations – Academic papers must give attribution to source material through consistent citations matching a style guide.
Proofreading – Errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation undermine credibility so proofreading ensures polish.
Title Page – Required formatting includes paper identification, student, course, date on its own page.
Followed correctly, these core elements make for clear, compelling papers able to effectively demonstrate your understanding and skills.
Academic Style Guidelines
Humber utilizes recognized style guides to maintain consistency across disciplines and programs. Knowing which to apply based on subject matter is an important foundational skill. Common styles include:
APA (American Psychological Association) – Social sciences including psychology, sociology, education, nursing. Uses authordate citations.
MLA (Modern Language Association) – Humanities like English, history, languages, philosophy. Uses parenthetical citations.
Chicago/Turabian – Also used in humanities and some business programs. Has note citation and bibliographic options.
Discipline-specific – Science, engineering and some programs use adapted IEEE or other styles.
Regardless of format, content takes priority over minutiae of styling. Formatting should still be accurate as instructed per course requirements. Consult your professor and in text/online style resources like the ones above for reliable formatting models to follow. Proper citation demonstrates research ability and avoids plagiarism concerns.
Tips for Essay Success
With dedicated practice, anyone can learn to write effectively. Here are some tips to help optimize efforts:
Start assignments early, set writing goals and stick to a schedule.
Make sure you understand instructions and criteria before researching.
Take comprehensive notes from multiple credible academic sources.
Develop and refine main points through multiple outlines/concept maps.
Expect to write multiple drafts, proofread and refine each iteration.
Consult professors, tutors or writing support services for feedback.
Polish word choice, sentence structure, grammar and meeting formatting guidelines.
Give yourself breaks and don’t procrastinate revisions.
Cite all sources thoroughly and consistently in the chosen style.
Proofread with fresh eyes before the deadline to catch any final errors.
Maintain a positive mindset and remember practice leads to improvement over time.
Conclusion
Essay writing is an essential skill developed over years of education and practice. Having a strong process, command of common styles/genres, and commitment to quality will serve Humber students well across varied assignments and disciplines. With hard work and self-efficacy developing as writers, individuals can rise to the challenge of crafting compelling college-level work meeting scholarly standards. Becoming confident essayists supports student success at Humber College and beyond in careers.
Andrew Stroud