Writing essays is a core component of academia at Washington State University. Whether in a general education course or major-specific class, students will find themselves crafting essays in a variety of styles to demonstrate their knowledge and critical thinking abilities. The goal of this article is to provide WSU students with an in-depth overview of essay writing at the university level to help improve their writing skills and prepare them for success.
What is an Essay?
An essay is generally defined as a short piece of writing that develops and supports a central thesis or argument. Essays demonstrate a student’s mastery of a subject through analysis and reasoned argument rather than simple reporting of facts or summaries. At its core, an essay makes an analytical claim and then substantiates that claim through consideration of evidence, pertinent examples, reasoned explanations, and/or logical arguments.
Essay Structure
Proper structure is key to writing an effective university-level essay. Most instructors prefer essays follow a standard introduction, body, conclusion structure:
Introduction: The introduction should open with an engaging hook or thesis statement that clearly identifies the essay’s central argument or claim. It may include some brief contextual information or background to orient the reader.
Body: The body comprises the main analytical content of the essay through paragraphs, each focused on a single supporting point for the thesis. Body paragraphs utilize relevant evidence from credible sources to substantiate claims. Transitional sentences link each paragraph together into a cohesive flow of logic.
Conclusion: The conclusion restates the thesis and summarizes main supporting points without merely repeating the introduction or body paragraphs verbatim. It may also suggest implications, considerations for future research, or call the reader to action.
Essay Formats
Essays are written in different formats depending on the academic discipline and assignment instructions. Some common formats WSU students will encounter include:
Analytical/Argumentative: Presents a clear thesis and subsequently uses evidence and reasoning to develop and defend an original argument.
Expository: Explains, describes, illustrates, clarifies, or provides information without necessarily arguing a stance or thesis. Seeks to inform rather than persuade the reader.
Compare/Contrast: Systematically analyzes two or more subjects by either jointly considering their similarities and differences or examining their contrasts only.
Cause/Effect: Focuses on determining reasons or analyzing consequences; explores how certain conditions, events, or circumstances result in certain outcomes.
Definition: Provides a precise and reasonably exhaustive description, account, or picture of the nature, characteristics, or essential features of a concept, process, relationship, system, or experience.
Evaluation/Assessment: Assesses the worth, quality, significance, or status of a subject according to some set of criteria or standards.
Style Guidelines
All WSU essays should adhere to standard formatting and style guidelines for academic writing unless instructed otherwise:
12-pt Times New Roman font, double-spaced lines, 1-inch margins all around
MLA, APA, or Chicago style for citations and reference lists depending on discipline (humanities vs social sciences)
Formal, objective third-person tone suitable for an educated readership
Clear, coherent paragraphs focusing on one key idea or theme each
Proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling with varied, sophisticated vocabulary
In-text citations for all ideas and information not your own
Page numbers on all pages in the top right or bottom center
Your name, course info, date in the top left header
Title centered at the top of page 1, nothing else on that line
While individual faculty may tweak guidelines, establishing consistent formatting eases readability and underscores attention to detail.
Developing Strong Content
Beyond structure and style, students must develop substantive content. When crafting essays, WSU recommends:
Conducting thorough research from credible academic sources to inform your ideas
Synthesizing research and critically analyzing findings rather than summarizing
Supporting any thesis or claims fully with clear examples and explanations
Anticipating and addressing potential counterarguments or flaws in reasoning
Integrating thoughtful, well-chosen quotations to lend credibility and back up key points
Demonstrating nuanced understanding of complex concepts through sophisticated analysis
Drawing original insights and conclusions beyond simply restating source information
Using engaging, fluid writing that articulates connections between ideas clearly
Proofreading and Revision
No essay is complete without careful proofreading and revision. WSU recommends allowing time to:
Read drafts out loud to catch typos, grammar errors, awkward phrasing
Check for proper citation of all quoted/paraphrased ideas and accuracy of reference list
Ensure thesis is clearly stated and fully supported with logical flow of ideas
Trim unnecessary words and heighten concision throughout for impact
Adjust structural elements like topic sentences, transitions between paragraphs
Solicit feedback from the Writing Center, peers, instructor early in process
Incorporate suggested improvements before final submission deadline
Following these essay writing best practices will help WSU students excel in their coursework and sharpen analytical communication skills prized by employers and graduate programs. With practice and dedicated effort, any student can become a skilled academic writer.
Andrew Stroud