How to Write an Academic Essay (With Example PDF)

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Writing an academic essay goes beyond juxtaposing random words and sentences.This article offers steps on how to write an academic essay, giving you some tips and 10 academic essay examples to help you write a well-structured, quality essay.

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Fredrick Eghosa

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An academic essay is one of the major components of higher education and often constitutes direct success for students in colleges or universities. These essays are about making an argument from evidence by creating a clear, organized outlook on a specific topic for the reader.

Writing an academic essay goes beyond juxtaposing random words and sentences. The process imbues critical thinking to profoundly plan and research while elaborating on a subject area in question in an academically acceptable manner.

In this article, we will break down the steps on how to write an academic essay and give you some tips and 10 academic essay examples to help you write a well-structured, quality essay.

Key Takeaways

An academic essay is a piece of writing that is developed, through research and analysis, into an argument on a focused topic.

The skills learned from writing academic essays help and will be of help through academic, professional, and critical thinking activities.

A typical essay includes certain elements that make it complete: an introductory part, where the topic is presented and a thesis statement is included; the body, where the leading arguments are developed with the support of some evidence; and the conclusion, where all the main points are summarized and the thesis repeated.

Tools such as CoWriter AI can definitely help save time and organize thoughts in writing; however, final revisions will still be needed.

What is an Academic Essay?

The academic essay is organized writing on a particular topic executed with the help of analyses and research. It is a way of developing an argument, informing, and explaining some concept to its readers.

It normally follows the following strict format: an introduction that contains a thesis statement, a body where arguments are proved by evidence, and a conclusion summarizing the main points and restating a thesis.

For example, in an essay about climate change, the introduction highlights how human activities are the leading cause of climate change.

Afterwards, the body provides evidence involving scientific data, and the conclusion testifies to how warranted its action is. What separates academic essays from any other forms of writing is the fact that they incorporate formal language, evidence-based arguments, and logical flow.

With the exception of creative writing and personal narratives, the academic essay does not allow the writer to express their personal opinions unless the essay question calls for them. Emphasis rests on stating the facts with analysis to prove a point, making the essay both informative and persuasive.

Types of Academic Essay

There are several types of academic essays, and each serves a particular purpose, with conventions peculiar to the individual type.

Essentially, mastering the types goes a long way in enabling students to incorporate their ideas and present them through arguments. Some of the most common types of academic essays include the following:

1. Expository Essay

An expository essay simply seeks to explain or describe something without including an individual's opinion. It includes facts, statistics, and examples with the intent of giving a clear understanding of the subject.

As such, an expository essay can be based on the issue of climate change. This would be accomplished by discussing the scientific evidence available that proves global warming exists, its causes, and possible solutions. It focuses on information delivery straightforwardly.

2. Persuasive Essay

The goal of a persuasive essay is to convince a reader to see an issue from the writer's point of view or to take some specific action. Such essays have to employ reasoning, logic, and proofs to substantiate their arguments.

For example, an argument such as "The fight against global warming calls for renewable energy sources" could be argued in a persuasive essay. Great arguments, counter arguments, and evidence will be provided to convince the audience.

3. Analytical Essay

An analytical essay breaks down a particular topic or piece of literature to examine its constituent parts and their relationships. In writing such an essay, the author examines aspects of themes, characters, or arguments in a way that reveals one's perception of the work.

For instance, if one were analyzing a novel, one might write about the character's development and how the author uses symbolism. Surprisingly, the goal is to provide useful insight into the topic for a reader.

4. Argumentative Essay

Similarly to a persuasive essay, an argumentative essay presents a view on a particular issue. However, it must establish logical reasoning and evidence to support the position and address the opposing view.

A good example would be an essay that discusses the pros and cons of school uniforms and argues for them. The writer has to provide strong proof and consider any objections to bolster their claim.

5. Descriptive Essay

Descriptive essays describe any personality, place, thing, or event. They help readers visualize the subject by appealing to the five senses.

For example, a descriptive essay concerning a busy market should give definite descriptions that make the sight, sound, and smell of the experience different from others. It should be an interesting read for the readers.

6. Compare and Contrast Essay

In this type of essay, the similarities and differences between two or more subjects are described. The writer can evaluate in what respect the subjects resemble each other or how they differ in some aspects.

For example, a compare-and-contrast essay may evaluate two different forms of political regimes, discussing their main characteristics and positive and negative points. This provides a better understanding of the subject in question for the reader.

7. Narrative Essay

A narrative essay is a type of essay in which one tells a story, usually from the perspective of the author, and often includes personal experiences. Through this genre of essay, the writer may reflect on their thoughts and feelings while entertaining the reader.

For example, such an experience could concern some turn of life, which may be very important, or a preposterous trip, as a result of the experience gathered during it. This type of essay allows much creativity and self-expression.

8. Critical Essay

Critical essays appraise a piece of literature, art, or film. They require the writer to engage in critical thinking about the work's themes, techniques, and overall effect, forming a reasoned judgment concerning its quality.

For example, a critical essay may examine direction and acting in a movie and how these elements of storytelling come together to complete the movie experience. This kind of essay, in fact, demands thoughtful involvement with the subject.

How to Structure an Academic Essay

1. Introduction

An academic essay normally begins with an introduction that gives a sneak peek into the topic. This introduction should be attention-grabbing and provide some context for the discussion.

After this, present your thesis statement in one clear, concise sentence that states your essay's central argument or position. This statement guides the rest of your essay and gives the reader what to expect.

2. Body

The body is the significant part of the essay where the main ideas are elaborated. Each paragraph should focus on one major point that supports the thesis statement.

Start the body by discussing your first key argument. Present solid evidence or facts, such as research findings or data, to support this point. After introducing the evidence, explain it thoroughly, connect it to your thesis and explain why it matters.

Next, proceed with your second argument or idea. Again, provide the necessary evidence to support this point, be it quotes, studies, or examples. As in each paragraph, follow the evidence with a detailed explanation, showing how it supports the overall thesis and further deepens the reader's understanding.

The third and final body paragraph will introduce your last yet substantial point. Provide your supporting evidence and then analyze it as you have for the previously mentioned points. In this way, your argument will continue to intensify, yet every piece of evidence remains connected directly with your thesis.

3. Conclusion

In your conclusion, rephrase the thesis statement to reiterate the essence of your main argument. Then, summarize most of the points you discussed in the body to remind the reader of the evidence you presented.

You should end with your last thoughts or the implications of your argument. You should suggest areas for further research or reflect on the more significant implications of what you have addressed.

How to Write an Academic Essay Using CoWriter.ai

Step 1: Select an Essay Topic

An academic essay always starts with a topic. The topic is the subject or idea one would discuss in the essay. Choose a topic that you feel interested in and know quite well. It should also be within your course and the scope of the assignment.

As you choose your topic, remember the instructions or guidelines given within your assignment. It might include the formatting style—MLA, APA, Chicago, or Vancouver, whichever is required—you will apply at the editing stage.

Also, consider what kind of essay you are writing. Can you answer a specific question? Does your essay call for a critical comparison and contrast between several sources? Knowing this will help you correctly shape your essay.

Step 2: Conduct Research

The next step after choosing your topic is research. It is an important aspect of writing an academic essay, as it will help you gather information that might be used to support the argument. Utilize several sources, including but not limited to books, academic journals, and credible online databases.

Research takes many forms. Primary research involves gathering original data, perhaps through surveys or interviews. Secondary research involves reading and analyzing sources from someone else, such as books and journal articles.

Tertiary research is a compilation of other sources summarized, often in encyclopedias or textbooks. As you research, take notes and catalog your sources so that you can cite them appropriately.

With CoWriter AI, you can ignore this step, as our tool can help you generate the essay. But if you have specific things you want to showcase in your essay, you can upload the research papers you’ve found in our bibliography library.

Step 3: Create an Outline

An outline helps you pull your thoughts together and approach your essay construction. So, an overall regular outline would involve an introduction, full body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Also, each of the body paragraphs should contain a topic sentence, evidence to back up your point, and an analysis that ties it back to your thesis.

When prompting CoWriter AI to generate the outline, create a new document. In the pop-up box, input the prompt for the academic essay topic. To get the tool to create the outline, check the box beside the Add clear, structured outlines option. Once done, click the Open Editor button, and the tool will generate the outline.

Step 4: Write the Introduction

The introduction is the first part of your essay. It should contain some background information about your topic that helps the reader understand and appreciate the subject matter and context.

Next, you state your thesis, which indicates the main argument or position your essay will take in support or favor of the topic. It needs to be catchy enough to hook the reader and give them an idea of what they will read throughout.

CoWriter.ai will use the generated outline as a guide in generating the content. All you’ve got to do is prompt the AI to expand on each section more.

Step 5: Write the Body Paragraphs

Your argument is the body of your essay. Each paragraph starts with a topic sentence, introducing the idea it will develop.

Explicate your idea with proof, research, or examples, and explain how the proof supports your thesis. Connect each paragraph to others well with transition words so your essay is coherent and smooth.

Step 6: Write the Conclusion

The conclusion wraps up your essay by summarizing the main point you tried to convey or restating your thesis in a new form. It should remind the reader of the evidence you gave in the body and some final thoughts usually provided.

You may also propose some call for action or point out areas for future research connected with your topic.

Step 7: Revise and Edit Your Essay

After you have written your first draft with the help of CoWriter AI, go through the essay carefully for mistakes. Check the grammar, spelling, or any awkward phrasing. Ensure that your essay has a logical structure and that your arguments are well-substantiated.

Now that you know how to write an academic essay, here’s a downloadable PDF with an example of an academic essay to give you a better view of what the essay should entail.

Additional Tips for Writing an Academic Essay

1. Understand the Assignment

Before starting to write, understand perfectly what the assignment requires of you. Read the prompt carefully to know what would be expected from you in terms of content, format, and structure.

Understand what type of essay you are required to write, whether it is an analytical, argumentative, or descriptive essay, among others. Where there are doubts, always consult your instructor so as to ensure the assignment is accurate.

2. Organize Your Ideas Before Writing

First, lay out your mind and organize your thoughts before you begin writing. An outline would, therefore, be an excellent means of logical structuring of the essay.

Break down your essay into introduction, body, and conclusion sections and organize your main points in a sequence that naturally leads to the flow of the essay. It will also help you to avoid going off on tangents and build up an essay focused on the topic.

3. Use Evidence to Support Your Arguments

An academic essay is evidence-based, meaning you should support your arguments with facts, data, and examples.

For this, you use academic journals, books, and even reputable websites. You should explain how every single piece of evidence proves your thesis and not make statements that you cannot support with research.

Make sure you are appropriately citing sources in the citation style your assignment requires: APA, MLA, Chicago.

4. Stay Clear and Concise

Clarity in an academic essay implies avoiding the use of big vocabulary or wordily expressed ideas that can easily mislead a reader. Instead, use simple words and straightforward sentences so that the audience clearly understands your information.

Additionally, avoid irrelevant information, whereas sticking to one subject will prevent your essay from straying from its main argument.

5. Write in an Academic Tone

Writing an academic essay requires the tone to maintain its formality. By this, slang, informal phrases, everyday speech, or any semblance of conversation should be avoided. The appropriate terms used by the student apply to the academic setting.

It will need to be objective and not subjective, enjoining personal opinions unless the essay calls for them. Moreover, this is to be written in the third person unless otherwise instructed.

6. Use Transitions for Smooth Flow

Ensure that transitions are used so that 'your essay flows smoothly from one idea to the next'. Transitions help the reader to follow your argument and also provide logical development from one paragraph to the next.

Some of the transitional words that could be of benefit in connecting ideas and ensuring coherence within the essay include "however", "moreover", "in contrast", and "therefore".

7. Revise and Proofread Carefully

When you have completed a first draft of an essay, take the opportunity to revise it. That is, reread your work and make improvements in clarity, strengthen arguments, and eliminate grammatical errors.

Take the extra steps to check spelling, respondents, and punctuation. Proofread to give your work a final touch and ensure that there are no grammatical errors.

Conclusion

The academic essay is an important part of higher learning, as it amalgamates the building of arguments by students into one compact, research-based, and critically analyzed presentation.

Structurally, writing an academic essay includes topic selection, thorough research, argumentatively well-presented ideas, and valuable conclusions.

Each part of the essay, from the introduction to its conclusion, has a defined role to carry the reader through a presentation of the argument made by the writer.

Using CoWriter AI to write your academic essay saves you time as you’ll have a writing assistant who will do all the heavy lifting while all you need to do is guide it and then review and edit the output once it’s done.