We’ve all been there— you’ve been procrastinating on an essay that’s due tomorrow and now you’re staring at a blank page hoping the words will magically appear. Instead of only wishing for a good grade, here are 3 guidelines that will help you to efficiently craft your next essay and get the “A” that you’re longing for.
Understanding the Assignment
Before you begin, you’ll want to fully comprehend exactly what the reflective essay is prompting you to write about. If the assignment asks about your thoughts and feelings regarding a certain topic over a period of time, jot down a few phrases or bullet points that initially come to mind.
You might even come up with an outline that breaks down your experiences in chronological order. Most instructors will be happy to review your initial outline, evaluate your progress, and offer their recommendations. Following this initial step will help you to become more efficient as you move along the writing process.
Research & Reflect
Now that you have a solid road map, you’re ready to start gathering all of the necessary information required in developing rich and thorough content. If you’ve taken good notes about the experiences you’re writing about, you’re already off to a promising start.
Keeping a journal and getting in the habit of writing daily will help you to recall important details, adding an interesting depth to your narrative. If you don’t have notes to look at, try closing your eyes and going back to the beginning. Think about how you felt during each notable memory or milestone. Another trick in drawing out additional details is to ask yourself a series of open-ended questions, like these:
What memories stand out to me the most?
How was I feeling at those exact moments?
What lessons have I learned?
Who are the people that inspired me the most?
Why are these experiences important to me?
Compose Your Content
It’s now time to begin writing, starting with each body paragraph. Since you’ve already established an outline, it’s okay to jump around and write each section as it comes naturally to you. Make sure each paragraph focuses on a single point with several supporting thoughts.
As you write, you may decide to add new sections or rearrange the structure, which is completely normal. This is why it is recommended to start with the body first before you write the intro and conclusion. Once you feel confident in each supporting paragraph, you’ll be able to easily summarize your entire paper.
Craft an introduction that grabs the reader’s attention, while providing an overview of what will be covered. The final paragraph should wrap up your essay in a bow, providing the reader with a quick summary, in a conclusive tone.
If you follow each of these 3 rules, you should be able to come up with a solid first draft. Before turning it in, make sure to proofread it several times. Having a friend read it over as well will provide some additional insurance against typos. When you finally decide to turn it in, you should confident in the structure, quality, and flow that you’ve applied to your essay, and hopefully, you’ll get the “A” that you deserve.
