Effective essay planning can speed up your writing process. It enables you to work in a logical framework that helps you commit yourself to sticking to the point. The University of Hull highlights the importance of essay planning. It says that an academic essay is a specific form of writing that needs to address a specific question. To implement it successfully careful planning is required. This way you will be confident that you have included the most relevant data in your essay. However, the reader can follow your line of argument as it leads to the conclusion.
A report published by The Bucks Herald says that in 2023, there were almost 570 entries in essay writing contests across the UK. So, this prominent ratio of learners taking an interest in these competitions states the importance of essay planning. The better they are at the planning stage, the better would be the outcomes.
This guide aims to assist students in crafting their essay plans. If the task proves challenging, avail of essay writing services from experts. These professionals offer comprehensive support throughout the essay writing process, from planning to implementation and concluding.
Table of Contents
How Do You Write an Essay Planning?
Essay writing is a difficult task especially if you are overwhelmed with where to start and where to end it. The importance of having logical arguments can’t be denied, but only a detailed plan can make it possible in an organised way.
Are you looking for how do you plan an essay for sure success? The below guide is meant for you to provide a detailed essay plan.
Top 6 Ways for Successful Essay Planning
The essay planning process is more exciting than you think. Most of the students walk away, considering it an additional step in essay writing. They need to realise that the whole process can go wrong if they skip it. It only takes a short time, but the outcomes will be surprising. The essay planning strategies below can be helpful for students who are planning their essay writing.
1. Figure Out Your Essay Topic
Your teacher must have provided you with the assessment details for writing your essay. This is where you have to begin. Don’t ignore this prompt as you will end up writing irrelevant stuff. You can also take a print of your essay question and any guidelines provided. Be mindful of these assessment details for essay planning.
2. Gather Your Sources and Take Quick Notes
Now you have figured out your main focus, you should start collecting the relevant data. If you want to achieve top marks, you must find out the detailed and specific pieces of information. Fortunately, your teacher has made this stage easier for you.
When you are assigned a topic, there is a reading list or top sources to be considered for crafting your essay. Stick to these guidelines for essay planning. You can also visit your institution’s library to find out the most relevant and reliable sources to consult.
3. Brainstorm Using a Mind-Map
Does all the information gathered seem disorganised? Brainstorm all of these ideas to make an organised layout for essay planning. For instance, you can write your topic in the middle of the page and draw circles around it.
Write all the ideas you collected in these side boxes and try to figure out the key idea out of it. A rough idea for your 1000-word essay is that it will contain 3 to 4 key points. Write it in circles and draw side branches to write its extensions.
4. Write Your Topic Sentences
A good body paragraph must start with a topic sentence. This essay planning marker is going to highlight what you will be discussing in these long phrase paragraphs. Make sure the reader reads only 4,5 sentences just to know what you are talking about. This way, the reader can better focus on your argument rather than mere idea.
5. Write An Essay Draft
It is finally the writing stage, but not actually writing the essay. It’s about making a rough draft before compiling it on the final document. You don’t need to pressure yourself to perfect the first-ever draft in essay planning. There must be room for making mistakes. Repeat it unless you are confident that the intent has been delivered.
6. Edit Your Draft
The drafting process will take almost three hours. But you still need to finish. It’s time to make some revisions to your final draft. Good students finish their drafting process in essay planning as early as they can. The intention is to have more time for revision. The editing process will polish your document so that you can stand unique among all others.
Essay Plan Examples
Victoria University provides you with an example of essay planning. It will be helpful for the students to consider it as a template. Find below the structure of the body paragraphs in this whole process.
What Are The 7 Parts of Essay Structure?
An essay writing structure may vary according to the institution’s guidelines. However, some key elements must be part of any essay writing. Find the checklist below.
- Introduction: It is an important part of an essay that grabs readers’ attention.
- Stating Your Subject: You should give the reader a clear idea of what you are talking about.
- Gather Evidence: Gathering evidence from reliable sources will help the reader to consider your writing worthy to rely on.
- Thesis Statement: A thesis statement is the central argument that informs the reader of your viewpoint.
- Write the body Paragraphs: These body paragraphs are the extension of your main point. Each paragraph should be defined to add something new to the central argument.
- Conclusion: It is a concise summary of your whole context. Remember to include a thought-provoking final statement in this final verdict.
- Proofreading: Every time you make a draft, take a printout to read and make necessary revisions.
Why Is Essay Planning Important?
When you plan out your essay, you will have a better understanding of your topic. However, if you randomly start writing without making a proper plan, there is a high chance of making mistakes. If the final document contains countless flaws, it will directly be subjected to rejection by the tutor. The Edraw provides a mind mapping your essay planning, as shown in the below image:
How Long Should Essay Planning Take?
How long the planning process will take depends on your topic. It can be done in 10 to 15 minutes or can take several days before its actual execution. The Student Room says that on average it will take 3 to 5 days to plan depending on how deep research is conducted for data collection.
Conclusion
Essay planning is one of the crucial aspects of writing your essay. If you go wrong there, the outcomes may be frustrating. To those students who are planning their essay writing, the above guide can be worth considering. Be mindful of the key highlights above if you want to gain excellence in your essay writing project.
Apart from planning, aspects like information gathering, adhering to essay writing structures, and drawing conclusions hold equal significance. Feeling stressed by the workload and unsure of successful implementation? Ask for help from online essay writers. These professionals can enhance the quality of your work, notably if you received poor grades previously.
